My Tiny Dare Devil

Here he is at it again:

First Day of School

This is the first day of school head squeeze, which I adore.

We carpool to preschool with Noah's BFF, Colton, so here are the both of them on the first day of their 4-year-old class
Noah saw this picture and said, "Oh yeah, this is the picture where I'm pretending to go to school". Yep, this is the one.

Olympic Picture Captions

If you are really into the Olympics like Noah (he has been encouraging Ian to "go for the gold" at swim class ) or if you just like really, really funny picture captions, please immediately click on this link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/080815. Please tell me your favorite (mine is "Shark! And it's big!"). Then forward it to 10 friends or you'll bring shame to your nation.

Big Cedar Lodge Vacation

We have recently returned from our family vacation to Big Cedar Lodge which is just right outside of Branson, Missouri. Noah's list of his "best" things were: 1. Driving the boat 2. Playing miniature golf 3. Eating pancakes

Here's proof of best thing #1:

Not to be outdone:

Noah explained to me later that the reason he did not want to get in the lake was because of the sharks (Seth hasn't given a better excuse why he didn't):

We also had an awesome pool that was just outside our lodge. While it looks like I've dragged my kids into a thunderstorm while swimming, it was a cloudy day, but the pool was really, really warm (gratefully none of the other guests realized this):

The lodge held a fishing competition for kids (this family will do whatever it takes to WIN):

But seriously, when we weren't cheating (we obviously had NO idea what we were doing because the fish just stuck their tongues out at us as they backstroked near the boys' poles), the boys had a really fun time watching all the other children catch fish:

I was trying to get a tender moment picture of the back of the boys walking away with their dad, but alas, my boys do not allow for such sentiments (also, they are paying me back for the endless pictures I made them endure). But I love these anyhow:

And to further prove my point of the endless pictures, here are just a few more of my favorite:

Noah's Music Camp Performance

Sometimes, when I explain that Noah is s-h-y (for some reason I always spell it when he is listening to my explanation of his personality), it comes off like I'm suggesting he's contracted some rare malady from Malaysia that we're working with Mayo doctors to remedy (along with my affection for alliteration). I, myself, skipped out on the s-h-y gene, so I have had to work to accept this as a part of his personality and NOT as something to get over. Being that his cautiousness (I often use this substitute word to divert the possibility of him realizing he possesses the s-h-y gene) is intertwined with who my sweet boy is, I LOVE to see him display confidence. And lately he has really been blossoming (or whatever it is that boys do) in several areas, one being that he is no longer catatonic when he is on stage during musical performances. I am completely content that he will never desire to be a Backstreet Boy, but I do want him to feel proud of himself and happy with who God has made him. All that to say, here are some precious pictures of Noah before the "David & Goliath" music performance, where Noah did a wonderful job singing and doing the motions. I don't have any actual performance footage because they don't allow photography or video for fear that people will sell copies to Japan illegally (also my camera does not do well in dark lighting).

Here's my brave Noah with Goliath before the program:

A contraband picture I was able to take before the armed guards apprehended me:

Noah and his BFF, Colton, who helps make Noah less s-h-y:

Noah practicing one his favorite songs in his pajamas on the fireplace:

Vampire Prom

I'm not kidding when I tell you that I went to a Vampire Prom on Friday night. Seriously. If you haven't heard, there's this book series called "Twlight", that when trying to get me to read it, Karen described it as a "vampire romance." Now, as obviously appealing as that sounds, I was skeptical, but then I read it and became obsessed (meaning I had to stay up way past 9:30pm reading it) which we then passed on the obsession to Leslie, Brook, Mitzi, Kinsey, April, SETH, Emily (whom I actually drove to B&N and made her pick up the book and purchase and who read the third 500-page book in one evening), and many more. Turns out this is a Harry Potteresque phenomenon and the fourth book in the series just came out--thus, the Vampire Prom party that we attended at Barnes & Noble. The following is actual footage of the announcement that the book was going on sell in five minutes:


Now, you might have noticed that the screams were those of, let's say, younger ladies. Yes, the book was originally marketed for the teen-age sector, which is also the section you must pick it up in at the bookstore. But I swear that there are MANY fans of all ages. When Leslie's friend, Carla, showed up late to the prom, she said she immediately started looking for the "30-something" crowd knowing that she'd find just a few of us lurking agedly around. And the following displays how my elderly friends acted in response to the book-going-on-sell announcement (this is not staged at all):

Here we are after midnight with "Breaking Dawn":

Just a couple of vampires, Brook & Leslie (if you read the books, you know that vamps are beautiful--no fangs or coffins or any such nonsense):

Some of those at B&N, starting at top left: Farah, Tammy, Leslie, Kinsey, Brook, Emily & Karen :


So, I'm off to read...