More Kansas

We had a really great time visiting with Jonathan's relatives in Kansas this summer. Everyone very generously put up with us and our 2 sleep deprived kids as well!

Here is Amund with Great-Grandma.

Pa singing Amund "The Farmer in the Dell."
Islwyn after his birthday cake.
Blowing out the candles.

Grandma very generously sharing her little boy patterns with me. I now have a new Autumn outfit all cut out for Amund and Islwyn from patterns she lent me.

Bucyrus, Kansas. We were able to spend some time with Jonathan's Aunt Regina and Uncle Darrel. Also with their son Logan (Jonathan's cousin) and his wife and three boys. They have a family owned and operated pumpkin farm that we went out to visit. We even got to pick the three pumpkins that were fully grown and bring them home with us. We are the first people in town with pumpkins on the front porch.
Jonathan with his cousin Logan -- looking at the pumpkin patch.

Islwyn and "Allergy" (as he calls Aunt Regina)

Logan also grows chrysanthemums, and let me take one home with me. Islwyn is helping pick it out.

I like how my son is clutching a basketball and a beer cozy.....hmmmm.

We also got to meet up with one of my college friends and her two kids for a fun day at a local park/farm. It was so great to see them and meet the kids. We hadn't seen each other since college so it was a bit surreal to me. I felt like I was back 10 years ago in college when we were talking and then I would look over at my two kids.....Amund and Leo ...both of them super tired out and past nap time I think.

Islwyn and Sophia feeding the goats.
Of course had to show one with Islwyn and his giant popsicle!

Watermelon!

Islwyn picked out watermelon seeds at the store, planted them, watered them, and picked them pretty much all on his own this summer. We have picked 3 so far. They were super good today. Here is Amund enjoying a big bite of brother's watermelon.

YUM!


Showing it off after he picked it.

We try and help the kids do fun things on their own. I am so glad we did this with Islwyn and so proud of how he did almost all the work himself. I would find him out there, sitting next to his pumpkins, looking at them and talking to them. And of course I LOVED eating the fresh watermelon straight from the garden today.

3,326 Miles Later....

We are finally home after more than 3,000 miles of driving. The boys did great....mostly thanks to my mom getting them a DVD player so they could watch movies. But Islwyn also LOVED playing with all of the little McDonald's toys and beads that Aunt Mical donated to the cause. Amund liked playing with the pipe cleaners. Then on the last leg from Kansas to Fort Wayne, Jonathan's Aunt and Uncle very generously gave both boys birthday gifts that were perfect for the car. Islwyn keeps his in the car and colors on short car trips in town too. And Amund keeps his Mr. Potato Head in the car and plays with it. He wouldn't even let go of it to go into the store the other day and just played with it the whole time. Anyway, here are the boys feeding and playing with Grandad's horses in Colorado.

Note Islwyn's super nice cowboy boots he got from Grandad and Nani for his birthday. We also got him his own cowboy hat.

Thinking about this ...very serious!
Amund, Dada, and Grandad.

Once back in Kansas we got to spend some more time with Jonathan's grandparents. The boys helped Pa pick up the sticks out of his yard.
Photos in the back yard.

The best. toy. ever.

More of the best. toy. ever.
Islwyn begging for them to play with him...

Sugar City, Colorado. We stopped here to play and have some lunch.
More pictures to come of Islwyn's birthday party and our time in Bucyrus, KS.

Welcome FOUR

Happy Birthday to Islwyn. We welcome you, year four.

More hiking

Mile 1394