We Go Papa's House, Mama?

Lately this has been my favorite picture of Landon. His smile and eyes and cuteness are all captured here in this photo while he waits for me to pick him up... hahaha

April came over while Dad was visiting and I had to take a picture.



Landon is in love with Dad's hat. You would think he has never seen one before... which actually now that I think about it... no one in the house wears hats. But we have family that does. Or maybe it's just because he loves the attention from Grandpa when he takes it off and puts it on his own head. Who knows. But it's funny to see him interact with my dad. Even though his head is big, it's not big enough to fit and fill out dad's hat.... you've got another few years to go there kiddo! :)



But back on topic... I was riding the the car one day and I was stopped mid-song by Landon.
He asks me, "Mama, we go Papa's house?"
To which I respond... "No, sweetie... we aren't going to Papa's this weekend."
to which he says, "Mama, I love my Papa. He good guy."
Then I smile and laugh to myself.

You see he's been on this whole kick with wanting to be with his Papa... and good guys vs. bad guys. Everyone is either a good guy or bad guy. If we walk by a person in the supermarket he points to them and says, "Mama! He bad guy!" To which I blush and apologize and steer the cart as quickly as I can away from the guy while telling Landon that most people he sees are good guys, there are just a few who are bad.

But how do you really explain to a 2 1/2 year old that he can't go around calling people "bad guys?" Have any of your kids out there gone through this phase? Please give me input if you have found yourself in this situation and what you did and what the results were.

Anyways... back on track again... We went to Papa's house the other weekend to spend the night with them and enjoy their company. Dad and Ruth were working on Saturday when we came and so Landon hung out at their mailbox while I locked up the car and we walked across the park and down a few blocks to Ruth's work at the Water District in Othello. I learned that week that if you give a child something specific you want them to do that they are glad to do it instead of something general. So while I was unloading the car, I told Landon to hold onto my leg and then when it came time to head out I told him to keep his hand on the mailbox... he listened perfectly! I was so happy because usually he darts around on the sidewalk and sometimes oversteps into the street and I am scared to death of him darting out into the street one day when a car is coming. So this was a huge moment of newly found technique for me.



We made it to Ruth's work and Landon was immediately fascinated by a few things. First the water fountain! I'm not sure if this is just with him or with other kids, but any time he passes or gets a glimpse of a water fountain he seems to be magnetically drawn to it. Especially in church on Sunday or at Wal-Mart's check out/bathroom area.

Anyways... Focus Autumn Focus!

After I got his attention off of the drinking fountain it turned to the picture of the cranes. He knows birds when he sees them in the sky... his uncle may have even taught him how to use a duck call this last hunting season... I'm not totally sure. But you get the gist of it. Landon is totally into birds of any sort and so he LOVED the picture and stuffed crane in the entry way of Grandma's work. He kept making gun noises like he was going to shoot them!



Then he finally saw Grandma who treated him to some candy from the candy dispenser!
Plus he got 2 quarters while he was there.
Lucky duck!



On our way home from seeing Grandma at work, I told Landon he could play on the toys at the playground because we were still waiting for Dad to get home. There were a ton of softball tournaments going on and lots of kids around, but that didn't stop me from taking a million photos as always!





Then after the playing wore down and I started to get tired, we headed home.
On the way Landon picked up a stick... and I was amazed with that stick.
The stick became a whip at first, whipping the dandelions in the grass;
then a horse to gallop him around,
then a sword to cut up trees (and my leg),
then an crutch to help him walk,
then a baton to help lead the band,
then a gun to shoot the birds flying from tree to tree,
and lastly (I think) was it being a spear that he threw into the tough ground with a huge grunt.
The imagination of a little boy astounds me.



We got back and after a nap, Landon went to work helping Papa build the above ground plant beds. He helped screw the wood together, take tools to Papa, and inspecting the work. But during the process as Papa was hammering the wood to be level, Landon covered his ears... the sound was a little much on him. :)





When Landon got bored with Papa, he helped Grandma Ruth play in the dirt with cars and Transformer toys. But after a while he resorted to the rake and shovel... who knew! hahaha



The next day we came home, but not before going to see Ruth at her church. It was a long service for the fact that it was right at Landon's nap time and Landon wasn't having any of it. So I found myself out in the hallway a lot.... but that's ok... I think I'll stick to our sacrament meetings on Sundays. Then he was knocked out in the car before we even left town. Poor kid wore himself out.

Quincy Weekend Fun

Get ready for a LONG blog about the Quincy weekend almost 2 weeks ago.
A lot happened and that calls for a LONG blog with MANY pictures about what happened.

