Walter and his questions!

A busy week for us indeed. Walter has had vacation bible school every night this week and tomorrow we are hoping to go antiquing. Then this weekend my mom is coming to visit until next Thursday. Tonight on our way to church Rose E kept saying "see ya Daddy" and I said "bye bye Daddy" then Walter said "mama there no Daddy's in this van. "It was also cute because Walter has had little assignments to do for vacation bible school, anyway the other day we took a walk and thanked God for five things and then he turned to me and said "mama why God not talk back to me?" Some of his questions are getting hard to answer! He is asking about everything too! He wants to know what company makes everything and recognizes some of the names. He even had me searching one of our strollers to find the brand, Curious George. Speaking of the stroller the other day I got Rose E out of it and she turned to it and said "bye, bye." She also has said "pop" and the letter "g." At vacation bible school too she kept looking around and saying "kid." Also, when the lesson of the day was said in unison the kids would yell out "aha!" It was cute because she started to say it with them too. It's been cold but we still got out the other day to admire our lilacs. The wind had blown some onto the ground and Walter said those one where "resting" then he picked one up and "tickled" the other ones with it. What a couple of goofs!

A visit back in time!

Today after church and lunch Jeff's parents watched the kids and we went for a tour of the Laurium Manor Inn, The Victorian Hall and another house (all owned by the same couple). It was a fundraiser for the Humane Society. All I can say is WOW! Very gorgeous especially the Manor Inn. Many of the rooms have murals on the walls and ceilings. The furnishings are just beautiful too. They are currently bed and breakfasts. Of course the pictures don't do justice. All we could think about afterwards is our own home tour. We are really itching to go antiquing now. Hopefully soon we will be able to go.
On another note, Walter and Rose E went to their first vacation bible school tonight (it is every night this week until Wednesday). It was cute because Rose E was bopping to the music. She loved seeing all the kids and kept saying "kids." Poor Walter woke-up this morning with a swollen eye. He must have gotten bit by a bug and could barely open it. It eventually started to go down but he looked like he was in a brawl but he survived.

Ahh that Lake Superior sand!

Today we went to the camp (cabin) and opened it back-up for the summer. I kept thinking about how late it seems to be opening it up but then we looked in the guest book and last year on this same day they had opened it up (it was late then too because of Rose E's birth). Then I just kept thinking about last summer and how much Rose E has changed since then (and Walter too of course). We had a beautiful hot day here today and Lake Superior looked enticing but we didn't go in. I had to laugh because Walter got reacquainted with the toys there as we cleaned and he was playing with a toy car that had a piece come off of it and he said "mama my car died." So dramatic! This morning he wore a shirt that had the United States of America on it and he kept asking me to find where people live on it. First I had to point out where we live, then where his friend Cyrus lives and then where Papa A.J and Grandma lives. Then he said Papa A.J and Grandma live far away. Later some other day we will see them again. Rose E's new words today where "pager" (she asked what Jeff had on his pants and then repeated it) and "lady" for lady bug. I also got a little chuckle out of this little lady at supper. After supper Walter and Jeff went for another ride on the ranger four wheeler (I included a video of them seeing a peacock down below) and I was doing things while she was still eating. Anyway, I turned away for a few seconds and all of her food was gone. I thought how in the world did she eat all of that so fast. Then I looked and she had thrown it all into Walter's chair. Little stinker. A couple of days ago too she started to discover that Chevy would eat her food if she threw it on the floor so it started out to be a little game. Anyway, then I discovered that Chevy had patches of red hair, courtesy of her raspberries.

Jeff and his new munchache

The kids had fun today playing with a magna doodle. Walter drew his first real picture of a person, it was of Jeff. He drew a big head with hair, eyes, a nose, a mouth and then a "munchache"((mustache)since Jeff doesn't have one he asked who he knows that does and he said Papa A.J) then the legs where on the side of his head. It was cute and I wanted to take a picture but he erased it before I could. Rose E made her first drawing on a magna doodle too she also learned how to make shapes with little magnets. She isn't missing a beat now! The other day Jeff's work phone rang and Rose E said "get it" then I commented on the phone ringing and she said "Daddy?" I said yes Daddy will get it. She is also calling bananas "ba's" now. She has been tickled pink that I have been sharing them with her and letting her take bites off. Speaking of food I had to laugh because lately when Walter will have a sweet and want more I will say I don't want you to eat too much because he might get a belly ache. Anyway today at supper when Jeff went to take seconds Walter said "daddy not eat anymore you might get sick." Little chief of police we have here! He also gave me a chuckle in his bedroom today he was looking up at one of the airplanes hanging from his ceiling and he said "mama is that where the air comes out?" I said that is where the fuel comes out. Then he said where does the air come out? I said air doesn't come out just fuel and he said "but it's called an airplane."

Is today July?

