Last weekend we added a few hours on to our drive in order to wish Lukey a happy 2nd birthday. What a bash! Owen played...he ate (his own food and other kid's who left their crackers and cheese lying out)...
he learned a thing or two from his older cousin (2nd cousin, I think!)...
he played, with 1 finger like we are trying to teach him, on the old little piano as Josiah watched and joined in the fun...
and he took a turn in the antique rocking chair...
Whew! what a day!

Last weekend was part of our recent whirlwind life...we travelled to Gramma & Grampa's in WI. Owen barely made a peep on Saturday morning and Gramma and Grampa were in his room, swept him up, and gave him all the attention one little boy could get. He didn't even mind! Good thing we studied their pictures on our 5 hour drive that ended up taking 6 hours because of construction!
One big change has left Owen missing his Auntie Emmy a lot: she moved to take a job with Standard Process in WI...she now lives 4 miles from our childhood home on Woodland Wonderland Court. Her cottage is the darndest, most cutest little place ever! Not to mention she has her dream job and gets to have mom and dad over for dinner whenever they'll come! hmpf! She knew we were coming, though, and was over by 8 in the morning. She and Owen sipped some water at his little picnic table; she helped him drink from a big-boy glass...but he wanted to do it all on his own...so she had to take a swig from the sippy cup when he wouldn't share anymore!

BATH TIME WITH OWEN...

I had to capture a little guy having so much fun. I am going to be catching up with a lot of good times here so I thought I'd be simple, but start with this series...

Little mischief...he's a ham and loves to repeat after people...yes, he has begun to say "no, no"
EVERYTHING is going in the mouth...he is eating like a vacuum!
No luck here...the bath toys are very sturdy! He can't manage a bite out of these! :-)

There is so much to catch up on...I went back to work, we've travelled to WI and IL, I got my camera back, and so much more! But, I am exhausted and need my sleep tonight...or else, I get crabby and I am not very likeable! :-) I have one story to tell before I go...

I have been saying for a few months how I see so much of Roger in Owen. The way he's solid as a brick, the way he eats, the way he entertains and gets reactions out of people, etc...One great way I just saw confirmation of this was tonight when Owen fell asleep on the way home. Owen falls asleep in the car often, especially if it is after 8pm, but tonight I forgot his jammies at home so I couldn't have him dressed and ready for bed. I carried him in, tripped on the stairs, got up to his room, put him down, changed his diaper, and changed his whole outfit...without him waking up!!!! Loving Owen...Loving Roger. Not to mention...loving this picture!

Owen and I went to the park yesterday--I try to tire him out by letting him walk as far as he can there and back. He loves to climb all over-especially in the tunnel!

He loves to pick up the gravel and throw them on the slide. They make a fun crackle noise and begin to pile up after awhile. :-)

We walked up the path for some time, but then Owen started to say "up." "Up" also means "on" when he's pointed to a "ttt" (that's light). We keep playing the "on, off" game, but he only says "up." Oh well. When he wants down...he says, "dd". Language...I guess it doesn't come all at once! :-)

Our little family took time out for the great MN get-together: STATE FAIR!

We got stuck in traffic, found how difficult it is to maneuver a stroller, and ate some yummy but bad-for-you food. I guess it is a culture thing to feel obligated to go, but I'm fine with leaving Owen home for the next ten years if ever Roger and I get the craving for Sweet Martha Cookies again. :-) There are tons of people you can't help but run into or over, you can't leave the place feeling clean, and, by the time you leave, you can feel every roll of sweaty skin under layers of dust that settled over your entire body as you eat greasy food off a stick. But...we always find a reason to go! :-)