First we started out going to Verna Teeter's house because Trista (Lybbert) Teeter was in town from North Carolina because her sister, Dene' was married in the Columbia River Temple and doing a couple receptions. So I stopped right when I got into town to see her. And while we were there Landon found a raccoon hat that he loved. :)

Then I had to hit Trista up with a photo of her and I... we haven't seen each other in a couple of years and since then she has Samuel now and he's almost a year old! So we had some catching up to do! In the photo can you tell that she is tan and I'm albino? Maybe I need to move to North Carolina to be near the beach and work on this crazy, blinding whiteness I have going on here. hahaha



Then I needed to get a photo with Landon. He has overalls on and I think they are too small for them, but I didn't realize that until I saw him in these photos... so don't worry. I won't be showing him in them again. ;)



Trista's little girl, Brooklyn, loved playing with Landon on the swing. I was trying to get them together. The time they were together Landon was just barely born and I remember her holding him... boy time really does fly...



Then of course they start making faces and farting noises...
ok, let me correct that:
Landon was making farting noises.
He is really into making farting noises and I am annoyed as heck at times throughout the day when he'll not only just make the farting noises, back his little butt up to you and put it on your leg while making the appropriate noise for a 2 1/2 year old. I caught my brother-in-law, Thomas, doing it the other day and finally found the culprit of who had been teaching this horrible noise and motion of cocking their hip to the side as they walk while making the infamous fart noise. Thomas totally denied the allegations put against him. Then a couple of days later he told me that he found himself doing it and not realizing that he was even doing it....
so the shoe fit the crime it looked like. >.>



But then they high-tailed it to the kids pool outside when they caught sight of it! lol...



It was so funny. Brooklyn took off ALL of her clothes and then was told by her mom, Trista, to put her undies back on... but when she did they didn't go on like normal... as you can see. hahaha



Trista after a while helped her get them on correctly so she didn't walk all funny in them. :)



But that didn't stop them being so wet that they started to sag... she is such a doll and so good too! Then there's Trista and Brooklyn. Cute as can be!



I had to put this one on here... Brooklyn was hiding under the turtle cover of the sand box and when she started to come out I snapped this photo which makes her look like she's a turtle! hahaha Loved my timing!



Then it was off to Dene' and Kenny's reception at the church... they had a Hawaiian theme going on if you can't tell... and she and Kenny are so about being the Next Top Model!



Trista was the photographer with her umbrella light and camera at the ready! lol



Us dressed up for the occasion.



Then the roast began... but I couldn't take my eyes off of Dene' and Kenny for too long.
They were so happy it just couldn't be hidden... it was contagious!
I am so happy they met eachother and that they are married now. I know they will have an amazing life together because they both are amazing individuals.



I scared Trista with my camera shot of her! She wasn't used to being in the line of fire.



Then I jumped in the car with Kristina (Cox) Taylor to head to a baseball game in Ephrata.
We ended up sharing her Ipod earphones to listen to the songs and had fun as always when she is driving and we're chatting. I am now thinking that this looks a lot like the one picture I took of us making a trip home from BYU-Idaho together in 2004!



Later on Sunday we made it back to Kristina's house to celebrate her little boy, Parker, 1st Birthday with a family/friends party! Landon fell in love with this jeep. It was Taija's.



But when he finally got to drive it, guess what happened...
yeah... he went straight for the only tree he could find in the backyard. hahaha
I'm worried about him getting his learner's permit after this one! ;)



But once we pulled him back and put him on track he was off again with Taija hanging on for dear life! hahaha



This is Kristina's mom, LaDawn Reynolds. She is amazing and got me hooked onto Ruby Red Squirt from a can. She is so funny and really scared of mice. This weekend she had a mouse that was stuck under the drawer in the kitchen with a paw in the mouse trap and she waited until Kristina and I got it out... well I tried, but Kristina took over because she didn't think I was pinching the tongs too much... which she found out was harder than she thought. :)



And here is Kristina and I at her house. She got me hooked on Tootie Fruities too! hahaha
I think back and love the memories that encompass the last high school nights to horsebackriding, to hanging out in her entertainment room with friends, to driving around the country in search of a bonfire. I have really enjoyed the time that I have had with her.
She's amazing, just like her mom!



Landon on the swing out in back of Kristina's home.




These photos are how I think childhood should be. Fun and carefree.



Then he got an attitude with not wanting to eat and just wanting to play around...
He has the pouting face down pat!



Then it was cake time for Parker and cupcake time for the other kids.
Landon looks more like he's snarling than smiling here...



Then it was outside to play some more. He LOVES bikes and tractors.
Today on the way to daycare we passed some tractors that were tearing up the road and Landon pointed them out and told me what they were and then continued to say that he LOVED tractors. I couldn't have been more proud of my little boy!

Memorial Day Festivities

So I came back to Tri-Cities the night before Memorial Day weekend. I had to work the next day. I guess that it's an unwritten law that employees are required to "volunteer" on Memorial Day. This is only 1 of 4 paid vacation days we get throughout the year... but whatever. So I ended my weekend short and came back to work the following day at the Cemetery for the Memorial Day Service. I'm telling you... it was incredible. The speakers said things from their hearts that made you think about the blessings and joys you have living here in the US and those that have fought for the freedom we so often take for granted. The singer was phenomenal and my favorite that he sang was God Bless the USA. I got goosebumps and shivers during that song. It was incredible. I wish everyone could have been there.

