I finally had a chance to go through our vacation photos and put together a selection for your viewing pleasure. As you scroll down, you might question my use of the word "selection," but trust me, there were more. And be glad we're in the digital age and you're not forced to sit through an entire slide carousel of "Our Missouri Vacation," (ahem...Quito!) (Geraghty family inside joke!)

If you'll recall the Facebook-style vacation summary, this first set was right after the "what's open at 8 a.m. question." We eventually were directed to the local fish hatchery, which, as it turned out, was not officially open until 9, but brought us to an area near a lake where the kids could run around until it opened.
For a quarter, you could buy fish food and feed the thousands of trout thrashing around in these pools, helpfully covered by strong wire. This was deemed highly entertaining by the five-and-under set. Later, they saw the ranger net a couple of trout and feed them to a huge turtle inside the park building. This station is maintained through the fishing license fees anglers pay, which makes sense, since they raise the fish that eventually get dumped in the fishing lakes and streams.


We stopped riverside for a bit to watch the fishing action. This was just downstream from a huge dam, which was letting out a higher-than-usual volume of water due to heavy flooding in the area. The boys were eager to get all the way down to the river bank, but the way the water was rushing, we kept them up on higher ground. A very chatty fisherman who appeared to be mostly an observer, allowed the boys to handle some of his gear.

Being rained out from this mini-golf wasn't the worst thing in the world, given that our kids were more interested in seeing how far they could throw their balls than in attempting to sink any putts. Of the dozens of area mini-golf establishments, this one was selected for its knights & castles theme. Turned out it had hosted the U.S. mini-golf open just the week prior. We don't mess around!





Even with all we saw and did, there's no doubt that the highlight of each day was our late-afternoon swim. Since the average age of our fellow hotel guests was around 70, it's safe to say we basically had the pool to ourselves. Daniel is quite the jumping dare devil, assisted by inflated arm bands (muscles.) Edward mostly eschewed the floatation devices in favor of the weighted sticks he could throw to the bottom of the pool and dive down to retrieve--a very new skill. He did not seem to feel any affect of the constant belly flopping from the pool steps (first swimming pic above.) Perhaps he doesn't have enough stomach surface area...

Who knew when we accepted this trip offer back in September that Edward would develop a Titanic obsession and that Branson would be home to a Titanic Museum? It was obviously fate. To cement the experience, one of the two "boarding passes" he and John received upon entering the ship was for Captain Edward J. Smith. John quickly handed it to Ed, who was the hero of his tour group.
These two pictures stitched together might make a nice shot of John and the boys, but unfortunately we lacked the time and patience to capture one with both boys actually looking at the camera. This was outside the Talking Rocks Cavern.

This was inside the Talking Rocks Cavern. It was VERY wet and we were glad to have accepted the ponchos the guide offered as we entered the mouth of the cave. I had dressed the boys in pants thinking it might be chilly inside and gym shoes for better climbing traction. Needless to say they were pretty much soaked to the knees by the time we emerged. It was cool, but difficult to take pictures in the low light.
This is one John managed to capture--this formation is described as "cave bacon." Two weeks ago I might have been able to tell you how it was formed, but alas, that tidbit did not stick around long.

Outside the cave kids could mine for gems (after the parents purchased a large bag of sand with gems hidden inside.) John got some really great close-ups of this activity, so forgive the long-ish series. (Again, be thankful you're scrolling at your own pace!)





They gave us zip-loc bags for the kids to carry their gems home as well as a card to help identify the stones. We didn't quite get around to that level of detail, but perhaps some rainy day that will be our afternoon activity.
I take a lot of heat for sticking to a strict schedule of afternoon naps (which is morphing in to rest/quiet time) but truly, our boys were not able to function for an entire day of this trip without a break in the afternoon. It was difficult to get them settled with all of us in the same room, but this was an important part of all of us being able to last through dinner in one piece. Vacation naps also were later in the day than home naps, followed by swimming and a late-ish dinner (7 p.m. is a late meal for us.) That allowed us to stay up later all together, which somewhat mitigated that whole "nothing to do before 10 a.m." deal--though we were still always at breakfast by 8!


Everyone who rides The Ducks receives a quacker souvenir. Oh, lucky, lucky us. These were immediately banned from the car and hotel room and eventually just stashed in the bottom of the suitcase until we got home. Thankfully they have been of limited interest since then. I had thought the boys would really delight in the surprise of the truck driving into the lake so we didn't tell them what these vehicles were when we drove by a few times before our own ride. They took to referring to them as "those car-truck-bus things." The boat surprise was a bit less dramatic as the driver was required to make a safety speech about life jackets and such before we entered the lake. Also, with the flooding, there was no big splash, since he had to ease the boat down a ramp that was covered in water and through a stand of trees that should not have been submerged.



They did a good job taking turns at the wheel and allowing a few other passengers to do the same. Daniel actually had started to fall asleep on the drive out to the lake and I had to shake him awake with a promise that he could drive the boat.

