A Visit From the Frasers

Andrew puts the Frasers' luggage in the taxi...

...as Ann gets in to head to the airport.

Jackson gets Andrew involved in a prickly Play-Doh project first thing the next morning.

They each made a porcupine-like animal.

Who then played with Travelin' Fox, a visitor from Jackson's school.

Ann fed Patrick his bottle, who couldn't understand why he was eating and I was over here.

Jackson and Travelin' Fox sit in the cab of the firetruck.



The firefighters got a kick out of Jackson, and were so careful to ensure he wasn't scared.

Lovin' it!

We love Ladder 16!

Ann with her fancy new ski gloves.

Jackson and Ann dug a snow cave for Travelin' Fox.

Jackson was disappointed he couldn't really let the fox sleep in his custom snow cave.

Ann and Andrew stopped over with us on their way to Aspen for a ski trip with his family. It was a short visit, but we sure packed in some fun! Jackson got Andrew involved with Play-Doh right after breakfast, and I got to catch up with Ann while she played with Patrick. We decided to hit up a bargain outdoor gear store to find some ski gloves for Ann. By the time we got out the door, it was lunchtime, so we stopped at Noodles & Co. for a hot meal. We found the gloves, and Jackson had fun trying on all the snowboarding helmets.

On our way home, we saw a firetruck turning into Aspen Grove, an open-air mall. I quickly switched lanes, and followed that truck (felt a little like an ambulance chaser!). I was hoping they wouldn't mind if Jackson and Travelin' Fox took a picture with their truck. [Travelin' Fox is the Show-and-Tell critter from Jackson's class. He goes home with a student for a couple of days, then writes about the adventures he has, which the student then gets to share with the class.] When we got out, I saw the firemen were all smudged and smoky--they had just come from a fire! They were SO nice. They lifted Jackson up into the cab, gave him a fireman's helmet, and flashed the lights for him. The firemen even made sure we had enough shots with the fox!

Before we went inside at home, Ann and Jackson dug in the snow and made a snow cave for Travelin' Fox. Jackson was getting tired, and was very sad the fox couldn't actually stay in the cave for the night. What a day!