Next on our trip was a visit to Grandpa and Nana’s.  Not only did I get to play with Uncle Darren’s choo choo train, Grandpa and Nana got this big rescue helicopter for me.

And then I opened my next gift… a Ferrari!  Once it was all charged up, I got to take it outside for a test drive.  Grandpa helped me with some of the finer points around backing out from the shrubs.

It goes really fast!

Thanks for having us over to visit Grandpa and Nana!  It was really fun to see you!

It’s always fun to visit Grandpa and Grandma Harris because I get to play in Grandpa Harris’s old-time truck.  It has a big steering wheel, and you can turn it and see the front wheels turn.

It also has a lift gate in the back for lifting me up and down.  I think I’m getting big enough that Grandpa Harris has to try pretty hard to lift me up!

Then we went on a big adventure!  We got to go golfing, and I got to drive the golf cart!

Check out my driving skills! (Ed Note: Ben! Keep your eyes on the… er…. fairway?)

Oh, and there were even presents to open.  I got this fun parking garage from Grandpa and Grandma.

I had a great time visiting and I can’t wait to come back!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Last week, Avery and her Mommy and Daddy came to visit.  It started with a pickup at the airport.

It wasn’t long before I was giving rides on my trike to my cuz’.

The next day, we went to see the big trees.

Yep.  They’re still really big.  We had fun collecting sticks.

On Saturday, I took Avery to my favorite park where you can feed the ducks.  We found out they like bread better than lettuce… just like us!

After that I got to try out a REAL power digger.  With this one, you pull the levers to move the scooper from side to side and up and down, and there’s one to open and close it, too!

And after that it was time for a ride on the train, and then one on the merry-go-round.

Wow, was that a fun day!

On Sunday, Uncle John and Aunt Heather took us to a castle!  It had a moat, drawbridge, and what Daddy says is called a “portcullis”, which is a really spiky looking front door.  Boy could you see a long way from the top of the castle.

After the castle, it was time for a ride to the park.  I went in front so that Avery could follow me because I knew the way.

We mostly went on the slides and bars at the park.

I turns out is is really fun to slide right into the wood chips.  The bigger the pile, the better!

After we were done at the park, we got a tow back home up the hill.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Thanks for coming to visit guys!  I had a really fun time!  Come back any time!

After the big canoe trip, it was time for something a little more relaxing – and where we could actually get in the water without freezing our piggies off!  Guess what?  SunRiver has a pool!

The next day, we took a trip to the stables.  I got to go for a ride on Dottie the pony while Mommy & Uncle John went for a horse ride.

Later on, we finally found some time to clean the car and get it ready for the trip back home.

We had dinner over at Aunt Carol and Uncle John’s SunRiver house.  There was lots of yummy cheese and grapes!

The next day, on the way home, we stopped at place with lots of big equipment that we could look at.  This machine chops down trees all by itself!  Boy is it tall!  I asked, but Daddy said I couldn’t drive it.  That sure would have been fun.

(Tree harvester at Collier State Park Logging Museum.)

And here is a grader just like in my Richard Scarry books!

Daddy says they used the grader to make roads into the forest so they could get the trees out to the lumber mill.

Monday was the big canoe trip.  First, we went for a ride in a big van with canoes on the trailers.  I got to see snow out the window!

Before getting in the canoes, Daddy helped me make the necessary preparations.

Then it was time to get my life vest on and pose for a picture.

After that, the guides (Matt and Chase) told everyone what we would be doing.  I thought I could listen best by getting in the boat and visualizing.

Finally, it was time to leave.  Here we go!

Then it was my turn to paddle.  It turns out that this is harder than it looks!  I gave Mommy her paddle back pretty quickly.

Avery was in her own boat  with Uncle John and Aunt Heather.

Once we got to shore, it was time for a snack.  That stuff that looks like snow in the background…?

… it really is snow!

When we all got back and it was time to get in the vans, I got ready to direct everybody to their seats.  Can you find me?

Hi Everybody!  I’m at our house in SunRiver now.  And cousin Avery came too!

We went for a ride to the park first thing the next day.  Avery is a good passenger because she doesn’t take up too much space on the seat.  And she didn’t try to take my snacks, either.

At the park, I went on the Christmas tree merry-go-round first.  After that was slides, see saws, and tire swings.

Then I was all tuckered out.  I was even too tired to stay awake up on the top bunk that I got to sleep in!

