Brad & Michelle's Wedding Rehearsal

What a fun weekend we had celebrating with Brad and Michelle! Lucas did awesome on the drive to Chicago. He especially loved the big bridge when we crossed over the Mississippi River. “We up high!” was a favorite exclamation. The river is so wide, he got to turn and look both ways several times before it was gone. We saw lots of boats and he loved it.

By supper time, the excitement of a long road trip had worn off for him. We had supper on the go and Lucas was amazed by curly fries. “Boing! Boing!” the fries were jumping all over his car seat. Who knew Arby’s curly fries could be so exciting?

As it got dark out the restlessness started. At one point, Lucas wanted my I-touch to play with. It was on lock mode, so I figured it was safe. I watched him UNlock it and push buttons. He got to the music choices and played a song. He held it up to his ear and grooved in his seat. Then he found that some of the songs come with “movies.” Those were the songs with music videos. When the song was over, he’d hand it back to me, “More movies, please.”

We arrived well past bedtime, but everyone was chipper. This was the first time Brent and I had seen Brad & Michelle’s house. It is beautiful! We unloaded some things there and headed to the hotel to start this fun weekend.

When we got to the church for the rehearsal, we had to wait our turn, as there was another wedding party rehearsing. [There were three weddings on June 26th!] Lucas was running around, entertaining everyone and burning off energy. The next thing I know, he is screaming in pain. Uh-oh. There were some big, heavy wooden doors to the “bride’s room” that he had been playing with. He opened one of the big doors and his sandaled foot couldn’t protect him. The door ripped off part of his big toe. OUCH!!! There was blood, screaming, tears. Brent whisked him away and we tried to comfort him in the church restroom – not a perfect place for comfort. We got him calmed down, give him some Tylenol and a bandaid. Bandaids to wonderful things at this age.

At this point, I was pretty sure Lucas was NOT going to be on his best ring bearer performance. Instead, he just went down the aisle with Papa and Nama.

The best men.

Yes, I’m holding Lucas’ sandal in this photo. It was NOT going back on his foot.

Michelle and her dad, Bob.

Still shoeless...

After we had rehearsed everything, Lucas seemed to be in pretty good spirit, so I asked him if he wanted to practice, too.  He certainly did!  We walked to the end of the aisle and he made his way down... he was so excited! 

I thought he might get a little side-tracked by the baptismal font [isn't it gorgeous?] But he kept walking. 

Depsite the toe injury, Lucas managed to limp down the aisle.  Yes, he limped.  Where does he learn this stuff?!?!  I do believe that it had hurt like crazy, but his limping was too cute! 

Praying before the [yummy!] meal. 

Happy family.

Happy couple.

Lucas and Uncle Brian.

Grandma and Brad.

Uncle Brad, Lucas and Uncle Brian.

Uncle Brad, Aunt Michelle and Lucas.

Michelle's parents, Chis and Bob.

Brad and Michelle gave Lucas a Mr. Potato Head and he loved it.  He has also enjoyed lots of hours of playing "Doctor" with his new doctor kit. 

I promise

to post good stuff soon.  Since approximately 1% of you reading this understand my job, I'm simply going to say that I'm in the busiest three weeks of my work year.  So... you may not get much from me.  I promise I will try soon.  I just uploaded the 370 wedding photos from my camera; I think I took seven of them.  (Thanks Nikki, Leah and Susan!!)  That entry is going to take a long time.

Besides wedding, there are lots of other good and fun things happening that I can't wait to share more about.

Until then, here is something that will make you chuckle.  I had to work late for a meeting tonight and Brent and Lucas came to have supper with me.  We were sitting in Pizza Hut waiting for our food when Lucas announces his tummy hurt.  He stands up from his chair and says, "I go in Daddy's truck to fart."  Brent and I looked at each other and said, "Did he just say what I think he said?"  In between hysterical laughs, I asked him, "What did you say?"  He looked at me, so sad, "My tummy hurts.  I go in Daddy's truck to fart."  Oh, did we laugh and laugh. 

