Month of August

Sorry to all you avid readers.  I have not been on top of this blog.  My apologies.  I know my uncle Riet has been dying to read an entry.  So this one is for him.  It's actually going to be a big recap of August.

At the beginning of August, my cousins and I travelled to Kansas City to take in the sights, eat lots of good food and BBQ, and go to a Royals game.  We had a lot of fun, drank a lot of Moscow Mules, and some of us ate the hottest wings we've ever consumed to the point where we were punished for the remainder of the trip - this was not me.  So here is my photo dump of Kansas City.

We drove through Mark Twain's hometown on the way to KC.  It was...well....a river town. 

But it wasn't all that bad because I found this Santa for 50% off!  He was the highlight of my trip. 

Others weren't as amused with him as I was. 

First Happy Hour once we got there. 

We then waited in line for 45 minutes...

To eat some of the best BBQ EVER - Oklahoma Joe's. 

The next morning we went to an eclectic hole in the wall that was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. 

That's a smoked salmon eggs benedict wrap - yummy!

We then picked up Jared and had to check out some of the neighborhoods.  We really liked this neighborhood - but I can't remember the name.  

Brothers

Adam and Caitlin arrived, and we checked out another place featured on DDD - Grinders.  

Here is where Bryan punished himself with wings. 

This girl was still having a good time, though!

Poor guy...

We then went back to that neighborhood we liked...

Minus Bryan, who was dying back in the hotel room.  

But he recovered, and was able to meet us back out to close the night down with some Back in Black. 

Saturday's lunch consisted of more BBQ, and the best corn casserole I have ever consumed.  

We then headed to the Royals game.  They have a beautiful park.  

We all had a great time!

Clearly.

Next up - my 31st birthday :)

Cookies over cake for me! 

This guy is always my best gift, though. 

We finished up the month of August by starting Aaron in swim lessons.  He hates it.  It's going to be a very long 7 weeks - well, only 5 more to go!!  Mommy is counting down until it's over.  Isn't that terrible?  But he HATES it.  We'll try again when he's a bit older. 

Pointing for Daddy to save him. 

Begging Mommy to be done. 

Kept it together to shoot some hoops, though.  That's my boy. 

So there you have it.  Some of the things we did in August.  Hope you all had a good summer.  Can't believe it's Fall already, but this is my favorite season so I'm welcoming it with open arms.  Bring on the sweatshirts, pumpkin everything, ham and beans, and mums!

Reasons My Son Cries (in no particular order)

Because the day was over and it was time for bed

I told him it was time to get dressed

I wouldn't let him play with a knife

I scolded him when he got too close to a candle

I told him it was time to put the vacuum away

I told him to get out of the silverware drawer

I told him it is gross to dip his orange in ketchup

I asked to take his picture

I told him to quit shopping in the lazy susan

Fun at the Farm!

Saturday we headed to our family friends' farm to go swimming and see the dairy cows.  Aaron loved looking at the cows.  He didn't want to touch them, feed them, or really get too close.  But he's been talking about cows ever since - "cows", "moo" and "meeeeelk".  We watched them get milked, and we even got to see a calf that was just born that afternoon.  We hung out in the barn with all the babies the most.  They're so cute!  It was smelly, but so much fun!

I'm just going to dump a bunch of pictures now.  Enjoy!

I love that Jackson has little curls, too!

Sometimes...

This week I caught myself convincing myself that I felt a damp shirt in the dryer just so I could start it again and delay folding laundry.  I love doing laundry, but I hate folding laundry, and REALLY hate putting away.  "Oh, is that damp? I think it's a bit damp.  It's really not damp.  Better start the dryer again just to be safe!"

Fun in Uptown Normal

The other day I took Aaron on a little mommy/son date while we waited for daddy to get off work.  I thought it would be fun to go walk around Uptown Normal.  It's a lot different since I've been in school.  Tons of new and improved things.  Those lucky ISU students.  They don't know how good they got it.  So off we went. 

First we were hipsters and went to the Coffeehouse to get some iced coffee for me and juice for Aaron.  Aaron loved sitting in the chair like a big boy, drinking his big boy juice and saying "Hi!" to the random people in there. 

Next we walked over to the Discovery Museum to let him look at toys - that was a mistake.  He kept pointing to things and saying "Have it."  Somehow I was able to coax him out of there without a toy, and without throwing a fit.

Then we walked over to the water fountain.  A jazz band was setting up to play.  Aaron loved everything about this.  Water and music - two of his favorite things. 

Finally daddy showed up.  So we headed to the pizza parlor for dinner.  Aaron loved watching "beach-ball" on the tv.  Any type of sport on a tv is "beach-ball" or "b-ball". 

After dinner, we went to watch the band play for a bit.  Then we needed ice cream.  Aaron quickly learned that "ikeens" is so cold!  I wish I weren't so full from dinner because the ice cream was so good - almond, coconut and chocolate = yummo!

It was a nice little date night with my two guys.  We're definitely enjoying those nice, summer nights.

 

Splash Park Fun!

Aaron is slowly getting braver at the splash parks around town.  It takes him a bit to warm up.  He doesn't stray too far away from me.  And he wants me to walk with him through the water a lot of the time.  But he's getting the hang of it.

First trip to the splash park -

Being shy

Scoping everything out 

Playing in the water, but far off from others

Really wanting to run through that, but not quite sure 

Second trip to splash park - 

Planning his first move

Braving it alone

Having a blast, and realizing splash parks are a lot of fun!

Vet Trip

Taking the cats to the vet is, well, traumatic.  There's lots of howling, panting, hissing, hair flying all over the place - and that's just me.  I don't even know where to begin to describe the cats' experience.

We take the cats to a vet in a small town about 15 minutes away, mainly because it's so cheap.  But for those 15 minutes I have to deal with what sounds like my cats being killed.  You would think a nice drive through the country would be so peaceful and relaxing.  Not so much with my two, diva cats.

Most of the pictures are of Bella because she was in the front seat on the way there.  I told Bryan to put the one who he thought would be the best behaved in the front seat with me.  And it just so happens that she's the worst of the two in the car.  Lucky me.

Just imagine the howls coming out of that mouth right now.   

Then she pulls big, sad eyes on me. 

Moving on to the panting segment of our trip. 

When we got to the vet it was filled with over 11 people, 5 dogs, 6 cats - I had never seen anything like that before.  It was the fourth of July week, and they were trying to fit 5 days into 4, I guess.  Here they are trying to hide from me, and all the dogs.  Lots of hissing whenever a dog sniffed their carriers. 

More ignoring from Queen Lily on the ride home.  

Well, cats, that rabies shot you just got will only help you - so you're welcome!