Halloween Half Marathon

I registered... I'm training... I'm committed.
Are you?

(Monster Dash, MPLS, MN)

QT pie

This morning I was working on the internet and I heard a squeal of delight coming from the bathroom... this is what I found: now our TP looks like this:

Dennis loved playing in his kiddie pool. He was so exhausted that he went to bed early.

Dennis is so expressive. I have no idea what he kept looking at on the wall but it was so funny to me that I had to take a video. What a happy boy. I could just take a bite out of him.

Does he always smile? YES.

Our Crawler

Dennis is crawling after all! I was starting to think that he was going to go straight from worming to walking.

Busting at the seems

It is so hard to predict how much room you will need for your garden when you are just planting seeds. We obviously planted them a little too close.

This is our cucumber vine! I didn't think it would survive... but sure enough... EVERYTHING survives in St. Louis. (as long as it gets water)

MY FLOWERS

Zinnias

Magnolias

Cone flowers

Hydrangea

Sunflowers. It took Ryan 28 years to grow to be this tall... and 3-4 months for these guys. They must be on steroids... or at least miracle grow.

UTAH

Our trip started off with a canceled flight to Dallas because of weather... and after waiting in line for half a day... they said that they could get me to Utah LATE that night with a connection in MPLS. Immediately, I asked if we could stay the night in MPLS. So, with great luck... Dennis and I got to spend the night with my mom in the mini-apple.

Boy oh boy... traveling with a non-stop explorer, like Dennis, was very exhausting! Luckily the seat next to me was open. He loved the little desk that he got. When we got off, everyone said what a good traveler he was... I was glad... I couldn't tell. I just thought everyone was dreading being by us.

While in Utah, we went to the Tracy Aviary in SLC. This is Dennis and his cousin Benson ready for some crazy birdies.

And, then they saw some... This is Dennis watching the pelicans eat.

We got to watch a bird show. And, barely made it through before the rain. As, we exited the theatre the down pour began... and they do not have any shelter in the whole park. (the back is not our family)

So, we got soaked on our way to the car. I felt like I was in MN! It even hailed on us!

Good thing Dennis thought it was funny. He was laughing the whole way as I was running.

It was fun.

A little girl time...

The ZOO was really fun for Dennis. He really liked the monkeys this time... He would watch them swing from branch to branch. We got so many compliments on Dennis's little hat that my mom made him. It's hard to get the whole effect in a picture... but it looks like a pirate hat with a tie in the back!

Nonnie bought Dennis some toys to remember his trip.

Papa with his grand boys. The first one is my favorite of Dennis and the second one, was my favorite of Benson, and Myer was pretty consistent for all the pics... what a good sport. Group pictures sure are hard with kids. I'm sure the neighbors were wondering what all the commotion was about...

This is our good-byes at the break of dawn. Dennis with his beautiful Aunt Kristen.

THANKS for such an amazing trip. We loved it.

Sorry to any friends that wanted to see us... I forgot my phone in MPLS and didn't get in til Monday and then I was just too lazy to set anything up for Tuesday (our last day). We still love you and will see you next time.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

For all of you who are not in the know... my brother, Randy and his wife, Chrissy are biking europe! They started in Holland and are now in Dubrovnik, Croatia! They have been gone for a couple of months. They are starting to look warn out... biking everyday- rain or shine, mountains and winds- I don't blame them. I thought that maybe I would have gone with them if my circumstances were different... I mean really who could pass up that opportunity! But, all in all I am glad that I didn't join in the fun... I think they would have lost me somewhere in Austria. I REALLY don't like biking hills not to mention MOUNTAINS! But, they probably would have ditched be before that... somewhere in Germany... I think they would get tired of my complaining (I have a bad habit of that if I am working hard). But, on days like today, when I read about their travels to Dubrovnik (pictured below) I can't help but wonder, what if I had gone along and they didn't ditch me, and I didn't get lost in the mountains. What a cool adventure... and what a GRAND ending to a trip! PARADISE. I can only dream. Maybe, I will have to just fly straight there to Dubrovnik... Alas, I will have to wait until I am 40. The tickets run around $1700.

Babies + Dogs = Love