Happy 1st Birthday, Bub!

Cole turned one last week! We are so lucky to have this happy skinny kid in our family.

We had a very low key celebration and had friends over for pizza and cupcakes.

He was more interested in the candy sprinkles than the cake and spent a lot of time picking them off and eating them one by one. Eat the cake already! That's fudge frosting, kid!

He may not have eaten a lot of the cake, but demolish it, he did. Then he searched for more candy sprinkles to pick out and eat.
The grams sent presents. Love those grandparents!

And love those friends!

So, Cole's year checkup? Sigh. He's really skinny. Soooooo, the docs want me to take him to a GI specialist. I don't know how I feel about that. He's healthy in every aspect except heaviness. I don't know why he's not gaining weight as quickly as he's supposed to. He was a hair away from 19 pounds when he weighed in, which puts him in the 4th percentile, but is still in the 70th percentile for height.

I think I would have been panicking had he been my first child. I'm not panicking with him, though. He's a happy, well rested, active, good eating, diaper filling one year old. We'll get it figured out.......and I'll do my research on how a GI specialist could be of any help....

Putting that aside, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIDDO!

It is so fun to hear him jabber. He got an Elmo phone for his birthday, and when his sister hasn't run away with it, it's fun to watch him try to get it by his ear and talk. He gets so excited about balls --it doesn't matter what sport style or size-- and he likes to play "catch" with them. He will roll them to you and expect you to promptly roll it back so the game can continue. His kisses are still the best, and his back patting hugs make me melt.

The Best Way to Watch Looney Tunes

Meet Me in St. Louis

I am a pansy when it comes to roadtrips. After five hours, I am done, done, done. However, there are instances in life that trump sitting uncomfortably in the same spot for too long. Visiting the Jensens in St. Louis, MO is one of those instances. It had to be done.

It's been almost a year since the Jensens left Dallas. They are great friends of ours, and we hadn't met Peter yet! We knew that if we didn't just go for it, the idea of visiting would continue to float in the distance. I was excited for the St. Louis part of the trip but dreading the drive. You know what? The driving part really wasn't that bad! In fact, some parts were fun. I've never been through that part of the country, and we saw some beautiful areas. Plus, when you are playing Cow Army and Name the Band, time passes faster.

It was about ten hours to St. Louis. We split the drive in two both on the way there and back.

Thursday night we took off as soon as Jake got home from work. Here's where you get a side story:

We said a family prayer in the car right before we took off. A couple blocks from our house, a man started honking at us and pointing. We pulled up next to him, and he let us know that our front passenger tire was dangerously low. I got that tire changed recently, so I knew we needed to get to Discount Tire to get it checked out. We went straight there. It was barely after six o'clock, which is when they close. They were happy to check out the situation, regardless of the time, and got us taken care of and on the road with a new tire in less than ten minutes. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude! The thought of being stranded with two little ones on a dark road in Nowhere, Oklahoma.......shudder.
We arrived at our hotel in Joplin, MO some time after 11pm. In the morning we took it easy and were in St. Louis by afternoon. Yay!

Here are the two boys. So cerebral.

We got settled in and took over the living room of their cute apartment. Since it was lovely outside, we had a barbeque in the backyard. After dinner Jake and Alan took off for the Cardinals game. It's been a life goal of Jake's to go to a St. Louis Cardinals game in St. Louis. We were lucky enough to have one going on while we were there. What's even better is that Alan got the tickets for free and surprised Jake with awesome seats. Jake was shooting out rays of sunshine when he was telling me about the game and showing me pictures. Busch stadium really is impressive. Look at all that red!
Dianna and I stayed back and were able to get those tired kids down to sleep so we could talk, which many of you know is one of my favorite activities. It was so nice to catch up.

The next day, we got up and ready for the St. Louis Zoo after playing around a bit. Cole and Peter are already familiar with the "I Want What He's Got" game. Tessa is still a pro at that one.
I loved watching them play together.

It was a hot day at the zoo, but I'm really glad we went. It was worth seeing. I know you can't tell in this picture, but Tessa is standing in front of a hippo smashed against the glass in his swimming pool with fish feeding off the algae on his hippo hairs. Tessa informed me that the fish were "kissing the hippo". I've seen a lot of hippos in my day (I love them), but I have never seen them this close up and especially underwater. There was another hippo behind this one looking toward us. He had some serious whiskers.

Another favorite, was the butterfly wing of the insect exhibit. Dianna told me that they import cacoons from all over the world all year long to put in this flower and foliage area where they flutter all around you. So cool.

There's one on Dianna's visor! I didn't even notice until I posted the picture.

I didn't get a picture of the penguin area, but that was another favorite. They were diving and splashing and very close to us.