But before I go any further... I will explain what Linzey and Landon are doing below. They woke up sooooo early and Linzey decided to play dress up. She was the queen and she made Landon a prince with a robe. hahaha I took this picture as I was heading out the door. They were so cute that morning. :)



I made it to the Funeral Home located above the Cemetery and chilled with Miss Tiffany while we waited for Jeannine to arrive so we could all walk down together. When Jeannine arrived and we started out... my camera shots started then too! This is Me, Tiffany, and Jeannine. We all work as office managers at the funeral homes that Mueller's owns. I am at Mueller's Chapel of the Falls. Tiffany at Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Home. Jeannine at Mueller's Greenlee Funeral Home. We are the three amigos at work and love to share our funny blunders with one another... sometimes only things that other Funeral employees would relate to. :)
(can you tell there was a breeze right then?)



I had to get a picture of the Tank that's located on our way down to the Memorial Day Service. Jeannine and I have never really seen it so I made her get in the picture with me.



We make it down, after a few minutes of walking and chatting, to the Ceremony spot in the Cemetery and I loved how many flags there were there. Picture this picture and then looking to both sides and seeing hundreds of graves covered with mini flags placed where veterans have been laid to rest.



During the service there was this gentleman who came and plopped down on the grass near us. I didn't think or give him a second glace after the service started. And then one of the speakers called each branch of the military veterans to stand. I was touched and took notice a little more when he stood after the Navy had been called. For some reason it was a lesson to me. You can't tell outwardly if someone has served or not... regardless they need to be thanked. So this is my thank you to this gentleman who seemed invisible to me until he stood.



This was my favorite speaker that day. He is an officer with the Benton County Sheriff's Dept. During his speach at the closing he asked us to raise our hand in the air if we would fight, to our death if it's needed, against any army/nation that was invading our country. Every woman and man, whether old or young, and every child that understood raised their hand. There wasn't one hand left down. And each of us truly meant it. He then stated that we ARE the most powerful nation because of that one fact. Every citizen of this country would fight to the death for the freedom we enjoy. No wise country would ever come against us. This is why many respect the US Military.
His speech was moving. Empowering. Thought provoking. Deeply refreshing. Stirring.



There were 3 brothers that were standing side by side most of the service and I thought it was very cool. It caught my eye when the songs were being sung that they all were standing exactly the same. The oldest to the youngest of these young men had their hats off and hands placed behind their backs. Before I could get that picture the oldest one replaced his hat on his head. But I still felt it worthy of a picture.



After the service, we sought out... ok... I sought out Jess Reiland. I had never seen him in his military uniform. You see... Jess is the one we contact when the family has requested Military Honors for their loved one. So Jess makes that happen with the Veteran of Foreign Wars. I had to get a picture with us and him.




As we went back down to the tented area to help families find their loved ones graves, we realized that Denise and Lauri were packed up and gone! But while we were standing there (not knowing where they went) a very nice young man came up and gave us a heartfelt thank you for the Memorial Day Service that was done for those who had passed away after serving in the Military. His hat said that he was a World War II Veteran and I was so struck by his stories and personality I asked if I could get a picture with him. Thankfully he accepted and believe me... he was strong when he put his arm around me to hug me close for the picture! I loved this man, even if we only had a breif encounter.



Before we headed back up to the Funeral home and our cars, I had to get a photo of this sight. This isn't Christ as I had once thought. It is a Saint that I can't recall at the moment. But what struck me was the statue surrounded by the many US Flags.



And a closer view of the statue... One day I will go and read the inscription underneath it.



After wards there was a lunch provided by the owners for those who helped out. We went of course because we all were starving and tired of standing in the sun.

Below is Rob. He is one of the Funeral Directors here. He is slim, but I don't know how he keeps it slim when he devoured the 4-5 pieces of pizza stacked in front of him.
Amazing appetite.



Then the infamous Brad. He is so funny if you can't tell from the photo. :)
He loves to have a good time and is also another Funeral Director. He is LDS and his wife, Nelda, makes THE BEST powdered chex mix that I've ever had!



This would be Jim. Jim loves to give me a hard time in the mornings as he's leaving the Funeral Director Meetings which he conducts. And I just love to give him a hard time right back. :) I love to spoil the Funeral Directors with treats and sweets. That way they'll bring me more cases and I won't be so bored during the day.... but bored for me is good for families...



Here are the three guys together... Jim, Rob, and Bradley making sure he's in the shot. hahaha



After I got home I realized how red I was because I had thought with the cloud cover we had that I wouldn't get sunburnt... yeah... as you can tell I was really wrong.
Here is my sister, Leah, and me.

In the end my nose and chest were peeling... but thankfully it only lasted a day!
Next time I will have some SPF Sunscreen on no matter what type of forecast it is!