Why the truck? We just spent a lot of hours in the truck driving to Uncle Brad's wedding and Lucas is still trying to master pooping in the toilet.  When he passes gas, he thinks he's pooped.  So when he first tells us he pooped, we ask if he farted.  It started with the word "gas" but let's be honest, everyone calls it farting.  We were so convinced at one point on this recent trip that it was poop and not farts, we pulled over, fully prepared to find a mess.  Nothing.  Totally clean.  Guess he just needed to fart in Daddy's truck.

Two things make Mondays bearable...

Lucas and chocolate. 

Happy Father's Day

...to an incredible daddy.

Tractor shopping

Some children flip through pages and pages of toy catalogs, dreaming of what fun they might have with the newest toys.  Not our son.  Lucas could spend hours looking at tractor magazines. 

He's not picky about colors... green...

red...

yellow...

so many choices. 

He was very excited when he saw a photo of a tractor similar to his. "My tractor!  My tractor!"  He ran all over the house looking for this tractor.  Then he showed it to the magazine, "LOOK!" 

I know where this comes from.  My dad, Brent's dad and farmers all over the country receive dozens of farm magazines a month. Brent gets the magazines in the mail, he picks up the free ones at the gas station when we are on long road trips, he reads and watches implement websites and auctions.  My brother does it, Brent's brother does it.  It's an innate behavior, they can't help it.

When I ask Brent what he's looking for he usually responds something like, "just looking." I do ask, though, because if I don't ask, sometimes I find out after it is in the machine shed. Yes, that's happened.

I should clarify and say that it isn't just tractors.  There are combines, trailers, trucks, 4-wheelers, balers, tillage equipment, mowers, planters, sprayers, snow blowers, augers.  And many more.  Lucas really likes the game we play of pointing at a picture and naming it.  When we started that game many months ago, everything was a tractor.  Now he can name lots of different equipment. 

I love it.

I've been contemplating sending some pictures of Lucas to the publishers of the farm magazines.  I'm sure this gentleman on the cover is very nice, but he isn't as cute as Lucas. 

Rockstar Ring Bearer

Lucas did an awesome job at Leah & Kyle's wedding this past weekend.  He was so good for the rehearsal, pictures and wedding.  We were very proud!  He and Audrey were such troopers.  They warmed up to all of the new faces in the bridal party and had lots of fun enjoying all of the attention.  What a pair!

I have hundreds a few pictures and I will share lots because they are too good not to share. 

Rehearsal

I love the way Kyle is looking at his beautiful bride.

The wedding party. 

The "other" couple. 

Lucas received a new Iowa State backpack filled with goodies - a tractor, Cars frisbees and stickers.  He was in heaven and had to show off his bag. 

Kyle is a good sport.  His concerned father-in-law-to-be didn't want him getting too sweaty, so he gave Kyle a sweat rag for the ceremony.  Kyle is a Hawkeye fan, but he takes all of the Cyclone razzing really well. 

Wedding

Audrey started throwing the flowers and Lucas started picking them up!  I guess he was concerned about littering. 

On a mission.

He walked right by us in the third row and looked at Brent and said, "Hi, Dad."  He walked straight up to Kyle and give him knucks and handed over the pillow.  He sat so well during the ceremony! 

The gorgeous bride and her calm & cool dad. 

Audrey and Lucas.

New baby cousin, Kale was at the wedding.  Lucas liked petting the baby and saying, "Nice baby."  He helped feed the baby. 

There was a lot of "discovering" going on after the wedding, too. The Harvester Golf Club is beautiful and large, so there was a lot for this little guy to see.

We checked out the golf carts...

Skipped rocks in the pond...

Found lots of weeds to play in...

Smelled the roses...

Burned off lots of energy running...

and wrestled Landon and Wyatt. 

Then the dancing started. (notice the red boots - a success!!)

A special dance with the bride.

The chicken dance with Uncle Brad.

All the dancing worked up a sweat and was a cause for his 8th cup of Grandpa's ice cream. 

Seriously, he had a lot of ice cream. 

Kyle begged and begged to have his picture with Lucas and Cy... :) 

We had so much fun being part of Kyle & Leah's special day!  Lucas is totally in love with his new boots and didn't even fight wearing his suit.  I think he could have partied all night at the reception but mommy & daddy were pooped from chasing him all day.  It was a beautiful and memorable day.