April

This year Chris was able to join us for the annual Gas & Steam Show, antique tractor extravaganza complete with a saw mill and incredibly loud steam whistles.

We'll be measuring the boys by this tractor wheel they've stood by for two years running now.

Chris and I so enjoyed strolling around the park in the gorgeous spring weather while the boys ran ahead totally entertained by all the machinery surrounding them.

We also enjoyed the weather at the playground!

It is so nice to have a buddy!

And then for some reason I loved David in his orange tee and was his personal papparazzi:

We baked sugar cookies for Easter dinner at Aunt Renee and Uncle Del's:

Like my elephant?

Gas & Steam Show '09

I promised some pictures from this event a while ago. I was sick and Chris was in Denver, but I wanted to do something special for the kids while Daddy was away. So after a breakfast of waffles (not being the expert pancake flipper that Dad is), this where we hung out for 3-4 hours, not in any hurry, just being together, being near tractors. The weather was beautiful, one of the first truly warm days of the year. The boys really enjoyed looking at all the tractors and antique cars, riding in the cut-out 55-gallon drum "tank car" tractor train, playing with John Deere toys, sitting on the tractors, looking at the animals, taking a hay ride, watching the tractor parade (including a woman's tractor she had painted pink) and best of all, the saw mill.


It was quite loud while the saw was cutting through the log.




This was exciting. A non-motorized road grader that had to be towed.


They're having a great time even though it doesn't look like it.


David observed that they rode in a tank car - I guess he was right!


Trying to pull a heavy trailer but not quite able to get it going.


Vintage cars and trucks.


This man was using chain saws of various sizes to carve intricate wood sculptures. We guessed this was going to be an owl.


The toys. Unfortunately there was a lot of competition for the tractor and the loader. They settled for the wheelbarrow and the lawnmower most of the time.


The pink Farmall antique tractor. Just had to post it.


Joshua and David were quite taken with these musicians, who played a song just for them.


And finally - a surge of ecstasy breaks through Joshua's reserve - up high behind the wheel of a huge, real, modern tractor. Pure bliss!



What a beautiful day it was!

As an aside, Chris's great-uncle Dick Herm used to have tractor shows on his farm, just like this. It was fun to watch the boys experience something Daddy might have done when he was little. In fact, we often wished he was there with us that day! Maybe next year...