Life with The Lunning's

Portrait Innovations--Take 2

2009-08-30T21:05:00.006-05:00

I haven't been successful getting the boys' pictures taken TOGETHER in almost two years. They're all smiles when I take them in by themselves, but getting both of them to smile AND look at the camera at the SAME time has been impossible. I made a futile attempt last weekend, but was determined to get this right, so we went back again this morning. We only got a few good ones, but at this point, I'd settle for ONE. Maybe next year will be easier! :)

Fresh from the Bath!

2009-08-29T21:17:00.002-05:00

My frog and lion :)

2009-08-28T21:14:00.001-05:00

Today, one of our neighbors, Marcus, came over to play with Tyler after school, then had dinner with us. Dave's parents came over for dinner, too, and gave the boys each a souvenir from their recent trip to Orlando.

The boys building with Legos

Popsicles for dessert!

The boys love their Disney bus and truck that Mama Carol and & Papa Dave brought back from Disneyworld!

My Messy Boy

2009-08-26T21:43:00.001-05:00

What Will We Do With All of This Candy?

2009-08-24T21:42:00.001-05:00

I sorted everything that the boys collected at Columbia Daze....

Tyler's project for the weekend was to make an "All About Me" bag. Since he loves M&M's, we used M&M's stickers to spell his name, then decorated the bag with Scooby-Doo, airplane, Star Wars Clone Wars, and sweet treats stickers--some of his favorite things in life. :)

Then, we had to fill it with 5 or 6 things that describe Tyler (his hobbies, favorite pasttimes, etc). We kind of exceeded the limit on the items, but Tyler couldn't decide what to take out of the bag, so we're just going to include all of it. :)

Fun Summer Day at Mama Neanie's House

2009-08-23T21:01:00.003-05:00

We headed over to my mom's this afternoon for dinner. The boys had fun pulling weeds with Mama Neanie (really??) and going on a scooter ride.

My mom and Scott; step-brother, David with Tyler; Connor enjoying his hotdog.

Tyler is trying his hardest to beat Dave at foosball! :)

Me with my hubby and little bro.

Another Fun Day at Mighty Ball Soccer, Lowe's, and a BBQ

2009-08-22T21:22:00.003-05:00

Tyler and Spencer love playing soccer together!

Today's Lowe's project.....

......a school bus!

This afternoon, we headed out to West County for a BBQ at the home of one of Tyler's preschool friends, John. Connor wanted to eat dinner at the "big boy table."

The Probst Family (Ross, Nancy, & John); James, Deana, & Landon; The Lunning Family. The four member of the group, Lucas, wasn't able to make it, but we hope to see him soon!

John, Landon, and Tyler

Tyler's 2nd Week of School

2009-08-21T21:05:00.004-05:00

Since I was off work today, I took a few more pics of Tyler at the bus stop....and in his classroom, and on the playground, and in the cafeteria, etc..... He was SO excited to see Mama Neanie waiting with me at the bus stop this afternoon and couldn't wait to tell her all about his day. My mom had dinner with us tonight, then the boys and I gave his birthday gifts to him--late. But, it's the thought that counts, right? :)

Could he be ANY more excited than this?

Getting to work......

Fun on the playground with a few of his classmates; tetherball is his favorite recess activity.

Marie Schaefer is the home of the Wildcats (I took this picture in the cafeteria).

Each class sits at its designated table. When the kids get to school each day, they put their lunch bags in the classroom laundry hamper. Then, each week, the students take turns being the "Lunch Helper," meaning he/she gets to pull the hamper to the cafeteria at lunchtime.

Our first lunch together at school!

Just got off of the bus and getting ready to ride his bike home--the highlight of his day right now. :)

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Mama Neanie and her boys

Giddy-up, horsies!

New life!