Here is Ed trying a mini-bowling game at the "Chuck-E-Cheese"-type place we went to on the last night. This is where Daniel's vacation diet got the better of him (#underwearintrash) so he missed this activity while we quickly returned to the hotel for clean clothes. Edward had gotten a foot scrape at the pool that his sandal was rubbing, hence the attractive socks/sandals look (to reappear later due to unexpected chilly weather.)

This is the Jack and the Beanstalk climbing exhibit at The Magic House--St. Louis Children's Museum. Fantastic place!

Our children's museum does not have a water exhibit so our boys were thrilled with this opportunity.

They also both enjoyed the mechanic shop, complete with a roller bed for sliding under to complete repairs.

Top of the Gateway Arch.

Bottom of the Gateway Arch.

John's best attempt at a Gateway Arch family photo. The elevator to the top was deemed a "spaceship" and is probably one of the things you'll hear about if you ask the boys about the trip.

Our final stop was the St. Louis City Museum, an attraction that defies easy explanation. It was simply, amazing. I can not recommend it enough for kids and adults alike. Our kids were a bit on the young edge of the spectrum, as we were a bit nervous sending them climbing into tunnels for which we could not see the exit. Luckily they (Edward) knew enough to turn around and come back if he couldn't find us at the end. Or simply stand above and shout out "Mom!" or "Dad!" John and I marveled at being able to identify and locate the sound of our own children's calls amid the absolute caucaphony of hundreds of kids and teens. (MANY school groups were there that day!)

I've been telling people it's basically a huge old downtown building or warehouse that an artist converted into an indoor playground, complete with three-story slides, caves and tunnels, a "skateless skate park" (kids slide and climb on the ramps), a series of outdoor climbing mazes, and a rooftop with more slides, a Ferris wheel, and a school bus perched over the edge.

Inside the school bus.

Edward climbing up to the rooftop slide.

To give you a perspective on the climbing (Ed is the tiny dot of blue shirt just to the left of the mid-climb tree.) The sphere and point you can see just beyond is

this structure for more spiral climbing. And when you're all done, you simply

slideondown.

It will come as no surprise that this was all quite exhausting. But very fun and great to have the time together for a new adventure.

Even though they're usually focused on trucks and other loud passions, I'm so glad the boys still enjoy the quiet contemplation of blowing bubbles. This was how we spent some outdoor time yesterday without expending all of our energy in the 95-degree heat. It didn't last long--inevitably the bubbles were spilled and alas, I've yet to purchase this summer's gallon of refill.

Thankfully, Daniel has abandoned last summer's habit of treating the bubble wand like a lollipop. This summer's idiosyncrasy is keeping the bike helmet on as long as we're outside, even after the bike has been left aside for other pursuits. Leads to quite the sweaty head, but at least I don't have to help him take it off and on a million times as his whim changes.

Quotable Daniel:

Leaving a birthday party, Daniel asked, "Why did Alex have Spiderman cake and Spiderman plates?"
M: "Well, I guess he must like Spiderman. Do you like Spiderman?"
D: "No."
M: "Why?"
D: "Because I don't want to get all webbed up."

Arriving home after a barbecue after aforementioned bday party, half-lidded in his car seat: "I'm just so tired I could close my eyes right now. But first I want a peanut butter sandwich."

John took Edward to buy a baseball mitt before dinner tonight. T-ball starts Monday. Which one of them do you think is more excited about the prospect of stuffing the new mitt under Ed's mattress to help soften it up?

It's a low-key parks & rec program for 4- and 5-year olds in the park down the street. He won't need cleats, but I'll have to persuade him to put on socks and gym shoes. John probably would cringe at the thought, but I hope he retains his instinct to duck away from a ball coming toward his face. Broken glasses are not in the summer budget.

I don’t have a smartphone, so even though I sometimes think in Facebook status updates, I don’t have the ability to post them as I go. Which is probably not a bad thing. I also didn’t want to broadcast the fact that we were out of town, so these thoughts and observations languished in my head over the last week. Here is our vacation, Facebook style:

Car packed and on the road, 15 minutes ahead of schedule!
May 22, 8:15 a.m.

Dear Missouri, When you post a detour requiring people to turn right, it would help to use an arrow pointing right instead of straight up. The rest of the world thinks that means to continue straight. Love, everyone.
May 22, 10:30 a.m.

15 minutes into a stretch of winding, hilly country road: “I hope the kids don’t get carsick.” 2 minutes later, “Mooommm! My stomach hurts!” Open window, pass the barf bag and a pretzel rod, turn off DVD and advise passengers to look straight ahead. Equilibrium restored. The travel gods are smiling on us. #flatlanders
May 22, 11:15 a.m.

Surprised to pass through Mexico and Lebanon on our way to Branson.
May 22, 1:30 p.m.

Daniel just fell asleep listening to Mickey Mouse Club March on CD. @Maureen Geraghty will be so proud.
May 22, 2 p.m.

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me to pack a separate bag with all the swimming gear. 10 minutes after hotel arrival, kids are thrilled to be in the pool.
May 22, 5 p.m.

Glad to find “old downtown” Branson Landing on first night. Reassured to know that there is more than neon and asphalt here.
May 22, 6:30 p.m.

Did not expect to spend first night of vacation in bowels of hotel during tornado warning.
May 22, 8 p.m.

