Happy Birthday, Brian!

Here is a photo of Brian taken on his second birthday. What a cutie!


And here is another photo of Brian, this one taken on his thirty-second birthday with his not quite two year old son. And he is still a cutie!


We have been told many times that Daniel looks so much like me (or my brother). However, as I flipped through Brian's childhood photo albums, I realized that our little blond hair, blue eyed boy most certainly does look like his father. Compare these two photos and see what I mean!

Brian at around 19 months.

Daniel at around 13 months.

Same cheesy smile...same little nose...same adorableness. Happy birthday, Brian. You mean the world to us.

Start your engines!

Daniel loves anything with a motor. One of his favorite pastimes is sitting in Brian's truck (or any vehicle) and pretending to drive. He always wants to hold the keys, and he has become very good at putting them into the ignition. So, I guess it should be no surprise that Daniel wanted to "start" his wooden ride-on cow. Where is the ignition on a wooden cow? On the back end, of course!

Our favorite lunch

During the summer months, Brian often enjoys a big, juicy BLT for lunch. I, on the other hand, am not fond of tomatoes. I try to like them, really I do. At least once a year, I force myself to take a bite of one, hoping that this time it will taste good. As of yet, it has never happened. So, while Brian has his BLT, I usually have an ABC sandwich. ABC stands for apples, bacon, and cheese. Mmmm! Make a couple slices of toast, put some mayo on there, and layer up the apples, bacon, and cheese. You've got to try it. Yumm-o!

Loooooong week

Oh mercy, this has been one long week. Last Saturday, Daniel and I both came down with a virus. Upset stomachs, sore throats, head congestion. Ugh! You moms out there know what it is like to be sick yourself, but to have to keep going and care for a sick baby. It's not fun, especially when the baby decides not to sleep much for about five days. Anyway, we made it through, and today I woke up feeling revived. Unfortunately, I focused in on the house and realized what a wreck it had become! Imagine that! After mopping the floors and doing about ten loads of laundry, things are starting to improve.
Here are a few photos I snapped this week. In this first one, Daniel is enjoying the recent issue of The Furrow, a magazine published by John Deere. He was looking at all the tractor pictures and saying "Vroooooom...vroooooom!"


Below is our sick little boy watching Finding Nemo with his daddy.

And finally, here he is with his new favorite food...popsicles!

Garage sale success!

I love me some garage sales! After having Daniel, I realized that babies grow fast...very fast. And this means that they often need new clothes. I have found some of the most adorable outfits at garage sales for next to nothing. It is like a treasure hunt, trying to track down these fabulous bargains. I hit pay dirt last weekend and found several garage sales with little boy clothes in exactly Daniel's size. I am pretty picky...the clothes have to look virtually new...no stains, no holes, no fading. Some of the things I found on Friday looked like no one had even worn them. Yipee! Here is a peek at what I got for around $15.


And here is a tricycle we found for $10. It is a little big for Daniel now, but it won't be long until he is racing around the driveway on it.

Fruit of his labor

Brian is the gardener in our family. He has planted, watered, and tended our garden all summer long. I have a few planters and flower pots on the deck, but other than that, Brian takes care of everything that is green and growing on our premise. His big success this year has been okra. We love it fried but are hoping to pickle some too. The tomatoes have done alright, and last week we accumulated enough to can some salsa. I shouldn't say "we" because once again, Brian handled that chore from beginning to end. Daniel and I were running some errands in town, and when we got home Brian was putting the lids on 11 pints of salsa. We have already downed one jar, and I must say, it is very tasty! Thank you, hubby!

Time for school!

This morning Daniel and I were playing in the yard when I happened to notice our teenage neighbor walking down the street with an armload of books. My, he is up early, I thought to myself. And then I realized...today is the first day of school!!! Daniel and I also saw our little five-year-old neighbor boy, who was getting in the car with his parents and going to his first day of kindergarten. As we walked around the yard, we saw several mini vans and two buses all headed toward the school. I was suddenly swept away with that anxious, excited feeling I always have when school begins. I could almost smell the squeaky clean hallways and the sharpened pencils! I wished I had some new school supplies to open and put my name on. Ahhh!

And then the sudden thought struck me. In the blink of an eye, it will be a five-year-old Daniel climbing into our car, as we head off to the first day of kindergarten. Lump in my throat. Yet another reason to treasure every day we have here at home, just the two of us.

Daniel and I enjoyed some back to school fun at the library. We went for the very first story time of the new school year. The librarian read several books about fall and school, and I came home wanting to make a big pot of chili and attend a high school football game. I love fall!