2009-08-16T23:35:00.002-05:00

Every Spring for the past few years, a bird of some kind (it varies from year to year) decides to build a nest on one of our bedroom window sills. Always the same window (we have two) and always the same end of the sill. Why this particular spot is so popular is beyond me--it's not nearly a big enough space to actually build a nest! We've watched momma birds very carefully intertwine twigs, leaves, blades of grass, etc. over the course of a week or two, only to have their new home roll off of the ledge and land on our front porch, a result of even the weakest breeze. This usually happens three or four times before the nest decides to stay put; what the bird does differently at this point, I don't know. And why she doesn't learn after the first time and take up residence somewhere else is a mystery to me, too! Nevertheless, once she is sure that the nest is secure, she sits......and sits.....and sits......and after a few weeks, we see the fruits of her labor! There are usually one or two eggs--and more often than not, one of them tends to roll out of the nest onto our porch before it has a chance to hatch. :( This year, though, our momma dove (who only laid one egg), rarely left the nest and hovered over her new offspring until it was able to fly on its own. I kept forgetting to snap a picture of the eggs, but I did get a few of the baby bird with it's mom! Oh, and everyday when we'd get home from school/work, the boys raced upstairs to tap on the window and say "Hi" to "Mommy Bird." Tyler was actually the first to notice that the egg had hatched, which he was, of course, very proud of! ;)

You can see the baby's head peaking out from behind Mom on the right side.

What was left of the egg after it hatched.

Columbia Daze Weekend

2009-08-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

Every year, we join our SLU Band friends in Columbia, IL for the hands-down BEST parade we've ever been to. Never in my life have I been to a parade that begins with 18 firetrucks/ambulances. Seriously! And enough candy to last our kids for a year; and if you stick around afterward, you could easily fill a plastic bag with what the kids DIDN'T pick up! Dave's sister and her girls, Taylor and Brenna, have come with us a couple of times and it's so much fun. After the parade, we drove over to the Community Park for great food, music, and carnival rides. The kids had a blast!

Connor and Brenna enjoying an ice cream treat at Mama Carol's house (last night).

We started today with Tyler's soccer game.

Then, after lunch and naps, we headed to Columbia, found a shady spot close to the street, and waited for the parade to start.

Here they come!

Connor LOVES firetrucks!

Taylor and Taylor are ready to fill their bags with candy; Brenna and Connor are sporting some of the beads that they caught.

They threw money to us!

Me and my sis-in-law

The kids had a great time on the ferris wheel!

What a fun day!

Awww........

Less than 10 minutes into the drive home...

Group photo before Deb and the girls return to Aurora.

First Day of School

2009-08-14T23:02:00.003-05:00

Today was Tyler's first day of Kindergarten--a day that he has been excited about for a long time. He's never been shy and has never had issues adjusting to a new environment or people. That being said, I still wasn't prepared for him to insist on riding the bus on his first day. I asked him three times this morning if he was sure that he didn't want me to drive him to school. His response every time was, "No, Mom. I want to ride the bus; it'll be fun!" So, I drove him to the bus stop, and though he did hold back a little when he saw all of the "big kids" standing together, he walked right toward the doors of the bus when it arrived, never turning back to look at me. He plopped down in the second row, spotted me through the window, and very excitedly waved to me as the bus pulled away from the stop--with the cheesiest grin on his face that I think I've ever seen. :)

Oh, and since I felt kind of "left out" not being able to drive him to school, I decided to follow the bus and capture a few more moments from Tyler's very first day.

My handsome little man

Our neighbors, Marcus and Ebony, greeted Tyler with smiles and hugs at the bus stop.

His ship has come in! :)

Made it to school!

Saying "Good Morning" to Miss Skidis was #1 on his agenda.

Tyler and Mikey, one of his new friends.

Tyler made this picture for Miss Skidis on his last day of preschool. His class was asked to draw what they're looking forward to the most in Kindergarten.

Beth and I with our big boys!

Waiting at the door with the other "car riders" after school.

As a special treat, I took Tyler out to his daycare after school to visit his teacher & friends, since it was an early dismissal day at school.

Tyler and his best buds from preschool: John, Lucas, and Landon.

Then, we met Daddy at Noodles for lunch!

Followed by a yummy ice cream treat at Ben & Jerry's!

Afterward, we headed back to preschool to catch up with a few more of Tyler's teachers. He adores Miss Kaelyn and has always had fun clowning around with Mrs. Jennifer and Miss Alicia.

This is what Miss Skidis handed out to each of her students today. I thought it was cute and worth sharing. :)

Last Day of Preschool

2009-08-13T23:01:00.002-05:00

This morning, we dropped Tyler off at daycare for the last time. What a bittersweet feeling it was. :(

Tyler and his buddy, Landon

After we drop Tyler off, we have to walk past his classroom window to get to the parking lot. He has stood at that window faithfully EVERY morning for the past year waiting to wave to us as we walk by; and we always stop together to blow him a kiss and give him the thumbs-up sign (our way of telling him to have a great day).

