One-Way Roller & Sweet Potato-Lover

Talon started rolling over this week. I think he's still quite surprised when he does it. And he gets stuck on his belly now and gets really ticked off about it. I caught these pictures before that moment though! :)

This isn't his first solid food, but it is his first time in the high chair.

I seriously could not feed him the sweet potatoes fast enough. He really doesn't like the rice cereal at all! Do you blame him really? It tastes like watered down styrofoam - not that I've ever had that before, but you get the point!

1st Day of School

Well, it's official! Simon goes to school! He started last week and he goes 4 afternoons a week.

Here he is looking all handsome, ready to go.

And a little too excited to leave me. :(

I realize that it's only Pre-K, but still! It's a huge deal to me. It changes my WHOLE day - good and bad. So far, I'm really enjoying the structure of the day. We HAVE TO get out of our pajamas by 11:00 or so - no questions asked. I just can't go out in pajama pants. Some people can but I just can't do it! :) So we're all dressed every day now - which is nice! (I mean really, what't the point of putting jeans on when you're doing dishes, loads of laundry, changing diapers and wiping up spit up?)

The bad is that I really miss my boy in the afternoons! Every day we would watch Dragon Tales while Ben took a nap and I nursed Talon. Sometimes we would even get Talon to actually go into his bed for a nice nap. Then it was me and Simon for an hour or so cuddled up watching our favorite show. I loved that one on one time and I miss him now...but I do still flip to Dragon Tales, just to see which episode it is. I don't have to let go of EVERYTHING now do I!?!?!!

Talon Finds His Toes

I love these pictures! Every time he can reach them, he's grabbing at them now. It's so cute.

Ben's "Beach" Bash

Last weekend we had a family party for Ben's birthday. We waited so that Grandma Penny & Grandpa Mike could be here. It was a beach-themed party. Anyone that knows me KNOWS that I love a theme - and usually go nuts with it!

Here's our "nephew" Winston (Pete & Kath's dog) with his treat bag - or bucket in this case! It was a beach-themed party after all!

Here's the weed wacker from Auntie Aimee & Uncle Ryan. If we would have known, we would have made him open this last. It was all he wanted. He honestly did not even care that there were a bunch of other presents to open. So we let him play with the weed wacker for a bit because he was completely overwhelmed anyway. He came back to open the rest eventually! Thanks everyone! He's having a blast with all of his new stuff! Once everything calmed down he was able to process it all and enjoy his new toys. I think the whole party was just tooooo much for him!

It's not a Lagestee family party without Grandma Betty's rice krispies! She always decorates them with a ton of candy and they are so cute. The kids love them!

The cake!

Happy Birthday Ben!

Splash Pad

Usually by mid-week, Simon starts asking when Daddy is going to stay home, which means Saturday! One evening he asked Jon if he was staying home the next day. Jon said "No, but I am on Saturday...what would you like to do that day." Simon said "I want have muffins then go to go to Wicker Park and play in the sprinklers!" So, here they are...after the muffins, of course! Ben is an absolute maniac in there! Running...running...running! It's hard to keep a eye on him. They both just love it! What a blast!

Shorn Sheep

Simon, Bennett & Daddy all got buzzed the other day. Not Talon of course, but they all look so cute!

My boys - all FOUR of them!

To The Rescue!

Does anyone else ever go to bed with the sound of fire trucks ringing in their ears? Or is it just me? Anyone that knows my boys, knows that they can imitate the sound of a fire truck almost exactly. It's loud, ear-piercing and down-right annoying sometimes! (Especially when the truck cart at Strack magically turns into a fire truck.) I have to say though that when they are firefighters, usually they are playing together - which is really nice. My boys have "put out" the fire in every room of our house!

Here they are in their fire truck (the chairs in a row, tomorrow it could be a train - you just never know!). Ben's making phone calls back there.

Here's Simon: right hand is a flashing light, left hand is the horn.

Funny thing is - these moments don't look loud...but they really are! So loud. I have a headache just thinking about it!

Elephant Pool

Auntie Sue sent Ben some money for his birthday so we headed to Toys 'R' Us. After a l-o-n-g time, he decided on this pool. It has a spot to put the hose through so that it's like the elephant's trunk is spraying water. The boys immediately got in - clothes and all. (It was a really hot day!) After they got soaked, the shirts came off...then the pants! They had an absoulte blast. Thanks Auntie Sue! We love and miss you, African Girl! (By the way...Susie's blog is now up and running! If you want to check it out, click the link in my sidebar.)

Talon loves Leah

I truly believe that Talon has a little crush on Leah - and vice versa!

This is him smiling at her - almost laughing!

Let Me Shine a Little Light on the Subject...

On a day like today - all gray and gloomy - I can't help but think of the late Mr. Wynsma. . . If there was ever a day like today, he would come in to each classroom, put his special principal key in the lightswitch and make an extra set of lights come on. As he did this, with a great smile, he would always say "Let me shine a little light on the subject for you" and leave. My first memory of it is when I was probably in 4th grade, at Calvary Academy of course. It made me wish for gray, gloomy days. Such a nice memory! Now, as I look back on it, he was truly committed to that school and every single child that attended and their parents. Even after we graduated, married and had babies, he still wanted to see us - almost to make sure we were doing okay. He was seriously a great man.

Here are my boys enjoying this gloomy day. They can always find a way to enjoy even the simple things. I have to admit, the rain does smell good. I was in a rather foul mood while I was taking these pictures. Talon has been giving us a rough time lately with sleeping. He almost refuses to nap and then gets so overtired that he can't go to sleep for the night. So I'm tired, to say the very least. And Jon was getting ready to leave for a youth retreat with like 70 kids from church. He'll be gone for 3 days!!! :( I sure do hope I don't go crazy. I feel like I just might though! :) I'll keep you posted - if I have time.

Jail Bird

Here's Tal looking all smiley and cute - and well, kind-of like a prisoner in those stripes!

Dad, do you think he looks like Jake? Could it be possible that he will look more like me than Ben???

Talon's First Food - part 2

Applesauce!

Day 2: He loves the applesauce! After a few bites he figures out that he needs to open his mouth when he sees the spoon. Then he does a huge smile! Still trying to figure out that tongue though. Don't push the food out Talon! He'll get it, I know. So I'm not pushing him.

Talon's First Food - part 1

Rice Cereal!

Day 1: He's not quite sure what to make of it. Baby cereal is kind-of a weird texture. He's really just pushing it out of his mouth with his tongue more than eating it.

Belly Wobble

Only the Hi-5 lovers will get this one...

After watching an episode of Hi-5* Simon came up stairs with wipes draped all the way around his underpants. "Look Mom...I'm Kimee!" I stared at him for a second. He stared at me wondering if he was going to get in trouble for pulling out all those wipes. Then I figured out what he meant and started cracking up! What a creative little boy you are Simon! :)

* Hi-5 is their favorite show - I'm sad to say though that it's more Ben's favorite than it is Simon's now. Anyhoo, Kimee makes a belly dancing skirt by tucking silk scarves into the waist of her skirt, that's where he got the idea. "Belly Wobble, Belly Wobble, just like me." If you have kids under 5 you should watch it in the mornings on TLC andDiscovery Kids. Best 22 minutes you will ever have in the day, right Aim?

Fun Dip

Is it just me, the candy connoisseur, or don't you just love it when your kids like candy that you liked when you were a kid? Here they are eating Fun Dip! Don't tell them, but they get the blue because I don't like that flavor. I'm weird when it comes to candy. I don't like when things are changed. Back when I used to buy it at Lan-Oak for 15 cents you picked cherry or grape. They don't know that while they are sleeping, I eat the cherry and grape. What is up with blue raspberry that turns to green apple on your tongue anyway?

Everyone's Fixing Their Car

Simon & Ben are both obsessed with Jon's car - Ben just says "hot rod, hot rod - loud". Simon knows it's a 68 Rambler! They love to go for rides. Even if they are in the basement when he starts it they both come running! (It is pretty loud!)

When Jon's working on his - the boys work on theirs! Although they are usually asleep when he works on it! :)