Dozer Days 2009

Aidan had a great time at the annual Dozer Days.  This year we had a lot more interaction with the different vehicles.  One of the highlights was getting to sit in the Jump Seat of a fire truck.   Matthew was very interested in all of the different things that were going on. 

Gone adrift

We've had a good snowy week, the best that daddy remembers in quite a while, and our train that sits in our front yard has got snowed in.

Trick or Treat

Aidan and Matthew went trick or treating for Halloween before they left for England. Aidan had a great time.

Skate and roll. . .

On Mommy's birthday Aidan went skating with his friend Kassie.

1st Day of School

Today, Aidan went to his first day of preschool. He had a great time. If asked the things that are most notable about his first day is a monster truck that they have to play with, the sandbox, that he wants to go back, and we got to hear a song a bunch of times that they sung about going to school.

A day of amusement and wonder. . .

Yesterday Aidan went to Oaks Park to take part of their preschooler program. He had a great time, riding rollercoasters, trains and other rides. Mom and Dad had a good time as well.

Aidan also went to his preschool open house. He had a great time. He met his teachers and got acquainted with some of his classmates. What a day!

Hey Guys! Have you met my brother Matthew?

Aidan is a new big brother. His brother's name is Matthew. Matthew was born on August 12th, 2008 at 12:30 PM. He was 7 lbs and 13 oz and 19 3/4 inches long.

You should meet Matthew at his new website called Matthew's Meadow. You can get to it at matthewsmeadow.blogspot.com.

Dozer Days

Today, Aidan, Mommy and Daddy went to Clark County's annual Dozer Days. It was quite the experience for Aidan. We all had to brave mid-90 degree heat in a big quarry, but that was only a minor obstacle for a boy who loves big trucks. We all started the event by riding in a dump truck to the main area where there were diggers, bulldozers, cranes, and other construction trucks that you could get in line and drive! This here is a picture of Aidan taking his turn in a bulldozer WITH caterpillar wheels!

They also had some non-construction trucks there as well. Aidan got to sit in a fire truck which was one of the major highlights of the day. As you can see driving a fire truck is NO JOKE! Aidan was also lucky enough to operate a garbage truck where he got to lift a garbage can and dump it in to the garbage truck. This was such an event that we had to end it with an ice cream cone on the way home. What a day!

Gettin' ready for Mother's Day.

Today Aidan & Daddy got our picture taken as we were leaving for church on Mother's Day. Mommy got a very nice book and a coupon for unlimited cuddles from Aidan.

Spring Train(ing)

After Aidan's nap yesterday, we went to Washington Park Zoo. Aidan had a great time. He got to ride a tractor.





He also got to ride the train they have at the zoo. That was the best. Afterwards we called Grandma Diane so that Aidan could share his experience. He summed it up quite well with "Aidan like it!"

One, Two!

Aidan had his second birthday today! He had a very good time. It was a Thomas the Tank Engine themed birthday. He got cards and gifts from as far west as Hawaii and as far east as England. Aidan had to be torn away from his train set in order to have cake and ice cream. A great time was had by all.

The Great Train Expo

Yesterday, Aidan went to the great train expo with Grandpa Roger and Daddy. There were lots of different sized trains. Aidan had a very very good time. He spent several hours there watching all the different trains ago around and around. The two most notable things we saw was a complete train set made out of Legos. They had a lego space needle, lego high rises, lego office buildings, lego houses, lego everything. It was very cool. The other notable item was a real steam engine that ran on the electric tracks. It was fun to see something that wasn't running on batteries or electricity.

Santa comes to town

Today Aidan had a special visitor as Santa delivered a very special present to him. . . His very own train set. Here is also a picture from Peacock Lane in Portland.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. . .

As advertised in our previous post, our little Aidan had quite the eventful day yesterday. He helped Grandma Joan and Grandad Keith get a christmas tree, he went to zoo lights with Grandma Diane and Grandpa Roger, and he made the front page of the Columbian newspaper when he went to visit Santa at the train depot in Vancouver. Just what seems to be an ordinary day for our son.


Aidan, 2, of Vancouver rides on grandfather Keith’s shoulders without so much as a glance at
Santa, who had just arrived on a vintage steam train Saturday. After all, Grandpa had a better beard. For most of
the children at BNSF Railway’s Vancouver headquarters, Santa was the main attraction. For most adults, it was the
1938 SP&S 700 steam locomotive that brought him. Billy Carr of Portland reached out to touch the locomotive,
which operated until 1956. Around 2,000 people attended the annual party, the largest Christmas event on a BNSF
Railway system that stretches across 28 states and two Canadian provinces, said spokesman Gus Melonas.

Upcoming festivities. . .

Aidan has a big weekend planned for him (hopefully with a couple of pictures to follow). He is going to a christmas tree farm with Grandma Joan & Grandad Keith. He missed this experience last weekend with his other grandparents because he (and all the rest of us) were sick. Then maybe after the tree farm he might be going to visit Santa at the train station. This would be joining together two of his more favorite things, Trains & Santa. Then this evening if all goes well we are going to go to ZooLights with Grandma Diane and Grandpa Roger.

The picture posted here is Aidan's first trip wine tasting. Joanne, Grandma Diane, Aidan and I all went to the Willamette Valley and sampled some of the fine wines they have to offer. The lesson learned. . . get a chauffeur. Although I think we may have a free chauffeur for the next year in Joanne so maybe our next trip will be a bit longer. The picture was taken at the Anne Amie vineyard just outside of Lafayette, Oregon, which is 40 minutes south of Portland.