Offutt Air Show

Ryan took Benjamin to the Airshow.
This is the T-43. It's the plane I trained on in Nav School.
Benjamin threw a fit (part of the joys of being 3) so they didn't stay long and left in the middle of the Blue Angels.

Lincoln Children's Zoo

We went to the Zoo in Lincoln with the Bradleys. I thought we were going to the Children's Museum originally, but the zoo is what came up on Google Maps so I basically knew how to get there. I was blessed. I would have been really lost without a cell phone. How did we coordinate life pre-cell phone?
The train was actually outside the fence of the zoo so we rode it first. I'm glad it went around twice because it was a short ride.
I'm a little surprised Benjamin wanted to ride the pony. He usually acts really standoffish around animals.
Benjamin really liked playing in the egg shells. There was also a sand area he could have spent hours digging in.
He didn't get that close to the goat after he fed it the first time.
The girls figured out they could jump off the back of the web. Benjamin followed suit.

Elmo and Ryan's Birthday Party -- Nuclear Family

I made a special trip to the Children's Museum because it was the last week for the Body Exhibit. Benjamin wanted to wait in line to get our picture taken with Elmo. He hadn't seen much Sesame Street at the time, but wants to watch it now (Although, "the car game", Gran Tourismo, with daddy still wins out).
We had Sushi because Ryan loves Chinese food.
Benjamin loves chop sticks, but they usually get taken away from him during the course of the meal.
Benjamin has good taste in ties.
Benjamin's example!
My mom calls Alexander "Smiley George". He's quite bi-polar. He forcefully lets you know when he's upset. I'm interested to see if he is so smiley when he gets older.

Alexander in Shopping Cart and Ryan's Birthday Dinner

This is Alexander's first time riding like a "big boy" in a shopping cart. We were at TJ Max buying gym shorts for Ryan's birthday. (Ryan really wanted a race car and not gym shorts, but we didn't get a house with a 3-car garage, so he has to wait).
Alexander would not look at the camera. It's good digital photos are free.
This is Ryan's "public embarrassment" at Red Robin. They did the "drill sergeant birthday cadence". I was amazed at how well our waitress could "sound off".

Hayworth Park Bellevue 1st Ward Campout

This is a giant marshmallow. I wish I had a regular large marshmallow next to it for comparison, but I'm thinking it was 3-4 times the size. I managed to toast it golden unlike the charcoal marshmallows I ate as a kid. I got some of it in my hair while I was eating it. Benjamin helped me finish it off.
Ryan and Benjamin camped out while I took the baby home and did school work. They went to the Arrows to Aerospace parade in the morning and brought home a lot of candy. Ryan didn't take any photos of the parade other than all of the cars in it. (I.e. no photos with the two of them).

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

The boys and I went to the new pedestrian bridge with my friend Tara and her family.

It is a nice bridge but funded as a "pork" project. The president needs line item veto (and to use it properly if he has it). Stupid politicians and lobbyists. Okay, enough of my political opinions.
There's a park on the CB side and a splash pad on the Omaha side.

It was a longer walk than anticipated, so I carried Bryson while Tara pushed Benjamin in the stroller on the way back. I guess I'm not as out of shape as I sometimes think I am.

Early Childhood Center

We've been spending a lot more time at the "Welcome Center" now that I'm back in school. It's a good place to read my books while Benjamin plays and isn't getting into trouble at home.
The only problem is I usually see people I know there so it inhibits the studying. I'm also wondering if I should keep us at home to avoid swine flu. It seems to be making the rounds through our church congregation.

SAC Museum

We had yet to visit the SAC museum in Ashland, NE. This year, Fontenelle Forest began offering a joint pass with the SAC museum which we purchased in the spring. We finally made it out there.
Benjamin landing a wooden space shuttle.Astronaut Alexander
B-52 Cockpit (or "Flight deck" if you're being PC). Benjamin could have spent hours in there, but there was a line of kids. Ryan went back a few weeks later and the museum was deserted, but Benjamin almost had a potty accident in it so his play time was cut short.The "Rainbow playset" was the biggest hit. They had advertisement dvds and Ryan grabbed one. Benjamin wanted to watch it over and over. Ryan thinks we need a "Rainbow" to replace our rickety playsets that twist when two 40 lb kids are on the glider swing.

Alexander Pulled Himself Up to Standing

Alexander's going to be walking too soon.

728th Family Day

We went up to Westpoint, NE for Ryan's Army Reserve Unit's family day. I brought the bounce house in Ryan's parents' van. The FRG sold raffle tickets to put whipped cream pies in the faces of the unit's leadership and Ryan was sure he wouldn't be pied "because the soldiers don't know me well enough"... yeah right.
They gave Benjamin the opportunity to "pie" his daddy and he thought it was great fun.

We didn't have to return the bounce house until Monday morning and thought about putting it up in our driveway, but we didn't want to have to fold it up again.