Emerged from shelter to learn of the storm’s devastation 100 miles west in Joplin. #feelingverylucky
May 22, 8:45 p.m.

Kids wanted the hotel entertainer Kenny Parrott to sing “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” at breakfast. He replied kindly, “I’m sorry that’s not in my repertoire.” They were shocked he didn't know it and asked me if they should teach it to him.
May 23, 7:45 a.m.

Blank stare from hotel clerk after asking what might be open at 8 a.m. #bransonnotkidfriendly
May 23, 8 a.m.

Morning mini-golf rained out. Too early for lunch. #whatthehelldowedonow?
May 23, 10:20 a.m.

Dear Summerwind Estates, I agreed to a 90-minute “vacation ownership” presentation in exchange for this low-cost trip. Don’t be surprised when I’m annoyed as we approach the 3-hour mark.
May 23, 5:15 p.m.

Afternoon frustrations drowned in kids’ giggles in the pool.
May 23, 6 p.m.

Kids again request “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” and when Kenny replies that he doesn’t know it, Daniel stands in front of the stage and sings it for him. #seniorcitizenscharmed
May 24, 8 a.m.

Edward over the moon after visit to Titanic Museum with John. Daniel's and my visit to Dinosaur Museum was less thrilling, but Daniel entertained himself for 40 minutes on a driving video game without depositing a single quarter. He also used the guns from the adjacent hunting game to "fill the gas tank." #simple
May 24, 11 a.m.

Just paid $20 for 5 minutes of go-karting. #rememberthegleefulgiggles
May 24, 11:30 a.m.

How can a kid who fights me daily about taking a nap, fall asleep on a loud, windy, bumpy Duck Boat ride? Shook Daniel awake with a reminder that he could have a turn driving once we hit the water.
May 24, 2 p.m.

No one in Branson can believe we have no intention of going to a single one of the 100+ shows in town. #notcountrymusicfans
May 24, 2:45 p.m.

I ♥ GPS! John’s phone directed us to a great playground for post-dinner energy burning.
May 24, 6:30 p.m.

Oops…stayed too long. #mosquitofeast
May 24, 7:45 p.m.

“Early bird” discount for touring Talking Rocks Cavern before 10:30 a.m. We’re all over it!
May 25, 9 a.m.

It takes several days for the ground to absorb three days worth of rain. #stillrainingincave
May 25, 10:15 a.m.

Just paid $20 to ride an elevator up about 10 floors to an observation deck to observe the tops of trees. #touristtrap
May 25, 11 a.m.

Hungry + tired = crabby family
May 25, 12:15 p.m.

Ah, the reviving power of a family nap. And once again to the pool!
May 25, 3 p.m.

Daniel’s GI tract is rebelling against the vacation diet. #underwearintrash
May 25, 7 p.m.

Had fun. Ready to leave. No need to return.
May 26, 8:30 a.m.

Thank you Rolla, MO, McDonalds for not giving us any static about letting our kids play in your Playplace without buying your food. I was much happier giving them the PB&J with yogurt offered at Panera a mile up the road. #thankyouGPS
May 26, 11:30 a.m.

Thrilled to use our Iowa Children’s Museum membership for reciprocal privileges at The Magic House Children’s Museum in St. Louis. #happykids
May 26, 2 p.m.

I ♥ Drury Inn. Dinner & 3 drinks per adult included in price of room. #anotherchardonnayplease
May 26, 6 p.m.

John and boys shared pool with about 15 fifth-grade girl scouts from Olathe. Edward, king of subtlety, kept sticking his head underwater to observe them through his goggles. #goodthinghe’sonly5
May 26, 7:30 p.m.

I ♥ Drury Inn. Popcorn in lobby until 10 p.m.
May 26, 8:30 p.m.

Boys watching two Little Einsteins episodes before bed. #tootiredtoenforceTVlimitsorbedtime
May 26, 9 p.m.

Boys awed by St. Louis Gateway Arch. Think elevator/tram is a spaceship to the top.
May 27, 9 a.m.

Definitely saved the best for last--St. Louis City Museum is AWESOME!
May 27, 10:30 a.m.

Loving City Museum even more. Boys so exhausted they slept for 3.5 of the 4.25-hour drive back to Iowa City. #worthEVERYpenny
May 27, 6 p.m.

Daniel (protesting being sent to his room for not listening): "But I don't want to go to my room!"

John: "I know you don't, that's why it's called punishment."

Daniel: "Why is it punishment?"

Edward: "It's like peppermint, but with an 'ush.' "

Four days ago we had record 92-degree heat. Two days ago I wore a summer dress and sandals. Today the mercury did not even hit 50.

And it rained. ALL. DAY.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. After dinner, I heard Daniel giggling and accepted his invitation: "Mom, wanna see something?!" Stepped out to the bottom of our stairs and watched him scoot down on his butt. I saw no reason not to kick it up a notch, so I got out his snow pants and had him try it again. Edward then wanted in on the action. This is the result.



