Poolside Karaoke

Surf's Up at Gramma's in Auntie Becca's pool.  We especially like the cup holders for our ice water.  It's like a poolside bar.

 

 

What I wouldn't give for Nathan's flexiblility.  His father was able to do floor exercises in his karate classes with his legs completely extended out.  He once attended an adult karate examination and while warming up slowly drew the attention and admirations of every adult in the room.  You could see the heads turning one by one, until the entire room was watching him.  Ryan Joseph, with his usual focus, was oblivious to the commotion around him. 
There are a few things that are easier for children than adults.  Getting things out from behind the couch, touching ther toes and being forgiven are a couple more.

 

 

I'm kicking, but I don't seem to be getting very far.

Gramma has told me three times, "Andrew, DO NOT take the balloon off the boat.".  I'm closing my eyes to let her know I can't hear her.  I've seen Grampa try this.  I'm not sure it's working, because she keeps repeating the same thing.  I don't know why she doesn't get the message.

As you can see, I had to learn for myself.  Without the balloon the boat won't go.

I think you call this a doggie paddle.

Grampa says these wrinkles aren't a sign of old age.  They just mean pool time is over.

I hope Gramma lets me have my nap soon.

Gramma thought she wore me out in the pool, but actually I didn't have a nap, yesterday. When Mommy came to check on me, she found me outside my crib handing toys to Nathan. I knew when I saw her face, it was time for one of my most endearing smiles. Thank you God for making me cute and irresistible.

Looks like Grampa needs his nap, too.

What is it abut a microphone that brings out the performer in everyone?  And notice what lengths others will go to, to get the attention back onto them.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Matt!

 

Daddy, what big eyes you have!

 I know Daddy loves us, because he spends so much time sharing laughter with us.

E - I - E - I - O

The Minnesota cousins have arrived and we're off to the farm. 

I wonder if we'll see any animals there.

A train, a train! We're going to ride a train!

A train has rules; once you're seated, you can't get out, and only the conductor may say, "All aboard."

 

The train's horn says, "Whoo, whoo,"  From the train car we saw a cow, a horse and even a bear. 
Oh, my!

There are no seat belts on this train.  I'll sit by Gramma and make sure she's safe.

 

Waiting your turn is easy if someone holds you and waits with you.

These horses are just my size. They go up and down with the music. I'm riding the white horse, so that means I'm the good guy.

I'm the Black Knight.

Kevin, don't you think I have the fastest horse?

Kevin and Amanda know how to have fun. They took such special care of us. I can't wait for them to come back. Maybe they'll teach us how to sleigh ride.  Gramma says they have lots of snow in Minnesota.

The troll asks, "Who's that tramping on my bridge?" 

Baa, baa, have you any wool?

Why is that goat following me?  Is he the Billy Goat Gruff Gramma told us about? 

Yikes, Amanda, I need you!

Shall I brush your fur toward your ears or toward your tail?

Look, there are handicapped animals on this farm.

I wonder what this chicken's eggs look like.

Would you like Farmer Andrew to give you a good brushing?

Amanda, you hold him for me.  He keeps getting away.

Where are all those pellets coming from?

Look Kevin, I think they're coming out of the back of the sheep. 
Here comes Gramma moving fast and looking worried. 

Gramma didn't seem to think it was a good idea to stamp on the pellets with my new shoes. 
I wonder why?

 

Are you making any pellets?

I didn't know that a farm had a playground.

Follow me.  This is the way dowm.

I got really hungry working at on the farm.  You need MAN size lunches for energy.

I can't believe I ate cheeseburger, pizza and French fries. 

I guess the fresh farm smells give you a big appetite.



Kevin's blue Gatorade is the best.  Is my tongue turning blue?

 

.

Ring around the Rosie.  I'm getting so dizzy.  I think I may fall down.

I need to choke up on this bat a bit and then I'll be ready.  I think Gramma struck out the last time she was up to bat.  You would think she would have learned something living on that golf course.

I didn't know someone invented GREEN golf balls. I LOVE this game.

Kevin, watch me.  I've got the idea of the game now.  You need an easy swing to try to hit the ball hard so it goes into that little hole.  Then you stand around while everyone else tries to do the same thing.  But I haven't seen that guy, Mulligan, yet. 

 

 

I can see why the rules say, "Only Four Jumpers Allowed At the Same Time."

I hope these mothers can count.

Every farm should have a Jumping House. 

We're the only animals left in here.

Satuday In the Park

It was a day for firsts.  We took the boys to their first pork and corn roast.  They saw their first tractors and loved sitting behind the wheel. They got a kick out of Daddy and Gramma on the tractors, too.  I think there were quite a few gasps from the crowd when Gramma mounted her tractor.  It was her first time on one.  Grampa drove his Uncle Joe's tractor when he was young, although he was only allowed to drive it straight.  The boys like the steering part.  

Their Great-great-grandfathers Lynch, McWilliams, Heiderscheit and Goedken were farmers.  Perhaps the land is in their blood.  Or perhaps they inherited an attraction to wheels.  Their Great-grandfather Goedken drove a 18 wheeler and won every truck rodeo he entered.  He owned his own truck and Grampa Terry used to love to wash it for him.

