Random pics

Since my computer time is few and far between as Jay cranks out grad school papers, I thought I would throw something together before he pushes me off the keyboard and hogs it again.

Camping a la Lewis Ct. Jay did it up and we roasted dogs on the fire, ate outside and had Smores for dessert!! It was a full out camping extravaganza and we all squeezed into our 4 (or is it 3 ) person tent along with Finn and slept the night away. Too bad there aren't night shades on these things as Henry was up with me around 5:40 or so.
- Guess what they're licking off their fingers?

Pic from upstairs deck while I was reading them bedtime books.

Henry loves to fly above Jay at "our beach" on Lake Mendota. Miss Kristi and Abbey are keeping tabs on the show-offs.

Then Henry asked me to throw him....... Looks like mommy needs to do some upper body strength training. I was seriously trying to throw him above my head in the below pic and this was as high as he got. Jeez.....

A harvest pic of our garden. It's in full swing and we all love it. H and B love picking the snap peas and beans and munching them as we fill up our bowls. We have some delicious sun gold cherry tomatoes that they fight over growing in our whiskey barrels. Bryn actually snuck out the back door this morning when I was in another room so she could pick them before I found her. That's our mother load of basil behind her.

Splash park fun with Hadley, Aidyn and Lennon. It was a serious test to try to find your kids among the water filled park full of little people 3 feet in height.

Yes, that is my daughter laying on a sprinker. See the water trying to shoot through? What a goofball.

Henry feeding Aidyn a green bean from our garden.

Detectives at work

We arrived back home from a whirlwind trip to Missouri (more on that later) to find a special instruction sheet left for Henry and Bryn in the front entryway. They were pretty pumped when I read to them the following clues and they realized it was up to them to find their new "special friends".

When I read clue number two and part about a place you go up and down, they shouted out " a trampoline" (which we don't have), " our slide "(yep guess that works) , "a hill", "an air balloon"(?) and then when we started walking down the stairs they caught on and ran to the other set of stairs off the back porch.

Here is Henry finding the Peace gnome. He quickly started calling him Santa and when asked later about the sign on his belly, he referred to it not as a peace sign but as a puzzle piece! Think he was confusing it with the puzzle "peace" that Curious George swallows in one of his books.

Each one of the gnomes had a beautiful sign next to it in the ground which we have read many times since they found their new friends! Isn't this just sweet?

Here is the third gnome, also known as G'luck who is there to wish them good luck any time they leave our house. They discovered him in the garden out front.

Here are the gnomes going through an agility test with H and B. Bryn later told us that they don't have knees so they must not have walked to our house and Henry added that they were brought on a sled since they don't have wings....... go figure.

Below is Bryn trying to describe her "Cheery" gnome. His card said that "every time you need a smile or need to be cheered up just put your hands under the water jug and you'll catch some smiles. " Here is her interpretation.

Special thanks to Travis, Sara and Jonas for providing a gnome home for the past three years and returning them in the most fun and creative way possible.

Birthday bash Number 2

This was the first year that they actually "got it" in terms of understanding the whole birthday idea. For at least the last month they have told anyone and everyone that July 18th was coming soon. Thank goodness we didn't wait until their actual birthday for the party or they may have internally combusted. Since we will spend the 18th in a car headed to Missouri, we invited their friends and family to join us last Saturday for some fun.

I must throw in here that the week leading up to their party was brutal. Jay and I wondered what happened to our kids as they took turns on a daily basis ignoring our requests, throwing tantrums, screaming, crying and driving us to wonder if we should cancel the party. Yes, I regret actually saying to them that if they continued their behavior, we would not have a party. That just sent them into hysterics. Lesson learned on my behalf. They woke up on Saturday with smiles and things have been back to normal. Was it just the anticipation of the party that turned them into the evil twins? We may never know.

Henry and Bryn were so excited to have their bestest buds and their parents(including Courtney's mom), Aunt Shannon, Uncle Bruce, cousin Liam,Grandma and Grandpa Hinsa and Miss Mary join us for the big day.

When I was in San Antonio I picked up a couple local books and one of them was called "Joshua's Pinata". Believe me, that book has been read many many times and they loved hearing about the special stick and the star pinata that was filled with candy. Late Friday night as I was madly shopping for birthday party stuff I found a star pinata at Target so it was a great surprise for H and B. No blindfolding since 2 rounds of kids smacking the pinata made not a dent. It took Uncle Bruce to pound it to the ground and then Jay to rip it open for the candy and stickers to finally fall to the ground. Wish I had a video of Henry saying pinata, it sounded like "Pin-e-yata", emphasis on the "e".

