Christmas 2010

The master builders trying out the Trio blocks... We've made lots of helicopters and airplanes!

An animal rescue vehicle and lots of new animals to join our lonely kangaroo!!

We are obviously still waiting on the big gift for the year, Michael's new sister... Hopefully any day now! I know I'm ready!! If only she was!

Christmas Time at the Garden Factory

Around the corner from us is a great garden store that transforms everything at Halloween and Christmas. I needed a bit of a rest one weekend so Donald and Michael went on over to check things out this year...

Not a big fan of Santa... Apparently we had too many discussions about the fact that Santa knows when you are naughty! I think he thought he was getting busted!
Happy with the trains again!!!
Hanging out with the train display...

Columbus Zoo

A new tradition for us is to go to Columbus every fall to celebrate the fall holidays with Donald's family. This year while we were there we went to the Columbus zoo. It was a really great zoo.

Checking out a sleeping kangaroo! You could walk around in their area. Most of them were huddled off in a corner no where near the path though!
On the Merry Go Round
Baby Elephant and Mikey. As part of the halloween festivities we had just seen a pumpkin get smashed by a real elephant!
The monkey chilling with the monkey...

Picking fruit

Michael hasn't always been the best eater, but one of his favorites is typically fruit. We try to take lots of trips to orchards and fields to pick our own stuff. This summer we made a few trips to the strawberry fields, a trip for blueberries, a trip for blackberries and raspberries and a trip for apples. Luckily they don't charge us by the pound for all the samples that Mikey helps himself too or we'd all be in the fields attempting to work off the debt still!

In September we went to Brown's Berry Patch to get blackberries and raspberries. It was a fantastic place and we'll definitely go back!
Two for Mikey, 1 in the bucket... 3 for Mikey, 1 in the bucket...
In October we went to a place in Hilton to pick apples. Now its time to make some applesauce!

Strong Museum of Play

For Christmas every year, the Ciarmoli's give a membership to the local children's museum to Donald. It's a fantastic museum and we appreciate the membership very much!

Shopping for pumpkins at the Wegman's kid market.
The builder in action.

Seneca Park Zoo

We love trips to the zoo. The monkey's are typically the highlight. I try not to linger with them because the scent of their housing leaves a bit to be desired!

A new addition to the zoo. I think he'll fit in nicely.

Posing with the polar bears.
Apparently they got a new Meerkat too.

Snoopy... I mean Buffy...

In September our friend Jaye, his girlfriend Marie-Claude and dog Buffy all came to see us for a weekend. Jaye, MC and Buffy currently live in Canada, but are about to relocate to Australia. We wish them all the best (but wish that Australia was a little closer!!!) Michael LOVED playing with Buffy... or Snoopy as Michael deemed her. He also renamed Jaye to Apple John. Soon after Jaye, MC and Buffy left our new kangaroos moved into the house (not sure if its the Australia connection or just a coincidence) . I've yet to see them but Michael tells me they are named Peanut Butter and Fluff. Last I heard they were in the apple orchard picking apples......