Autumn Pictures

Here are some pictures Tony took last weekend at Antioch Park.  We had a great time playing in the park, it was such a beautiful autumn day! 

2008-10-25 at 16-33-54

2008-10-25 at 16-33-54
Originally uploaded by Tony & Kate

Halloween Pictures

Halloween Pics

Kate & Avery carving pumpkins

Tony & Eli carving pumpkins

Batman & Robin (aka Eli & Avery) posing by their pumpkins

Manhattan Trip

Well we finally experienced our "first" of having a sick kid away from home.  We went to visit Josh & Jessa in Manhattan for the weekend.  The boys had a great time playing with their cousins and then we went out for dinner.  This is when we should have known something was wrong with Avery, because wouldn't eat...which hardly ever happens.  We chalked it up to not having an adequate nap that day.  So we went back to J&J's, put the boys to sleep, and enjoyed our evening with J&J.  Then all the fun started: at about 2 am I woke up to Avery with a fever, coughing and gagging, and ultimately throwing up x3 times.  After an hour of caring for him and waking the whole family, we decided to hit the road home so as to not expose J&J and baby Jack to his illness anymore then we already had.  We stopped off at Wal-Mart, loaded up on paper towels, loads of caffeine & cleaning supplies for our trip home.  We had a few more messes to clean up on the way home, but all in all it went fairly well.  We rolled into our drive at 6 am before the sun was out, put the boys to bed and hit the sack until late morning.  So far no one else has gotten sick and Avery got better just as quickly as he got sick.  I hope 

Avery's 2nd Birthday

Avery has changed fairly rapidly the last couple months from that sort of early-toddler that is always sweet, quiet and easy-going into that sort sort of mature toddler that terrorizes the twos.  His talking is evolving, but not as fast as his desire to communicate or his opinions on things leading to such desire to communicate.  

Throw an older brother into the mix, and we're in for a fun year.  It's so fun to watch them develop, but you can't help but mourn the loss of the purity of what they were.

Regardless, here is a bit of video of his 2-year birthday party we had last Sunday, September 14, 2008.

Eli's 1st Day of School

What a milestone.   Eli started preschool September 2, 2008.  He is going to Teresa Cook's preschool here in Iola, and he is loving it.  He goes Tuesday and Thursday from 9 - 11 am.  Avery sure misses his brother when he's gone--even to the point of crying in frustrated anticipation when Kate goes to pick him up.

Here's a bit of video of him prepared for that first day.

Home Depot Marketing Genius

Last Sunday we took the boys to the zoo in Topeka.  It was a perfect day for seeing the animals and playing in the park across the street.  Afterwards we headed down Wanamaker in search of a place to eat.  From the back seat Eli yells, "Mom, look a Home Depot."  My response was "Yes, what about Home Depot?"  Eli continues, "Welcome to Home Depot where you can find a tool for every project." This kid always amazes me with his memory.

Papa Joe and Grandma Works have a toy tool box that they bought at Home Depot, and it has a couple buttons.  Most buttons make tool noises, but one plays a short plug for Home Depot.  That plug is what Eli absorbed.  Just goes to show how pervasive (and invasive?) marketing messages are to our kids.

Kinda evil, but cute.