Well, the Ranger has been a huge hit in Walter's book! He got the first ride in it yesterday after getting it from the dealership. He was so cute showing it to me when they pulled-up in the driveway. He walked me around the machine and in detail told me about every part. Tonight they also went for a ride and he couldn't wait to tell me about everything they saw. I also took this picture of the kids standing by our tree in bloom , it looks so pretty right now(Rose E's been saying "tree"). You can see our little vegetable garden to the left too. Walter has been helping me water it and checking on it's progress. When Rose E sees it she says "plant?" You can't really see, but the poles in the background on the street have American flags on them. As soon as they where put up last week Walter noticed and now everyday he has been saying "is today July?" He's anxious about the 4th I guess! They are starting construction on our road tomorrow. Tonight on our walk Rose E noticed all of the cones, barrels and words spray painted on the road. I had to laugh because she kept pointing to them and saying "Uh oh" "no, no, no." Such a character! She has been saying "see" for everything lately too. Yesterday we where driving and her hat went down over her eyes she started to protest so I said "push it back up" she then pushed it out of her eyes and then excitedly said "see." Yesterday she also took her first step without holding on at Papa and Grandma's house (she has been standing on her own for a long time and walks holding onto things but hasn't yet got daring enough to take steps on her own). Watch out now! Today she had fun too playing with a magnetic farm leap frog toy. Before putting the sheep and pig in it she pointed to them and said "sheep", "pig." Then Walter asked me how to spell those words with his letter leap frog toy. We spelled out several. Earlier today it was cute because out of the blue Walter said "look Mama I'm praying " I said "what are you saying in your prayer?" He said "I love you Jesus and God." Lately at night when he prays his list of people to pray for has been getting pretty long, I love it. I didn't mention it but the other day Walter broke out in hives again and he hadn't had strawberries. Both times where outside after picking a dandelion so I am wondering if that is the culprit. Anyway, yesterday we had playgroup in the park and after seeing every dandelion Rose E would tell Walter "No, no" (don't touch)! Oh we also have had our caterpillars that we ordered for a few days. Walter has been having fun watching there progress everyday. They have tripled in size since they arrived.

Sweet!!!!

We are all very excited that the Ranger that we have been waiting for has finally arrived! In the picture it isn't fully assembled yet. It will be a fun family thing that we can all do (well Rose E when she gets a little older). They plan to get a back seat, windshield, and a roll cage too. Walter has been pumped, every time we would go to the Polaris shop he would say, I don't want to wait lets just take this one home (the ones at the shop). He is looking forward to seeing where the old railroad tracks where, train bridges, mining buildings, etc. Plus we have such beautiful territory to explore around here!

This other picture is of some train cookies that Walter and I made the other day (it was a late night snack so he is wearing his p.j's). It was funny because for his Birthday 5 months ago Jeff's mom made train cookies and just out of the blue he said "mama I want those train cookies again." He was thrilled to discover that I also had train cookie cutters and a railroad crossing one too. Speaking of food, yesterday he made me laugh, he was sitting in his booster chair banging his knee on the tray and I said "Walter what are you doing? He said making the sky move" I said what sky? He said the milk in my cup is the sky. Imagination plus this boy has! He has been configuring his food in different ways and saying "Mama what letter is this?" Also, as long as we are on the topic of food we had some very exciting news from the doctor! Rose E is allergy free from wheat and milk! Yahoo, that sure does open a lot of doors (which reminds me she has started to sign open for doors and her shades) to what she can eat(: I am positive that she was allergic to milk and has overcome it. How I know is that wherever the product with milk in it would just even hit her face she would break-out in welts. As for the other things it seemed as though her skin would be clear and then she would eat something and break-out with eczema (Walter had eczema too as a baby but not nearly as much). She hadn't broken out in a few months so I thought it was related to her diet, but who knows. Anyway, she is loving being able to eat a greater variety and it is much easier on me too. She is now drinking whole milk out of a cup (I can't believe my baby is no longer a baby). She is growing-up way too fast! Today I was astonished as we read a book and I would say where is something and she knew where everything was! She has been keeping herself busy the past couple of days with stacking cups, she loves them and a shape sorter ball (she can now push the shapes through). Oh and she has been digging the "oopsie" game (I only had to say it once when she dropped a toy). All the way through the grocery store today she would turn around, dig through the cart, find some food and send it sailing to the ground laughing and saying "oopsie." Mama wasn't as amuzed!
Last but not least. I added some pictures of our lunch today at the Loading Zone restaraunt. Sarah came into town with her daughter and Annie's (Sarah and Annie are Jeff's Grandpa's brother's daughters) little boy was there too. The little girl, Koral, is only three and a half weeks younger than Rose E and the little boy, Trey is almost 20 months. It was a fun lunch.

Look who had a Birthday this weekend!

Here are some pictures of my hubby and his grandfather (who both share the same Birthday). To celebrate the occasion we went out to eat at the Ramada restaurant and then had cake at Jeff's parents house. It was nice. Happy Birthday to both!!!!

News and views from the kiddos:

This morning when Walter woke-up I said it is Sunday "where do we go on Sunday?" He said "to church, Mama we gonna pray and sing at church?" I said "yes, why else do we go to church?" He said "to learn about Jesus and God." Then he said "Mama Jesus and God in the sky? Why can't we see them?" Then we talked about heaven and he said "mama there's dead people at the funeral home."
Then as we where driving out of our town on the way to church Rose E was staring out the window and said "see ya" as she watched to world passs by. I had to chuckle to myself a little too during church, I carried her with me while I took communion and she looked at the bread and said "eat!" These kids sure do make us smile!