Sunny Saturday

With the arrival of warm weather comes all the fun outdoor activities that make living in Northwest Arkansas so great! Saturday was no exception; Farmers Market, followed by the outdoor Birthday Party expo with all the local vendors and then "Touch a Truck". It was hot, but we're glad Summer is finally here. Lots of pics and lots of fun!

 panorama shot of the farmer's market on the Bentonville square. We love visiting the square! So many great restaurants and shops, and there's always something going on!

And then it was on to the Pinnacle Promenade, our outdoor shopping center in Rogers and a great spot for family events. They were hosting a family fun day featuring all the great spots in the area that specialize in Kids' Birthday parties and events. We petted baby goats, baby pigs, bounced in bounce houses and tasted some tasty treats.

 Taking a break from Bouncing

 Even mommy got in the mix with some bounce house sliding!

 "Ooooooh Daddy this cake is gooooood!"

 And daddy got to snap this picture sitting at the fountain while mommy was picking out some new sunglasses. The fun continues!!

And then it was off to "Touch a Truck" in the Target parking lot. Every truck and machine you can imagine was parked and ready for kids to climb on and in, and the horns were blasting away. Dump trucks, cement trucks, busses, bulldozers, ice cream trucks and more....

 since we live across from a school Jude LOVES to call out "Yellow Bus!" Now he gets to check one out!

 Firetrucks!

 Trying on his hard hat, but that wouldn't last

 Whatcha think, Jude? 

"It's HOT, Dadda"

 Ambulance! Jude, what's an ambulance say?

"weeeeoooooooeeeeooooo"

 Nobody calls me chicken!!!!

 Bulldozer! It's a Caterpillar so Grandpa Menk will be happy

 More Caterpillars!

 And finally a Jude sized semi, or as Jude calls it "oooh! me-mi!"

 We finally made it back home for a quick swing session outside. I don't know where he gets the energy but if they could bottle it Redbull would be out of business in a week.

 And then this...we always talk about how Jude NEVER just falls asleep while playing or watching movies. As long as people are up, he can't seem to shut it down. Well, after that long, fun day out and about we came home and he plopped down for a quick episode of Mickey Mouse clubhouse. I stepped outside to water some plants, and when I came back in he was OUT. It was pretty clear by the position he was in that this nap sort of just snuck up on him.

What a cutie, what a Saturday!

Keep on Rollin'

The latest social media craze is Vine. You can take short little snippets of video, and then it runs on a loop over, and over, and over. If you get creative with it you can actually produce some pretty funny clips. Here's my first couple attempts....




My evening house chase with Jude.



and finally...a little fun in the tub

Happy Birthday Aunt Nessa!

Aunt Vanessa celebrated her 25th birthday weekend down south with her favorite nephew...Jude dude. We sure do miss her. Jude was with her all the time in Chicago, so when he gets a weekend every few months, it is a treat. Plus she always brings gifts! Jude loves his new pet clinic with color matching keys. He's got it down already.

We picked her up in Branson Missouri, booked a night at the Grand Country Inn and played all evening at the indoor waterpark. Let's just say Jude had a tini tiny amount of fun. This kid will only go down slides face first from now on.

This slide is pretty cool. Come on Daddy...it's my turn!

The ladies chasing Jude per usual.

There was a huge bucket that dropped tons of water every few minutes and it made Jude nervous.

That. Was. AWESOME.

In our hotel room wrecking the place.

May have been one of the funniest evenings. Playing the Game of Life on the IPAD on SILENT while Jude was sleeping right next to us. We all like to win pretty bad, so name calling in whispers didn't have the same impact...it may have made us laugh harder though. 

PANCAKES.

Downtown Branson before heading to Arkansas.

A memorial fountain that had a fire and water show during the Star Spangled Banner.

Nessa...I want this....please please please can you get it for me?

On our drive we found quite a few things...a castle, one lane bridge and a winery in a quiet valley.

Our fun weekend at home involved less camera time and more fun to be had fixing things. We put together are patio furniture so we could hang out on the veranda. We cooked as usual...bc Nessa and I make some pretty amazing food when we get together. AND of course a trip would not be complete with staying up late hours playing MarioKart....knock it of Donkey Kong!!!

For her last night, we got to take her out on the town in Bentonville. We went to The Hive and Press Room to celebrate. Penguins were everywhere. Then the time came to take Vanessa back to Branson...and back to Chicago. We had so much fun and can't wait for her next trip. Thanks Aunt Nessa. We love you!

Of course we stopped back by our favorite Branson hotel for more fun and water before returning home. Luckily Branson isn't too far away, so we can hop in the car for another adventure anytime.

A Game of Shadows

I was washing some dishes and I caught Jude creeping on his shadow. Only had the iPad handy, so the video quality isn't great, but it's another example of Jude's crazy antics.

It's so funny seeing what keeps toddlers amused. You can spend hundreds of dollars on toys and games but at the end of the day, sometimes chasing an outline of your head is more satisfying.

Easter in Minnesota

Easter weekend was our first long car ride with Jude...and he was amazing! You would think 10 hours in the car to Minneapolis with a 2 1/2 year old would be torture, but boy did he surprise us. We left at 4am, allowing us about 3 hours of sleep for the big guy and the rest was a breeze. But who wouldn't behave when you knew Neil and Sidney were waiting for you. NOBODY!

It was such a fun filled weekend. We finally saw their new place, played all day at the Mall of America, frequented their favorite spot - Pat's Tap - and had a night out at some great Minneapolis hot spots. Let's just say that I didn't realize the toll the Harlem Shake has on one's neck if you dance to the whole 3:13 minutes. It was totally worth it.

But more importantly, we must thank Marcia, Sidney's mom, for watching Jude for us. He had so much fun playing with matchbox cars and foam balls, plus devouring the Peeps she brought for him. YOU ARE WONDERFUL!!! Thank you Marcia.

Eggs on the windows. The Easter Bunny stopped early so I could have my basket for my car ride.

Pilot and Co-Pilot.

Good morning. YOOOOOGURT Bites!

Snack bin and toy bin.

Best invention ever. Wizard of Oz and Shrek are life savers. 

We got there in record time and the festivities commenced. 

Mall of America day:

First roller coaster with Daddy. This is scary.

It's like a choo-choo train. This is awesome!

Lego Land and blue cake ice cream. This is the best day ever.

Another ride. Hot air balloons. 

Walt Disney store purchase and a push from Uncle Neil. Nothing but curls. Time for a nap.

Our night on the town. Thanks for being fabulous!

The Night Before Easter:

We were told that Minnesota has the best soil for planting jelly beans.

We also had the best dinner. Neil and Sidney smoked ribs, chicken and tofu. No words!

Easter Morning:

Easter Egg Hunt!!! This is awesome. Neil and Sid outdid themselves.

Look at all these friends holding on to some colorful eggs.

They are everywhere. 

I'm going to eat all the chocolate.

And a basket! The bunny found me.

THE BEANS GREW INTO LOLLIPOPS! This is fantastic soil for planting jelly beans. 

Thank you Neil and Sidney for being the best hosts and friends. You are truly some of the coolest people we know! Jude approves of this message. 

"Where my Aztecs at?!"