We did get out of the house this morning or we might not have made it through the day. We attended the annual 4-H Ag-Fest at the county fairgrounds, inadvertently arriving 30 minutes before it officially started. But those friendly farmers didn't bat an eyelash. The boys were both fascinated and terrified to see a baby pig getting a scrub down with one man holding it up by the hind legs while the other scrubbed its back, all the while the piglet was screaming for all it was worth. There were also baby sheep, goat, ducks and hens, a small merry-go-round and three different "plant a bean" stations--two involving wrapping a bean seed in a wet cotton ball and placing it in a tiny zip-loc bag with a string to wear as a necklace.
Daniel was very frustrated that the hens and ducks did not hold still for him to pet them, walking all around this small enclosure trying to catch up with them. Eventually I think he did get a feel of feather.

From there we hit the farmer's market and the library, so I'd say we had a full day before noon. After lunch, naps all around!

This is a repeat for those of you connected in Facebook-land, but I sometimes get in trouble for the lag between what I share on FB and what gets posted here.

John reports that the boys were "super awesome" at the commencement ceremony this morning. Lots of snacks and backpacks full of books helped, but I think the key was probably four grandparents to help out. That's fitting, since all of them were so key in supporting me all the way through the five-and-a-half years it took me to complete the degree. (It was actually six years ago next week that I started my first class, but since I finished coursework in January, I'm calling it a 5.5.-year degree.)

The most exciting moment came at the brunch after the ceremony when Daniel managed to get himself stuck in his chair. Thankfully it was not his head, but it did take three of us to extricate him. He remained calm throughout, alerting us to the need for attention with a simple, "Help, please!" Afterward, he returned to his meal, which pretty much consisted of a huge chocolate dessert. He might have also eaten a strawberry. Edward returned to the buffet for a second dessert. Yeah, it was that kind of day.

All in all a lovely celebration!

Not even a week since my last post and lots to catch up on.

Thursday afternoon I took Edward to Kindergarten round-up at Robert Lucas Elementary. I did not think it was possible to increase his Kindergarten excitement/anticipation level but this definitely jacked it up a notch. Or five! He loved every minute, begged to stay longer and then insisted on staying at the playground even though it was chilly and damp. I was a little dismayed that one of the first parent questions was, "What is the process for accelerating past Kindergarten and right into first grade and how often does this happen?" The principal handled this very well, explaining that there is a district-wide process in place, but that it rarely happens, since so much of what is learned in Kindergarten is not about reading and math.

The other parent comment that caught me off guard was the description of attending three or four of these round-ups before selecting a school--shopping around, as it were. Hmmm... We do have open enrollment and on our side of town we don't have issues with crowding so people have some leeway in choosing a school. Also Lucas is on the Federal "schools in need of assistance" (SINA) list, so the district is required to allow parents to enroll their children in another district school. Even so, it never occurred to me not to at least start out in our neighborhood school. Every school in Iowa City is a great school--award-winning teachers, plenty of resources, dedicated staff. I guess I just have confidence that my kids will thrive, and that I'll know if something is amiss and just cross that bridge if we come to it. As a friend of mine commented, "Nothing like parents to ruin a kid!"

On Friday we attended our first baseball game as a family. We're not talking Wrigley Field here. Or even the Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels. No, we took in a University of Iowa baseball game on a beautiful Friday evening in Iowa City. It was dollar hot dog night and kids are always free. As my dad would say, "A bargain at twice the price!" It was the annual "pink game" for breast cancer awareness so the boys got pink wristbands, which Daniel quickly learned to use for a very dramatic sweat wipe (it wasn't even hot, but he loved the concept once it was explained to him.) They also loved that the players were wearing the same bands!

I also was paying close enough attention in the first two innings to complete their "baseball BINGO" cards (marking off things like "single," "fly out to left," "strike out--called," etc. early, which enabled them each to take home a prize t-shirt. These are size adult L, so they're even too big for sleeping shirts, but they were still thrilled with the prize!

Grandma and Grandpa joined us for the game. Beyond the BINGO, none of us was really closely following the action. The Hawkeyes are in dead last in the Big Ten standings, so we were not expecting much. Luckily, the Nittany Lions gifted us with eight (8!) errors, putting the Hawks up by 10-4 at the end of the fifth inning. That was 90 minutes of baseball, and plenty for us. A good time had by all (well, maybe not Grandma, but she's a good sport for hanging in there!)
(Side note: too bad we're not related to these Kenyons, whose significant $$ gift led to naming the football practice facility after them. It's next to the baseball field.)

Saturday we all got together in Chariton for John's grandma's 90th birthday. It was very festive, with a huge cake and cups of ice cream for all the family plus the other residents of the nursing home. The boys stood on either side of her wheelchair and sang happy birthday, eliciting smiles and claps and a big hug from Great-Grandma. Edward knows she likes his red curls, so he insisted we delay his haircut until after the party. (Now Gram has weighed in with her desire to admire them as well, so another week...)

Mother's Day Sunday started out lovely with John making waffles, scrubbing the kitchen, doing three loads of laundry and washing my car. Unfortunately, the boys had some strange notions about good behavior so the afternoon/evening was a bit rocky. John says maybe he put too much pressure on with the "We have to be extra nice for Mom on her day" speech before I got up. "Maybe you just shouldn't tell them about Father's Day," he suggested.

