My son the Fire MAN !

 http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/12/firefighters-battle-battle-ground-garage-fire/ (this is the link to the article that was on the front page of the Vancouver City paper.  Connor is second from the right in the debriefing group)

During Connor's last 24 hour shift he got to go on his first fire.

He was very excited.  He texted his family of the events he was so excited (after he was back at the station of course. The green is his and the grey is mine.)

To expand on his text...Their engine was first on the scene.  He was with his mentor (and past instructor) Capt.Leavitt, a church friend Firefighter George Lingle, a fellow cadet the past two years, Zabo.
Leavitt and Lingle told Zabo and Connor to hook up three lines and then Connor and Zabo proceeded to put the fire out themselves. As you can see from their text the other firefighters were impressed it was Connor and Zabo.

Connor has also impressed the fire fighters with his cooking skills, by making dinner during his first 24-hour shift.  He made a corn chowder.  He silenced his critics.  He has now made the corn chowder 3 times now in as many weeks - Once for his family, once for his guy friends at the coast for "man weekend", and once for the fire station

I apologized to Jessica for not being as excited for her and her job as a nanny and that she saves those 3 kids every day...I got a classic eye-roll, my day is complete.

For all those little boys out there with a dream to be a fireman...Connor's dream came true.

Two of my favorite girls....

Olive, Jen, and I made a quick trip to the park by our house.  It was a bit chilly out so we needed our coats and gloves

 

 This is one of Olive's favorite things to do at the park - look out the bubble.

Below that ladies are flashing their lovely smiles.

 Smiley Face Girl...as Megan would say.

Olive the poser...





You hear her say my favorite word - Granpa - or as she says it Bap-pa

I have no more children...

Jen always decorated Jessica's room for Christmas and her December birthday. Connor complained that no one ever decorated his room for his birthday...Jen tried to come up with something that Connor 'enjoys' - Zombies

Jen found rubber body parts. She colored them and hung them in his room.

Katie gave him a lovely birthday card...keeping with the zombie theme - almost

And Dad gave him a "Monster" drink in the fridge to start his day with a bang.

Taylor's Tuesday Thanksgiving turkey tradition

So the kids can go to their other houses on Thursday the Taylors celebrate on Tuesday....you can't imagine how relaxing and peaceful Thanksgiving day turns out to be.

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Laser eye kitty

This is an untouched photo of steve

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A short visit with Olive

I went to visit little miss Olive after work on Friday. It was right before nap time. She was a little smiley but more content with just looking at things. I put her in our favorite snuggle spot and she just turned and stared at me in that same position for a good five minutes. It didn't matter if I was talking or not, she just stared.
After 15-20 minutes olive was more intetested in rating and sleeping then slobbering on her g'pa.
Megan turned down the lights and I think I feel asleep first. I think it was the midnight showing of Harry Potter talking with some help from the 5a shift I worked friday morning.

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Some people dress up as a Fireman for Halloween

And others get to dress up once a week (or more) and play fireman.
Friday was hoses day...rolling, unrolling, loading, unloaded, draining, folding, prepping, storing, linking, hooking up to the truck, unhooking from the truck, hooking up to a mock hydrant, unhooking from mock hydrant...everything you could do with a hose.






My job was photographer.
(I am helping with the calendar fundraiser and year-end slide show)
Yes, it rained all afternoon.

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Connor, showing his backward horse riding skills. No, I did not ride on the truck, nor was I thrown from the truck.



Connor, the company leader.




Some things I learned this day...

* Hoses are heavy - even without water

* There is a right way and a wrong way to handle and carry a hose

* There are many many hoses stored on each firetruck

* Rain is very wet - especially in the NW