Greetings From America's Dairyland!

Oy. Got a little behind there... Time to catch up.

We took our first family road trip with both kids a few weeks ago to visit our friends Stacey & Jeremy in Madison. We were a little anxious about bringing both kids on a long trip and trying to mix in kid fun and adult fun but everything went really smooth and we had a really good time. The drive out there kind of went like this...

For some reason I busted out laughing every time I looked back at Violet sleeping with her little lips and double chin.

We stopped in Menomonie to look at a couple of our college houses and be nostalgic. Then it was off to Madison. For a long freeway drive you can't beat the scenery and rolling farm land of Central Wisconsin. One of the highlights of our visit was the farmer's market in Madison -- the largest in the country. It stretches for blocks around the state capital.

We took a brief tour of the capital building and I can tell you that Henry urinated all over the pristine marble tile floor of the state capital. All in a day's work for this young chap...

Mmmmm.... Donuts...

They pretty much have everything that you could possibly imagine there and a whole lot more, including a respectable contingent of street musicians. I won't even get into the cheese thing but I will just say that they have that covered too. We came home with a variety of cheeses, a big ole' thingie of brussel sprouts the size of a small Christmas tree, and two sixers of a Madison micro brew -- Hopalicious it's called.

We also went to Ella's Deli & Ice Cream Parlor ,which may be the best restaurant in the world for three year olds. You might just have to check out the website. They have a whole bunch of animated and motorized displays of superheroes and miscellaneous kid's stuff made of paper mache that go back and forth on trolley lines across the ceiling. There is a Beatles diorama and a tribute to the Green Bay Packers. Most of the tables had glass tops with stuff underneath like Pez dispensers and baseball cards -- that kind of stuff. The chocolate malts were elegant, although I was disappointed that they didn't give you the little extra left over in the metal cup which is customary elsewhere. I wish you could see the ceilings... Here's Violet. The woman can flat out eat. I had a cherry coke and an open-faced Reuben sandwich that was both challenging and delightful all at once.

But the kicker was the carousel. Here's mama and Violet.

Mama was flabbergasted that I let Henry have his own horse and judging from the look on Henry's face, I think he was surprised also. Jeremy looks on as I hold Henry's had for balance and reassurance purposes.

Henry has dance class with Grandma Sue on Tuesdays. The Tuesday before Halloween was an open house for the parents and the kids were urged to wear their costumes. The night was filled with comedy both intentional and unintentional. Unfortunately, the pictures turned out a bit dark. I don't recall the exact name of the maneuver. However, below is a photo of Henry in mid-stride mastering a complicated step in his soft ballet shoes and Batman costume.


Henry mugs for the camera as Grandma Sue puts the class through the paces...

Henry had to be separated from this guy once because they are total trouble makers when they sit next to each other. Below, they discuss dance and general skulduggery.

Halloween night - We gave the kids some festive cupcakes. It seems like a post a picture like this about every two weeks. The messy eating pictures never get old.

One day a couple weeks back I had a day of a bunch of driving around out to St. Joseph and over to East Jesus and back so I decided to take Henry along with me so he could get a feel for the gig and spend a day with his pa like old times. On the way back to the office from St. Joseph we were able to stop and see Great Grandma Evi for a while for a cup of coffee and a visit. Henry and I decided to wear matching business attire which amused my wife to no end. It was a business casual revolution.

Here is the assembled cousin posse on Halloween. We drove out to our folks places and then out to a nearby subdivision for trick or treating.

This guy was really festive about Halloween and had his yard all tricked out stuff. He offered me and my brother a beer, which was thoughtful. Henry got all amped up on suckers.

Here is Henry with cousin Jada...

We don't really use the baby gate anymore. Violet has subsequently mastered the stairs and now walks up the stairs with her ultra long body using the railing like a big girl... She must be having a little growth spurt because everyone has been commenting on what a huge beast she is.

Two Action Packed Weekends & An Introduction to Mutton Busting...

I'm a little bit overwhelmed by the number of photos I have to catalog for this blog entry but when you cram Shafer Days, a circa 1920 bank robbery reenactment, hay ride, and a pumpkin patch into one weekend and follow it up with a good ol' fashioned fall / Halloween cookie decorating party the next weekend, it all adds up to exactly one buttload of pretty sweet pictures. And yes, I DID say a circa 1920 bank robbery reenactment. It's part of the gala that is Shafer Days.

Henry honing the art of the "wet willy" on a virtually defenseless young lady...

Downtown Shafer is breathtaking this time of year. The gentle roars of the the garden tractor pull serenaded us in the distance...

Me and Henry looking thuggish at the scene of the infamous bank heist.

Downtown Shafer!Henry tries to go against the grain and make a right turn. Guess what, guy -- left turns only.