We had lunch at the zoo, and when it was time for the kids to have a nap, we headed back to the apartment.
The kids slept, and I'm pretty sure I got a snooze somewhere in there, too. ...and a popsicle....and a cookie.
That night there was an Independence Day celebration going on in downtown St. Louis. We had dinner, went to get icecream at a cute icecream parlour, and then were on our way to the train station. We got out at the Busch Stadium stop, so I got to see the stadium. I wish I would have taken a picture of the open fence area where you can see the crowd and the game going on from the street. So fun. Here we are strolling:

Here is our family by the arch. Live music was playing while we bopped through the crowd toward the river.

Our illustrious hosts:

Happy Independence Day!

The gateway to the west:

Peter was waving that flag like he meant it!

Waiting for the fireworks to start:

We were on some stairs behind and underneath the arch facing the Mississippi River....and Illinois. A barge made it's way in front of us in the middle of the river which is where they let off the fireworks. And what fireworks! I saw fireworks I've never seen before. This was an amazing show, and I oooohhhed, aaaaahhhed, and whooped with the best of them. All of the kids loved it. Cole leaned back on me and stared into the sky. What a great place and way to celebrate our country.

With any big city celebration, getting out and home is an adventure. So it was with us --tired kids (but really good) and a ton of people. It worked out well, and we wouldn't have wanted to spend our holiday anywhere else.

The next morning we got ourselves ready for church, ate a wonderful meal when we got back, and then procrastinated leaving.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jensens! Love to you!

It was back to Joplin that night. However, we weren't going to let the opportunity to see the LARGEST ROCKING CHAIR IN THE WORLD pass us by! You'd have to be crazy! Thank you, Missouri.

Tessa is greeting those passing by on Route 66.

When the sun went down that night, we had some great firework shows to watch while driving! We really took it easy the next morning, so easy, in fact, that we didn't pay enough attention to the route home and took a way that cost more on the toll roads and was about 45 minutes longer. Oh, well. Another experience saved the day and turned it all around. Behold, the Muskogee Castle:

You tell me that you could pass by a sign pointing to the "Muskogee Castle", and then when you get to said castle, that you could avoid going in when you discover it's filled with discount fireworks! That's right.

Awesome. Cackling was in order.

We ate lunch at a not so tasty place in Small Town, OK, but whatareyagonnado? We later learned that the small town was where Carrie Underwood was born. Ooooooooh.

When we finally got home sometime before 7pm, we walked into a 90 degree house. The AC had stopped working again. Thankfully, we've got good AC guys, and they sent someone out in the next hour to get it going again. Phew!

We hope you all had a happy Independence Day. We live in an amazing country, and I thank God for the opportunities we have simply by being American.

Now to find a place to let off those castle fireworks. I learned today our city/county doesn't allow it. Yes, I know I should have looked into that earlier, but I didn't. They aren't big ones, so I didn't think about it. And now I'm searching for a place closer than Oklahoma. :)

Awesomely Wicked

Jake and I had our 6th anniversary on the 10th of June --while I was in Utah. We celebrated it over a week later and went to see the musical Wicked while the touring company is playing in Dallas.

I have to be honest in saying that I wasn't all that excited to go. Regrettably, I read the book. Those are hours of my life that I'll never get back but will spend my life wishing I could. It's on my personal list of worst books of all time. I'd been told over and over that the musical is loosely based on the book, and is clean, fun, and fantastic. But still, one doesn't get over preconceived notions very easily. I told Jake that if he would get the tickets, then we could go for our anniversary. I figured the chances were low that he would remember in time.

I was wrong.

I'm so glad I was wrong.

First of all, we have not been to a big show like this in a long time. The last any kind of live show that wasn't free would have taken place in Utah, before Tessa was born. When your husband's occupation is student, it's hard enough to justify paying a babysitter, let alone anything more elaborate than a movie. It was a lot of fun to get (semi) dressed up to go to a production again.

Secondly, it was a really great show. There is something other worldly about being in the presence of incredible talent. The voice on the Wicked Witch/Elphaba was simply gorgeous, and when she slammed out some of those power notes..... goosebumps, tears welling. The cast was absolutely impressive in every way they were supposed to be, including the musicians in the pit. I left happy--even with burned and blistered feet. (Ugh. A story I will spare you.)

What a great way to celebrate an anniversary (the show, not the feet). Thank you, Husband.

