Trying to Re-couple the Zoo Train

Benjamin could take or leave the animals at the zoo, but the train is what he loves. This is just a bunch of unused train cars. Benjamin spent a lot of time playing on them.
He took this picture of Alexander and me.
Benjamin got really greasy hands trying to connect the train cars together. He says he wants to be a construction worker, but I asked him "Do you want to be a race car driver or a construction worker?" Maybe if I had asked "Construction worker or mechanic?" he would have said mechanic.

Entertaining Benjamin at Bed Bath & Beyond

I went to find a wedding present for a guy Ryan works with and needed something to keep Benjamin busy. This is the evidence of our expedition.

Great Gram's Funeral

Ryan's Gram, Margaret Price, passed away and we made a QUICK trip to Roanoke, VA for the funeral. We left Omaha early Saturday morning, arriving just in time for the viewing and graveside ceremony. We were perplexed as to why they asked Ryan to release the dove at the end of the ceremony until we remembered Ryan's brother, Kendall, is deathly afraid of birds.

We went to dinner with Ryan's aunts at The Great 611 Steak Company Family Restaurant. Benjamin impressed the employees with his model train enthusiasm. He requested they turn the model on and then chased it around for quite a while. Ryan took Benjamin swimming at the hotel pool that evening and I "escaped" back to our room with Alexander because the water was too cold and A.'s poopy diaper gave me a second excuse.

Sunday morning, we made it to our three hours of church and then to the memorial service at the Methodist home where Gram lived. Gram had a master's degree in Library Science and built a wonderful library at the home where she worked and then volunteered at for many years.

Sunday evening, we flew home. All things considered, it was an easy trip to make with a baby and 3 year old, but airports are very entertaining to Benjamin, so that was what made it easy. It was a whirlwind trip and I'm amazed we fit everything in.

We only took photos at the airports and on the planes.

Taekwondo

I saw a sign for "Tiny Tigers" Taekwondo when I was driving by the ATA studio and thought it might help Benjamin's listening skills so I called for more information.

I should have known better than to sign Benjamin up. He was acting "shy" (according to Master K)... no, he's not shy... he's reserved (like I am).

It was hit or miss whether he participated or not.
A Tuesday session.
Today he actually looks interested.

Nope, not worth $79/month. I didn't know (and neither did he) that Ryan had signed he and Benjamin up for a year. The only way I could get Benjamin out of it was to write a new contract with only Ryan on it. So, now Ryan's doing Taekwondo until next August. (Not that he has time for it. Hopefully he doesn't have too many late meetings where he can't go at lunchtime to do it).

Later in the day after I canceled, Benjamin said, "I want to do Taekwondo. Why am I not doing Taekwondo anymore?" Ugggh. "You should have thought of that when you wouldn't participate."

Potty Training Success

I read up on "Potty Training in a Day" and decided today was the day. Some of the advice I didn't do... like the potty doll because Benjamin already communicates well and knows how to potty, just didn't have the right motivation.

Potty Party.
Essence of Benjamin.
One of the few times Alexander's eaten rice cereal.
I told Benjamin that if he used the potty 10 times we would get a Happy Meal at McDonald's. By the time daddy got home from work this evening it was time to go to McDonald's.

Here's the receipt. We had about 10 coupons for free Happy Meals from the library's summer reading program and I had a coupons for free fries and drinks with the new Angus burgers, so I worked quite the dinner deal. We even got a military discount b/c Ryan was still up in Fremont for the Army and wore his uniform when we went.
View of wild turkeys from our driveway when we got home from dinner.
By the end of the week Benjamin was dry at night and not wearing diapers at all anymore. Wow, that was easy. Now, just to get him to stop "peeing in the woods".

7 Years.

We celebrated our anniversary on Friday evening by eating Culvers in the car (that's all we had time for) and stopping at Target to buy some gifts (for other people) before going to our annual sealing session at the temple. We tried to take our anniversary photo in the Target parking lot with the Culvers bag, but the camera wasn't working (it's missing screws, which I'm not sure can be attributed to Benjamin or not).