Violet and myself take in the festivities...

Last weekend momma has some of her lady friends and their kids over for a little fall / Halloween cookie decorating and goat harassment party.

I love this picture of Henry and "Mad Dog". We have a trail that goes from our back yard to our little goat pasture and to the back field. I walk it a couple times a day to take care of the goats and what not and sometimes just to go for walks around the field and stuff. This picture pretty much shows how I always see Henry running down the trail all crazy looking like he is about to fall.

Another one...

Ashley and Violet discuss toddler matters in the goat pen.

Henry waxes poetic on some of the finer points of animal husbandry. I would say he is on track to dominate the field in 4H. I think he could also be pretty decent at "mutton busting" on the rodeo circuit judging from some of his shenanigans with the goats but I'm not sure momma would cotton to that kind of mess.
This cookie right here was 100% decorated by Henry James from the critical design stage all the way to the completion...

The sugar buzz was just beginning to take hold...

Here's the gang -- Note: Violet hunkered down in a witches cauldron.

Maddie, Allie and Violet (and Ashley's leg and arm)...

I was gone on top secret business but Henry was described as an above average cookie enthusiast. This photo would tend to confirm that.
I believe the sugar buzz was wearing off here...
The gang...

It was an absolutely gorgeous and perfect fall day at Lendt's Pumpkin Patch. Many, many pumpkins... Gourds, cider, what have you... they had it all.

Lots of pumpkins...
Violet likes to climb on stuff. I know that the shawl / poncho look is very 2004 but I would say Violet pulls it off and makes it her own.

We picked out about half a dozen really good pumpkins.

It seemed like me and Henry had to do most of the work. Typical...

The fall colors have peaked at the ranch. Here is the view from our porch...


Violet ambles down the driveway. Note: my woodpile. I have maybe a cord dried, split and stacked. Hopefully, next year I can do better.

Henry and Violet share a rare tender moment...

Bottoms Up!

Just a typical morning at the ranch...



Henry likes to drink from the tap. We like it because we don't have to do anything. Henry had his first dentist appointment a few weeks ago. He did really good and had no cavities. Violet is getting into the act too. She likes to play with her toothbrush. Sometimes she even brushes.

Violet is adding new words to her vocabulary every day. She can sort of repeat any word you say to her. She says daddy, mama, gramma, Ike, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Here is Henry being gross and eating crackers.

Henry's new favorite cartoon on Netflix. I haven't studied it too hard but from what I can tell it's about three ambiguously gay and morbidly obese sumo grapplers. But I dare you not to get the theme song stuck in your head.

Fun Ideas For That Extra Roll of Industrial Plastic Wrap

Violet was very close to being inconsolable for a couple days. I am pretty sure she has been teething something fierce. Check out her shirt in the picture below. Drools McGoo. Her good spirits seem to be back now.


This is an older picture from tub time. Another happy moment.


Violet likes to show us her toes when we are at the table.

I rolled Henry up with a roll of industrial plastic wrap. He thought it was fun... for a while. After we rolled around laughing he just sort of flopped around on the bathroom floor a while and started getting mad.
This was Violet at the peak of her last bout with teething. She is generally not a cuddler so she must have been feeling pretty bad...

Batman Fever...

All superheroes have this moment -- The Identity Crisis... I believe this is where Henry realizes that with great power comes great responsibility.



In case you are confused, Henry wanted to show people who he is going to be for Halloween... The optional gloves really tie the outfit together. I've never been one for the store bought costumes, but it's pretty funny to watch him run around the house as Batman. I just wish it would have a functioning utility belt.



He is able to leap tall child gates in a single bound...


Here he is acting as TinkerBell / Violets personal bodyguard. That is his game face. It's the same face I get right before he does a karate freak out on me.

Sheri and Ashley came over for a play date last weekend. I'm not sure what mom and Sheri were doing at this particular moment but it doesn't look like either of the girls are very impressed with what is going down.

I'm still trying to figure out how Henry went from this little guy...

to this...

in what seems like the blink of an eye. He is just a regular little dude now. He just got some spiffy new hiking boots with velcro. He is one month into his formal dance training at Grandma Sue's dance studio. He is studying jazz, tap, ballet and freeform / hip-hop. He also claims that they get to play with swords and do pirate dancing. We don't watch the class, so I can't confirm or deny that. Mom and I recently taught both kids how to do "jazz hands" and that is working out pretty good too.

Are you talking to me?

Henry and I went for a cruise down our road on the four wheeler and came upon a dead possum. Henry was very intrigued to say the least. He kept calling it a "Pasta". "Daddy, let's go look at that pasta again" and "why is that pasta got blood on his furs" and so on. Very curious young man. I hope nobody was spying on us with binoculars as we kept making little circles around this little dead possum. That might have looked weird.