Later, we had dinner and games over at Uncle Tommy and Aunt Danee’s place.

We played cousin Christine’s ‘bolo’ game where you get to throw stuff.  Here, I’m showing Ma the “ropes”.  Get it?

Next up: The big canoe trip!

I turned three this week, and to celebrate, we had cupcakes.  And being three means I’m old enough to know not to grab the candle while it is burning!

Grandpa Stark came up with David for the big occasion.  I know that the race weekend thing was just a cover story because nobody would actually want to drive in the rain.  Right?

Grandpa brought me this very cool lawnmower.  I’ve very good at getting the wrapping paper off of presents now that I’m three.

Grandpa did make good on his cover story, and I was there to see him.  I cheered for him and waved as he sailed down the straightaway.

Grandpa takes good care of his fans, and he came through with a bag of cookies for his most dedicated fan.  (Did I mention it was raining?)

Of course, I made sure to find my own car to drive, just like last year.

Later, Grandpa and I had some quality Stark bonding time playing with his fancy phone.  What can I say, it’s in the genes!

Last weekend, M&D and I went down to LA for a surprise party for Pa.  Something called ‘retirement’ from ‘work’.  That didn’t make much sense to me, but what I do know is that I got to visit my cousin and play baseball!

I hit lots of the balls that Daddy pitched to me, and some even went all the way across the street!  I also had lots of fun throwing the ball up as high as I could in the air.  It was fun to see Aunt Heather, Uncle John, and Uncle Ryan.

After baseball we went to the restaurant where we got to wait for Pa and then yell  “Surprise!”.  Pa looked a little surprised, so I ran right over and gave him a big hug.

Later, Avery and I helped Ma make some cupcakes for my pre-birthday LA celebration.

And here you can see the pre-pre-celebration.   Mmmmmm Mmmmm….

Ah, the mysteries of life…Why don’t people just eat chocolate frosting all the time?

After all of the visiting and celebrating, it was time to go home.  Unfortunately, our airplane flight was canceled due to something called “mechanical difficulties”.  Then M&D said that we would get to go home on a BIG jet plane.  After lots of walking, we went to where the BIG jet planes park, and I met our first officer.  He taught me to count stripes on his shoulders, and that THREE stripes means a first officer, and FOUR stripes means a captain.  I counted FIVE stripes on his shoulder, and he laughed and said he would tell that to his captain.  I think because I’m so smart that’s why they let me fly the plane!

First officer “Jeffy” was really nice and even held me for a picture!

Maybe our flight will get canceled again so I can sit in the front of another jet!  I’m looking forward to it!

(Editor’s Note: A big thanks to Southwest’s First Officer Jeff for all the kind attention!)

Ma and Pa came for a visit.  We went to the mall where I had to ride the train.  I’m just smiling so that Ma and Pa would think that I was having a good time.  OK, OK, you got me.  So it really was fun.

After the train ride, we went to Build-A-Bear, where I got to pick out a new friend.

I would like to introduce the world to my new friend, Girl Kitty.  She’s may favorite girl kitty, and she’s totally good to go if she ever wants to run for president:

After all the shopping, it was nice to come back to the house a play blocks with a real pro.  Look at the gigantic tunnel I built with Pa!

As always, it was great to see you Ma and Pa!

After a fun time at Grandpa and Nana’s, it was time to go a see Ma and Pa again.

The first stop was the big party at Aunt Danee and Uncle Tommy’s!  I got to see Aunt Liz and Uncle Ryan and they got this really neat airport book for me.  I had fun reading it to just about everybody. Aunt Liz must have been like me when she was little because she was a good listener.

Aunt Danee got some blocks for me and Avery to play with.  (Ed Note: “…with which we could play.”… Sigh.)

It was a great party Aunt Danee and Uncle Tommy!

Later, we got to open even MORE presents at Ma and Pa’s house.  As you can see, by this point, I had really figured out what to do with wrapped presents.  M&D are saying they hope I can learn to read the “name tags” soon.  I wonder what that means.

We went to the park by Ma and Pa’s and Pa and Uncle Ryan helped me climb this big tree.

Later, Pa showed me the finer points of raising cacti… like “don’t touch”.

And, of course, Ma and Pa’s house provided a great view to help me and Mommy ponder then meaning of it all.  For example: What is Christmas?  And why can’t we have it every month?

When I figure out the answer to these questions, you’ll hear about them here!