Zoo cousins

We always like to find opportunity to have some playtime with our Wells cousins. Lisa arranged a Lincoln zoo date and everyone had a great time. The kids were so confident running around the zoo, it was hard to capture many pictures while they explored!

A very rare occurrence of all four kids in the same place at once. Briefly sitting still. Camera op!

And you have to sit still on a train. The girls got five people on our little train bench (counting Walden). I thought that meant we deserved ice cream afterwards, because clearly our heineys are plenty small enough and could use some extra calories. No one argued with me!

Some things change, some stay the same

There's no question Ernie is growing up, as he surprises us daily on things he can do that he learned on his own. But he's still the same little boy who would choose fantasy over real life 85% of the day at least. Here's some of his more recent activities that prove no matter how much changes, the essentials stay the same.

Ernie's door. He's opened a Private Eye office ever since I made him clean off his craft table. You know what? Whatever keeps the craft table cleaner makes me happy.

Inspector Ernie Hall, his sidekick Snuggle Puppy, and secretary Lenora.

Still getting some use out of that spray-painted grocery bag/robot from his birthday party. He added some real robot elements like his Galaxy Grabber and a toothpaste tube box (?) to turn himself into a REAL ROBOT!

And he lost his first top front tooth. He reminds me of a kid from a Norman Rockwell painting now.

Choo-choo camping!

Once again we returned to Two Rivers for a great weekend camping with our friends! There's really no better way to vacation.

Everyone did some fishing. Jonathan won for best angler. Jeremy tried his best, but apparently the secret is a Princess fishing pole.

The younger kids didn't quite have the attention span of the dedicated fishers, but luckily there was a huge pile of dirt nearby. So this Lord of the Flies thing happened. Honestly, they were having fun, and it was very bizarre but they buried Ernie and then burned his remains and then he came back as a benevolent spirit. And no one got pink-eye!

And Mom got a surprise baby shower! The surprise was authentic, too, I came out of the caboose thinking it was a S'mores dessert night and seeing cupcakes and thinking "why didn't I know there would be cupcakes?" and then noticing pretty bags and packages and STILL not putting it together. Call me slow.
Stacey knit this ADORABLE little varsity man sweater. He's going to look just like Archie Andrews in it. I love it. I still have the little blue jacket she crocheted for Ernie when he was brand new, all packed in the hospital bag hoping for a photo op!

I had LOTS of help opening things and we took home quite a haul. We're so fortunate to have such thoughtful friends. And BTW, Meghan's cupcakes were the best I have ever eaten, of any kind of cake. I'm literally drooling right now remembering them. Anyone who bakes cupcakes that good, packs cupcakes for a camping trip, AND keeps them hidden WHILE sharing a cabin with me, is a keeper. Connor and Jen lucked out.

Maybe next year Walden will be squeezed in with Snuggle Puppy in the group shot.

Charms for Grandma Bonnie

The kids made some special drawings for Grandma Bonnie and a friend of Mom's was able to make them into charms for her treatment bracelet. I was really happy with how well they turned out, and Grandma Bonnie knew they were made with love.

Ernie did a whole page of hearts.

Len drew a portrait of Grandma.

Daddy's little girl

The Lincoln one-mile race is a fun, fast-paced spectator race. And having seen her brother and Walsh kids run State Farm, Len was inspired to do this one with Dad. She trained, got some real running shoes, and that kid ran it!

Dad also ran and got great time. Not that he's ever happy with his time, though.

Posing proudly with Dad after he finished his run.

Johanna and Len holding hands (awww!) at the starting line.

Look at our girl! Both sets of Grandparents and Aunt Heather and Uncle John were able to be there to cheer her on. She was one of three three-year-olds in the race, and when she came in the announcer said her name and she got huge applause. She had awesome form.

All thanks to a great coach.

Johanna did awesome, too, as did her Mom Stacey.

Enjoying the spoils of running a race and eating an orange slice. All treats were exclusively for runners, so the second Len came in Ernie ran to her and said "Good job, Lenora. Would you like a sugar cookie? I'll split it with you!"

Old School 4th of July

T'was a time when the Fourth of July was always in Avoca. In more recent years, it's been the best time for Dad's siblings to return to Nebraska for a holiday/Cathie's birthday celebration. With the birth of cousin Oliver and Aunt Heather's school schedule, we were able to see two Hall siblings on the third, which left us free to return to an old tradition on the Fourth.

We got a tour of the renovated courthouse (not in operation, but preserved by community members). The kids loved playing judge, and Mom enjoyed seeing a volunteer-run historic preservation project.

Small town parades, pretty much where every Tootsie Roll in the world is at on the Fourth of July. Len loves horses!

Ernie wore his Oliver shirt and matched a good old '88 in the proceedings!

Across from the old townhouse and next to the courthouse are some war implements. They've painted them from when we were kids, and they'll have to again some day because kids still love sitting on them.