Utah Vacay

I braved the trip with the kids alone. We had a fantastic time. We really missed Jake, but we were able to make the most out of our week and had just about every moment planned. We'll all be headed back again in the fall for mi hermano's wedding, but we hadn't been to Utah since October, and that is just tooooooo long for my kiddos not to see all the relatives. So, we were off.
The flight there = not bad, but not ideal. There was some crying involved.
I'm sure I looked like a total joke going through the airport, though. Jake helped me up to security. I decided that I would just do carry on luggage. I CAN'T STAND paying for checked luggage, so I packed light for the three of us. It was me with a sit and stand stroller (Bubs in his carseat) and then a rolly polly suitcase with two small duffels strapped to it. I felt like a train plowing to my gate. Pushing the stroller with one hand and pulling the luggage with the other. I quickly learned that one wheel doesn't work on the rolly luggage. That wheel is now worn half away from my dragging.
We arrived in much cooler weather than we left, but it was still nice. We started out at Jake's parents and had two evenings with the aunts, uncles, and cousins. Tessa was in heaven. She avoided me like the plague because she was afraid I was going to make her go home.

There are lotsa pictures coming......now!

Matt and Mary's family found baby ducks a little while ago and have been taking care of them until they can be released and survive on their own. They are a lot more exciting than the tortoise we found in our alley the night before we left for Utah.

Tessa got to hold a couple of the ducks and was talking about the duck Simone named "Cinderella" for quite some time after. Cole just wanted to get in the duck water.
Fun at Nate and Kel's! Those snakes....seriously. Too funny. Tessa and Simone walked around with the "snake scarves" on for most of the evening.

The cousins:

The girls: (Skirts and dress courtesy of Grandma. Oh, the talent.)

I like this picture. I especially like Cole's massive grin.

I was grateful to be able to see a couple of friends during the crazy week. On the way to Dad and Sandy's, we went to see Ashley and her family. They are moving to London soon. I can't believe it. Yes, I can. It will be fabulous for them. What an adventure! Time to start saving for a trip, I guess.

What you are missing from this picture was what was happening a few minutes before. The girlies were sitting on the higher step. Both boys started swirling their bare feet in the sisters' hair, which resulted in pulled hair and tears. John got some pictures. Sorry little girls, but it was hilarious.

My paternal grandparents had not yet met my son, so we went on over with Dad one afternoon. I'm so glad. I asked about family history stories and got some stuff written down, but I think I need a solid week with these two to really get started. We do what we can do. I've always loved and respected my grandparents, but we haven't been close throughout my life. However, though I don't see them often, I feel closer to them now as an adult. This day I was able to really talk with my grandma. I can't recall having many/any deep conversations with her before, so it did my heart an immense good.

Dad and Sandy hosted quite the barbeque. I'm so thankful. My sister and her fiance and both sets of kids, my brother and his fiance, Sandy's kids and their spouses and children were all there. So why didn't I get more pictures of everybody? Because I'm a dummy. There was not enough time to talk to everyone as much as I wanted to. I did get these:

Here is Kenzie Lou Who with Cole. She just graduated highschool. Woot to her!

Grandpa and then Grandma with the kids:

They just finished a toy room downstairs. Tessa made it clear that she could live there if someone tossed food down to her once in a while.
On to Preston, ID.

Mom's house. It was a beautiful evening when we showed up, but the rain came later and would not go away. I love how excited Tessa looks to use the watering can.

It just would not be Grandma Lori's house if we didn't take time to make sure all the plants and flowers were taken care of.

Now here's a happy one:

Grandma Lori and Papa Duke have a cat. That cat is a celebrity in Tessa's eyes.

My maternal grandparents live in Preston, basically around the corner from Mom. We were able to have good visits with them, and I had a great time helping out with a project.
Then, the night before we had to leave, my mom planned a family get together in Layton. I had not seen some of these cousins for years. Only a few were unable to make it, but I was certainly grateful to see those who could. There just wasn't enough time!

The rain was coming down, and it was COLD. There was a fireplace there, so soon after we arrived, Mom, the kids, and I took off to buy firewood. Let's just say that things kept going wrong and it wasn't my shining moment. I thought my brain was going to explode. Finally, almost an hour later, there was a fire and we were eating and visiting.

Tessa had a different idea of fun. She was out rolling in the wet grass and rain and chasing her cousin Dallen. I could not keep her in the pavillion. She's lucky she didn't get sick, crazy kid.

Papa Duke keeping Cole warm:
My attempt at a group picture:
You try getting these yayhoots (I've never thought about trying to spell that word, but it sure looks all wrong) to all pose for a picture together. Not easy. We're scattered around. I was using my timer, so Jon and Chelsea have my kids back there.
Here's Grandma D, Cole, Mom, and Breanna.

That night we headed back to Jake's parents to sleep and then took off early the next morning. We saw a lot of people we love in a short amount of time. We had an eager daddy to get back to, though. We got the luggage train loaded back up again and had a pleasant flight home. Tessa met a friend and sat in the empty seat next to her. Cole fell asleep, and I happened to have a row with extra leg room. Bonus.