Sunday, November 27, 2011

Part 1: Vacation (Indiana then England)

Fist off I want to give a atta Boy to google for making blogger so much easier to upload pictures.  That has been an issue for some time and they now have a easy way to upload the picture I find are vital to keeping up with posting.

When we left you last Brenda and I just had the young James dedicated.  That next Friday we left on a  2 week vacation stopping in Indiana and then continuing on to London to visit my cousin and his family for a week and a half.  The fist stop was at Brenda's sisters in Lafayette.
Here is James with his two cousins at the park.

He loved that swing and figured out over this vacation how to really mug it up for the camera

We really had a great time hanging out in the house and bummin around town.

We visited a local farm and historical area where they had a Sear and Roebuck house and the nicest lady inside that was very informative.  She ran a dishwasher that was so loud we could hardly hear each other think

Then we were off to the anniversary celebration of the battle of Tippecanoe.  Most of us really have no idea that this battle was so important to the Indian wars, but the people in this area certainly know and now I do as well.

The places for family pictures were everywhere.

I wore that baby carrier a lot during this vacation.  I insisted that we travel with minimum luggage so there was certainly no room for a stroller.

I thought James fit nicely into this doll high chair....that in until I tried to get him out.  The tray was not a removable kind and James tensed his legs up making freeing him form this contraption nearly impossible.  After a lot of pushing and screams of pain form him he was free.  I think we both leaned something that day.  Me: he is to big for any doll stuff,  Him: never trust dad.

Then we were off to London.  James did great on the plane and all the trains we took as well.  People in London mostly keep to themselves and never look at you on the train.  I had the cutest kid in the entire nation and no one even cracked a smile at him. 

Then we were off from London to Cambridge.  My cousin in a professor at St. Catherine's at Cambridge University and we were going to stay at their place for the next 7 days.

Day 1 had us visiting the university botanical gardens right down the street and Brenda acting like a crazy woman

Then a family photo with only James's forehead.  Matt and Cara had a couple of stroller so we could use them when we were in Cambridge.

I found out the soda in England is actually good for you, it has vegetable extracts.  Wait a minute....I think the soda in the U.S. has that to.

The colors and weather were awesome.  It did not rain once during our 10 days in England.  The weather was better than we could have imagined and are very thankful for that.

The first of many phone booths.  Everyone has cell phones, but the phone booth is kind of iconic so they keep them all over the place.  We only saw 2 people using them for making calls the entire vacation...and about 200 people using them for the above purpose.

Here is Kings College and the cute kid as well

We would be given a tour of the cathedral another day by my cousin, but this day we walked all over the town getting our bearings and checking out all the architecture they have over there.

Here is the family and Kayli.  She had a 2 yr birthday party while we were there and there will be more to come about that.

Next post will finish the trip to England.   I have way to many pics to fit it in just one post.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Quick last two weeks

Here is the last two weeks in a whirlwind.
James got cuter.  He sits up great and is starting to try and talk.

Brenda got hotter

The in laws and parents were out this past weekend and the men had a chance to go out into the garage and take the motor of the bike apart.  We had to find the source of the seized motor.   When we saw this i said..."well there's your problem".  Piston is rusted in.

We could not get it unsiezed and currently are trying one of many different things to try and get the piston unstuck.

James was dedicated this past Sunday at church and that was the main reason the parents came out.  We also had a chance to take a quality family picture.
I also got a chance to weigh Jabba and he topped out at about 280lbs.  The giant pumpkin did not weigh as much as I thought it would, but it did take 4 of us to load it in the car, so I have had some questions as to the accuracy of the dump scales.  Jim and Sandra got a picture on the giant.
Then it was my parents turn.  James, or course, laughed and smiled awesome.
Then it was our turn

Brenda took James for a bike ride before the snow hits.  It has gotten bitterly cold out here and we are not looking forward to the winter.

I was out of town Monday, but Brenda thought she would dress James up in a costume a neighbor gave us and take his picture.  The monkey costume was ridiculous, but you just cant help but smile when seeing him in it.

And finally, a common sight when waking James up from a nap.  All smiles and laughs.
Wow...see got hotter in just the time I was writing this blog.  She just got home from the beauty school and looks great.