Rockin' out.

We've been to many birthday parties for the boys, but this one takes the cake ... or in this case, takes the stage! Our playgroup pal Levi turned 1, and his birthday party was a full-out rock concert in his front yard. They hired a band of 13-year-olds called Contrast who played cover music (Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc.) and they were great! Luke thought the music was a little loud, but Reid was into the scene.

Levi, the birthday boy!

The band.

Mackenzie, Luke, and Owen slurp a snowcone.

Reid takes a front row seat.

Fall is here ... finally.

This week we have finally reached some cooler temps with highs under 100 degrees and can see the end of our hot summer season. While it will still be a while before we bust out the long-sleeve shirts, we can at least open the windows in the morning and go outside without sweating. The boys are so excited to head outdoors each morning after they wake up. Welcome, fall! We're so glad you're here!

One small step for man...

... One giant milestone for Reid! At the ripe old age of 11 months, Reid took his first official steps tonight. He's been cruising like crazy, climbing like a monkey, and standing solo. We thought he was still a ways from taking his first steps, but tonight he proved us wrong! He had a few instances where he was standing on his own. Next thing we knew, he was taking a step ... then two! The target of choice was Dear Ol' Dad. Reid has really taken a liking to Dad lately, so it's fitting that Scott would be the main motivator for this milestone. Mom, Dad, and Luke were all present to witness this first for Reid. We are all so proud of our little guy!

Below is a video of Reid stepping it up. It's super quick and the steps are at the very beginning so you may need to watch it more than once. This video was taken after his actual first steps so he was getting tired.

8 years at Moto.

Eight years ago today, Scott started at Motorola. When he first began, the new hires who were recent college grads were part of a "training class" to get them acclimated to the Motorola experience. There were 17 engineers in his training class, which lasted for 3 months. Scott was part of the last round of new hires and so is one of the youngsters at Motorola today. Scott's career at Motorola has included so many valuable experiences including:

• Traveling to England, Ft. Worth, and Chicago
• Earning his master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford
• Gaining valuable engineering and digital design skills
• Surviving several rounds of layoffs

From time to time, people have asked us, "Just what does Scott do exactly?" His answer ... "I work in the cellular industry. I don't make the cell phones themselves, but I work on the base stations that sit at the bottom of cell phone towers."

So the next time you use your cell phone, thank Scott.

You say it's your birthday.

We enjoyed an early birthday celebration for Charity today. The gals shopped for a bit at Chandler Mall and then met the guys for lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. What a fun day!

Fall Fling.

The Phoenix Alumnae Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta kicked off its year with the Fall Fling event. It was good to get together with long-time Theta friends and meet some of our newest members to the alumnae chapter, too. Jami helped to plan the event, and we all enjoyed spending the afternoon with Theta sisters at a lovely home near the Biltmore.

Jami & Terese at the Fall Fling

Hot diggity dog.

Today we ventured out to Cosmo Dog Park with our friend Terese and her dog Jessie. It was so entertaining to watch all the dogs running, jumping, swimming in the lake, splashing, fetching, barking, etc. While we don't have a dog of our own, both our boys like dogs (especially Reid). Afterward we jetted next door to the Coffee Shop at Agritopia for some breakfast.

Boy's best friend. Reid and Jessie take a rest from playing.

The guys.

Can u canoe?

A canoe ... in the desert? Yes, that's right. Jami and Luke borrowed our neighbors' canoe for an expedition on our community lake this evening. We live about 2 blocks from the boat ramp, so we just wheeled the canoe on its trusty little trailer over to the water. Luke was a great little navigator, and Mom was in charge of paddling. On our excursion, we saw many ducks, dogs, backyard grillers, and a beautiful sunset. As a kid, Jami used to canoe often, so this was a fun activity to pass along to the next generation.

Sunday finest.

All dressed up for church.

What's for dinner?

This was a weekend of dinners with friends! On Friday night, we hosted the Witt family for dinner ... salmon and chicken hot off our smoker. Luke and Owen enjoyed playing, and the younger ones Ella and Reid liked the entertainment of their older, louder siblings.

Two little blondies ... Reid and Ella.

On Saturday night, we ventured next door to our neighbors' house for a birthday dinner party for our other neighbor Sara. It was an Italian feast of chicken spedini and tomato parmesan cappelini ... and a delish birthday cake!

Happy birthday, Sara!

Luke assists our neighbor Jason with churning the homemade ice cream. Actually, Luke was all about the free samples.

Kiddie caddies.

Today Jami and the boys ventured north to Grayhawk Golf Course for lunch with our friends Jenny and Terese (who works at Grayhawk.) Afterward, Luke fed some leftover french fries to the fish in the lake, and these two decided to take this cart out for a spin ... but just around its parking space.

Futbol.

The soccer season has resumed for Scott and Eric. The first game didn't fare so well (they lost 3-0), but at least it was a cooler night to be out and about! The Leahy fan club appreciated that!

A tough goodbye.

