Thanks so much for your opening reviews! I am hoping to get a new "Snapshot" up each week, maybe more as I have the time to write. In answer to iamdragonrider's review...I am planning mostly on viewing Snapshots from the family as the children are young and will be going in chronological order. I will confuse not only you, but myself as well if I bounce back and forth! (I'm getting old you know!) We will also be seeing our other friends as well...in fact, Daniel and Janet will figure prominently in the next installment. Hope you enjoy this look at Autumn in Northern Minnesota...I myself live in the southern portion of the state but it gets just as beautiful, and as chilly, at this time of year!

Chapter 2 - Seasons

There was nothing quite like the cool autumn weather of Northern Minnesota to trigger long afternoon naps in her family, Sam thought with a wry grin. She gazed at her husband with a smile, watching as he softly snored on the plaid sofa in the main room of the cabin. JJ, her exuberant two-year old, lay on top of his daddy, his head lying on Jack's chest and turned to the side, one arm tucked tightly around his teddy bear. The other arm was wound around his father's neck, the little fingers brushing absently at the short hairs at the back of Jack's head even in his sleep. Originally, Jack had fallen back on the couch with his son in mid-wrestle, tossing JJ lightly in the air while the boy squealed in delight. It seemed like only a matter of minutes before Sam came out of the kitchen and found both "boys" fast asleep.

Sam let her eyes wander to the playpen standing in a corner of the room. Little Grace was zonked out as well; her small rump in the air, legs tucked under her tummy as she sucked contentedly on her pacifier in her sleep. Sam's grin softened into a loving smile as she took in this picture; never had she imagined finding such peace and happiness watching three people sleep.

Shifting in her chair, Sam readjusted her laptop into a more comfortable position and tried to focus on some work. The many projects she was currently overseeing kept her extremely busy these days. And though she had let Jack talk her into taking a few days off after his recent mission, she still felt obligated to be doing some work while away. Opportunities to do so were few and far between up here; both the children and Jack insisted she partake in all outdoor activities, and most indoor ones as well. Truthfully, Sam didn't mind in the least. She knew moments like this wouldn't last forever and enjoyed the quiet family time the four of them got to spend together on their little patch of land out in the middle of nowhere.

Sam worked quietly for another hour; answering emails, entering schematics and researching various aspects of her projects. She was so engrossed in her work that she was mildly startled when a little hand reached around the side of the chair and patted her on the arm. She looked down to see JJ staring up at her soulfully with his big, blue eyes.

"Mommy, me firsty," he stated when he had her attention.

Sam smiled gently at him, then closed up her laptop and laid it aside. Pulling him onto her lap, she gave him a quick hug. "Ok sweetie. Let's go get some juice." Standing up and shifting JJ to her hip, Sam made her way to the kitchen. The old linoleum, cracked in spots from years of use, felt warm on her bare feet as the afternoon sun streamed through the windows. Sam reached into the worn maple cabinets and pulled out a sippy cup, then proceeded to fill it with apple juice from the refrigerator. Grabbing a graham cracker from the cupboard, Sam returned to her chair and settled in, JJ in her lap and leaning against her chest. She brushed down his wayward hair; rumpled from his early activities with his father and from sleep. JJ sipped contentedly from his cup and nibbled on the cracker, enjoying the warmth and security of his mother's lap as he watched the flames flicker in the fireplace across the room. Though he was a rambunctious two year old, JJ loved nothing better than snuggling with his mommy, especially after a good nap. And even though he loved his baby sister, JJ was happy to have his mommy to himself for a change.

Sam held her little boy close, leaning her face into his soft hair and breathing in the scent of him. He smelled like sunshine, fallen leaves and Jack, she thought to herself, tightening her grip slightly. JJ leaned back and looked at her when he felt the new pressure, giving her a smile around the edge of his cup. Sam smiled back before leaning closer and giving him a soft kiss on his forehead.

They remained sitting together peacefully for many long moments, enjoying the quiet closeness, until a snort from Jack brought them back into the present. JJ removed the cup from his mouth and said quietly, "Daddy 'nore."

Sam chuckled. "Yes baby, Daddy's snoring isn't he? Daddy was very tired," she added softly, recalling how Jack had first raked, then tumbled in the leaves with the children before lunch.

The little boy gazed at his father, then over to the playpen. "Gwacie 'nore too," he stated decisively, causing Sam to chuckle again.

"Yes, Gracie is snoring too," she confirmed, listening to the small snorts of sound coming from that area of the room. "Gracie was tired from playing in the leaves today. Did you like playing in the leaves with Daddy?" she asked as she placed his now empty cup on the end table next to her.

JJ nodded his head seriously, before saying, "Me help Daddy wake." Sam smiled as she conjured the picture of her little boy raking side by side with Jack, his much smaller rake not moving many leaves in the process. When the leaf pile was quite large, Jack had picked JJ up and carefully dropped him right in the middle. Then he had gently placed Grace by his side. Finally, Jack had turned to his wife with an evil grin, picked her up, and dumped her next to the children.