Goodbye MBCC and Kindergarten Open House

2009-08-12T22:09:00.001-05:00

Tyler only has a couple of days of preschool left, then it's off to Kindergarten. When we picked him up today, it happened that he was one of only four kids in his class waiting to be picked up. And the other three were "his girls"--Hannah, Allison, and Emma. He's talked about them constantly for the past year and really enjoys hanging out with them. I decided to snap a few pictures of them since my camera was conveniently in the car. :)

This is the sign that Tyler and his classmates made.

One of the last times that Tyler will be drawing and coloring with his girls

All of the kids really love Ms. Mary, the Center Director.

Tonight, we met Dave's parents and my mom at Tyler's new school for Kindergarten Open House. Tyler thought it would be a good idea to show Connor that he's able to fit in his locker. This led to Connor stepping into the locker next to Tyler and both boys yelling, "Lock the door! Lock the door!"

Tyler and one of his new friends, Mikey.

Papa Dave, Mama Carol, Mama Jeanie, with their new Kindergartener.

We ended our evening with a trip to Tropical Sno--my favorite!

Our Little Book Worm

2009-08-11T22:03:00.002-05:00

Every night after we finish reading and tuck Connor in, we put all of his books on his nightstand......and when we check on him a couple of hours later on our way to bed, this is typically what we find.

A Ride in Papa's Truck and Tyler's First Sleepover

2009-08-09T21:33:00.004-05:00

Dave's dad had to drive the camper back to the storage facility in Columbia, and he knows how much Connor LOVES riding in his truck, so he offered to take him along. Doesn't he look like there's no where else he'd rather be? :)

Tyler was so excited about his very first sleepover--he's staying at his friend, Lucas', house and I'm sure that they had a great time today. We dropped him off this afternoon and hung out with Lucas' parents for awhile. They're such nice people and have been trying to work out a night for Tyler to come over for weeks now. Since it's been difficult finding a Friday or Saturday night that worked for both of us, Lucas' mom suggested a Sunday night. Since the boys go to daycare together, it'll work out perfectly. AND Tyler will get to sleep in tomorrow. :)

Mighty Ball Soccer

2009-08-08T22:46:00.004-05:00

Coach Dave likes to do stretching exercises with the boys before starting the drills.

Nothing warms you up like a few laps around the field!

Mama & Papa catching the action from the sidelines.

Our friend, Michelle, stopped by with her little boy, Landon, to say hi. Isn't he a cutie? :)

Chaser and Abby

Two peas in a pod. :)

After practice, we made a quick stop at Wal-Mart to see the Cheerios car.......

........went to Lowe's for the monthly Build and Grow Workshop......

.......then went over to Dave and Molly's house for a fun afternoon with our kiddos! The first thing Connor did was try on Abby's princess shoes. He does the same thing with my shoes at home. :)

Connor enjoyed taking Abby for a spin.

Molly and I bought new bikes for the boys a few weeks apart--and didn't even know that we purchased the same exact one! How weird is that?

Coach Dave convinced us to take the training wheels off of Tyler's bike. We were a little hesitant, but I'm glad that we did it--as soon as he gave Tyler a quick push, he took off and rode around the cul-de-sac for the next 20 minutes--without crashing!

Not sure that this photo really needs a comment. ;)

Abby looked really cute lying in this (muddy) water puddle; unfortunately, her swimsuit was FILTHY when she stood up. Two machine washes (and lots of Oxy Clean) later, it was as good as new!

Tyler, Spence, Abby, Cameron, and Connor enjoying a Freeze Pop on this HOT day.

Dads, sons, and bikes.

When we got home, Papa Dave came over and Tyler had to show him immediately what a pro he is already. :)

We All Scream For Ice Cream!

2009-08-07T23:03:00.003-05:00

I have a feeling the ice cream truck is NEVER going to get old at our house!

Kindergarten Orientation

2009-08-06T23:37:00.003-05:00

Also known as "Popsicle Orientation" (you'll see why in one of the photos below), tonight was our opportunity to meet Tyler's teacher, Miss Skidis, his classmates, and the other parents. He seemed to like one of the boys in his class, Mikey, right away. And their lockers are right next to each other (bonus!). Miss Skidis seems super nice and a lot of fun.

When we arrived at the school tonight, we went straight to the library for the principal's greeting, then were told that the class lists had been posted today (earlier than we thought--they were originally going to be posted next week), so we went down the hall to the kindergarten classrooms. There are three of them, and Tyler arrived at the first one a full 10 seconds ahead of us. He couldn't wait to find out who is teacher was going to be! He walked up to Ms. Ross first and, to our surprise, said, "Hi. I'm Tyler Lunning. Are you my teacher?" She smiled at him, politely said no, and off he went to Classroom #2, where he greeted that teacher, Miss Skidis, the same way. She smiled and said, "Yes, Tyler! You're in my class!" The smile on his face was so big, you'd have thought he just won the lottery. He walked right into the classroom and began walking around, familiarizing himself with the room. And all this time, not once did he look to make sure that we were still there with him--guess there's no need to worry about how he'll adjust to his new environment! :)

Tyler and Miss Skidis--he couldn't wait to show her the Lego airplane that he built--in about 2 minutes. :)

After checking out his locker, we headed outside to the playground, where Ms. Newton, the principal, was giving out popsicles to all of the kids.

A couple of views of Tyler's classroom

One of the teachers down the hall has filled her classroom with M&M's decor. I have to meet her! And make sure that Tyler is in HER class in a few years. :)

Connor wants to do everything that his big brother does.

A Fun Day with Ava!

2009-08-06T21:39:00.003-05:00

Last night, my mom brought Ava over to spend the night with us and she spent the day with me while Dave was at work and the boys were at school. She's such a good baby and so cute to watch. :)

Sacked out!

My sweet niece

New Addition

2009-08-05T22:29:00.001-05:00

Some good friends of ours, Dave and Becky, had their first baby a couple of days ago: Joseph Anthony. He is such a cutie; and, since he was born here at MoBap where I work, I was able to sneak over and visit for a few minutes this morning. Congrats, Dave and Beck! :)

Last Day of Camping and a Fave Dish

2009-08-02T23:02:00.002-05:00

We had a fun breakfast with the kids, spent a little bit more time at the playground, then hit the road, going our separate ways back home. It's been a fun few days! :)

The kiddos enjoy their last breakfast (this trip) before everyone heads home.

The tire swing was Connor's favorite.

Our neighbors, Dave and Laurie, are fellow Southerners and enjoy authentic cajun food as much as we do. When we visited my family in Louisiana in July, we picked up several different varieties of boudin for Dave. So tonight, when he cooked up a batch of crawfish etoufee with rice and a side of boudin, he brought over a HOT bowl of it. And boy, did I enjoy it! Thanks, Dave! :)

Another Fun Day at the Lake

2009-08-01T23:11:00.004-05:00

This morning, we took the kids to Mattoon, IL for the Home Depot Kids Workshop and they all had fun building their wall planners. When we got back to camp, we had lunch and enjoyed--yes--more playtime!

Day 2 at Coon Creek

2009-07-31T22:31:00.004-05:00

Another nice day at the lake! Dave's parents arrived at lunchtime today and the kids spent more time riding bikes, going on walks, and goofing off at the playground!

Our campsite

Connor and Brenna

Cute girls and handsome boys!

Tyler's newest infatuation is with spiders--especially Daddy Long-legs!

Mama Carol and Papa Dave have arrived! Notice the two big kids waiting patiently for the truck to come to a stop. :)

Getting ready to walk the doggies!

This is what happens when you leave two 5-year-olds alone in a camper with a fresh batch of brownies! When I walked in on them chowing down and asked them what in the world they were doing, their immediate response was, "We asked Papa if we could have a brownie, and he didn't say anything, so we thought that meant YES!" Very clever. ;)

Connor and Brenna enjoying pizza for lunch, while Tyler and Taylor skipped right to dessert!

Deb and me

Lounge time!

After dinner, we took our kiddos into town for a Dairy Queen treat!

We're in Lake Shelbyville!

2009-07-30T22:12:00.004-05:00

This morning, we headed to Lake Shelbyville, IL (about 2.5 hours from home) to join Dave's sister, Debbie, her husband, Dave, and their girls for a fun few days of camping! The kids spent a good portion of today playing on the playground; we also took a walk down to the small "beach," which is currently closed due to high water levels. :( The kids did enjoy throwing sticks into the water and watching Copper fetch them, though!

The boys passed the time in the car playing with Star Wars figures.

Fun on the playground! Or in Connor's case, fun with cars on his "road rug."

Tyler and Taylor had so much fun following each other around on their bikes!

The English and Lunning Families

Fetch, Copper, Fetch!