So late on Sunday night (our actual anniversary) we dragged ourselves to take some photos and this is the result: (BTW, we need more sleep)

Bradley 3rd Birthday

We hosted the Bradley birthday this year. It worked out that Ryan was in Freemont for the day and got home in time for the party. We have an amazing house to use for entertaining. We need to do it more often.
We recycled Ryan's change of command cake and let the kids decorate their pieces. Benjamin loves spicy/sour things. He was eating the red hots like... well, like candy.
The gift exchange.Benjamin got a stunt plane and kite. Thanks Natalie (Victoria)!

I can't believe the kids are already three. It's sad b/c our group is breaking up a bit. There are 2 moves coming up and preschool taking up time. I'm hoping the 2nd round will be as close as our 3 year olds are.

A Woosh in the Tree

My friend Erin had us over for dinner while Ryan was gone and then we went to Avery Elementary School so the kids could play.
Somehow Benjamin threw his woosh frisbee into a tree and it got stuck out of reach. We tried throwing a stick tied to a rope and that didn't work.

We hadn't brought enough water so Erin took Hope and Benjamin to Romeo's Mexican Restaurant to get water.
Luckily, Erin's husband Bernie showed up with the right tools and was able to extract the woosh in a matter of seconds.

Simmons' Wildlife Safari

Ryan was gone with the Army and my friend Trisha invited us to go to the Wildlife Safari in Ashland. We had never been there before so it was a good excuse to go.An elk brushed past Trisha's van. Alexander, Benjamin and I were in the back seat. It was a great view!
We couldn't get a good look at the black bears and the coyote was nowhere to be seen.
Alexander is along for the ride.
The park purportedly has the largest herd of bronze buffalo in the world.

The Gym Fire Pole

I've been sporadic in going to the gym because Benjamin was scared of the alert klaxon. I've finally made it back a couple times in the last month or two and learned something amazing: Benjamin is big enough to go down the fire pole by himself. It's amazing what kids learn from older kids. My baby is growing up.

Besides the fire pole, Benjamin can also climb. I need to move his markers and stamps. Luckily the only one that wasn't washable was the purple one he used on himself.

Change of Command

It's official. Ryan took command today of the 728th Quarter Master (Petroleum Pipeline) Company. The FRG (Family Readiness Group a.k.a. Wives Club) Leader was gracious enough to pick up a cake, punch, and flowers for the event at the last minute because we were not that organized.

Ryan is crazy busy between the Army Reserves, being in charge of the Young Men's youth program at church, his new job, and our sons. I can't believe I let this come out of my mouth, but I think he'll have to deploy again if he ever wants to work on his Master's degree.
I can't tell which photos I took and which ones Benjamin took because most of them are blurry. Alexander was really squirming in my arms. Alexander also gave his commentary by loudly filling his diaper during Ryan's "3 minutes". It was right during the part where Ryan was saying that the soldiers of the 728th were like his family because he'd be spending more time with them than us at times. Hopefully he never has to deploy with them.Ryan has always dreamed about a career in aviation. Especially so our kids can say "wow, my dad has a cool job..." Ryan pegged out Benjamin's "cool meter" today in the company's motorpool. Benjamin got to "drive" a forklift, 3 5-ton trucks and some HUMVEEs.

Alexander's First Solid Food

I had a feeling this was going to happen. We've been ... a little liberal with Alexander as contrasted with my strict introduction of foods to Benjamin.
This is the day Alexander tried Tastee O's. We were at Ryan's parents' for dinner and Alexander had been reaching for the food so we figured it was time. Other than the random foods we've been giving him (apple sauce, black beans, ground up spaghetti, sweet potato, and lots of Cheerios -- no actual baby food) he's only had mommy milk.

Royster Reunion

We went to IL for the annual Royster family reunion.
Benjamin loves Poppa the Great's riding mower.
At Lambert's "Home of the throwed rolls". A day of gluttony. Only in the U.S. can you go to a restaurant where food is intentionally wasted. It's such a shame too because they're warm fluffy buttery scrumptious rolls.
Lambert's is always busy, so you have to wait. Who knew that having rolls thrown at you was so awesome.
Benjamin paying homage to the Intimidator. It's too bad, Benjamin will never see the real Ernhardt race. Jr is so lame.