neighbors

We live on a quiet, dead-end street; it is great for Lucas to ride his bike and play in the yard without too much traffic.  The neighbors two doors down are friends of ours and they have three little girls.  They tease that Lucas is the closest they will get to having a boy at their house.  :)  The great part is that Caylie and Jenna love playing with Lucas.  As a 2nd grader and Kindergartner, respectively, they could easily choose to now play with the "little" neighbor boy.  Thankfully, they enjoy playing with Lucas because he loves it when "Jaylie and Kenna" are outside.  {Sometimes he mixes up the sounds of their names.} 

This summer, there was lots of running back and forth between houses... swimming pools, slip and slides, sprinklers, bikes, scooters, big wheels, swing sets and sidewalk chalk... lots of hours of fun.

The girls are sweet and always have stories to tell me.  Caylie is a care-taker and I know Lucas is in good hands when she is around.  Jenna has a creative imagination and might have a wild streak in her, too.  Their sister, Ella, is exactly six months older than Hannah.  Those two will have lots of fun soon, too!

We are thankful for wonderful neighbor kids and they have great parents, too!

Preschool, here he comes!!

Today was Lucas' first day of preschool.  We've all been anticipating this special day for months and it was everything we expected!

It was great to be home with the Lucas and Hannah {and Brent, too} this morning -- nothing was rushed and we enjoyed playing together and having breakfast.  There were the obligatory "first day" pictures on the front door step.  Imagine how these kiddos will change in the years to come!  [sniff, sniff *tear*]

Super excited about his Cars 2 backpack!

A picture with Hannah that doesn't look like she is very comfortable...

However, the second try wasn't any better.  I do promise, though, that she was not in a choke-hold.  Rather, a typical "hold on to Hannah" hug.

Outside of school and the reaction, "another picture, mom?"

Lucas was more excited to see Charlie on his way to preschool than smile for the camera with mom.  Guess I should probably get used to that...

I wasn't nervous about Lucas going to preschool or leaving him, I just felt a little unsure about it all being new to him - a new place, new teachers, lots of new faces.  He wasn't nervous at all, if he was he would have been chewing on his fingers, a newly developed habit when he gets scared. 

I walked him in and we did the drop-off rituals... sign-in, check his folder, and hang up his backpack.  Then I reminded him where the bathroom was and where to wash his hands.  Then he was off to build with the blocks.  I stole a kiss and told him "I love you" and snuck out before I had the chance to get sad.  I can't believe my baby is in preschool!  He is half-way to kindergarten, which, by my calculations, means he is just about to graduate and move away from home.  [sniff, sniff *tear*]

While waiting in the vehicle pick-up line outside of preschool, he spotted me from inside and gave me a huge smile and waved.  It made my heart skip.  We loaded up and the entire drive home (okay, it's only a few blocks) he talked non-stop about the fun things he did... he played with toy tools, the kitchen {he was excited to use the play vacuum}, they talked about God and Jesus, had a snack and played outside.  He loved it!

Kansas City getaway

Brent and I had a much-deserved getaway in late July.  We talked about all sorts of locations and had the kids lined up with my parents.  As time drew closer and closer, we still didn't have a destination.  Did you know that flights don't always get cheaper at the last minute?  That is one downfall to not living in a metropolis -- but I wouldn't trade it.  Ultimately, we decided to drive to Kansas City, which, by way of my parents house is a much longer trip than our house (like, nine hours).  We took some not-so-common roads and it was fun to see different countryside.  Brent, of course, inspected every field of corn and soybeans that we drove by.

While in Kansas City, Kansas we stayed at the Chateau Avalon.   It's a great location to escape the busy everyday life. 

If you have ever watched Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network, you may have seen this restaurant.  We thought it would be neat to sample an eatery that had been on DDD and we couldn't pass up barbecue.  They are known for serving the best burnt-ends in Kansas City; Brent agreed.  It was definitely a "dive" and really tiny, but good food!