As if JJ were remembering the same scene, he tilted his head back and regarded his mother closely. "Daddy frow Mommy in weaves."

Sam smiled. "Yes, your daddy did throw Mommy into the leaves, didn't he? But you helped mommy. You're getting to be such a big boy." She snuggled him closer on her lap for a long moment, recalling how JJ had tried to help his mommy out of the leaves and had given his daddy a stern look in the process... one he probably had learned from being around Teal'c so often, Sam thought to herself with a grin.

The squirming little body brought her back to the present. "Mommy, down," JJ demanded, scrambling off her lap as soon as she had loosened her hold on him.

"Where are you going, JJ?" she asked softly as she watched him make his way over to his sleeping father.

JJ looked back, then gave Sam an impish grin, one that reminded her so much of Jack. "Daddy up now!" he declared adamantly, then proceeded to carry out his directive.

With a grin on her face, Sam watched as JJ climbed onto the end of the sofa by Jack's feet, then carefully crawl his way back to his previous position on his father's chest. He laid flat, his little hands crossed in front of him. JJ lowered his chin to rest on his folded hands and regarded his father closely for a few moments, as if thinking about how best to wake him up.

Sam could tell that Jack was now awake, for his breathing had changed as soon as JJ began to crawl up his body. His face also sported a slight smile; just enough to clue Sam in on his state of wakefulness. However, he was feigning sleep to see what JJ would do next.

Jack didn't have long to wait. As if he had suddenly made his decision, JJ's head popped up and he reached one hand slowly forward. Then, without warning, he placed his index finger over Jack's eyelid and pushed it up, all the while stating in a clear voice, "Daddy up now!"

Jack didn't have to fake his reaction to the finger on his eyelid; he startled enough to almost dislodge JJ from his chest, crying out, "What the heck?" Instinctively, he grabbed the little boy, then lifted him high above his chest, growling out, "What do you think you're doing, little man?" JJ knew this teasingly gruff tone of voice and squealed with delight; which of course woke up Grace.

The little girl rolled to her side and blinked her eyes at being so rudely awakened. Her lower lip puckered out, trembled a few times, and then she let out a loud wail of displeasure, dislodging the pacifier from her mouth. Jack froze, JJ hoisted mid-air above him as they both turned to look in the direction of the playpen.

"Uh, oh," JJ declared. "Gwacie up."

Sam got to her feet, shooting her 'boys' a mock look of annoyance. "Yes, Gracie's up; no thanks to you two. You and daddy need to learn how to play more quietly," she stated as she went to retrieve her crying daughter from the playpen.

"Me sowwy mommy," JJ declared with a look of sadness as Jack lowered the boy to the couch, then sat up next to him.

"Yeah, mommy, we're sorry," Jack added, putting an arm around JJ to reassure him that mommy wasn't really angry. Then he looked over at Sam and gave her a wink.

Sam shook her head and chuckled as she made her way over to Grace. Like JJ had been before her, Grace was a fairly happy baby. In fact, as soon as Sam reached over the playpen to scoop her up, the little girl's tears stopped and she snuggled into her mother's warmth, hiccupping slightly over the brief crying jag. Jack gave JJ a kiss on the head, then got up and walked over to Sam and Grace.

Placing his large hand on the baby's small head, he leaned down and kissed her as well. "Hey baby girl. How's my little princess?"

Grace took her head off of Sam's shoulder and responded with a toothless grin, causing Jack and Sam to smile warmly at each other. "I guess she's not angry anymore, huh?" Jack asked with a laugh. Then he held out his arms and Grace leaned forward to meet him. Holding her close and giving her another kiss, he said, "Let's go get you changed, little lady, while mommy gets your bottle ready. I think I owe her."

Sam laughed outright at that…it was a well-known fact that Jack O'Neill was not overly fond of diaper changes, but would take on the duty readily enough…especially to make amends for any perceived wrong doing on his part. Sam looked pointedly down at their son, who had come over and grabbed the tail of Jack's shirt in one hand, thumb of the other firmly planted in his mouth. "You might as well change that one while you're at it, dear. Kill two birds with one stone, as they say."

Jack looked down at his son, then frowned at Sam. "You know how I hate clichés…besides, shouldn't he be potty trained by now?" His eyebrows rose as he waited expectantly for Sam's reply.

She just shrugged her shoulders. "He only just turned two, Jack. Lots of kids aren't fully trained until they're three. Besides, I think that's a father/son learning experience. Don't you?" she asked with an innocent smile.

Jack narrowed his eyes at Sam, mumbled something incoherently, then shifted Grace to one arm and took JJ's hand with the other. "Come on little man, let's take care of you too." As he led the little boy from the room, Sam could hear Jack say, "How about if daddy teaches you how to use the potty like a big boy?"

She had to muffle her laughter as JJ clearly and adamantly declared. "No Potty!"

