The Idahoans

It’s a new year and already we’ve had a multitude of visitors. Last year it seems somebody was coming to visit us almost every month, and this year is starting off the same. I guess that just means we’ll get to see the DC sites again. And again. And, yeah, probably again. But it’s all good. The youngest Unbehend sibling came to visit us in the first week of the new year, and she brought with her the growing Clayburn family. Paul and Brooke are about a year apart, so they got along great together and were rarely apart throughout the week. I had to work most of the time, but here are a few highlights of their trip to the nation’s capital.

We've had multiple people take multiple photos under multiple state names at the WWII memorial... so here's another one. And the first from the Potato State!

Uncle Christopher and Sophia Marie.

Of course, local resident Ted Unbehend tagged along for the journey, here with PJS.

January is a cold month in most places, and it's no different here. But they survived. These people are from Idaho after all.

Quite a tourist group for Uncle Ted to manage, but he helmed the minivan well.

The kids checked out the dolphin show at the National Aquarium in Baltimore... of course.

And saw a few cannons... of course.

Brookie B enjoyed her time in DC.

Gotta take the kids to the zoo. It's free. You can't beat that. Even if it was a bit cold.

Adam Michael hung out with Uncle Chris, and didn't fight to get away!

Paul looking overly excited at the zoo. But he did really have a great time with Brooke and the rest of the Clayburns. Next up will be Grandpa Bill next week... but I won't be surprised if someone else shows up shortly after that. So thanks to everyone who came to visit in 2010, and we look forward to seeing you all again now that it's 2011!!

Countdown to Christmas!

Thanksgiving is over. The leaves have fallen. The cold wind is blowing. It must be just about winter time, which means... Christmas time is almost here!! This will be Adam's first Christmas of course, and Paul is more excited this year than any before. Soon we'll be stringing the lights, decorating the tree, and (maybe) shoveling snow. It truly is the most wonderful time of year!

A boy's first Christmas. Plenty of wrapping paper to eat!

Bring on the presents! As if this kid needs any more toys.

Any Christmas candy lying around here??

Ah yes, bust out the sled and lets hit the massive mountain slopes... uh... kind of.

Ready to hang the ornaments and tinsle... or just eat them.

Not sure what this thing is, but I'm ready to go... I guess.

Oh, Adam Michael.

Still no snow. No snow for sledding. No snow to jump in. No snow at all. Oh well...

Visions of sugar plums are dancing in his head... or visions of all sorts of junk he doesn't need but saw on TV and now thinks he has to have for Christmas.

Trying to get a picture of both boys together and both looking at the camera - let alone smiling - is next to impossible at this age. Oh well... it's Christmas time!! Happy Holidays!

It all falls down...

It’s already the middle of November and Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. The time flies by. Becky and the boys have been hard at work in the yard, raking up the endless supply of leaves. But that’s a good thing, since the weather has been incredible and the fall has been beautiful around here. Check it out:

Adam thoroughly enjoyed his time rolling around in the leaves!

This seems like a good idea... let's bury our little brother in the leaves!

Just like this...

Wear a goofy hat: check. Eat some leaves: check.

Never, ever, ever a quiet moment.

Whatever, Paul.

A big hug for a little brother.

Gotta love this time of year! Bring on the Holiday Season!

Trick and Treat Time

The time is now, the time is here, Halloween is drawing near. The other day we went down the road to where a local farmer had set up shop and was selling Fall-ish type things, and we let the boys pick out their pumpkins. We got a couple of fat orange ones, and got a pretty good deal on the price too, so it all worked out. Paul and I went to work carving on them, though it was mostly my job once Paul saw the guts inside and refused to stick his hand in to tear them out. So I had to rip out all the nasty, slimy junk inside, and thankfully... I survived. Adam thoroughly enjoyed trying to eat his pumpkin, and while Paul ran circles around the yard as usual, I had too much fun carving.

All kinds of pumpkins to choose from: little ones, big ones, fat ones, thin ones!

Adam picked this nice chunky one. Go figure.

He seemed pretty happy with it.

Stick it with a knife, cut its flesh off and rip out its insides. Such a violent craft.

Uh, I'll not be putting my baby soft hands in that smelly, sticky junk.

Num num num, give me food! I don't care if it's not edible, I'll eat it!

He carved it all himself. A natural pumpkin carver.

Adam didn't want to put his hands in either. Or his face... uh, Paul... don't put his head in there.

Excellent work Adam Michael.

Granny G and Grandpa Bill will be here in a few days, and then it's time to forage around the neighborhood for chocolate and sugar based food products. Should be excellent.

Invisible Balloon Festival

Last weekend we met up with Ted and Rachel and took the boys out into the Virginia countryside for a hot air balloon festival. The weather was great, the sun was shining, the leaves were falling, it was otherwise a perfect day for such a journey. However, there was a little wind in the afternoon, and apparently a little wind makes for no hot air ballooning. You would think that wind would make a balloon ride even more enjoyable, but I guess the pilots didn’t want to end up in Canada or blown out to sea, so they never lifted off. Oh well, it was worth a shot, and they had a few other things to see, so we had a good time.


Adam checked out the chickens, sheep, rabbits, and donkeys, and then ate some hay.

We sat on the edge of the hay bail maze as Paul ran around like a mad man, as usual.

This guy was pretty creative with his pumpkin carving. Here Paul checked out the Pumpkin car.

And the nice thing was there was a lot of free stuff including balloon animals.

We weren't sure how he was going to handle it once he got up to get painted, but he held still and didn't mind...

And of course he got Spiderman... what else would it be? I tried to get him to get the sparkly unicorn or a butterfly, but he refused... uh, thankfully.

Another beautiful fall day, perfect for taking a break under the tree.

There were also hay rides, a monster truck ride, a car show, remote control air planes, tons of food, and this fire truck to check out... but no balloons. Oh well, maybe next year! We had fun anyway.

Ready for Candy! Or Bananas...

The boys are locked and loaded for Halloween next weekend! Got the new costumes and buckets to fill… now they just need the candy. Though I doubt either one of them needs any chocolate or sugar to overload their systems. Especially the oldest one. Check them out:


Complete with extra fluff in the belly region, as if he needed any extra there.

Iron Man!! Or War Machine, or the Hulk, or Captain America… he changes who he is every other day, though now that he’s got the costume, he’s gonna have to stick with Iron Man.

Just a little snack time, and so much better than candy... right? Adam’s first Halloween is coming up, and we’re all excited for it!!

Time for Fall

Summer is long gone, and with it goes the hot, hot days... thankfully. The leaves have changed to shades of yellows and reds and are starting to fall in the yard. Over the next few weeks, Becky will be filling bag after bag of those things to be shipped off to some secret location where all leaves eventually go. I have no idea where that may be, but I'll bet there are a lot of leaves there, because there are a lot of trees around here. But while they're still here, the boys will enjoy them.


Not much of a pile going yet, but give it time and soon enough he'll be throwing himself in.

Of course, fall also means football season! Adam shows his love for the Griz... though technically he should be cheering on his home state Terps, but it's hard to take a team seriously when their mascot is a turtle.

Throwin' leaves, always good fun.

Adam appears to be enjoying his first ever fall season. The best time of year!

And Paul even drug out the old bike for a nice ride in the crisp fall air. Getting a little better at operating this thing on his own. Won't be long before he's riding circles around us.

Gotta love this time of year!