The Chateau Avalon is right across the street, literally, from the Kansas Speedway.  We aren't really race fans, but we were so close we thought we would see if we could get a tour of the speedway and we were in luck. 

The view from the top of the stands where ESPN and other channels set up their TV crews.  It was incredibly hot up there. 

I had to zoom in on this - it is the family center in the middle of the track.  This is where the family members of the racers and crew hang out.  Basically, a daycare so spouses can watch their loved one race. 

From pit row. 

Winner's circle.

It just so happened that the day of our tour was also a day that the Richard Petty Driving Experience was at the Kansas Speedway.  We decided to take advantage and do the ride along experience.  We each got to ride shot-gun in a two-seater NASCAR race car with a professional driver at the wheel for three laps at real NASCAR speeds  -- approximately 180 miles per hour. 

And dress in the special safety suit. 

zoom ~ zoom ~ there goes Brent ~ zoom ~ zoom

My turn; getting in and out of the car was true Dukes of Hazard style. 

I had to take this picture of the tunnel for Lucas because it reminded me of the scene in Cars when Mack drives into the race track. 

Did I mention it was hot?  It got warmer - at one point it was 107 degrees!

The next three nights we stayed in the Power and Light District of Kansas City, Missouri.  We were walking distance to restaurants, bars and entertainment.  We even went to a movie theatre that had big, soft, cushy recliners and a waitress!  They had everything from typical movie snacks to appetizers, full meals, desserts and a bar section on the menu.  Crazy! 

A relaxing and rejuvenating getaway for us; always fun.  The kids had such a good time, I don't think they even noticed we were gone.  :-)

Hannah says...

Ma - ma - ma - ma - ma - ma - ma!  {and it is the best sound!!!}

Lucas says...

One of Lucas' favorite pastimes on the road is I Spy.  Hearing him say it always makes me smile - it's too cute.  "I spy with my widdle eye, sometin green."  When we guess he gets so excited for us to get it correct!  Then it's my turn, or dad's turn and he loves to keep track of who's turn is next. 

Lucas is really into time, too.  "What time is it, mom?"  I usually have a watch on, so I look at my wrist and tell him.  Then he always says, "What does that mean?"  I come up with something general that relates... "that means supper is in a little bit" or "that means it's time to take a bath."  If I don't have my watch on and he asks, he wants to know why I know the time without looking at my wrist!  :)

At things that he doesn't want to do because he might be {is} scared  of, "I'm too big for that."  Such as large amusement park rides or swimming pool diving boards.

Lucas has a classmate named Viet [pronounced like neat, with a V).  In a car ride, I said that Daddy was talking funny and Lucas said, "Like Viet's Dad?"  Viet is Chinese and his dad speaks Chinese and English but his English doesn't sound quite as clear as Lucas is used to. 

Gramma Connie gave Hannah a stuffed lamb that has ability to record a song.  Gramma sang and recorded "Jesus Loves Me."  Lucas was playing with Lightning McQueen when Hannah was playing with her lamb.  After listening to the song play Lucas asked, "Does Jesus love Lightning McQueen, too?"

State Fair 2011

We didn't miss our annual visit to the Iowa State Fair.  I did, however, forget my camera, so these are pictures from my phone. 

Lucas was so excited to go to Little Hands on the Farm.  Tucking him into bed the night before we went, he held up his hands and asked "are these little?"  Yes, I said, your hands are little.  "Not mommy's."  Nope, mommy just took pictures and didn't get to participate. 

Planting his tomato plant. 

Before he stuck his hand in the nesting box he asked if the chickens were real.  He thought they would peck him. 

He exchanged his soybeans for soy diesel to "fuel" his tractor. 

Milking Bessie.

In celebration of the Butter Cow's 100th Anniversary at the Iowa State Fair, there were mini cows all over the fairgrounds.  Businesses and groups got to paint the cow however they wanted.  When I saw Pioneer's cow at the Little Hands on the Farm, I knew I had to have a picture for these Pioneer-brand kids. 