On Monday I took the boys to the Shrine Circus, which was out at the County Fairgrounds. I guess it was intended to be totally outdoors, but a significant morning thunderstorm led them to set up in one of the show barns, which made for quite a cramped viewing area. We were jammed in together in bleachers with peoples knees in our backs and a huge Dora balloon (ill-advised purchase by the parents behind me for their 4-year-old) bopping my head. It was no Ringling, but just about the perfect size/speed/length for our boys, who absolutely loved it.

Ed says his favorite part was the acrobats. Daniel was very impatient waiting for the elephants, which were the last act of the show. He was pleased with a clown whose tears squirted far enough to land on his shorts. There was a tiger act, but at that point the boys were still just as interested in the barkers' sno-cones and popcorn. I had a snack stash in my purse, but we did have to buy a drink as it is unseasonably hot this week (after last week's unseasonable cold!) We also skipped the opportunity to ride an elephant, as I was sure it would not be worth whatever they were charging. Plus we might have lost our seats!

Busy weeks ahead with my commencement Friday, a work trip next week, and then a family vacation. Didn't get a Mother's Day pic of myself with the boys, so perhaps a cap-and-gown shot will be in order. Although they did fall on the floor laughing when I modeled the academic garb for them. Oh, boys!

We have a beautiful rhododendron at our front door. Even with our frosty spring, it's in full bloom, and I had the thought to take this photo to compare with one we took in our first spring in this house.
I don't think I took one last year so we won't have a complete set of year-by-year shots, but I still like the concept. We had to wait a few days after it bloomed last week for a day warm enough to go out without jackets. We've had overnight frost the last two nights, but things are looking up in the days ahead.

I was also going to share a non-kid photo showing our recent kitchen improvements--new stove and dishwasher! But alas, our streak of buying homes from people who have not embraced their own home-repair incompetence as we have continues. We pretty much call a professional for anything more complicated than a light bulb change. Other people apparently aren't so tied to actually having things done right. The dishwasher installer discovered that the electricity was oddly rigged and in no way up to code, so we have to have an electrician come out to fix it before he can finish the installation. Luckily the crazy old connection never caused any other problems. Luckier still, I called the electrician this afternoon, and he's coming out tomorrow, immediately followed by the return of the dishwasher man, so we should have a gaping hole under the counter and a new dishwasher randomly stashed in the corner for less than 24 hours.

Both appliances had previously been on life support as we held our breath hoping they'd last until we could afford to replace them. Lowes helped us out in that regard with an 18-month no interest deal in the last week, so between that and our tax refund, we were ready to take the plunge. It's really quite something to cook in an oven that actually heats to the temperature you set and then maintains it throughout the cooking period and whose burners heat all the way around! It truly is the simple things in life that give the greatest pleasure.

Some may recall the rather dramatic entry Lego made to our home at Christmas. I'm pleased to say that it did not take long to get from the wailing "But I didn't WANT Lego!!" to this:

"Mom, nothing is better than Lego. Lego is the coolest!"

We think perhaps Santa may have passed info to the Easter Bunny, who brought a Lego fire truck along with this year's stash of jelly beans. (The police helicopter has been around since Christmas.)

Edward received his first "Lego Club" magazine in the mail yesterday and is even more enthralled, which we would hardly have believed was possible. It includes a few sets of directions for smaller items as well as pictures of kids with their own creations. Edward is eager to get building, but reluctant to take apart any of his current items (some put together according to instructions, others self-invented.) I guess we need more pieces. My mission for the summer is to find out what happens to Lego when kids outgrow it. What do people do with the tubs full of little pieces? I've seen some selling it by the pound on eBay. I'm curious to find out if the same is true at area garage sales (saving the shipping.)

Edward's teacher also thinks that the time spent manipulating the small pieces has strengthened his hand muscles enough to improve his writing and drawing. He has much better control in the last few months and has begun to draw recognizable figures (a wrecking ball, a castle, Thomas the Tank Engine.) We're not talking Rembrandt here, but more than just a few squiggled lines on a page, which was about the extent of the "art" he had been bringing home.

I'm totally guilty of erratic blogging, with four posts in one week after quite a long silence. I will try to do better.

This one just deserved its own entry rather than being tucked away at the end of our March for Babies post below.

This morning on the way to Palm Sunday Mass, I was attempting to explain Holy Week to the boys. Edward remembered the palms from last year's service. At our church, they have all the children gather at the back of the church to form a palm-waving procession after the "entry to Jerusalem" Gospel is read. Edward is also more than a little bit interested in the idea of the Crucifixion--Why would anyone want to kill Jesus? I've simplified it by saying that some people were afraid of Jesus and the things he was teaching.

So we moved on to Holy Thursday and the Last Supper, Good Friday (why is it "good" if it's the day Jesus died?") and finally Easter Sunday and the Resurrection, leading to the inevitable question, "How can someone come back from being dead."

"Well," I said, "that's pretty hard to understand, isn't it. Even grow-ups don't really understand it. It's just something we believe even though we can't see it for ourselves. That's called 'faith'--when you believe even though you can't see it."