This week we bid farewell to an old friend who has been with Reid since the beginning. A great source of comfort and support, this pal helped ease Reid's tears at night and traveled everywhere with us. His buddy would often play hide-and-seek, and Reid was always so overjoyed to find his long-lost friend. So with fond memories we say goodbye ... to the pacifier. Thank you for making our lives a little easier and our baby a little happier, but it's time to say farewell!

Lounging on Labor Day.

Tonight we ventured over to the Meyer home for some swim time & supper. They put in a new pool this summer, so it was an extra special treat to check it out! Luke and Reid enjoyed splashing around with Colby and Lexi. Above is the swim team.

Monsoon!

It doesn't rain often in Arizona. When it does, it pours ... especially during monsoon season! This season is marked by high humidity and frequent evening downpours over small geographic areas (think Charlie Brown rain cloud). Tonight we ventured out for some park time and pizza with our friends the Wellings. The clouds looked a bit dark, but the storms often blow over. Not the case tonight! The storm snuck up on us, and it was raining cats and dogs. We decided to head to the car but had to take cover for about 10-15 minutes under a shelter building to let the worst of the storm pass. Luke is a bit frightened of the rain, but Reid was quite intrigued by it all.



Nate, Truman, Hazel & Abby Welling enjoy splashing in the puddles.



Reid and Mom escape the rain.

Mummy ... and Daddy.

This morning Mom and the boys were running some errands, including a stop at Michael's craft store. We browsed through the Halloween aisle to see all the ghouls and goblins. They had several large props, including a 5 ft. tall mummy ... TWO of them in fact standing side by side.

Jami: "Luke, that sure is a scary mummy, isn't it?"
Luke: "Yes, a scary mummy ... and daddy, too."

Priceless.

Half pint on the PC.

It is amazing how quickly small children catch on to using the computer! This summer we started teaching Luke how to move and click the mouse, push the arrow keys, and other general web-savvy techniques. Scott set up a home page for him so once Luke launches the internet browser he can click on his favorite sites ... Nick Jr., Disney, and PBS Kids. In the matter of a few months, he has learned to play some pretty skilled games that require better-than-average hand-eye coordination (left hand clicks the space bar, right hand clicks the arrow keys). Here are our favorite Luke-isms related to the computer.

• The name still needs a little work. To Luke, it's called the "teh-puter."
• From Luke ... "Mom, I think you need to put some new battwies in this mouse." (wireless mouse)
• Scott: "Where were you playing that SuperReaders game?" Luke: "Oh, I was just doing that on p-b-s kids ..... dot org."

4 months down, 2 to go.

We've been braving the heat of the summer for 4 months now with 2 left to go. It's been a tad bit cooler in the evenings, so we've been venturing out and about more. Here we are cruising the neighborhood at dusk.

I walk, you walk, we all walk.

These two are a handful!

Playdate with P&P.

All aboard this trolley! Luke, Reid, and Peyton @ Chuck E. Cheese.

Today Luke and Reid enjoyed a playdate at Chuck E. Cheese with gal pals Peyton (almost 2) and Presley Wilde (6 weeks). Luke and Peyton played a zillion games and gobbled up some pizza. Reid and Presley enjoyed hanging out with the moms and watching all the action (Reid) or sleeping (Presley).

All smiles.

It's a rare feat to get a pic of both boys smiling, but this is a fun one and shows off the boys' new haircuts! Last night was Barber Night at the Leahy household, and it was a 3-for-1 deal ... Scott then Luke then Reid courtesy of Mom's Barber Shop. Nothing beats trying to cut hair for little ones who are scared of the clippers or squirm non-stop. But the mission was accomplished in the end!

Mr. Fix-It

With each day, Reid gains new talents ... and today's skill seems to be plumbing! He loves to explore new spaces in the house, and he ventured under the bathroom sink today. It's the perfect size for a little guy, so why not check it out?!

Little boy blue.

Reid tried a new food today ... blueberries! They were an instant hit with him, but the feast required a thorough wipe down afterward.

The other half of our weekend.

While Mom and Reid were in Oklahoma, Scott and Luke took off on another camping excursion with the playgroup dads & kids to Ponderosa Campground near Payson and the Mogollan Rim. The happy campers enjoyed the cooler temps, fresh mountain air, and beautiful scenery. Check out the pics below...





The crew overlooks the Mogollan Rim. What a view!







The Leahy men behold the great outdoors.








Owen, Luke & Thomas keep on truckin' even though it's getting late.

Oklahoma weekend trip.

This weekend Jami and Reid flew to Oklahoma for a fun moms-n-babies weekend with her good college pal Kellie and new baby boy Blake. (We missed seeing the proud papa Chris, as he was out of town coaching his legion baseball team at a tournament.) Jami and Kellie enjoyed catching up and just spending time with the young'ns while seeing some sights in Oklahoma City (where we flew into) and Enid (where they live).

Watch out, ladies! These two are quite the charmers with their blue eyes and full heads of hair! Reid at 10 months & Blake at 2 months.

Bottom left: Out to dinner in Enid.

Bottom right: Blake and Mom.

Common household goods...

... Make the best toys! The boys have been enjoying using the laundry basket (much more than their mom enjoys using it for practical purposes!)