Take 1:  Hannah picking grass and attempting to eat it; Lucas telling her she can't eat grass.

Take 2:  Successful. 

This is what Hannah thought of most of the fair.  She was so entertained!  After all, a great time passer at the fair is people watching. 

Lucas and I rode on the Ye Old Mill.  He loved the boat and water but there are severa small stretches inside that are totally dark and he did not love that. 

It wouldn't be the fair without having some tasty food. 

We started the morning with JR mini donuts.  This was the longest line we had all day for food, but it was worth it.  Lucas ate most of the donuts... then turned in his profit from the Farmer's Market at Little Hands on the Farm for a banana.  Then he ate a pork chop on a stick... next was a corndog.  The last taste was a roast beef sandwich from the Cattlemen's. 

We wanted ice cream from the dairy barn but the line was too long and the kids were too tired.  Speaking of tired kids - as we were leaving the fairgrounds, Lucas was getting really sleepy.  We took the sit and stand stroller (so Lucas can walk with us, sit and ride on the stroller, or stand and ride - he really likes it).  We are headed up a hill (there seem to be a lot of those when you are pushing 60+ pounds) and he starts to doze off.  You know the dozing... eyes closed, head starts to bob up and down but you startle yourself awake...  yep, that was what he was doing except he wasn't buckled into the stroller and we are headed up hill at an angle.  Every time he bobbed his head I thought he was going to fall out.  Brent carried him the rest of the way and he slept until we were about ten minutes from home.  The Fair pooped him out!

::surgery::

Lucas had to have a surgical dental procedure done about a month ago.  We had the option of two kinds of procedure and our choice was to do it all at once in a surgical center instead of several visits to the dentist.  I didn't love the thought of him having to be put under anesthesia, but it was definately the better choice. 

We simply told him he had to go to the dentist to make his teeth better.  This was a picture of him before surgery.  Sammy got to go with and even go into the surgery with him.

They allow one parent to go with the child and be with until under anesthesia.  Lucas held my hand and he walked the whole way.  He didn't like the looks of the room when we got there and he saw all of the machines and the bed.  The anesthesiologist showed Lucas the yellow balloon that he needed him to blow up (this process would have him breathing in for the anesthesia to take effect).  They asked me to put him on the bed so I picked him up; he clung to me and started to cry.  Instead of blowing up the yellow balloon, they went ahead and slipped the mask on him.  Within four big breaths Lucas was asleep.  I gave him a big kiss on the forehead and they whisked me out. 

The procedure went well and fast.  As we were walking down the hall to recovery we could hear Lucas crying for us.  I couldn't get there fast enough!  I went in and scooped him right up from the nurse that was comforting him and held and rocked him. 

Brent and I laughed about Sammy's outcome from surgery:

Lucas, however, wanted that stuff off.of.Sammy.now! 

Lucas was sleepy and cuddly all day and I loved every bit.  He later told us that he didn't like the yellow balloon.  :) 

swimming lessons

Swimming lessons take lots of concentration - look at the tongue.  :-)

It's a toddler class to learn the basics.  His is the butt in the air, second from the right with yellow trunks. 

Last year he wanted me in the water with him, but this year he did great on his own. 

He was a really good listener.

He did a really good job of trusting the lifeguards, too. 

Here, he is holding on tight to Joan after jumping in and going under the water

The kids had the chance to walk on and jump in from the diving board...

Lucas had no problem walking on it, but wanted nothing to do with the possibility of jumping in. 

He trusted Jaelyn to walk with him. 

Happy to swim under the noodle...

then a swoosh under the water.

He still doesn't love putting his head under the water but he loves swimming, playing at the pool and going down the slide.

With his good pals Bo and Ava.

I see lots of adventure for these three in the future. 

Cameron Adele

Brad and Michelle were blessed with the arrival of Cameron Adele on Saturday, July 30th at 6:08AM, weighing 7lbs 5oz and measuring 20" long. She is beautiful and we can't wait to meet her. 

Apparently this is what she thinks of having her picture taken.  :-)