Then a moment of quiet in the back seat until Daniel started singing, "Grandma got run over by a reindeer..." Which seemed like quite the non-sequitur until he got to "You can say there's no such thing as Santa, but as for me and Grandpa, we believe."

So there you have it. Theology according to a three-year-old.

Oh, and Edward came back from the children's liturgy with the answer to the question about Good Friday: "It's 'good' because when Jesus died he opened Heaven for all of us. Before he died none of us could go to heaven."

I guess that's why I keep taking them back week after week, even when it seems like the only thing they're paying attention to is their fruit snacks.

Except for two years in Washington, D.C. after college, I've lived in the Midwest my entire life. I know that spring is more a state of mind than an actual season. I have memories of snow as late as my sister's birthday on May 1. Yet I was still not fully prepared to wake up yesterday morning to a snow-globe view from my kitchen window. Yesterday. The day we would March for Babies.

Having known all week that the weather would be less than ideal (forecast was for rain and low 40s) I'd been in touch with all Team Kenyon members to assure them that we were tremendously grateful for their support and would not dream of dragging them out on a Saturday morning to take a walk in the freezing rain.

Most of them listened, but a few intrepid souls still made their way to the park and hiked the four-mile route with us. And by "us" I mean John and me. For although we got the boys outfitted in boots, snowpants and winter coats before pulling their over-sized March for Babies t-shirts over the top, we had no intention of pushing an 80-lb stroller through the wet streets. I do wonder when they'll be strong enough to walk the route with us, but this was certainly not the year! My wonderful parents were in town, and when the walk started, they took the boys back to our house to wait in warmth.

In the end, I have to say, I think the snow was actually less unpleasant than rain. We've walked in the rain before and found the snow to be a less soggy experience. We were dressed for it--in the layers we usually don for winter sledding. We even resorted to winter shoes/boots, which aren't the most comfortable for distance walking, but kept our feet dry.

So we filed it under my dad's famous "this is what memories are made of!" category as well as "it's nothing compared to what Will endured" and called it a day. To date Team Kenyon has raised more than $3,000 and donations are still coming in! We can't say Thank You enough to our wonderful family and friends who have been with us every step of the way on this journey. You fill our hearts!

I call this "exhaustion defeats determination."

Daniel has been fighting naps for weeks now. I try not to engage in the battle, but insist that he must at least have quiet time in his room from about 1:30 to 3ish. And I remind him that no nap means he'll have to go to bed at 7 while Edward stays up later. Usually by about 2:15 he's calling me to rub his back until he falls asleep. Yesterday, he never napped and almost crawled to bed at 7--didn't even ask for me to read to him after John got done with his book.

Today he told me, "It's OK, I'll go to bed at 7," so I left him to play by himself. I heard him take a trip to the bathroom and then noticed it was much quieter, so I went up to peek. He was sitting in this chair, head nodding, but said, "Mom, what are you doing?" I told him I was getting my book and asked if he wanted me to rub his back. "No, I'm just waiting in my room until quiet time is over." Two minutes later I went back and snapped this picture. Hope he won't be too stiff when he wakes up!

Side note: even approaching four months after his 5th birthday, Edward still reliably naps five or six days a week. Usually once over the weekend and sometimes once during the week, he'll forgo sleep and just read or play with his Lego in his room. But he never fights about it or refuses to go. I realize this is unusual, and may be an issue come late August. He's even given me sort of a "raised eyebrow" look when I tell him that his kindergarten school day will go until 3 p.m. But they do have a rest time. We'll just see what happens through the summer and hope for the best.

In other exciting news that I forgot to share yesterday, the spring temperatures have also prompted a transportation change for us. I've thought for a long time that we should be taking the city bus to daycare/work since it does not add time to the commute (route is exactly the same as our driving route) and would cut our parking and gas expenses significantly. (Well, parking more than gas since it's only 2.5 miles, but with prices climbing toward $4/gallon, even 5 miles a day is not insignificant!)

So when the weather turned, I bit the bullet and signed up for a monthly bus pass, which the university subsidizes as an inducement to keep people out of the parking lots. For $10/month we can have unlimited rides on all city routes. I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone who has been reading this blog through the years that the boys LOVE this turn of events. They positively dash out the door in the morning with barely a "Bye, Dad" over the shoulder as they race around the corner to the bus stop (three blocks away.) We have instituted a "stop at least one sidewalk square away from the corner" policy so that I have time to catch up.

We have had to negotiate days of the week for each boy to be in charge of pulling the cord to signal the driver to stop, but we've pretty much worked that out. Edward also has to be reminded to stay in his seat. The morning route is quite crowded as we get closer to downtown so he's seen other riders standing. On our way home (much less crowded at mid-day) he thinks he's quite the daredevil attempting to ride standing up.

So I'd say it's working well. You won't see us standing out in the rain waiting for a bus, but when the timing and the weather are in sync, we'll be there, doing our part for the environment and the family budget.