Owen did have fun once we let him out of the stroller and let him run around. He had fun, but we had to keep our eyes on him, so the fair rushed on around us. Owen got quite sweaty and found woodchips (and other interesting things) to play with. Back in the stroller, a few more crackers and milk to keep him happy, and we pushed on (literally!).We were there for a little over an hour...which I hear is the average for parents who tote along a one-year-old. We got our Sweet Martha bucket of cookies, all you can drink milk for a $1, fried cheese curds, and "fresh-squeezed" lemonade. Nothing on a stick this year!
I attempted to find the education building, but we took a wrong turn and got lost in the throngs of people. We tried to walk through the Miracle of Birth building, but people insisted on standing in our way. We "wiped" owen down and put his jammies on while in the parking lot, and it's a good thing because he was sound asleep soon after we left. My little sweetness...A shower and bed felt oh so good that night! :-)

The first picture in my previous entry...I'm surprised Aunt Karen hasn't commented on lately...I say Owen is silly because it takes quite a bit of silliness to smile like that while wearing a diaper on your head! Ever try it? :-) Owen is having so much fun walking and Momma is having a blast letting him, he gets to go down and up the stairs and in and out of the front door upon leaving and coming. He sometimes heads in the direction of the park rather than the car or he sits down on the door frame, but eventually we get to where we are headed!

Tonight we went to visit Auntie Emmy at her reception at Abeler Chiropractic Clinic. She has taken a job with Standard Process in Wisconsin, so she will be leaving us. :-( Owen is just getting to where he smiles and goes to her when he sees her and cries when she leaves. He loves his Auntie Emmy...he even says "emmi" when I tell him "we're going to see Auntie Emmy!"

I am losing a friend as well. I know we will always be friends, but getting together for coffee or a pathetic round of golf (which has gotten better over this summer!) will be a bit tougher and will have to be planned well in advance. I am happy for her and can't wait to see her little cottage in the woods, but I am sad to see her leave...so is little punkin' pants!

Thanks gramma momma for the camera...we are figuring it out, but we forgot to take it tonight to see Auntie emmy. My camera is sitting in "receiving" in Best Buy (or something like that!) and so I can't get it back yet. I still have no idea if it will be fixed or if the damage is "covered". Ugh!

Gramma momma brought a camera up last weekend for us to use, but I couldn't figure it out after she left. Tonight I decided to hook it up to the computer to see what I could do. I found a few pictures we took over the weekend when she and grampa phil were here. I truly have a goofy pants for a little boy! He is such a ham!

I hug and kiss and squeeze him all I can. Especially now...as of today, my school year has begun! He is my little buddy. We still have tons of fun when I pick him up. Tonight we went to Cobourn's and the park with daddy. Owen has fun walking everywhere, so you can imagine how much longer everything takes! :-) He has been splashing in the bath lately and the funniest thing ever...he grabs a wipe and "helps" me when I change him. He is such a fast learner!

I have created two posts with pictures from Granny Nanny! She is sure handy with her throw-away cameras! Thanks for the copies! :-) And...gramma mamma is bringing a spare digital camera for us to use while ours is getting fixed! yipeeee!

One visit to Auntie Kate's we had breakfast with the girls and Owen got to hold baby Maely. Maely is already almost 5 months old! Whew! Time flies!
Another time we visited Granny Nanny for breakfast and the Auntie Kate's girls had slept over. So, we played and sipped our cups and had tons of fun for a little bit that morning too!

Last Saturday I had a training all day and Rog was invited to be in a golf tournament with the company boss. So...Owen got to play all day! These are pictures Granny Nanny took of their fun times together. :-)
Climbing and standing on top of the play set...
Watering the flowers for Gramma...
Here...um...I guess Owen figured he could go down the ramp that the cars go down on this little toy. I think he thought it was a slide! Goofy kid!

