Memorial Weekend Family Fun

Despite the rainy and windy weather we had a fun little get together on Sunday with the cousins. The wind did die down and rain was reduced to sprinkles so the kids did have some fun outside too.

Labor Day - Cousin Fun

Checking out the Water! - Alexis, Aliya, Zach & Ginger

Labor Day weekend was full of family time. Saturday we had a funeral for Dean's uncle Louis and Zach spent some time at Grammy's. Afterward we met up with Brenda, Keely, Kinsey and Kami at Grammy's house. I tried to get some pics of Kami but she doesn't think I'm as cute as she is... so no smiles for me! :)
Also over the weekend we got to hang out at Gramma Bee's with the cousins. Z had lots of fun with Aliya and Alexis and the kittens!

Fun with the Kitties!

Kami - won't give me any smiles!

Corn Feed and Our Latest Happenings

Looking at these pictures I realize that life really doesn't change that much, or at least our wardrobes don't. If it weren't for our growing boy, you could  look at last year's corn feed pic and not tell anything different.
Things that are changing around here are....Zach jabbering away & singing ABC's - it goes more like "QRSTUV" over and over or Twinkle Twinkle mixed in "How I Wonder what You are?" "Is that right?". What a silly little boy!
Another latest thing is the daily fort he makes out of a dozen or more pillows and being a big boy and taking a  shower with Daddy. He is the cleanest boy around - every night we come in and he says, "Mom, I dirty! I take shower! You take shower? I take shower."
I'm hoping the neat bug might stick a little bit as one day before Grammy came, I mentioned sweeping the floor and he gets out the vaccuum, shakes his head and says "Look at this mess! Messy, Messy, Messy!"
Zach also figured out how to ride bike with training wheels this past month or so and our latest favorite books are 3 Little Pigs, and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey tree.
The garden is kicking into gear, with tomatoes, lots of cucs, and corn soon to be ready. The pumpkins are looking good and I think I am done freezing beans. Next project....salsa!

Z and baby Jacob

Learning to climb trees

Pillow Pile! Such excitement.

Belated Birthday and Bottle Lambs!

Sunday, 5/8/11 (Mother's Day) - A little belated but we finally got to celebrate a bit with Allison for her birthday. We went over and played with balloons, opened her gift, and then enjoyed going to the barn and feeding the bottle lambs and a bike ride.
What fun! Zach really did well for the first time feeding a bottle lamb, he jumped right in and wasn't timid at all. I think he was disappointed when they were all fed as he wanted to keep going.
Afterward Amber, Allison and Zach went for a fun bike ride as it was getting dark. A late evening but good times!

Welcome Baby Jacob!

Another Ski boy - Jacob Dale - proud parents Dale and Renee - Congrats!
January 17, 2011 at 7:36 AM
9 pounds 3 ounces
22 inches

Zach pretty excited to see him! And really fun to hear Zach say "baby Jacob".

Thanksgiving - Like the Ol' Days!

This year we had a big gathering at the Grin farm with the Derry crew! Just like the old days - the whole gang came to visit with a few additions since the last Thanksgiving reunion (it has been so long we can't remember when it was. Although we know we were all in MN for Matt & Lindsey's wedding in 2005.)

We got in some of our favorite games (like Boggle) and a few new ones, had many a good laughs and eats, and a few naps too. :)

We are so thankful that it worked out for all to come celebrate together, despite the bad weather forecast.

Zach had fun playing with "boy" Sean (what a cutie!) and got to ride with Papa in the tractor to feed the cows. Of course that was a hit!

Boom of Boys!

Welcome to Dylan Donovan born to Donovan and Tera yesterday afternoon. 8 lb. 2 oz. Seems the Ski's are going for some boys to even the playing field. Even... for a short bit...11 girls and 11 boys (counting Zach) til...Dale and Renee's boy due in January.

Independence Day 2010

We had a nice long weekend for the 4th this year, since it landed on a Sunday that meant most had the 5th off as well. We enjoyed a fun get together with the Ski's on the 3rd at Dean's sisters then on the 4th we went into the local parade with both of our families. Zach fell asleep on the way into the parade but woke up when he heard the fire trucks start out the parade. Later we had a Grill Out party at our place. Dean gave the nieces and Zach a hay ride with the 4 wlr. as you can see from the video it was a hit. At the end of the clip we finally figured out what Zach wanted to stop for....give Allison a hug and get her to join in on the fun. So cute!

May Daze

Well it seems May has passed and it has already been about a month since I posted anything.
We've been busy! I took lots of pics of our fun. So here it is...
Early May we helped cut down trees at Grandma B's house and Zach got his first tractor ride with Daddy. We also had some fun playing with cousins there and Auntie Nae had some baby Canada Geese to play with.
Zach really loves Grandma's chickens. Even though the mean black rooster started a fight with him once, he seems to have forgotten already.
We spent lots of time preparing our garden spot and finally got the majority of it planted on the 16th. Things are starting to grow pretty good now and have been working on weeds.
We discovered that a fox had her den in our pasture near the garden. Dean thought he counted 6 babies which seems to be a lot. We were able to watch them play, pretty cute.
We also had a nice grill-out with the A. family - Zach and Tressa had a blast with the trikes and Luke was content to have Zach give him a few wagon rides. :)
Other projects around here... Keeping up with the lawn is a project in itself!
In the past week Dean has been setting traps for the moles in our tree rows - he has had quite a bit of success and Zach knows where each trap is and watches closely that we don't miss checking one. He has also learn all about shooting a gun - as he tells Daddy to "Bootz 'em".

Meet Matthew and Play with the A's

We finally got to meet Matthew! It had been a long wait, as we were always avoiding getting together with one illness or another. On Wednesday afternoon it finally worked. At 2 1/2 wks. Matt seems so tiny! You forget so quickly although not sure if Zach was ever quite that small. Here are my favorites from my photo shoot, I had to sneak one with Mom Renae in there somewhere.

We also had a fun and wild play day outside during our visit. Sidewalk chalk, snacks, sticks, water, and chasing each other around!
It was hilarious to see how Zach got into running around the yard with Tressa. Thanks to the A family for having us!

Welcome Matthew Ron!

Andrew and Renae welcomed into the world their second son, Matthew Ron. Born March 19 at 4:16am. 6lb.6oz. 19 inches. Fun to compare those hospital pics. Just looked back at the one of Luke, Matt's big brother. Congrats to the A. Family! Can't wait for the spring bugs and germs to go away so we can meet your new addition to the family.

Birthdays, Birthdays, and more Birthdays!

So it's been awhile, but we just can't seem to stop celebrating birthdays long enough for me to post anything. This shows some pics from some of the parties.
How many birthday spankings you ask?
Daryl got 32! (I'm sure that hurt!)
Austin, 13 (just enough to keep him out of trouble)
and Amber 5 (getting ready to go to Kindergarten!)

Party @ 5

On Zach's 5 month milestone, we loaded up the Chev and headed south for the weekend to celebrate birthdays with friends and family. Alexis had her 2nd Birthday on Sunday and we partied it up with all the cousins Sat night. Then Sunday we hung out with Andrew & family - as it is his 6th birthday this Tuesday. Andrew & Grace and all the cousins kept Zach entertained, he loved all the activity! It was such a nice weather this weekend, they had to wear their shades! (Pictured below: Z, Andrew & Grace) The cousin party was to much of a whirlwind to get a still picture! Hee Hee!

70's Baby Flashback

More Flashbacks, I am really enjoying these.


Mom's and their baby's taken 1977: L to R: Bev & Jeri, Ruth & Sara, Jane & one of the twins (Andrew or Chris) and Ruthie & Nicole

Reading to my baby brother, May 1979: Wade (9mo.) and Sara (soon to be 3yrs)

A baby in 1979: Who does this look like? Is it D or Z? Yep, I'd say Zach looks like his daddy Dean!

Playdate

Last week we got together with Luke and Tressa for a little playdate! It was fun to see Luke and Zach check each other out! We had fun playing and making banana bread - it was quite the party! Tressa knows how to live-it-up like a Rockstar! :)

Boo's your Daddy?

This Hallows Eve and weekend was quite busy! We met up with some more of Zach's Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Friends. We had a few trick or treaters as you can see and then Sat and Sun we visited more family. Sunday we went down to Grammy and Grampy Grin's house and I got a chance to get outside and help get the cows home while Grammy watched Zach. We also got to see cousin Becky and Jason. Lots of fun but a little less sleep so this Mom is thankful for the week to be starting for a day of quiet without company and so much going on. :) Who would have thought I would enjoy a Monday so much! That will change once I go back to work!