Mall of America and Rich's Wedding

Can you see Marie's face just screaming out "THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!" I should start buying tickets to people's wedding dances because my kids loved going to Rich and Jessica Teske's. Eva has said that Adam and Sheena's wedding was the most fun she's ever had in her 8 years of life. And, Travis cried when we had to leave Rich's dance.

Marie was a muddy, sloppy, spilled on mess by the end of the night. She was a flamenco dancer, lifting her dress up all night and laughing....

...so, Luke thought maybe he was missing out on something?

Cousin Jack went to Mall of America with us. He went on big rides. Luke would've gone on every one of them if he'd have been tall enough. I sent him on the log ride with Jack. But, there are no pictures because I started to get crazy worried about my decision to let a 10 year old take a 3 year old on a ride like that. But, they had a great time!

Jill and Carter Schinkle and their boys, Cannon and Caseyn (the little guys, as Luke calls them) also joined us. My kids loved the little guys house. And why wouldn't they? Jill let them make their own rainbow cupcakes and paint flower pots with acrylic paint and stickers. She's way nicer than me!

Travis glady taking Marie on the little kid rides... because he's scared of anything bigger.

Luke will out-ride Eva, that's for sure. He was so calm and well-behaved at the MOA since something was finally fast and loud enough for him.

Jack, Luke and Eva

Travis, Eva, Marie, Luke and Jack

Fine parenting moment.

As a parent of four, I hope that I can teach others some of my skills I have acquired over the years. Sue posted this picture of Andrew, her neice Libby and Norah and labeled it "Erika Buckhouse style." Watch out dad, I'm stealing your label! So glad I can spread such fine parenting advice.

And this picture of Travis from 2006 shows why Sue said that. We were the only ones with kids back then, and we all went to Walker for the 4th of July. Well, I forgot a high chair type seat for Travis. So, I made him one out of beer box! Beer boxes were plentiful back then, but baby seats were not.
We had a great vacation to the Evens house in St. Paul recently; complete with a trip to the Children's Museum and Grand Ol' Days.

Marie and Norah.

The video of Luke the DJ follow. He was commanding the board and wasn't going to let anyone touch the controls. Travis was doing his big brother duty and making him as mad as possible.

Andrew, Travis, Norah and Luke at the Children's Museum. Luke was really into the water room, as you can see.

Sorry, jumped around on this post. Andrew, Luke, Travis, Eva and Marie at Grand Ol Days. Look at Ol' Man Travis with his legs crossed. He always sits like this.

Luke and Andrew. Too cute.

Grand Ol Days parade.... Travis being super weird....And if you look close you can see that someone wrote in chalk "put candy here" with big arrows. Ha! Chuck or Chris I'm guessing as I never saw it until now!

This was the face Luke wore for about an hour as he watched the ping pong balls float threw the tubes and canals and water at the Children Museum.

Andrew and Eva

Luke being a DJ

This was at the children's museum in the cities. Luke was commanding the board at the "dance." It's ruined by me yelling at him to share, but doing nothing about it because it was so funny and I wanted to record it. And Marie ruins it by whining. Still funny. He's so Chris.

Travis' Kindergarten books

Travis made about 100 of these books in Kindergarten. I figured since we have some friends getting married this weekend, this story may be humorous. Also, my brother, Adam, is sitting around this weekend NOT playing softball because an unsoftball was caught by his face and he broke his jaw and his mouth is wired shut for 6 weeks. So, I thought he could use some reading material.

"The Frankenstein Wedding" By Travis Hanson- age 5

"I want a girlfriend."

Oh no, there's a girl going to jail who is really sad, she'd be a great pick!

She's crying for someone to help her....

Silly guards, they left their post and Frankenstein dressed up like a policeman and grabbed the keys. Genius!

She's crying; no problem though because his cute little hand with the keys pops around the corner.

"Come on?" says Frankenstein. "Huh?" says the gal.

"Will you marry me?" Who needs match.com people? Just head down to the jail!

So sweet.

The saga continues...

"I cannot believe we are going to the hospital."

"Well, I have a present." So, as you can see, that's pregnant Mrs. Frankensteing laying on the bed with her IV poles and her big tummy. Travis is an experienced big brother.

"Ta-duh!" Travis will be a great husband some day if he has flowers ready to go in the car when they go to the hospital to have a baby.

There is Mrs. Frankenstein, all smiley and happy looking at the flowers with the baby getting lower on her body...

"It is coming out!" This is where I am very glad that he is not writing this book in the 2nd grade when we've told him many more details about how this happens.

First, Mr. Frankenstein had wished it was one boy. But then, as you can see by the scribbles, he changed the story a bit.

Mrs. Frankenstein did NOT want two boys.