Zach Visits the Police Station

with the Cub Scouts

And promptly gets arrested:

Pine Wood Derby

Boys participated in their first Pinewood Derby.  By sheer coincidence childhood friend Todd Sharpley was visiting.  He and I built cars together when we were Cub Scouts and we helped the boys finish theirs and watched them compete.  To show the true engineering and building talents of two Chapin High School grads Zach took home sixth place!

Our First Maryland Snow

A dusting really, but enough for no school and no work!  A grand time was had by all!  

Back in the woods

A goof ball making a snow ball

18 September: Zach's First Tooth

Zach lost his first tooth today!  Tooth Fairey on the way.

03 September: Alligator in the Garage

We returned from our trip to the Keys about 5:30 PM and unpacked the car through the garage.  A couple of hours later Kim went to put away some recycling.  Our recycling bins are just on the other side of the door between the garage and the kitchen.  Kim saw some cardboard boxes move and then heard hissing.  A second later she saw an alligator, mouth open, staring at her right next to the bins.  She came inside, pretty excited and wisely put a big basket down to block the cat door in the bottom of the kitchen/garage door. 

Good picture of how close he was to getting inside the house:

Some phone calls to neighbors (turns out one of our neighbors daughter's boyfriend is an alligator wrestler - only in Florida) and the authorities (there are different numbers and degrees of assistance depending on the size of "your" gator and his location) the following transpired. 

Swamp People, Stickney Style:

20 August: School Starts!

Summer went by fast.  Back in school already!

Andy starts second grade and Zach first.

 Zach got Andy's teacher from last year, Ms. Grimm

 Andy's new teacher is Ms. Baker

30 Jul - 03 Aug: Andy's Sail Camp

I made it home from Hawaii just in time to catch the last couple of days of Andy's sail camp at the St. Augustine Yacht Club.  He had never sailed before so this was a bit of stretch as to whether he would like it or not, but he took to it well and had a good time. 

Here he is on the last day in the #10 boat: