Rough Housing

Benjamin and Ada enjoying playing together but lately it seems they like rough housing and wrestling with one another. These two were playing in the living room while I was doing dishes. I had to come and see what the ruckus was all about. I found Ada giving Benjamin a headlock while he was laying on top of her legs! She might not be one yet, but she can hold her own!!


Here are these two after I broke up their wrestling match. Don't they look like angels?

Scuba Diver

Benjamin has quite the imagination and is always coming up with new games, activities, and stories. He also loves to dress up. He had to wear Ada's sunglasses (they are too big for her anyway) while he took his bath. That way he wouldn't get water in his eyes and then he could see all the animals in the ocean. He is becoming quite the conversationalist and has a love for talking--I have no idea where he gets that from! :) I can't get over how grown up he has become. Sigh!

All together now

When I got home from work today Benjamin asked me if we could do a "project". He already had the rubber stamps out and showed me where daddy put the ink pads. I told him that we had to eat our supper first and then we could do a "project". He ate his supper as fast as he could and then said that he ate his supper all up and that he was done. We rubber stamped for a little while and then we switched to coloring. Benjamin was sitting on my lap while he colored. After Ada got out of her bath (daddy gave her one while Benjamin and I colored) she headed straight over to our table and insisted on sitting on my lap also. Ada is quite the mamma's girl and gets very jealous when I hold Benjamin. It was a tight fit but everybody fit on my lap.

Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize

Why is that girls like to accessorize? I just wasn't prepared for such a young age! Ada loves putting on these necklaces and gets upset if you try taking them away. She wears her necklaces morning, noon, and night (she wears them with her pj's), and even right after a bath with nothing but her diaper on! She is too cute and become quite the girly girl even though she can get dirty with the best of them. She is so proud of herself when she picks them up and puts them on. Her other favorite thing to do with her necklaces is to put them down the register. After she does it she will look down the register and point till we get her necklaces back out. Such a silly girl!!

Canning Peaches

Benjamin has really taken an interest in helping us with everything that we do. He especially likes helping us with cooking and doing dishes! Let's hope he continues his love of cooking and cleaning. He just had to help me can my peaches. It was a long afternoon of canning but we got it done. The next morning Benjamin wanted to eat our freshly canned peaches. It took some convincing to have him eat fresh peaches instead.

Love you so much...

Benjamin sure loves his little sister Ada. He likes holding her, playing with her, feeding her (even things he is not suppose to like chips), walking with her, and just hanging out with her. Currently, these two share a room together and it is not uncommon to find Benjamin in Ada's crib. Ada likes playing on Benjamin's bed also but supervision is a must since she could fall out. These two really enjoy each other (which is great) but they have their days and moments where mom and dad are at their wits ends trying to keep them apart. These two are both stubborn and if they want something neither one will give up till he or she gets what they wanted.

Too much time watching mommy!

Benjamin has spent too much time watching me nurse Ada and pump that he has figured out how the machine works. One night he decided to show me how he can pump his "boobies" too.

Hopefully this will not cause any long term issues! But I thought that these pictures were just too cute not to share. He will definitely not be happy with me when he is older!!

More fun at the fair but this time with Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa made a trip out to South Dakota to see what all this talk of the Turner County Fair was about and to see their grand kids. I don't know who was more exhausted at the end of the day, Benjamin and Ada or Grandma and Grandpa! Of course Grandpa had to take Benjamin to look at machinery hill and check it all out. I think it was a toss up for who had more fun checking out all that equipment! Grandma and Ada liked taking it all in together. No matter the occasion Benjamin loves eating watermelon. We had a few slices of watermelon left after the 4-Hers' watermelon eating contest so mommy gave a slice to Benjamin and he was not going to share it with anyone! It was a great fair and the kids are looking forward to going again next year.

More Fun at the Turner County Fair

Benjamin loves going on rides. It doesn't matter what it is he has loved them all! Ada loves doing whatever her big brother does but she wasn't quite sure about going on the Merry Go Round. I don't think she minding go around and around but I don't think she liked going up and down. She loved watching her big brother go on the rides. She would point, smile, and laugh when she saw him. Benjamin was deemed to short to go on some of the other kiddie rides (like the slide if you can believe that!) but he was allowed to go with me on the Ferris Wheel. We had a great time going on the ride together. The only time Benjamin got a little nervous was when we were stopped way up on top and were not moving. Next year we may have to look at taking Benjamin on the rides on one of the wrist band days; otherwise, we may end up going broke!

Turner County Fair

Benjamin and Ada came to the fair three out of four days and they also attended the pre-fair kickoff activities. They both loved looking at all the animals but not touching them--which is not always a bad thing. All the poor goats wanted was somebody to touch them but neither of my children would do it. Ada did get brave and she touched a pig (on the snout). You could tell she was quite unsure about touching the pig as she never stuck out her hands or her fingers again!