SURPRISE! Yep, it was as much of a surprise to me as it is to you...I went to Best Buy and their computers were down so they couldn't tell if I had "the plan" to get it fixed, but I also tried to show them the problem and the camera worked just fine! Then Owen and I went to the park and it malfunctioned again! I pushed buttons and put it on another setting so when I tried again an hour later inside, it turned out a bit vintage-looking. :-) I called last night to see if the computers were up again and found out it may take up to ten days to get my camera fixed!!!!...but I have "the plan" so it wouldn't cost anything! :-) I took these pictures because Owen put himself on his little bike for the first time! I turned around and he was just hangin' around! This smiley one was funny: he

was shaking his head laughing! I took it while he was in motion and it snapped right at

the right time.

Last night Roger and I went to dinner and a movie-Bourne Ultimatum! Fantastic Moive!!!-Great Gramma Mimi came over to play. She said he was so good; he just toddled around smiling and amusing himself with his toys. That makes me so happy! She said the only time he whimpered just a little was when he got stuck under one of our stools. She tried telling him that he crawled in there so he should just crawl back out...guess he didn't get it. :-) She helped him out and they were fine the rest of the night.

Big Problem...I must have dropped my camera too many times last weekend because I think it's broken. I have to go to Best Buy and see if I can replace it or get it fixed...we'll see what kind of protection I bought with the camera! :-) I will try to upload Photos as soon as I can!

Wanted to try this...
take a look at this site-I voted for 21 Jump street! :-)
Best School TV Shows Poll - AOL Television

MY TENTH HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION!

In Big Bend, Wisconsin...uh...yep, Big Bend! :-)

Owen stayed home with gramma and grampa while Roger and I painted the town with some old high school friends. Not everyone was there, but those who were gave me new memories to hold. Here are just a few of the good times we had.

Amanda ("Hugginkiss") and her husband Joel with Roger and me...Their anniversary is one week after ours in December!
Dear, Dear Friends of mine: Nate and Becky...she refused to take a serious picture! :-) But Nate is all smiles...as always!
My 8th grade boyfriend and my junior year prom date...we've all changed...haven't we? It was good to reminisce!
Just me and some of the guys...
Here's DONNA!
Two were glowing and within weeks of their due date! Linnea's first and Anne's third (she has 5-year-old twin girls!)Curt Anderson is actually living here in Minneapolis with his wife!

Angela Caracci (and a new last name) lives a bit closer to home with her husband...awwww!

Old friends reunite!

Memories shared with Ian and Tom (and his girlfriend)...Whew! Time flies!

Connie lives with her new husband in Waukesha and survives with Leukemia each day. She seems to be doing alright one year into both the marriange and Leukemia, but the road ahead is long. She is loved and has tons of support-Pete is a wonderful guy! I wish her the best!

Thanks gramma and grampa for loving Owen, taking him for walks, playing blocks with him, and putting him to bed when he "said" he was tired. I hope he wasn't too much trouble! :-)

I swear I did not put Owen by his books, nor did I make him pick one and start "reading." I was actually around the corner when I heard him "talking" and found him paging through the book. He has figured out right-side-up and turns the pages right to left...the correct way! :-) I'm not saying he is a genius or that he will be a reader, but I love to see him trying and learning new things...

Last weekend at Gramma Momma and Grampa Phil's, Owen was trying out four-wheeling! A friend of the family dropped off a few toys that her kids have outgrown. This little four-wheeler has a battery-powered "engine" and he pushes the button to cruise around! So, we have to work on steering, but he is well on his way to driving...and he's younger than I was! :-)

Sometimes owen is such a Momma's boy and whimpers for me...other times, he just sits back, relaxes, and takes in all the world has to offer. He has to really like you, though! :-) It also helps if you have something for him to eat...
heehee!

A few more pictures from the family reunion...another activity...Owen at play! :-)The family would like to think this belly is hereditary...I think it's adorable! Owen is taking it all in...wonderin' what to get into next...


Hmmmm...what's this? I think I know how this works. I saw Daddy doing this yesterday...
Um...this is tougher than it looks! how come dad made it look so easy?

This is more like it...am I holding it right? hmmm...where did that ball go?