Some day, I'll have a family picture where everyone will look at the camera and smile! A small. simple dream that I have!

Avila vally farms

The whole family went to Avila Valley Barn. We went on a hayride, picked our own pumpkins, and ran through a hay bale maze. It was great for the whole family!

josh on a giant redwood

Jeff took the boys panning for gold! We're rich! Not really, but the boys had a blast. Their favorite part was camping near the giant redwoods.

October Student of the Month

Grant

Hanging out at the park, having a good time. Guess what its about 70 degrees same as yesterday...same as tomorrow (we are not looking forward to the weather when we leave.)

Ellie

Playing at the park!

Defensive Lineman for the Conquistadors!

Jeremy's first year of tackle football has been real interesting. He's the youngest player on the team but has been able to beat them all one on one in blocking! He plays defensive line and sometimes offensive line.

Grandpa and Grandma with the Lakey kids

The hotel had Japanese "pajamas" so the boys tried them out. The parents and grandparents thankfully didn't try them on.

The family at Christmas 2005

the older "monkeys" on the monkeybars

Check out Grandpa and Grandma snowmen

No snow this Christmas, but look at those snowmen!

Twins at the park on a cold day with Grandpa and Gramma Noorda

Taft, dragon master!

Jeremy tames a dragon

Giant stone dragons!

All the kids hanging out in the world's largest hammock

Ellie was the hit with the Japanese girls

The park's cargo net play area (better than parks back home)

Taft and Jeremy in the bamboo

The family at Showa park

Our homemade "Boo!"

Taft grabbing a bite between games

Grant under the bleachers, cheesing for the camera!

Ellie at the game (we've taught her right, junk food and watching sports goes together)

Bend it like Taft! (check out the do it yourself mohawk)

Superhero Convention (no this was not Halloween)

Mountain climbers!

Ellie's First Steps

Brotherly Love, Jeremy with Grant at a Primary party.

Jeremy and Taft playing football. Jeremy played center every play, but in flag football anything could happen and he threw a touchdown past! Taft also ran for a touchdown.

Ellie's First steps

Ellie has started walking in the last month. We are all doing well and settling back into a routine with the start of school. I just got done with another masters class, only a few more to go! The boys and I went to the Tokyo Game Show 2005. It was fun to play all the new games before they have come out. Thousands of free video games and all sorts of exhibits. The boys just got done playing football and will start soccer soon.

Playing the XBox 360 (3 months before its released!)

At the Tokyo Game Show 2005

first day of school

snack time!

The Kids, Springtime in Japan

Splitsville again!

Hey all I'm down in Biloxi, Mississippi at Kessler AFB and Jen and the kids are back in Japan. I'll be here another 5 weeks and I miss them tons! I went to the Crawfish festival tonight and had fun with several of the other officers in my class. I ate a few crawfish and won a very small Sponge Bob by throwing darts. Josh and Jeremy are taking a golf camp for their week-long spring break and apparently are itching to get Dad on the golf course and beat me!