Take a good look at these signs of spring because we're plunging back into winter this weekend.
Just in time for our March for Babies--rainy and low 40s. Sounds like a great time to be outside! We're trying to gently let our friends off the hook, but it's kind of tricky to say, "It's OK if you don't come" without making it sound like, "We'd rather you didn't come," which isn't our intent at all! I just feel bad dragging our friends out in the cold for our cause. I suppose I should just trust that they're adults and they wouldn't do something they didn't want to do. On a positive note, Team Kenyon has already surpassed last year's fundraising efforts, closing in on $2,500, and there's still time for additional contributions to roll in. Woo hoo! And THANK YOU to everyone who has supported our efforts!

While they last, we're enjoying these warm sunny days with walks to the park, backyard sports and al fresco dining.
Perhaps we're having a bit too much fun, judging from Daniel's shins:
The soccer pics above show a bit more enthusiasm than was generated for the actual Saturday morning soccer program the boys tried out this spring. It wasn't a very well run class, but all the same, Daniel could not sustain attention for more than the first 10 minutes or so, partly because he knew that just outside the gym was a delightful new-to-him playground to be explored. So, John and Ed stayed for the soccer and Daniel and I headed out to climb. No big deal--it was a low-key (low-cost) class, that I mainly signed them up for as a way to ensure some running around burning off energy time in the last weeks of winter.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to sign Edward up for summer t-ball. I suppose if nothing else, it gets us out to the park with other people twice a week, and if he decides he doesn't actually want to play ball, we can just hit the playground. There's definitely a fine line between helping your kids develop enough skill to make playing the game fun and pushing them into something they're not interested in.

If ever there was proof that Edward and Daniel are all boy, witnessing their absolute glee when I told them that we were going to watch a building being knocked down by a wrecking ball certainly sealed the deal. These two spend so much time reading books about construction equipment (or rather, having said books read to them), playing "construction guy" and generally building up and knocking down things that I knew a trip that involved a wrecking ball would be a hit.

I learned of the event thanks to a press release from the University of Iowa, which advised that members of the media that wanted to witness and/or photograph an old building on an outpost of campus being torn down should report the next morning at 8. The boys aren't members of the media (yet), but I didn't figure anyone would kick them out. Sure enough, while they were the youngest witnesses by a couple of decades, everyone seemed charmed that they were there.

The prelude to the wrecking ball's debut was almost as exciting as the main event. In the space of about 10 minutes while we waited, the boys saw a train, two diggers, a dump truck and a tipper truck (they can explain the difference) a police SUV and a police car and a police officer (who they spoke with). When the wrecking ball was put into action (by which time Grandpa Kenyon, who lives about 2 blocks from the excitement, had walked over to join us), it was actually a bit anticlimactic. They dropped it on the roof of this three story building, and it made a dull "thud" and kicked loose a couple of bricks. The boys were riveted nonetheless. Soon, the ball was doing more damage, and Edward, despite complaining of cold feet, vowed to stay until they "wrecked down the windows." That accomplished, we headed out.

The various media representatives who were there all seemed to suddenly realize that the most photogenic element of the day was taking off, and shutters soon started whirring (or whatever digital cameras do). The boys and I ended up in the Cedar Rapids Gazette in a huge photo (seen at the end of the post linked above), and Edward's quote about "wrecking down the windows" was captured for history. A student from the college paper tried to interview them on video, but she has yet to learn the trick about interviewing children under the age of 8 or so: Don't. By all means, take their picture, especially when they're as cute as these two, but Art Linkletter's prowess to the contrary, kids give lousy quotes (particularly when you ask them questions that can be answered "yes" or "no"). She kept asking them if they liked seeing the wrecking ball, and they would nod. Not even a soundbite from these two. Alas, they were left on the cutting room floor.

As I drove them to school (all of this taking place before their day truly began), we recounted all of the things they had seen and experienced so they could remember to tell their classes. After reciting the litany of vehicles and such they had seen, I reminded them that they had been interviewed and photographed by people from the newspaper. "Oh, yeah," Edward said, with all the gusto of someone reminded he needed to clean his room. Is it any wonder the media is dying?

Mary, claiming she was looking for a way to kill an afternoon but surely not-so-secretly jealous of our super-cool morning, took the boys back out a few days later, this time with their construction hats as accessories. They again had a great time ("there were TWO wrecking balls, Dad!" I heard when I got home) and wanted to make sure the "worker guys" saw that they, too, had their hardhats on. They also played at a little park near the building. Note that they kept their hardhats on then, too.

They're going to knock down some more university buildings soon. What are the odds we'll be there?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Look at these two little leprechauns! Have you ever had this much energy at 7:30 a.m.? Thank goodness for warmer weather. These walls just can't contain us anymore. We were reduced to this for the last few weeks:


Riding bikes in a circle around the pool table in the unfinished basement. Boy do we know how to party! The boys actually loved it. Coming in from some outside play on Monday, Ed said, "Now can we take our bikes to the basement?" I however, was going a bit stir crazy. Never in a million years when we were considering buying this house did I think I'd spend time in the basement other than to do laundry!

Following up on the last post, Daniel got over his fever but remained congested through all of last week. Toward the end of the week he was occasionally saying his ear hurt, but it didn't seem to be slowing him down at all, and I know that most doctors don't automatically treat ear infections with antibiotics anymore. On Monday morning he actually woke up talking about his ear so I called in to report the symptoms and duration to see if he should come in. They gave him an appointment for 4 p.m., but when 3:45 rolled around and he was still napping, I called to cancel. Last thing I wanted to do was wake him up! But the afternoon was difficult--inconsolable wailing with a rage-like quality. I kept asking if his ear hurt, and he'd just scream NO!

