Summer fun

July has been busy for us. We spent the 4th in Walker, taking in all the fun activities: parade, park, fireworks from the boat. On the 11th we had our annual summer party at the cabin, a hit as usual. I went back to the dentist and they aren't going to treat my tooth yet, I go back in 2 months. So for the next couple months I still have a crooked, loose tooth. Jeff said he'll still be seen with me. 

Ian has 2 more rides for his cycling merit badge. He has completed 2 ten mile, 2 15 mile, and a 25 mile ride. This weekend is one more 25 mile, then he finishes with a 50 mile during

 a campout at the end of the month. The trail he will be on was in the travel section last weekend: (Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail)

He will be riding his new Trek bike that he picked out at Penn Cycle. Ian put his garage sale money in, and  his loving parents and Grandpa Jeff kicked in also. He loves riding it. He has also started his personal fitness merit badge...this kid will be in shape!

At camp Tesomas, Ian earned the canoeing and swimming merit badges. He is doing great in

 scouts!

Ian, Rowan and I spent the afternoon at Grandma Rosie's recently, and Ian learned all the

 secrets to making great chocolate chip cookies. Also, Ian got up on the water skiis this year!!!

Rowan got over a high fever, I think the cause was the many teeth poking through in his little mouth!

I'll wrap up with a few summer pictures!

First Day of Daycare

Rowan starts daycare today! Yikes. Ian is coming with me this morning to drop off, we are going to hang out until he gets used to it, then leave him for just a short day today while we go to Companies to Classrooms and probably to the Shakopee Pool for awhile. Ian is excited to have me to himself for a bit.

Pictures of scout camp still coming...we are busy and Jeff wants to write about the pictures since he was there.

A few more summer pictures...

Jeff and Ian work the boy scout car show. Rowan hangs out with them.

Mommy and Rowan on the boat.Look what Rowan learned how to do! Spin the ball.

Busy Fun Weekend

We were crazy busy this weekend, but fun busy. Friday night we went to Dave and Busters in Maple Grove. We met Jeff's coworker Marie and her family. After a good dinner Ian and Kaleb made off with some good prizes they got with there video game ticket winnings.Saturday we went up to Jeff's parents lake place. There was a ton of work to be done to get the place ready for summer. Jeff and his dad worked on getting the weeds off the shore and other jobs along the shore line. Ian swept the million pineneedles and other foliage from off the many steps, and I got all the outdoor furniture cleaned up. Sunday we invited our neighbors up for a lake day. (We do a neighborhood dinner every other months, and take turns hosting amongst a few families. We decided to host ours at the lake this time around.) We had great weather! I've never seen kids want to fish more than swim, but this group did. Rowan spent most of the day snoozing inside, only joined the party for a little while, but didn't seem to care too much about it all!

Kaleb and Ian with their prizes

Enjoying summer grilling

Double Tubing

Wipe out! I love the feature on my camera that lets me take a series of fast pictures so I can get shots like this...That's Ian dismounting his tube!

I love this one of Ian and Drew fishing!

Oak Grove Sign

These are fun! Note 2 different casts! I must have Kindergarten and first grade somewhere, but I wasn't digital yet, so I'll have to find and scan them!

First Day Second Grade

Last Day Second Grade

First Day Third Grade

Last Day Third Grade

First Day Fourth Grade

Random Summer

Just a few pics from random things we have been up to...

1.Jeff and Ian are on RENEGADE, about 8 rows back, Jeff in white, Ian in Blue

2.Rowan being his cute smiley self

3. Ian at the archery range

All A's!

Here is Ian's report card~All A's this quarter, and last, and the one before that. In fact, you will see just one B+ in phy ed. Way to go Ian! (Takes after his mother!)

Wisconsin Dells!

Ian, Rowan and I spent two fun nights in Wisconsin Dells this week. We met my good friend/college roommate, Toni and her almost 2 year old daughter, Tia and the Polynesian Hotel.It was a lot of fun, despite the unpredictable weather! At first I wasn't sure if we would be able to go because of threats of storms and tornados. We got up early in the morning and got on the road Wednesday, and managed to beat the bad weather. Ian got a little time in the outdoor water park when we arrived, but not much! The rain started and we were forced inside. Luckily, the indoor park was a nice one also. There were flash flood and tornado warnings all over the state. Toni and I finally had to turn off

the weather radio I brought because it kept buzzing on, over and over, the whole time we were in the room. Due to all the flooding parts of 94 were closed today, but not from the Dells to the Twin Cities, so I was able to make it out. Toni was not so lucky and was going to have to take other roads back to her house near Lake Geneva.

We had a good time, though, and it was fun to spend time with friends.

We went to look at what used to be Lake Delton. I'm sure you saw this on the news, the lake drained and is no longer there. It is a very strange sight. In this picture I took you can see the big mud field that used to be the lake, and what is left of the house they showed washing away on the news.

Rowan, Ian and Tia enjoying vacation:

Smart boy

This might seem more like Ian's Blog than Rowan's Blog lately! Big brother Ian has just been so busy lately. Today Mom, Dad, and Rowan went to Ian's end ofthe year award ceremony. Warning: Bragging about to occur, read on anyway!!! ...

Ian got several end of the year awards, and we are all really proud of him.

He got a certificate for improving his Map (computerized achievement test) Test score from fall to spring, not that he needed improvement (a note on this...in the fall Ian's Math Map score was the highest in the school! The principal even stopped Grandpa Jeff in the hall on Grandparents day to tell him about it!).

He was awarded the Presidential Academic Fitness Award, which was a pin and certificate for his good grades.

He was awarded the All-Academic Award from Shakopee schools for high grades (this was a wrist band prize).

The final recognition he got was his progress page for his first year of band (Ian seemed most proud of this one). His teacher circled OUTSTANDING and gave him ++ after it (Ian said he was the only one to get plus, plus.) Her comment was"Wow I hear a G above staff today and "Taps"! Ian is one of the best 5th grade trumpeters in the district! Beautiful tone and great rhythm too."

Clearly this talent comes from his mother, although I don't think I could hit high G until I was a freshman.

Anyway, I'll wrap up the brag-fest for now...we'll finish up with a shot of Rowan enjoying the ceremony, after all, it is supposed to be his blog!

Ian sings

Ian would have a FIT if he knew this was available for all to see, but it is too funny not to post. We only wish it didn't cut off at the end. Still, though, it is one of the family favorites! This would have been right after we moved into the townhouse, so he would have been about 6.

Hats for sale!

Ian made almost $200 selling hats today. He got thousands (yes, thousands) of them from Grandpa. He is donating 25% to the humane society, and using the rest for BoyScout camps and equipement, and investmensts.

Rowan and Mommy are really proud of Big Brother Ian. He auditioned for and landed two parts in the Pearson Elementary talent show (Not to mention playing in the band.) We had fun at the show today! You can watch a video of the Little Teapot Rap he did with his friend Than (Get the We Will Rock You song going in your head). During the rap the whole school clapped along. Also check out the pictures of him playing his trumpet with the band, and doing a solo on the piano of Alexander March. (It was Hawaiian day, that's why he is dressed funny!)

SUPER JOB, IAN!!!! YOU MAKE US PROUD!

Grandpa and the boys

A while back I was looking at this picture of Rowan and Grandpa and wondering what about it was so familiar... So I went looking in old pictures until I found why!

Grandpa and Rowan, 2008

Grandpa and Ian, 1997

The chair is different, but the pose is the same!!

Rowan's First Farm Visit

Rowan had his first visit to the farm (Ian has been there too many times to count!) The reason for the trip, besides a visit with our favorite aunt/Godmother, was to meet the new baby! He is only a week old and already has long strong legs and can run across the farm yard! He doesn't have a name yet, but some suggestions have been Bodacious, Greystone, and Guinness.

Isn't he cute?!

Ian also helped feed Cheyenne and Willow (the new baby's big sisters) and Sparks.

Unfortunately that photo won't upload, so check back for it another time!

Rowan didn't care much about the other baby, instead he spent most of his time snoozing on the pool deck.

He did wake up for a little while though, to take a swing....Nothing says the start of summer like a ride on the hammock!

Here is Rowan's reaction to Ian's first 5th grade band concert!

Itasca State Park

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Rowan and his family took a camping trip to Itasca State Park. It was, of course, Rowan's first time camping (It had also been a very long time since his mom had camped!) Rowan waited in his stroller with his mom while Ian and Daddy walked across the Mississippi headwaters. Meals were cooked by Daddy in his new dutch oven and by Ian, using the camping cookstove.

Our campsite was not on the lake as originally planned, Mom made a mistake with the reservation and set it for June 24-26. Luckily they had a spot open for us!

Rowan and Ian spent some time hanging out in the tent.

When everyone was busy with camping duties, Rowan enjoyed watching from his own sunblocker tent!