got shoes?

It's tough getting into uniforms so your mom can take a picture...

Photo via Amy's Blackberry

Amy says her boys are in the Little Pro Youth program.

They're on the right team in my book...

Yay, for the Dolphins and Florida colors :)

Swimming on the Balcony

When Landon visits us, he doesn't go to the community pool~~

he has a private one on our balcony.

Before I brought out the copper cup and plastic glass he was OK with the colorful toys.

But once the kitchen stuff came out, the kiddie toys were pointless.

Aside from its great pouring qualities...that copper measuring cup

is also good for tapping a musical beat on the balcony bars.

Another Visit to the State Fair

Today Grandpa Al is the photographer so he doesn't get to be in any of these pictures.

 While we were at the fair, he also photographed a series of pictures for Hunter's blog...

about dining out at the state fair.

Group photo at the Dinner Bell where we ate country-big pancakes

and shared the Special.

We had only a morning to spend (Kim and I cut kids' tickets out of the Sunday paper so the boys got in free) because Art Camp started at 12:30.

We decided to do the things that the fair is really all about--trophy winners.

Here's the Champion Ram.

We watched judging of various venues,

admired draft horses while they showered,

and sat in the bleachers to see the performances and judging of the light horses.

Here's Blake with the Champion Boar...see his cut-off tusks?

He eats from a bowl labeled fatty.

He's a mean guy so his owner kept a chair up

against the fence so the boar wouldn't put his snout out at anyone.

Although the morning was NOT about Midway rides,

we did do the classics: The Sky Ride and Ye Old Mill.

Ye Old Mill was the first ride built for the fair years ago...

consists of boats floating on the currents driven by a mill...

in the dark of a tunnel...

family entertainment unlike the wild, expensive rides on the Midway.

Great day, great boys.

No one whined or begged.

These days, they like to learn things :)

After the zoo, the state fair...

Landon's been super busy this week.

First the zoo with cousin Hunter,

then the state fair with his mom and dad.

Here are a few phone shots

sent to me by email as Landon experienced

the activities of the fair...

Farmer Landon...in this area, the fair folks put Landon in an apron.

Here, he's planting an onion...

...and milking a cow.

In Legoland, zoo animals are the theme.

Bushed...

and heading home...

Doin' the Zoo

Landon's mom takes him to the library where they read with other readers and their moms.

 Llibrarians reward readers with free tickets to things around town--

baseball games, restaurants and play places.

 Landon landed a free ticket to the zoo but, since he gets in free for being under three,
 he offered his kids' ticket to cousin, Hunter.

Hunter and Landon

First, they fed the goats and fish at the petting zoo.

Then they visited Australia (saw some joeys at a distance) and took a train ride...

...and stopped for lunch at the Safari Grill.

Then it was off to admire the giraffes...

 ...imitate the lion's lapping tongue...

...visit the zooplex filled with giant dino robots...

 ...walk the hanging bridge...

...and admire the turtles, birds, and fish of the underground aquarium world.

 To top off the day, Aunt Kim treated Hunter

(he said this was his favorite part of the day)

 to a stop inside the parakeet cage.

 Here visitors can feed the 'keets on a stick stuck full of seeds.

 The birds come right to the stick in your hand so you get a close-up view of them. 

 Thanks, Kim! It was a wonderful day. And the weather was perfection.

Like Father, Like Son

Landon's dad wears his hat backwards.

So when Adam

strapped Landon into his car seat,

Landon took his dad's hat off

and put it on his own head...backwards.

Last Night's Game

Yep. The ICubs won the game last night...in the last inning.

 We waited through a 2 to 1 score in favor of Fresno for eight innings.

 Then, all of a sudden, the way was clear for the Cubs.

 On the last half of the ninth inning, they corrected the score:  3 to 2.

Go Cubbies!

Sib Dinner

Just returned from a road trip to see Mom...

stopped in Mankato where we dined

at Steve and Nancy's beautiful home in the woods.