Once John got home he tried to make some headway, but to no avail. Finally, around 6, Daniel said Yes when I asked if he wanted the doctor to look at his sore ear. (I had to promise that there would be no shots involved.) So I took him to urgent care, where they diagnosed an ear infection. He still had no fever and was actually at the height of his cuteness in the doctor's office (perhaps his good mood had something to do with me entertaining him with the only accessible item in the exam room--a flip book of the digestive system. He LOVED when I showed him, "This is where the poop comes out." Oh, my goodness.) But the NP said it was red/bulging and even if it was viral to begin with, the fact that he'd been talking about it off and on for several days led her to prescribe amoxicillin.

This turn of events might also explain why he was sort of indifferent to our Sunday evening swimming adventure. We spent the day with John's family in Chariton celebrating his grandparents' 70th wedding anniversary. Wait, just stop to think about that for a second. Seventy years! They are truly an inspiration to us all! On the way home, we stopped at a hotel about 20 miles from Iowa City that has an indoor waterpark and charges half-price admission on Sunday nights. It wasn't as grand as the park we've been to in Dubuque, but still, we thought the boys would be more excited about it. We found the ventilation to be poor--Daniel was coughing quite a bit even though he hadn't coughed otherwise that day and didn't cough after we left. They must have been aware of this issue because the overhead fans were blowing, but that made it pretty cold to wait for a turn on the big slides. We only took a few slide turns and spent most of the rest of the time in the (crowded) pool or in the zero-depth entry kiddie splash area. When we left, the boys were gleeful saying it was "Super fun!" but we probably wouldn't go back. We can have as much fun in our local pools for less than half the price!

I'll close with this picture of the lovely anniversary couple.

P.S. John owes you a description of taking the boys to see a wrecking ball demolishing a campus building last week. Feel free to harass him electronically until he shares the experience.

Poor, sad Daniel has been sick since Wednesday afternoon. (Picture at left is to remind us of his goofy normal self--it's from our blizzard day last month.)

Germs have been rampant at daycare the last few weeks, so basically, it was just his turn. But whereas Ed had a fever last Wednesday afternoon that broke sometime overnight leaving him feeling fine (if a little congested) by Thursday, Daniel has had the fever off and on for three days now. It's gone as high as 102.5 (and we measure under the arm, which is supposed to be low compared to orally.) We thought he was over the hump this morning after a rough night, but by nap time the temp was climbing again. Could be a long weekend.

But even when he's not at the top of his game, he entertains through his direct and literal observations and pronouncements. For example, on the way to pick up Edward from school (Daniel in a footie sleeper w/coat because he just couldn't bring himself to get dressed or even put on shoes, and who was I to argue?) announced from the back seat, "I'm getting angry because my window doesn't have a windshield wiper!" It was raining and he was not pleased to observe the world through the drops.

To distract from this anger, I pointed out a guy standing high on a billboard preparing to install a new sign. We talked about how he got up so high and what he would do up there. Daniel thought we'd see a new sign by the time we were coming home (he was right.) As for how it would be installed: "Well, he has a hammer, so he's going to 'ham' the pegs."

No wonder I'm so worthless when it comes to all things home repair. I never knew I was supposed to use a hammer to "ham!"

Ever since half his class went to kindergarten last August, Edward has told anyone who asks him about school, "Next time it's August, I'M going to kindergarten!"

Today in the car on the way to kindergarten registration, a small voice in the back seat said, "Mom, I think when it's August and it's time for me to go to my kindergarten school I might be a little scared."

Oh, my melting heart.

So we talked about how things that are new and different sometimes seem scary but it doesn't take long until the new things are fun and familiar. I imagine we'll have many versions of this conversation in the next six months as we count down to August 18, 2011.

While I was filling out the paperwork, Ed seemed to be taking it all in--"huge" cafeteria, new kids, different adults. After I was done, we walked down the hall to see the kindergarten classrooms (there are three this year.) We stopped to see the gym, pointed out the bathrooms, peered through the window of the library and art rooms. Two of the three kindergarten teachers were in their rooms and very welcoming. Today is a teacher conference day so no students. We were lucky to walk by while they were between parent meetings. (Later this spring they'll have a kindergarten round-up with plenty of time to see everything, meet teachers and other kids.)

The rooms are sunny and inviting and both boys were ready to make themselves at home. We also saw the mom of one of Edward's preschool friends, so he'll know at least one other kid on the playground, even if they aren't in the same class together.

Daniel, never one to believe he can't do every single thing his brother can do, said, "Mom, I want you to sign ME up too!" When I told him he had to be five to go to kindergarten, he said, "No, Mom, three-year-olds can go to kindergarten too." Later, when we walked by the drinking fountain, we discovered that Ed is tall enough to get his own drink, but Daniel still needed a boost. This seemed to be the most persuasive argument in my favor.

Oh, and we already had to visit the school lost and found because Daniel left his hat in the cafeteria.