Twighlight anyone?

Just kidding....it's only blackberry smoothy...I got ya, didn't I?

Business in the front, party in the back

I had been rocking the mullet for quite some time. Mommy and Daddy loved the way that it curled up in the humidity. However...people were starting to complain that I just wasn't in style. How can you go wrong with a mullet? I know, right? So...they got out the squirt bottle. Which by the way was very fun to play with. And then the scissors. No trimming on the sides or top...but the back got sliced. Here I am...mullet free.

Erin's birthday weekend

Auntie Erin, uncle Kevin and Raegan came up for Erin's birthday.....I won't tell you which one it was. We started out at yet another parade! The famous Flag Day Parade.

You're a grand old flag, you're a high flying flag. My mom embarrassed me the whole time. She sang (out loud) to all the songs as the bands marched by. I think she inherited it from my Grandma. At least Grandma sings quietly.

Sorry West....you've got nothing on the US Navy Band or the Marine Corps Band. Not a foot out of step. Impressive.

Followed up by some playtime...which lead to getting dirty....then of course bath time. Don't worry folks...she's my cousin.

The weekend finished with so high class grill work by my Grandpa at Miss Sue's house.

Mmm Mmm Mmm.

Shedding new light...

In May, we took our annual Badger State Girl Choir spring tour. Last year, I ventured out with Quinn and my mom to St. Louis. This year, I spent my longest stretch of time away from Brian and Quinn. We headed overnight on a bus to the east coast. We spent our time primarily in Washington DC, with other stops in Philadelphia and Princeton, New Jersey.

I must say that as an adult I appreciated this trip to DC much more than when I went as an 8th grader. As I chaperoned girls who were my age when I was there last, I had come full circle. It is no surprise to anyone that I hold very conservative beliefs. As a walked closely with my 8 middle school girls, I saw so much of who I was and who they are and I realized that I had no idea during my last visit to DC what any of it really was about. I had missed the point completely. Like my girls, I was more concerned with the next shopping stop, the "foakleys" my friends and I had just purchased from a street vendor, the time away from school, the crushes I had on Justin and Ben and JT, and of course how I was going to manage to look cute in the panoramic photograph in front of the white house in the pouring rain.

This visit was different.

As we traveled from monument to monument, I saw something different. I saw my son in the military, my brother, my father, my students, standing for something that is important. I stood and read the words of our founding fathers written in literal stone and was saddend and amazed at how far away we as a nation have deviated from the original intentions. That while those words are actually written in stone, many in our nation wish to change it, to make it flimsy, making meaningless what has been so furvently and sacrificially guarded by previous generations.

I was reminded of my students who choose to sit down each morning at school during the pledge of alliegience...either because they don't care, are too lazy, or just want to be cool.

I was inspired to teach my children what is right, to appreciate what men and women have done in this country, to value family and life, to give of themselves, to believe in the original values of this nation, and to stand up for what is right...not for what is popular.

Even though we are a baseball family...

Daddy gave me a little flying lesson at Grandma's house....

This started a very bad thing for the shorter people in the family...aka...5' 3" and not as strong as daddy.

Summer lessons...

More time to play with Carter. This time he showed me lots of ways to play. First we surveyed the yard from our lookout.

Then he showed me the best way to climb a slide....shhh don't tell our moms.

Then we started training for the run.. Those fartleks his mom makes him run are really paying off. Shoot that kid is fast.

I can't come over and play today....

I have to work on the house and do some yard work.

Mom and Dad...you guys go check the other side.

Nothing a little dirt and sunscreen can't fix.

Just one more stick to pick up before I get cleaned up.

It's a bird. It's a plane. No!!! It's...

Super Quinners!

You may have seen him flashing through the neighborhood saving babies from bullies or toys from the trash can....

You're no match for me.

Let me take a swig of my super milks, packed with enzymes and "antibullies"...

I'll just step into my crib and unzip my sleepsack to reveal my cape.... (who needs a phone booth when you've got a crib....hah...Superman...what a Sally.)

and be off saving the neighborhood.

Who needs pants when you've got legs like these?

I don't know why I don't have pants on. But a very smart friend of my parents once said....you can't teach legs. I've been practicing praying. I know to hold mommy and daddy's hands with out them asking, to bow my head, and to say amen when we're finished. So let's give it a try on my own....a little something like this...

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for everything that you have blessed me with. My health, my daddy and my mommy, good family, good home, and good food. Help me to share your love and all these blessing with others.

But please let me grow up to have my mommy's music and my daddy's legs.

Amen.

Who can say it better than Right Said Fred?

I'm to sexy for my shirt.

Enough said.

Speaking of house...

Would you like to see my new room?

My mom liked the stripes in a friends room and thought it was a great idea. Daddy wasn't too thrilled with the idea but he loves mommy and making her happy. So he agreed. My daddy is a great painter and he's very picky. After we pulled all the tape off, daddy took a tiny brush, and I mean TINY, and hand painted the lines to get rid of all the little goobers that leaked under the tape. Come over and feel free to look really close...my daddy is awesome.

Here is the quilt and crib skirt that my mom made when I was a little baby. Every morning I still point out my quilt. But now...I remind mom and dad that there are cars on it.

My mommy decided that she could share something very special with me to make my room just right. She is letting me borrow her truck that my Great Grandpa Gunvalson made for her. All my aunts and uncle have them. Uncle Chris's is very old because he got his when he was little, probably about my age. Mom and her sisters got theirs when then were older, when grandpa was very old. It is a very special thing in our family...everytime we look at it we remember him and mommy tells me how cool he was and just how much he would have loved me....although she doesn't have to tell me. I already know he does.

Then there are these paintings. My Grandpa Gutzman made these for me. Mommy asked him to help with an art project and boy did she get a great result. He put lots of special touches...next time you come over, take a close look at all the fancy details. I love to show my mom my painting every morning after I show her my quilt. I tell her they are cars. Although...just this morning I told her fire truck. Pretty soon I'll be cranking out train and tractor too.

Dad showed me a few tricks about getting around in my new "house"

The Grassman's left me a house of my very own with a slide, a room, some swings, and even a picnic table. It was special for their babies and they wanted it to be special for me too. So my Grandma got me this swing so I wouldn't have to wait until I was bigger and my daddy showed me how to use it.

I watched him very closely.

Woah Daddy! And then he showed me how to swing really high!

Let's go mom.

I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE!!!!! (stomp, stomp, stomp)

Look, mama. See I told you the snow is all gone. I never got to see the outside of our new house since it was cold when we moved in. Take me outside.

I want to know what that thing is on the otherside of the door. Our apartment didn't have that thing. Show me what we've got at our new place.

WHAT!!!! And you mean that all this is mine. A YARD?!?!? We've got a yard! And that...what is that beautiful wooden house. A mini house all for me...

Let me climb the slide to my very own special house.

Winter fun....

My cousin Carter came over one day for a visit. His mom, the bargain queen, saw this sled for $4 so she said what the heck let's get one for Quinn too. So they brought it over. We decided to take it for a little spin.

Grandpa and Sue also came to hang out. It was way to cold that day so I taught Grandpa how to wrestle. He needs a little more practice. You think he'd be able to pin me.

And for my next trick...

I've been working for quite some time to perfect my magic act. Please, be honest and tell me what you think. I really think I've got it down.

Watch very closely. You see I have nothing up my sleeves, no special hat, not even a magic wand. But I can make this broccoli alfredo disappear.

Poof!!!!! TA DA!!!