Family, Friends, and Shingles?

Brace yourself for a LOAD of pictures!  I've got tons.

We're still waiting for Katie to build her ab strength to be able to sit up for big girl things like a swing or high chair.

I've got tons of fabric and sewing supplies out on Katie's bedroom floor as I'm still working on my quiet book project.  I've made the mistake a couple days of leaving the door open...and found that Tommy had created a "garden" of straight pins in the carpet.

We're working on painting our basement.  I love how dark the purple has dried!  We still need to give it a second coat, paint the stairway, and paint the ceiling gray.  Shad and Elder Fairbanks worked on painting during their missionary meeting last Friday morning.

Elder Chesley took notes and told them they missed spots:)

Shad's sister, Cherean, her husband, David, and son, John, were at Vern and Pris' place in Geneva, NE last weekend on their way to move from Idaho to DC.  Jimmy drove up to us when he got off work on Friday and then we all drove up to Geneva.  About half an hour before we got there (it's a 3 hour drive), we saw a sign pointing us to the "World's Largest Porch Swing."  So we decided to make a pit stop.

Tommy and I climbed on the bear statue in the empty water fountain in the park.

Shad, Katie and Jimmy chatted on the swings.

I reaquainted myself with my old tire swing skills.

Jimmy found that it was easier to go backwards rather than forward in the human sized hamster wheel.  Tommy didn't like the ground moving one bit!

It's a 16 seater, though they must have measured with fat folks.

Tommy has been testing out adult shoes lately.

Pretty sure he tried on everyone's.

Tommy and John had fun playing together, hanging out at the piano bench, and giving hugs.  I never caught the later with the camera though.

Katie looks like such a little PERSON!

She's getting even more active and grabby,

and loves to hang upside down.

We went out to play at the park in town and they have a retired WWII tank set as a memorial.

So naturally, we all climbed on it.

I love the colors of this picture.

Nicely bulleted glass.

John so kindly helped Tommy climb up the latter...even though he didn't need it:)

Back row: David, John, Vern, Levi, Shad.  Front row: Cherean, Pris, Jimmy, Katie, Ruth, Tommy, Megan

I like this accidental candid picture.

John's birthday was on Monday, the 14th, and we celebrated it on the previous Saturday.  I made him a construction cake.  Tommy and John had lots of fun playing with the bright green balloons out on the deck.

Just chillin at Bumpa's feet.

On the way home we decided to make a stop at Lebanon, KS, where lies the center of the continental United States. 

They had a small 8 seater chapel.

Tommy tried climbing the monument. 

Our family at the center of the 48 states.

And Jimmy:)

I really haven't been able to do much.  I think I've got shingles and it's had me on the bed with a hot pack 2 days this week, and sitting down periodically to relieve my back pain every other day.  My house is a wreck.  We got together with our new friends, the Vanderveers, for a Subway picnic in the park on Thursday.  Then Shad and Paul went and played frisbee golf; Tommy wasn't happy about being left behind, but then was okay with staying to play with me, Mallory, and her girls, Haddie and Eden.  Eden is a month older than Tommy, but petite like Katie.  She never got out of size 6 months clothes until after she turned one.  Now that she's about to turn 2 she just got into 12 month clothes.  Tommy really likes Haddie.  Then we went to help them pick up some bunk beds (the same we had bought on Tuesday) because they're heavy and Mallory is pregnant and wouldn't be able to help Paul move them into the house.  We then spent another 2 hours playing and talking at their house.  I think we got home around 10:30 and Shad kept saying that he wished we were still there.

Shad mowed our lawn, his parents lawn, assembled the bunk beds, and then tried to fix our bathroom sink faucet.  His family arrived in the afternoon because his parents are closing on their house Monday morning.  Ruth and Levi will stay with us to go to Colorado on Thursday.  Good thing, because with my intense back pain, I'll need the extra hands.