The laundry basket can be a support beam for a pillow fort.

A house all in itself!

A boat for two!

Luke's first day of preschool.

This was a milestone day for our young Luke. It was his first day of preschool! Three days a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings Luke is attending preschool at First United Methodist Church of Gilbert, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from our house. His class has 10 children -- 7 boys and 3 girls. Hope his teacher Mrs. Vallera is ready for an energetic bunch!

Luke was so excited to start school. He got a new green backpack personalized with his name. Today he was telling his teacher ... "There's something on my backpack and it says L-U-K-E. That spells Luke!" Yesterday we were talking about what he needed to take to school in his backpack. He ran to the kitchen, retrieved the entire box of Oreos, and stuffed them in his bag. (Guess he thought he might need a snack ... for everyone!)

When the big moment arrived this morning, Mom got a little choked up, but Luke was all too excited ... never looking back. This is quite a big day for the little man, considering that this is the first day of his formal education for the next 2 decades!

Mrs. Vallera and Luke on the first day of preschool.

Lucy's bday party.

Yesterday we celebrated the 2nd birthday of our playgroup pal Lucy. The Little Gym was hoppin' with youngsters. Both Luke and Reid had a ball!

Luke, Lucy, Dylan, Keegan, Owen & Thomas wait for the airtrack to inflate.

Bouncing baby boy Reid.

Rub-a-dub-Reid.

Squeaky clean.

Spidermen.

The Leahy home is a bit more secure these days thanks to this double dose of superpowers. Luke sporting his Spidey jammies and web-slinging hands shows off his new buddy Lil' Spidey.

Morning wake-up song.

When Jami was a little girl, her dad always used to sing "the morning wake-up song." The song would always surface when you least wanted to rise and shine, but it always brought about a smile. (Jami's dad is not known for his singing abilities, but he can really croon the morning wake-up song, as well as a handful of songs from the ol' fraternity days!)

Passing along this tradition to the younger generation, Jami made it her goal to teach Luke the song before the Colorado trip in early July. Mission accomplished, and Papa was quite entertained (even at 6 a.m.) when Luke woke him up with that.

Since then, the song has backfired on us. What was once a charming little melody has now become an unwanted alarm clock for weary parents. Because Luke can't yet tell time at age 3 and we don't have a rooster ... when Luke is ready to get up, he thinks everyone else should be, too, even if it's during early-morning-normal-sleeping hours. He will bust downstairs at 5:45 (or 6 on the lucky days), stand on Scott's side of the bed, and at full volume begin singing. If at first you don't succeed ... then try again. MUCH LOUDER. If that doesn't work, then you climb in the bed and sing. This alarm clock has no "off" button.

Caution: Do not teach children to sing songs specifically designed for the morning time.

2 monkeys and a zebra.

Is this precious cargo heading to the zoo? Nope. Just playing in the garage! We do NOT really have personalized plates, but Jami added one to suit this funny photo. (Side note: We have some good friends who have 7 children, a large white 15 passenger van, and a personalized plate for "7 Monkeys." Love it! So we'll borrow their humor for this pic!)

L is for ...

Lounging, low-key, laidback. That's the weekend for the Leahys! We joined Eric and Charity for dinner at Costa Vida on Friday, and today's itinerary featured a long bike ride for Mom and the boys and parktime in the evening for the whole crew. Here are some fun pics of us ... just hanging out!

Wisdom & wealth.

Today, Jami and the boys were enjoying some lunch at Panda Express. After finishing his meal, Luke cracked open his fortune cookie and handed the little slip of paper to Mom to read. Here's the conversation that followed:

MOM: "Luke your fortune says, 'You will live a life full of comfort and material wealth.'"

LUKE: "Hmmm ... matewial wealf?? Okay."

MOM: "Do you know what material wealth is, Luke?"

LUKE: "Yep ... I do." (Very matter of factly stated.)

Perhaps he's wise beyond his years. Hope that wisdom earns him some of that material wealth he seems to know so well...

Turbo crawler.

Reid has found a new mode of transportation that is much faster than the traditional crawl. We've been getting a kick out of this speedy crawler over the last few days ... hope you do too!

Artwalk.

Our crew ventured out to Downtown Chandler's Artwalk for a family night out. Once a month, artists showcase jewelry and paintings (and even some painted pet rocks) along the streets downtown. We happened upon this friendly fish named Fozzy who's the mascot for the artists' guild.

Opa!

Last night we helped our friend Shauna celebrate her birthday with a night out to the Greek restaurant Bacchanal near Downtown Phoenix. This place is one of our favorites, and it's always guaranteed to be a good time with the delish Greek food, belly dancing, plate breaking, and audience participation! As the Greeks say ... OPA!!

3 blondes and the birthday girl Shauna

Scott shows off his Greek dancing talents! The owner of Bacchanal (middle) picked him out of the crowd to dance.

Parkin' it.

The weather has been a bit cooler this week (under 100!) so we hit the park this morning. The caravan included 3 bikes, the bike trailer, and Reid's walker hooked on the back. What a sight!

Follow me, Dad ... I know the way!

Teeter totter tots