Look at what my Pops brought me from Africa

Here's my front, yo.



And the back.



Cheese.

Uncle Brad???

Did YOU send Henry the blue soccer jersey with his name on it?

Sprinkler

Svea thought it was so hilarious today when Henry would try to drink the water out of the sprinkler. She laughed so loud and hard that we were all giggling along with her...

New Jersey

Aunt Amber and Uncle Johnnie sent Henry a package today (addressed to HANK) and inside was a new soccer jersey with his name on the back!!





I broke all the rules of my religion this morning and we met some friends at the dreaded Chuck E Cheese and it actually turned out to be fun. Especially because Henry insisted on wearing his jersey there.

I finally got him to take it off for lunch and naps, and he woke up looking for it and wanted to go outside and ride his bike with his new jersey.





Thank you Aunt Amber and Uncle Johnnie!!!

The Glam in our House

Svea got these sunglasses at a birthday party this weekend.
She wore them for like a full minute and then kept trying to find them to take them off. Deep down she didn't care that I was laughing.

Ricky Bobby and the Farmall Tractor

Brian and I can't walk into the next room without looking over our shoulders lately.

First, our doorbell rang at 2 o'clock the other morning. Campus security just wanted to let us know that some kids were running around the neighborhood shooting windows out of cars with a BB gun and our back window in our car had just been shattered. *&^*(^#!!! So we started feeling watched and vulnerable and ANGRY because our car insurance wouldn't cover the almost $400 repair. Brian, in his infinite automobile curiosity and wisdom, found a window at a junkyard and replaced it ALL BY HIMSELF today DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. The timing of his repair I would question, but the window is replaced, works perfectly and even came with its very own Nascar #6 sticker. All I want to do is race, Daddy.

Here's the fancy duct tape work before Brian's amazing replacement work:



So we were sad and suspicious about the car. Then the next day, we saw two teenage boys just walking around in our backyard. WHAT?! I let the dog out to bark at them and scare them off, and the dog didn't even bark. She just watched them cut through and across our neighbor's lawn.

Then last night we had a BIG storm and the thunder shocked Brian and me out of our beds at 3am. It was like our overhead light was on the lightning was so constant.
This morning, we found a limb had fallen in our back yard and landed on the cast iron International Farmall pedal tractor and BROKE IT IN TWO. What in the world. That tractor was supposed to be an heirloom or something.

The air was so heavy when I went out to inspect that the camera kept fogging up.



Here's a clearer shot:



I would not be able to get my arms around the diameter of that limb.
Henry was pretty upset. He cried a good while talking about how the "tractor got HURT" which just about made me and Brian start crying. Here he is trying to pick it up and make it work again:





Here are the wheels:



If you look closely through these branches, you can see Henry's yellow plastic bat, which did not sustain too many damages but we can't find it since the tree people left from chopping the tree down. Oh well. Henry hasn't noticed yet.



Here's a shot to show you how big the branches were. We are so so so fortunate that the limbs fell where they did. They could have fallen right on Brian and me in the bed. They could have ripped holes in our roof or our neighbor's roof. But it landed perfectly between our houses and right on that dang tractor.

Svea Standing

"This standing-up stuff is SO not hard. And if I lean back THIIIIIIISSSSS far I can see Bert doing the pigeon dance on Sesame Street."

Playing at Danny's

It is so stinkin' hot here.

I got this brilliant idea that we would walk to Danny's house to play, since we were planning on playing in the baby pool and sprinkler. That may be the worst idea I had all week. But just maybe.



We were so hot all the way there, while playing in the water, and the whole way home. We all had wet clothes from sweat and had to bathe before lunch.



It was a good thing that Carrie and Leta were there to laugh and joke at the kids, and that Carrie made brownies for the Mamas and gave Henry 3 banana cereal bars. He didn't poop for the next 8 hours which is a total victory in our house.



Reagrdless of the heat, we were glad that we went and that it took up the whole morning.

David

My Aunt Cathryn sent us the No, David! books when Henry was born and I tucked them away nicely until Henry got interested in books. Now he LOVES all of the "No, David!" series. Cathryn also sent this little plastic David that I figured was a choking hazard...but now he fits nicely into Henry's pocket when he's not trying to chew on David's head. Before we got in the car on this day, Henry tucked David in nicely, where he stayed for the next 3 hours.

You have to look closely to see him peeking around the seatbelt straps.

Playing with Lilah

Svea and Lilah playing last Sunday:

Back at the Park

Svea's new favorite thing to do:



Henry's not so sure about her taking his spot...



...but he does have the new Prowler that he asks to ride in TWICE a day.

my little GIRL

After Brian took these photos:





I had to take these:

Favorite Afternoon Errand

Each morning and each afternoon, we run some sort of errand. It's either the library, a walk, a trip to Sears or Lowe's or Rural King to ride a lawn mower or motorcycle, the grocery store, Target, or something like that. Henry LOVES running errands. Especially if he gets to sit on a motorcycle, bicycle, or lawn mower. And if free popcorn is involved.

He asks every single day if we can go here:



At Rural King, you walk into a warehouse that smells like cheap popcorn, new tires and bird seed. It's enough to make you cry from happiness. Our routine is to first get the free popcorn:



Then hit the motorcycles and dune buggy looking things:





Svea does this:



Then we go look at the kids toys, which consist of some motorized John Deere tractors and a few wagons. Then we look at the live bait (minnows and crickets). Then we look at the fishing poles and talk about how Uncle Scott and Uncle Johnny love to fish. Then we look at the cast iron skillets because I love them. Then we go back by the motorcycles to wave good bye and head toward the big fans that blow our hair as we roll over the cracked asphalt of the parking lot.

Sometimes we stop at the fresh fruit and vegetable stand and get peaches or tomatoes before getting in the car.

And we can do all of that in just under 30 minutes before anyone gets bored.

Peek-A-Boo

Svea's newest favorite game to initiate. I wish these photos had sound so you could hear her laughing...

You can barely see her head here:


Peek-a-boo:


hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha:

Loving the Swings

Svea loved her first trip to Vann Park:









As did Henry:



With Daddy making them laugh and smile: