Riverbanks Zoo

On our way to Florida for Thanksgiving we made a little pit stop in Columbia to break up the trip. We stayed with one of my best friends and college roommate, Lisa. We also got a chance to meet her beautiful daughter, Lily.

Saturday was a wonderful day for a trip to the zoo so we packed up and headed to Riverbanks Zoo. It was Lily's first adventure to the zoo and she seemed to enjoy it. The boys had a blast too.

Thanks Lisa, Chris and Lily!!

The Scala boys at the zoo. I think Myles looks a lot like my Papaw in this pic. It's the crooked smile.

Just checking things out

G really wants a fish tank for Christmas so this exhibit was very exciting. No G, we can't have a huge Koi in the tank.

What's that??!!

Myles has Josh's eyebrows.

Lisa and Lily

This lion was getting rest on the rocks.

Mom and baby

Lily's first trip to the zoo!

The zoo was decorated for Christmas

G on an elephant

First Haircut!!

So, I took Grady in for a haircut last week and the ladies at the salon laughed so hard at Myles. They could not get over his hair. This is not a first. Pretty much everywhere I take the poor kid, people laugh at his "style". I decided to go for it and get his hair cut.

He was awesome! He just sat there and stared at himself in the mirror. He laughed and clapped, loving the attention. Needless to say, it took awhile to tame the mane. It also took two hairstylists to figure out what to do with it. One lady started it and had to call another one for some guidance. Apparently he has a "double crown" and several nasty cowlicks. Finally, after much deliberation on what should be done....he was finished.

He looks like a totally different kid. He is as blond as Grady!! How did I have two blondies??!! Josh thinks he looks like John Candy in the movie "Stripes". Not so sure if that is a good thing.

Here he is in the morning before the haircut. Notice the brown hair...
Here goes nothing!!


The first cut.

They were in a quandary as how to fix the back of Myles hair.

What a good baby

Grady got to hang out at the salon.

The finished product! Little blondie!

John Candy??? Okay, I see it. Check out that fat belly.

He Eats...Finally!!

Myles has been so stubborn about eating solid food. The kid is 8 months old and just now decided that he was ready. We skipped the whole baby food phase as he wouldn't touch the stuff. I can't really blame him, I bet it tastes horrible. Now, I have a ton of homemade baby food in the freezer that I don't know what to do with. Oh well, at least he is eating something. It gives me some freedom as well!! He is stubborn about taking a bottle too. Where did he get this stubborn streak......? Ha, Ha

Don't worry, I didn't let him eat a whole banana. It just looks like it. He actually liked the peel better.

Black bean nose

Happy Halloween

Halloween was so much fun this year. Grady actually got the concept of Trick or Treating. We decided to stay in Black Mountain as it was threatening to rain. We headed to Church Street where the police closed the streets and kids ran from house to house.

Grady had been saying that he was going to be a bee for about a month before the big day. Josh's mom found the best costume for him. She also went with the insect theme and bought Myles a spider costume. They were so adorable. Grady was running around stinging everyone and everything for several days before Halloween.

The Spider and the Bee

The rolly polly Spider

Little Bee

Myles, the Spider, tries to scare Nico.

Trying to get a picture of the boys together was almost impossible.

Ready to hit the streets, Trick or Treat!!

Gramma helped G go from door to door.

Myles was along for the ride. The costume didn't last too long. The stroller ended up wearing it most of the time. It was cute while it lasted.

Myles and Dad

What a happy bee!! He was so excited every time he got a new piece of candy.

Next house...

Gramma's Here!!!

Gramma came to visit us for Halloween! Grady has been talking about her coming for a week now and he is so excited that she is here. She was nice enough to watch the boys for night while Josh and I went out to eat with some friends. Imagine that, a night out without kids!! We had a blast while poor Gramma was stuck with Myles, who cried most of the time. Thank you, Gramma...we owe you one! We missed Grandpa this time. Hopefully, we will see him soon.

G and Gramma playing

Myles is so happy Gramma is here!

Of course we had to spend plenty of time playing in Gramma truck. One of Grady favorite things to do.

Myles got to crawl around in the back too.

What a treat!! Gramma brought the 4 wheeler from her house. The boys had so much fun on it.

G had more fun without Myles on it. He could go faster and drive like a crazy man.

G was not so happy to share with Myles.

The Pumpkin Patch

The great pumpkin hunt was on last weekend! We headed out to Hickory Nut Gap Farm to check out their pumpkin patch. Despite freezing weather, we were successful. Grady found his perfect pumpkin.

After searching long and hard, G found the "oval" pumpkin that he was looking for. No round pumpkins would do for this guy.

Actually, the pumpkin he really wanted was this smashed one. He was fascinated by the demise of this poor pumpkin. He kept asking what happened to it.

George of the Jungle! Grady LOVED the rope swing in the barn. I couldn't believe it when he jumped from the hay bale and held on. It was hilarious!! We had to do it over and over.

G stopping to check out a grasshopper on a pumpkin.

Dad and Myles, checking out the mountains

Look at that face! I wonder what he was thinking?

Mom and the boys, warming up in the sun.

G, don't push Myles off the hay! Myles thinks everything Grady does is so funny.

Pumpkin inspector. Looking for that perfect one to take home.