Sam trying his darndest to knock some candy loose from the pinata.

Abbey in deep thought wondering what to grab next.

Little Lennon practicing her swing at the tender age of 1.

Here's Hadley taking a crack at it.

I don't think any of them had ever seen a water balloon so they all thought it was pretty fun to throw them and watch them burst on the grass.

Here's where they stashed the loot... inside the Butterfly tent that Liam gave to Bryn.

Shannon took the above picture and sent it to me at work this week. I printed it off and stared at it all day. This was my favorite moment of the entire day. B and H surrounded by their friends and family who were singing them Happy Birthday. I have never seen them both so full of pure happiness as they realized that this day was for them. It was priceless. I thought Bryn was going to burst she was smiling so hard!!

Can you tell which color cake Liam chose? He even painted some on the railing behind him.

Two peas in a pod. Henry and Grandpa.

Henry and Miss Mary bonding over some cake.

Little Miss Aidyn on the back steps.

The group shot at the tail end of the party. 8 kids and no fighting, whining or crying, it was unbelievable.

And how does he really feel about cake? He can be such a ham. He had all the mommies and grandmas giggling!

Though our relatives ignored our "no gifts please" request, we tried to instead use the party to gather food for one of the local food pantries. Henry and Bryn's friends and relatives helped fill this box with all sorts of stuff for people who need a little help. With gas prices and the economy taking their toll on everyone, food pantries are pretty much bare these days, and we wanted Henry and Bryn to understand that it's not always about what you get, but what you give too. Thank you to everyone for being a part of the two birthday parties and all that surrounded Birthday number three. We love you and thank you for everything.

Birthday bash Number 1

Seeing that Grandma and Grandpa Affeldt would be out of town for the big party, they celebrated the BIG 3 with B and H on Wednesday. It was pretty awesome to watch their expressions as the garage door opened and they were able to see their very own big girl/big boy bikes from Grandma and Grandpa. We were all holding our breath as they quickly climbed on board, expecting lots of frustration, falls and tears. It was as if they have been on bicycles forever. They even figured out the back pedal brake and hand brake on their own. Bryn did take the inaugural fall when we crossed the street and made out way over to the parking lot. She started cruising down the slight hill and froze up. We weren't fast enough to catch her as she tumbled off. No worries, she was back on in a few minutes.

Personalized license plates.

Casting in the backyard with Grandpa!

Half blue/half pink carrot cake that Grandma made with some homemade "nilla" ice cream.

4th of July at the lake

Fireworks as seen from a comfy chair on the dock at Lake Sherwood. B and H were already sound asleep and never made a peep as the fireworks were sent off just across the narrows. The lake was full of boats and pontoons as Phil, Joan, and the Affeldts munched popcorn,enjoyed the display and tried to avoid the mosquitos.

Henry was first at hurling himself off the edge of the dock into the water, of course he had his swim goggles on. Bryn was a little more hesitant and wanted to hold hands of whoever was standing in the water.

This last week Henry was constantly strutting his stuff with his hands on his hips. Anytime his hands were free of toys he quickly placed them on his waist and stuck out his chest. We were all looking at each other wondering who he picked that up from.

This is what you do when you shimmy out of your suit and find your bottom covered in weeds. Bryn refused to go inside until she cleaned herself up in the water!

Henry and Phil had fun inventing a new game and it was so sweet to watch those two. String was tied to a Ronald boat, and then Hen would decide who got to hold the string and who got to throw it into the water and pull poor Ronald and his capsized boat back to the pier. Thanks to Joan and Phil for the early birthday present too. Henry is still all about the brown playdoh and has made all sorts of "pasta" with it. Bryn continues to cut hers with the special scissors into tiny little pieces of something,not sure what.

We all trekked over to the Lodge to watch the Shermalot (combo of Lakes Camelot and Sherwood) ski team put on a pretty fun show. Never knew that a person could lay face first in water with NO SKIS and then get yanked to a backward standing position and ski barefoot.

Don't miss Bryn trying to "make the shot" in the above pic.

Vacation with Grandma and Grandpa Hinsa

Well, I lied. Grandma did find time to snap some photos of the adventures they had on vacation. Not only did they play it up with cousin Liam, pick strawberries, visit Barkhausen Waterfowl preserve, splash in the pool, but also hung out with some "elks" at the the N.E.W. zoo. Following are some pics of the fun.

Apparently they are fine with statues... still not cool with mascots.

Keeping an eye on Grandma in the kitchen.

A lapful for Aunt Shannon!