Say cheese!

Fishing with Lexi.

Luke and his gal pal Lexi met for a playdate at Islands Park today. We spent a little time fishing, feeding the ducks, and playing at the park. It was nice to be outside, but it got a little toasty in the hot sun!

Say a prayer for monster trucks.

Tonight Luke learned a little bit about bedtime prayers from Mom. We practiced kneeling beside the bed and making "prayer hands." Then we talked a bit about what to say when praying. Mom explained to Luke that he should be thankful for the good things that happened that day. Here's the conversation that followed...

Mom: "Luke, what was the favorite part of your day that you'd like to say thanks for?"
Luke: "Hmmmm, I liked those monster trucks at the park. They zoomed around and had big tires and that man made them drive fast! And me and Thomas we ran after them and it was fun!"
By this point, Mom realized she left that question very open to interpretation so really any answer should be fair game. Side note: Luke didn't go to a monster truck rally ... some guy had a remote control truck at the park today.
Mom: "Okay, Luke that sounds like a great thing to pray about. So let's start...
Lord, thank you for the monster trucks at the park today and all my family and friends. Amen."

Luke repeated it and off to bed he went.

So before you go to bed tonight, say a prayer for all the little things in life that make you happy ... even remote-control monster trucks!

The Screech.

As the boys begin to play more together, it is entertaining to see the dynamics develop between the two of them. Reid is a very mellow baby, but if something sets him off, he can go from 0-60 in no time flat and is steaming mad!! (Perhaps he inherited a little Swedish temper!) Reid is pretty patient with some of Luke's well-meaning antics, but he reaches a point where he loses his cool and just blows his top! As Luke gets a little overenthusiastic in his playtime with his brother, Reid sounds his warning signal -- we've fondly nicknamed it "the screech" -- to let Luke know he's crossed over the line. The piercing sound can be heard throughout the house. We can't help but laugh at how the brotherly bond is forming already...

On Cloud 9.

We have been on Cloud 9 this week with the great weather. We know the hot, hot, hot weather is on its way so we are frequenting the park often now! Here are the boys taking a silly photo.

Tree hugger.

We met Eric & Charity at the Farm today for lunch ... their first time, our bzillionth time to go! It was the most perfect of days to spend outside. Luke even braved the heights by climbing the pecan trees (with a little assistance). He talked Charity into helping him pull a chair over so he could climb up this tree! "Charity, can you tell me how to get down from here?"

Mr. Bubble.

Small boy, big bubbles. Who says you can't wear bubbles as a hat?!

The many perks of being 6 months old.

Reid just celebrated his half birthday, and with that milestone occasion, many new doors have opened for the young lad.

- Sitting up and taking notice. Reid can sit up for long periods of time without toppling over which means he has a whole new perspective on playing with his toys. It also means Luke is excited to play "with" him more.

- Goodbye baby bathtub. Hello bathing in the big tub!

- New flavors to savor. The rice cereal diet has now expanded into sweet potatoes, carrots, and more.

Spring wedding.

We attended the wedding of our friends Mike & Emily last night. It was a beautiful spring wedding and a super fun reception downtown.

The bunco girls with the bride! Jami, Emily, and Jenny sneak a pic.
Celebrating at the reception at the Wyndham ... what a fun night out for us! Luke and Reid enjoyed time at home with Theta babysitter Sara.

The boys of summer.

Luke and Reid paid a visit to Mom's Barber Shop today for some haircuts. After the cuts, we took some photos in our backyard. Here's a favorite.

Batter up.

Scott's first day back at work after a weeklong vacation was a challenging one ... he played in a company softball tournament at Tempe Diablo Stadium (one of the spring training facilities). He was all too happy to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine after spending 7 days back in the freezing temps and rain in KS. Perhaps the scouts were checking out his skills.

The Family Tree.

Our KS trip has been filled with many fabulous family memories. Luke and Reid have been able to spend time with Great-Grandma Eleanor, both sets of grandparents, all their aunts and uncles, and their cousins, too. Here are a few pics from our climb in the family tree.


Cousins Sawyer, Reid, and Luke take time out from playing trains for a photo.

Look what the Easter bunny brought ... everyone together on Easter Sunday: Sawyer, Paul, Juli, Ted, Margie, Scott, Luke, Reid, Jami, Charity, and Eric.

Cousins Dalton and Reid will party till the cows come home in these hats!

Four generations of the Nelson family pose for this picture. Luke, Papa Jim, Reid, Great-Grandma Eleanor, and Jami.

Proud Aunt Jami.

One of the first stops on the Kansas Whirlwind Tour was for Aunt Jami to visit her new nephew Dalton, who was born in February. Jami dropped off Scott, Luke, and Reid in Kansas City and jetted for a quick overnight trip to Wamego for some one-on-one spoil time with the newest addition. Dalton and Reid will be quite the pair - both strong, active little guys!

Two in tow.

We are off on our first major trek with two in tow and spending a week in Kansas visiting friends and family over the Easter holiday. Luke is a seasoned traveler, but this was Reid's first time flying the friendly skies. Both boys were amazing on the flight here. The tough part was the amount of "stuff" we had to haul with us. You do the math ...

5 checked bags + 2 car seats + 1 stroller + 3 carry-on bags + 2 small boys = 2 tired parents

Joe's Farm Grill.

Today the family enjoyed some lunch at Joe's Farm Grill. Amazing food (the fontina burger rocks!) and great outdoor atmosphere! The buildings on site were contemporary in design with beautiful green gardens on the property, too. This urban farm was a fun find!

Who let this little cow roam around the farm?!

Luke shows of the green gardens and beautiful blooms.

Goal.

Scott has been playing in a soccer league for the past few months with a buddy from Motorola. We went out to watch our soccer star, but the fan club got a little chilly on this blustery night.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah.

Luke has mastered the zip line at the park. Check it out! Hold on for a fun ride.

Something to say.

He may be little, but Reid sure has something to say.

Ruby Slipper Designs in print.

Ruby Slipper Designs has had a great start in 2007. Recently, one of Jami's clients called to say her wedding was featured in a local wedding planning publication called "The Wedding Chronicle," and that Ruby Slipper Designs was mentioned, too! Here's one page of the spread. The yellow arrow highlights where RSD is mentioned. Free advertising is the best!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Grandma Dixie is celebrating her 64th birthday on Sunday. She had much assistance celebrating ... a trip to Sedona and Jerome with Grandpa Jim, breakfast at the Good Egg with the family, and angel food cake with strawberries (and lots of candles!) Luke was very excited about helping Grandma celebrate her birthday and reminding her that she's 64 and he's 3. Happy Birthday, Mimi!