"I NEED to drive the tractor," Nathan told me, as soon as he spotted it.

The boys had their first hot dog.  Each one ate a whole hot dog, plus beans, applesauce, barbecued pork and corn.  Andrew enjoyed eating his corn Daddy style.

Andrew is at home with the animals.  He puts his face right in theirs and looks into their eyes.  They tend to back up before he does. 

Just after I took this picture, Andrew picked up the poor chicken.  We encouraged him to put her down.  We think he might have been checking for eggs.

Nathan prefers to be a couple of feet above the animals in the safety of Grampa's arms.

It was also their first concert.  As we entered the pork roast, Nathan froze and listened intently.  "I think I hear music," he told us.  He couldn't get to the music stage fast enough.  "I want to see the violin."  We explained there was no violin in the band.  He studied the drummer's technique as if he was hypnotized and enjoyed the keyboardists glissandos.  The tables weren't close enough for him.  He had to sit directly in front of the stage to be sure he didn't miss anything.

Andrew was interested in dancing to the music. He did not learn his dance moves from his Grampa.

It was their first pony ride.  I know it won't be their last.  Andrew prefers to study the horses, rather than to ride them.  Nathan NEEDS to drive them.  Gramma didn't try to ride a pony.  She doesn't do well going in circles.

Drums for Sale!

Andrew is becoming a great navigator.  There was construction work being done on the way to Grampa's house, so Ryan Joseph took an alternate route.  Andrew realized he wasn't on the right road and said, "You're going the wrong way, Daddy!"  As I "drive" them in their cars and bikes around the house, they like to tell me, "right turn" or "left turn."  When Grampa was assisting them in getting into their car seats to go home, Ryan Joseph told  him that Nathan's carseat was on the left side.  Andrew told Grampa, "I'm on the right." 

Andrew's imagination makes play much more fun.  He drove into Grampa's office, which he calls Motorola and checked the parking lot for Grampa's white car.  He spotted it, stopped his car and got out to literally pick Grampa up and put him in the trunk of his car.  He then returned to the spot Grampa's imaginary car was parked and shut Grampa's door.  After returning to his own car he told imaginary Grampa, "Let's go get lunch."

Nathan still enjoys being pushed around in his car, even though he can make it go on his own.  I have always marveled at his ab strength to hold his feet off the ground, as I spin him around corners and go flying down the hallway.  I would be in much better shape if I followed his example.  I would try it, if I could get Grampa to drive me around the house.  This week, you can see he discovered an easier way to keep his feet out of the way.  He can pedal his own tricycle now, too. 

This is making me very nervous.  I was counting on a few piano players from the next generation.  I remember when Matt chose to play the drums.  It took a long time before I agreed to it.  Terry reminded me that I told my students' parents, "you have to let them choose the instrument they want to play."  I still believed that was true, but I meant that the child should choose a REAL instrument.  In my mind, that required an instrument that could play a melody.  I also remember that immediately after purchasing the drum set, I asked what I could buy, so I wouldn't have to hear them.

I still have the drums in my basement and am waiting for Matt to take them to his house for his son!

Sponge Bob Philosophy

At nap time the boys like to remove their socks and their shoes.  When Nathan got his socks off, I noticed he was wearing a Sponge Bob band-aid.  He explained to me that Mommy put the band-aid on his owie.  Andrew noticed his band-aid too and told me, "I need a Sponge Bob band-aid."  I gave him a hug and explained that he didn't want to have an owie to get a band-aid.  After their nap, I found Andrew trying to put a used, rumpled Sponge Bob band-aid on his leg.  A quick inventory of Nathan revealed he no longer was wearing any band-aid.  "Did you take Nathan's band-aid?" I asked.  "It's my band-aid," Andrew replied, as he continued. unsucessfully, to press it onto his leg.  Note to self:  When applying a Sponge Bob band-aid to one injured twin, one must offer a Sponge Bob band-aid to the other twin, as well. 

Andrew didn't finish his snack during our wagon ride, which was a little shorter due to the extreme heat, so he wanted to stay in the wagon until his snack was gone.  Nathan and I waited for him and explored the gaage in the meantime.I think he was worried Grampa would want to share. 

I remember my sister and I playing in my grandfather's garage, which doubled as his workspace.  We learned to hammer nails, use vices (the tool sort) and saw wood.  Grandpa Froehle said there are two ways to fix almost anything; duct tape and WD-40.  He applied both liberaly and was right.

I worried I wouldn't get a video of Andrew singing the WHOLE alphabet song, since I missed the first and the second time.  Little did I know that he would sing it a total of twelve times, before he decided to change songs.

Someday Nathan will be fantastic at getting ice cubes out of an ice bucket.  His tong technique shows promise.  He works intently, encourages himself and experiments with the best placement of his hand on the tongs.  Can you tell we live on a golf course?  Andrew goes off to explore Gramma's weights.  Likely he wonders when she'll be strong enough to pick them up, or if he will have to do it for her. 

What engineer thought to put wheels on a chair?