Mother's Day Gift From Katie

Katie splurged a bit with her spending for my Mother's Day gift, but she got good deal.  She bought me a new, better digital camera.  She must have overheard me tell SHAD that I wanted a better camera sometime...though I meant in a few years.  Anyway, she gave it to me early so I could get used to it before we went to Nana and Bumpa's for the weekend.  So we went to the park to have nice colors, lighting, and a Subway picnic.  Tommy recognizes the Subway sign on the building when we drive by it now, and says, "Waywis," which translates out to "sandwich."

Ever the little monster.

 It's fun when your parents help you to become more adventurous with your world.

I just love this picture.

Tommy is so kind and loves to share his food with Katie.  This particular time was the last of his chocolate chip cookie.

Katie thought it was awesome.

It's nice when entertainment can still be simple and not all battery powered.

Ever the considerate near-two-year-old, Tommy likes to help me with my water bottle.

He can climb up the metal tower all by himself!

Katie is entertained just watching us.

I like her face:) 

3 Weeks of Highlights, part 3

I finally have the pictures from Shad's phone.  Why?  Because 2 and 3 weeks ago I spent hours pulling out my hair trying unsuccessfully to get his phone to email them to me, or connect to the computer for downloading.  Then all of a sudden last Sunday (not yesterday), they all showed up in my email inbox.  Weird, but about stinkin time.

 

Sometimes Tommy likes to be pretty with Katie.

 

Tommy wanted to sit in Katie's seat for this walk, but realized he couldn't see much, so he sat leaning forward through the canopy.  Katie struggled to stay vertical.

Tommy bein gangsta in his favorite 12 month sized comfy pants (they have balls on them!), his Air Force bomber jacket and Shad's hat on backwards.

We just love Katie's face in this picture!

 

Kids having fun swinging together.

Just hanging out on the porch swing together.

Tommy Ate a Smurf!

Shad was gone for 8 hours for a service project on Saturday.  This was the kind of morning the kids had: Katie fell asleep on the floor in front of the living room stereo, listening to the soundtrack from A Knight's Tale, Tom's favorite.

Tommy refused to leave his cork and blankie in his bed, and since I wanted to get dishes and laundry done, I let him have them because it kept him out of my way.

Sunday evening, we went to wake Tommy up to go to the park.  We thought it was so cute that he fell asleep on the floor in front of his door.

And then he sat up.

 He had found an ink cartridge in his room.

It was in his hair and all over his face and hands.  A little bit on blankie and his shirt.



Smurf for dinner, anyone?

We called our friend, Robyn, and learned that makeup remover oughta take it off or fade it.  His face looks better now:)

 Meanwhile, downstairs, Katie rolled/scooted herself from where my phone is on the left, to where she is in the picture, bringing the Cheerios with her.

Yesterday, Tommy and I were doing some research on the computer and suddenly he started saying, "Uh oh! Uh oh! Uh oh!"  I turn to him and saw this.  One of the straps on his diaper came undone and the whole package dropped!

The guy who was fixing our van to sell it to us brought it from Phillipsburg last night.  Super exciting!  Katie and I spent an hour vacuuming it this morning; Tom helped me wipe the hard surfaces down with disinfectant while Katie took her afternoon nap.  We surprised Shad by showing up to work for his lunch break.  We'll work on the floor stains later.

Tommy had fun driving and honking.  He even needed to have his seat belt on!

Here's my huge garden plot.  I got spinach, broccoli, swiss chard, brussel sprouts, onions, carrots and radishes planted Monday.  Peas and lettuce are already growing.  I'll finish up with the tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, beans and pumpkins next week.  Tommy helped me with potted plants in the afternoon.  We planted basil, parsley, cilantro and dill in glass jars, and finally transplanted the two spider plant starts I got from my mom in...February?!  Yep, that's right.  Then the missionaries came over to play Smallworld and have dinner.  We had to properly induct Elder Chesley.  Next will be to take them frisbee golfing because they got a little confused with the course trying it themselves.

 Do you know I like my boy?  I really do.  I had to go back in his room a few minutes after I'd gotten him set up for a nap because I forgot his laundry basket.  He was sprawled out reading in bed.