New Jammies

A new deputy is in town.
Wearing Elmo and sitting in Pooh, it's a good thing.

To infinity and beyond.

Ready for a "map".

Mimi bought the boys new jammies this weekend and they have loved wearing them. Cooper loves Elmo right now and wants to wear his "Momo" shirt all the time. Baylor loves his Buzz and Woody jammies. He wanted to wear them to bed last night, but then decided he could not sleep without his fiesta on. He left them on until bed time and then went back to the old faithful green shirt. I think it is his security blanket at night.

Bug Fest

Dr. Baylor the bug man.
Chewing up his chocolate cricket.

Looking for treasures with his net.

"Me Do It"

Hugging the bee.

Looking at bugs in the microscope.

Digging through the compost for bugs.

Checking out the mole, just like the one who is in our yard.

Cooper wanted to hold the butterfly, but then got a little nervous.

One landed on Baylor's shirt.

What a great day!

After church and breakfast we headed home to go to the Bug Fest at Southeastway Park. Baylor was excited to go back to the park and take Daddy. There was a station to sign in where the kids got a checklist to take around to each station. There were 19 stations with lots for the kids to do. At each station they got the sheet signed to get a certificate at the end. The stations were lots of fun. There was a butterfly house, cricket spitting, bug cafe, craft station, and many more. Baylor actually ate a chocolate covered cricket. He was pretty brave and said it was good but crunchy. We arrived before the event started and never really had to wait at a station but by the time we were done it was packed. The weather was perfect for being outside and we had a fun time at a FREE event!

Symphony on the Prairie

On our way.
Coop found the chips and starting eating on the way to our spot.

Too cute!

On to his turkey.

I love him!

Having fun with dad!

They liked dancing and being up close to the music.

On the way back to the car they both rode in the wagon. It was a heavy load for dad!

Coop decided to try the other chips on the way back to the car. Do you notice a trend with Cooper's evening?

Tonight we went to Symphony on the Prairie. We have tried to go several times this summer but it always seems to rain on the night we want to go. Tonight was Glen Miller Big Band night and the music was great. We had a great Subway picnic and the boys thought it was fun to spread out on the blanket. There was a stage down in front with a spot for dancing and that was a big hit. There were some great swing dancers but I thought my boys were the best. It was chilly tonight but we had a fun time together. It was a great family day!

Baby Shopping and Dinner

He loves his Daddy!
Cooper was storing his fries in his pants.
Taking a "map" in the pack n plays.

He was taking a break.

Playing peek a boo in the stroller section.

Tonight the boys and I drove to Greenwood to meet Daddy at work. Baylor loves going to Daddy's work, you know he works with appraisals and the economy. How funny that little guy can be. We went to Babiesrus to check our travel systems for our new little one. We have had quite a selection of stroller but we are super hard on them and they look awful by the time the boys outgrow them. We are on the go so much and the stroller really does get used everyday. After trying out several we picked one and then checked out some other items we might need. After shopping we headed to Shallo's for dinner. It was yummy and the boys had a good time. Lucky for us it was noisy so we fit right in at the restaurant.

Park Day

Running to play.
They love the park.
Best buds.

Great Job!

He was laughing and giggling on the swing.

Up close!

Baylor was being a cowboy.

Coop was hot and sweaty from all his playing.

What a great treat!

The boys and I have had a fun day. Baylor woke up this morning and was begging for McDonald's for breakfast so we went. He was happy to have pancakes and sausage. After cleaning and doing laundry we went to Southeastway Park to play. The boys had so much fun and enjoyed having lots of room to play. There were only a few other kids so we basically had the playground to ourselves. After playing we headed to Anderson Orchard for a cider slush and bought some apples. We had a great day and loved being outside.

Pop's Helpers

Cooper helped Pop hang the curtains in the baby's room.
Baylor was in charge of the screws and nails.

Mimi bought the boys Diego couches today. They were watching cartoons before bed.

Stretching out.

Playdoh and Carpet

Baylor helped pick up all the scraps.
He wanted to watch and check it all out.

He was singing Happy Birthday.

He loves playdoh.

Cooper worked so hard and long with the playdoh.

This morning we hurried home from Bible study to wait for the carpet man. They called this morning and said they could lay the carpet in the baby's room today. I knew the boys would want to watch so I thought playdoh would be a good distraction. Cooper played at the table for over two hours and Baylor played off and on the entire time. He was able to watch and "help" the man a little. The man was so nice to Baylor and told him all about his special carpet laying tools. Baylor wants to know about everything and is always asking questions. The carpet looks good and we are one step closer to finishing the room for our new little one. I can't wait for the furniture and bedding to get here!

Remembering Matt

All of the guys with Dean.
Baylor loved taking Miss Gigi on a ride.
Don't Joe and Jessica look ready for a baby?

Gabrielle is such a sweetie.

Caylee is so cute.

Coop thinks Gigi is great!

Having fun on the swings.

It was hard to eat with so many kids to play with tonight.

Lynley and Eli are the newest additions. I was so lucky to hold both of them.

Guest Blogger - Tom Hurst

Matt Folkening was one of my close friends in high school. Matt died in a tragic accident when we were 21. Growing up, Matt was larger than life - you couldn't be around Matt and not have a good time. Every year since his death, his family has put on "The Matt Folkening Memorial Golf Outing" to help fund scholarships in his name. The outing is a great event to support the scholarships, but more importantly a time for everyone to get together, have a good time and remember our friend - just the way Matt would have wanted it. One of the highlights of the outing is the "hole-in-one" contest to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Believe it or not, the very first year of the outing a guy named Larry Lewis hit a hole-in-one.....he took the cash option - $12,000.

Growing up together, our group of friends is atypically still close today - I still routinely see many of my high school friends, including my best friend since I was 8 years old - Carl. Tonight we had this group and their families over and surprised Matt's parents, Dean and Debbie. Given the recent economy, the sponsorships for the outing have been a bit more sparse this year. As a group, we decided this year and for years to come, we will sponsor the "hole-in-one" contest for the golf outing. We had a great time remembering Matt and celebrating with his parents - although the memories do bring a flood of emotions.

In loving memory of Matt Folkening - a great son, brother and friend...