Happy Birthday Grandpa

While we go to Kansas every year, this year we went specifically in May to share Grandpa's birthday with him. The kids got to help ice his cupcakes and we all went out for a good KC steakhouse dinner. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

Tractors, Tractors, Everywhere....

What would a visit to Kansas be without a lot of tractors.....

Big people on big tractors....


Little people on big tractors....


Little people on little tractors...


And best of all......big people on little tractors....

Being Kansas-fied

There's no place like home Dorothy.....

The essential piece to any cowboy's wardrobe - the bolo tie....


Mmmmm - KC BBQ ribs - the best BBQ bar none....

Rock Chalk JayHawk!!!

And what Kansas visit would be complete without doing the farm chores...


Feeding the farm animals


And milking the cow (or in this case the plastic practice cow)


Whew.....Kansas wears me out....

You know you are old when....

You know you are old when the pillars of your education get pulled asunder.

First it was Pluto being demoted from planet status and now "modern" science has taken aim at the dinosaurs. We took the kids to a Dinosaurs Uncovered exhibit today and much to my amazement I have now learned that dinosaurs had feathers and/or hair. WHAT!!!!!! When the hell did dinosaurs grow feathers?? My dinosaur education (admittedly most of it from the Jurassic Park movies) has been based on lizard looking dinosaurs with leathery skin, not bright plumes of feathers sticking out from atop a head of menacing teeth. What else am I going to learn when the kids start real school?? That the Earth is actually not round. That Pi is not actually 3.14.

Getting old sucks.

One Crazy Summer

So tomorrow is the official kick off of vacation-palooza in the Erim household - with trips to Kansas, Annapolis, Austin, the Bahamas, the Smoky Mountains, the lake with friends. Then add events like Quinn's recital, Greyson's birthday and preschool graduation and two separate weeks at art camp. Throw in a couple visits from the grandparents and friends and we literally have ONE free weekend between now and the 1st of August. Aghhh.

This summer is going to fly by so hold on everyone.....

Geography Lesson

Our friends Ayumi and Taylor are making a brief overnight stop to visit on their way from Santa Fe to DC. Ayumi is originally from Japan so this was a great time to take out the map and do a little geography lesson. After the kids correctly found Nashville on the map we looked at all the other places relating to Taylor and Ayumi's visit. Finally I pointed to Washington DC as their final destination.

"Now do you know what is special about Washington DC??"
"Oh, yes!!!" cried Greyson enthusiastically.

I was about to be impressed that my son knew our nation's capital.

"Mommy, that is where the Caps play!!"

Mom's Geography Lessons - 0
Raif's Hockey Lessons - 1

Child Labor (Part II)

Greyson was SO excited to help mow the lawn....wonder if he will be this enthusiastic about it when he is 16 and gets to do the whole thing by himself.