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It was a clear, crisp evening; the last one of their short vacation. Jack and Sam strolled lazily down the path that wound along the bank of the lake. JJ sat on Jack's shoulders, held firmly in place by his father's strong hands resting on the little boy's legs. Grace rode contentedly in the carrier on Sam's back; her little feet placed on the metal supports of the carrier so that she could stand up and peer over her mother's shoulder. The full moon cast its glow on the lake, the reflection providing all the light the family needed on their evening stroll.

Both children were bundled up warmly against the cool Minnesota night. They sported knit caps and tiny mittens as well; Sam wasn't taking any chances on either of them catching a chill. For that matter, neither was she willing to risk her or Jack's health, so both of them wore thick, warm jackets.

The stars overhead shone brightly, bringing to mind for both Sam and Jack all the different planets they had visited over the years. For his part, Jack had lost count of all the places they had gone, but was certain his wife could spout them off… probably in chronological order!

Jack was pulled from his thoughts when he heard her soft sigh. "What's wrong, Sam?" he asked quietly, turning his body to look at her in the moonlight.

Sam glanced over at him and gave him a small smile. "I was just thinking."

"That much I knew," he replied with a crooked grin. "What were you thinking about?"

She remained quiet for a moment before answering him. "All the places we've been, things we've seen. I wonder sometimes…if JJ and Grace will have the chance to travel through the Stargate and experience what we have." Sam looked down at the ground for a moment before she turned and met Jack's gaze. "Part of me hopes they do go…meeting alien races, discovering new technology…but another part of me hopes to God they never have to see some of the things we saw." She shuddered slightly, then reached back and grasped Grace's small hand in her own; almost as if reassuring herself that the child was still safely strapped to her back.

Jack stopped walking, lifted JJ from his shoulders and held him in one arm as he put the other around Sam's shoulders, pulling her close. "Hey, they're going to be fine, these two," he tried to reassure her. "We don't know what the future's going to bring Sam, but I do know that, between the two of us, we are going to raise two incredibly smart, strong kids. We may want to hold onto them forever and keep them safe, but we can't hold them back"

Sam leaned her head against his shoulders. "I know. I do want the best for them, Jack. It's just…I don't ever want to see them get hurt. Just like any mother wants for their children, I suppose."

Jack leaned forward and kissed Sam gently on her forehead. "You're a wonderful, loving mother, Sam. JJ and Grace are lucky to have you." He pulled back slightly and looked at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "But I'm the luckiest – that you settled for an old war horse like me still confuses the hell out of me!"

"Uh-oh. Daddy say bad word!" JJ pointed at his father.

Sam's introspective mood was broken, and she leaned forward to kiss JJ on the cheek as she laughed. "Yes, daddy did say a bad word. Maybe mommy should give daddy a spanking," Sam waggled her eyebrows at Jack, her eyes now sparkling with mischief.

Jack's eyes darkened slightly. He leaned forward so that only Sam could hear his deep reply of "Maybe later, dear." Then he pulled back and kissed her slowly but firmly on the lips.

Not one to be ignored, JJ pulled on the collar of Jack's coat. "Me tiss mommy now! You tiss Gwacie."

Jack reluctantly ended the kiss, but his eyes promised more to come later. Then he turned his gaze to JJ. "OK, little man. You can kiss mommy now and I'll give Gracie a kiss. Then we'd better head back. It's getting colder and about time two little munchkins I know got to bed."

After the exchange of kisses, JJ's rather sloppy, the little boy demanded to be let down to walk. Jack happily complied; the little boy needed to burn off some energy before bedtime after all! Reaching into the carrier on Sam's back, Jack said, "Come here, little princess. Daddy wants to carry you for a while."

Grace went happily into her father's arms, her brown eyes alight with joy. Jack kissed her on the nose, noting that it was starting to feel a bit cold and was turning red. Yep – definitely time to get back into the warm cabin!

Grace's little mittened hands patted Jack's cheeks in response to the kiss before she settled against his chest for the walk back. Jack snuggled her closely with one arm, drawing Sam close with the other. He steered his family back to the warmth of the cabin, warning JJ to stay close as the little boy scampered ahead.

They walked quietly back, smiling as JJ toddled ahead of them in the way that all two year olds do; lurching back and forth in a stiff legged jog. He stopped now and again to peer into fallen trees and lift rocks in his quest for a treasure that only he knew about.

As the cabin came into view and JJ scrambleed up the wooden steps ahead of them, Jack pulled Sam to a stop. She looked up at him with a question in her eyes. "Thank you," Jack stated quietly in answer to her look.

"For what?" she asked with a frown.

"For these past few days, for Grace, for JJ, for everything…I've never been happier than the day you agreed to marry me, Sam." He smiled self-consciously at her. "I never thought I'd have this again. It doesn't get any better than this, right here, right now."

Sam smiled at his unusual display of emotions. Then, she reached forward to caress first Grace's cold cheek, then Jack's. Then she leaned closer and huskily whispered, "I can think of a few ways it could get better, fly boy."

Jack let out a laugh of delight at her reply, causing Grace to laugh as well. "Well, then Mrs. O'Neill, let's say we get these young'uns to bed so you can show me!"

Sam readily agreed to his proposal.