They had fun peering out of the face cut-outs. Benjamin insisted that he do it himself but he was a little bit short for it. Getting them both to look out and not at each other was quite the trick. Each night Benjamin would tell Dave that he was going to take a good nap so he could go back to the fair.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

If anyone has seen Benjamin in the past year you always found him wearing either his cowboy boots or his yellow baseball cap! These are his two favorite things. Normally in the summer his blonde hair would be bleached white but he has worn his hat everyday and the sun never saw it. Which, in my opinion, was not a bad thing. I'm glad that he was protecting himself from the sun.

Yes, he even wore his cowboy boots throughout the whole summer--even when he wore shorts! You guys know that fashion is not Dave or mine's strong suit but I think Benjamin looks adorable!! These are the moments that I look forward too.

Meat Sticks

Dave loves grilling and spoiling us with his grilling creations! Benjamin especially enjoys eating daddy's grilled meat kabobs and chislic. Notice Benjamin's big smile and that over loaded meat kabob. MMMMMmmmmm!! Thanks daddy for all the good food.

I like sand, Okay?

Ada loves playing in the sandbox but has this habit, okay, addiction for eating sand. Yes, she eats sand--by the handfuls! We keep hoping that one of these days she figures out that sand is not good for her. Some of my co-workers suggest that I feed her before she goes out to play. Aren't they funny? It doesn't seem to matter what time of day it is or whether she has eaten or not, Ada loves eating sand.

Play Ball

Ethan and Uncle Dave played ball while we were at the park. Ada decided she would rather watch the game then play with Benjamin, Hannah, and Harper. By the end of the night the boys had quite the group of neighborhood kids playing ball with them.

The City Park

Grandma & Grandpa were watching Benjamin & Ada's cousins for a few days so they decided to come up for a visit. Benjamin and Ada were a little shy at first but after some pizza and watermelon everyone was ready to go and play at the park. Benjamin, Hannah, and Harper had a great time playing together and following one another around. They loved the "merry go round" and played on that for so long that I couldn't watch them anymore or I would become ill. How they could stand or even walk in a straight line was beyond me. Benjamin has always been a climber and he enjoyed showing off his climbing skills at the park. Well, the girls played follow the leader and had to climb up (with some help from Grandma and myself) also. I couldn't resist taking a picture of the kids and grandma up on top of the "spider web".

Hanging out at the zoo with friends

Carrie and I finally got the kids together and we went to the zoo. We had a good time hanging out with our friends. Both Benjamin and Mady really enjoyed looking at the animals; while, Ada was the happiest just sitting in the stroller looking around. She really didn't care if she saw animals or people as long as she got a ride. Our time at the zoo went fast! We all were hungry after all the walking so we went to Wendy's for lunch where Benjamin and Mady shared some french fries.

Push and Pedal

My kids love being outside (which is a good thing because their parents do too). I got these two outside toys at rummage sales a few years ago for Benjamin. He has always enjoyed his little car but has finally graduated to his bike. He has now willingly let Ada play on his little car. She LOVES IT!! Benjamin gave Ada rides in her little car. You can tell that Benjamin is enjoying himself but Ada really did have a good time even though you can't tell it in this picture.

See Ada really did enjoy herself! She kept that smile on her face the whole time while she was riding on that little car.

Pool Time

Both Benjamin and Ada loving taking a bath and going swimming so we have spent some time taking them to the pool. They both love getting in their floaties and chasing each other around! The pool in town has a kiddie pool and a big pool. We have been going to the kiddie pool and both kids just love it! Benjamin and Ada can both climb in and out of the pool so I think we are going to have to try out the "big pool" this weekend.

Admiring Big Brother

Ada loves watching her big brother Benjamin! Her little eyes are transfixed on him and everything that he does (which is not always a good thing!). Ada has learned to climb up onto everything from watching Benjamin. She also watches him play very intently. She watches him so close that she will mimic his play which is so cute! Benjamin has always done sound effects when he plays with his cars, animals, etc. and now Ada does the same thing with a big smile on her face. Don't let this picture fool you, Ada also loves getting in Benjamin's way and taking his toys. Ada really does look up to her big brother and I hope that Benjamin will look out for her as they get older.

I don't want a HAIR CUT!!

Auntie Carrie has always given Benjamin his hair cuts but mommy had to give him his last one. Auntie Carrie did not want Benjamin to "hate" her because he does not like getting his hair cut. Can't you see the excitement in the picture below? Daddy thinks that mommy's first hair cut looks pretty good. I think he is just being nice! I was hoping that Auntie Carrie could fix it and make it look good but she didn't have any time the last time we saw her. I am just hoping that his hair looks decent for Uncle Craig's wedding. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next hair cut I give him goes better!

She Walks!!

Ada has been creeping along furniture since she was 8 months old. She took her first solo steps when she was 9 months old (almost 10 months) and now she official walks. Okay, she really totters along but she is getting more stable and faster on her feet every day! She is a little stinker though as I keep trying to make a movie of her walking and she will immediately stop and drop to her knees. I know the move is short but I finally caught her walking for a few seconds on film. She thinks she is big stuff when she walks.