What We Do For Fun Around Here

Who needs toys when you have a twin?

"Old Man River" or "Rob turns 30!"

We celebrated Rob's big day in a few ways.

1. We almost bought a house.  The process went like this: We put in an offer, negotiations happened, an agreement was reached, sellers backed out.  Repeat 3 or 4 times.  We walk away and decide just to keep renting Rob's parent's home.  (AND WE'RE SO HAPPY WE DIDN'T BUY THAT HOUSE NOW!!!)


2. With the weight of being almost-home owners off our our shoulders, we felt footloose and fancy free.  We spent some extra time in MN, visited Rob's family in Kansas, and Rob got a few extras for his camera to play with before he started back up at the firm.


3. And for Rob's ACTUAL big day, we had chocolate chip banana pancakes (arranged into an artistic portrait of the birthday boy) and then went to see Joy, Darrell, and Co. in Austin. 

Birthday Pancakes on the "You Are Special" plate. 

Chocolate Birthday Cookie a la Joy.  30 candles...I was worried we'd set the house on fire!

Before we left Austin we got to cheer Joy and Darrel on during their 3rd Annual Triathlon. 

Darrell rocking the purple swim cap

Joy is feeling good

Ready to ride

Still smiling even though it was BLAZING hot out on the road

Finished! 

Rob is such a wonderful, hardworking, handsome, fun man.  He is a great father--every night when he gets home from work the girls start squealing and RACE to climb into his arms.  He is a great husband--he supports me and loves me unconditionally.  And he is my best friend who can always make me laugh.   I'm SO GLAD we get to spend all of our crazy lives together!

The MN State Fair

I realized I never posted these pictures from our outing to the Minnesota State Fair this summer.

The Highlights:

1.  The winners of the Minnesota Dairy Princess Program get crowned "Princess Kay of the Milky Way" and get their likeness carved into a giant block of butter.

It was almost as exciting as it looks...  :)

2.  Cornhog: the winner of the title "Largest Boar."  Age: 2 years old.  Weight: 1200lbs. 

I kept hearing this line from Charlotte's Web in my head, "That is SOME pig." 

3.  The 4H Animals parading down the road.  The idea of 4H kind of boggles my mind; growing up I never knew ANYONE who raised giant horses, cows, pigs, chickens, goats, rabbits, sheep, etc etc.  I still can't believe kids actually do this...

Savannah LOVED the animals.  Lily, not so much. 

4.  This cow's udder.  I had recently finished nursing the twins and I felt deep empathy for this poor gal. 

So...did anyone out there actually participate in 4H? Or know a significant population of kids who did??

What happens when you have 3 cousins born within 2 weeks of each other...

I'm noticing a trend...

Sept. 2011--Squished together into a basket

Aug. 2012--Squished together onto a bench

Somehow my imagination immediately jumps to graduations, college dorm rooms, and WEDDINGS! 

Kids grow up so quickly these days....