Connor and Brenna ended the day with roasted marshmallows. :)

Happy Birthday, Daddy

2009-07-28T21:32:00.003-05:00

Since Dave's birthday is on a weekday this year, we celebrated early with our families this past weekend and I just bought a miniature cake for the four of us to share after dinner tonight. The boys (mostly Tyler) helped decorate it and write "Dad" on it (wasn't room to write much else). Then, they told Dave to sit down at the table, close his eyes, and they very carefully carried it to him together. It was so cute to watch. :)

The boys' work of art

I like the look on Connor's face in the photo on the left; it's almost like he thought he'd drop the cake if he turned his head to look at me!

More "Happy Birthday" singing, more candles, and more sugar!

2009-07-27T21:57:00.002-05:00

Dave's parents came over for dinner tonight and gave Dave his birthday gifts.

Silly Papa!

Cracker Barrel

2009-07-26T21:54:00.002-05:00

We met up with my part of the gang at Cracker Barrel after church today and had breakfast for lunch--very yummy!

The boys really liked the just-their-size rocking chairs.

Dave and Tyler passed the time playing checkers while we waited for a table.

Mom/Scott, Michael/David, Queen Bee, Pat/Dick (Scott's dad), and Kay/me.

Dave's Early Birthday Celebration

2009-07-25T22:57:00.006-05:00

After a trip to Lowe's this morning, our families came over to celebrate Dave's birthday a few days early. His mom baked him a cake and we had a yummy lunch. It was a fun day!

The kids had fun making their helicopters at Lowe's.

Battle of the "airplanes."

The boys sang "Happy Birthday" to Dave, then each took a turn blowing out his candles.

Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

2009-07-24T22:23:00.002-05:00

Today was our 2nd annual Indianapolis trip (with Tyler) to watch the cars practice for the Brickyard 400 Nascar Race. Dave and I have gone a few times in the past (before children!) and we've always enjoyed it, so we took Tyler for the first time last year and are SO glad that we did. He kept saying how "awesome" it was to see the cars going round and round so fast--and getting to see them up close behind pit row was totally the highlight for him. I have a feeling that was the first of many trips to Indy to come!

If you had been driving behind us on our way to Indianapolis, this is what you would have seen. :)

Go M&M's!

We're ready to cheer for our favorite car!

Enjoying a picnic lunch across the street from IMS--on a super nice day.

View of pit row from our seats.

From Tyler to me: "Mom, you know what that man down there is saying? It's your turn: ready, set, go!"

My and Tyler's fave cars

See that man in the background wearing the yellow shirt? The cars drive right past him on the way to their garages. Tyler loves to stand here during practice 'cause he feels like he can almost reach right out and touch the cars as they go by.

Some of Tyler's other fave sponsors this year.

After our traditional end-of-day dinner at Applebee's, Tyler asked to make a stop a Dairy Queen for a hot fudge sundae. This was totally HIS day!

Millenium Park

2009-07-22T21:50:00.002-05:00

Today was Tyler's last field trip with MBCC and it was a fun one! We took the kids to Millenium Park in Creve Coeur and they had a blast playing on the cool playground equipment and running through the sprinklers. It was overcast and a little chilly, but that didn't seem to bother the kids at all.

Emma & Mom Liz, John & Mom Nancy, Allison & Dad Matt, and Mrs. Niki with Tommy.

Blake forgot to bring his towel, so Tyler shared his.

My favorite four-some.

Some of the kids enjoying lunch

New curtains, new desk, new bike!

2009-07-19T21:34:00.003-05:00

Tyler has FINALLY decided that he wants a bike, so we took him to Wal-Mart this morning to pick one out. He adores his scooter, and has preferred it over any bike for the past two years. I think seeing how fast the other kids in the neighborhood get around on their bikes has finally made him see the light. :) Oh, and I found out this afternoon that his good buddy, Spencer, has the same exact bike--and we didn't even know it! So, of course he's even more excited about learning to ride his new wheels now. :)

After we got home, Dave hung some curtains in our front room (which will probably forever be a toy room) and assembled Tyler's new desk--with some help, of course! Then, we took Tyler's new bike over to Dave's parents' house with us when we joined them for dinner tonight. He had so much fun riding around their cul-de-sac.

Connor insisted on standing on the step-stool WITH Dave while he hung our new curtains. :)

The boys had to take turns hammering in the nails for Tyler's new desk--it was double the fun, but also took double the time!

Tyler's new ride

Here I go!

A Remax hot air balloon flew over Dave and Carol's house while we were standing outside--and Connor flipped out. He loves ANYTHING that he sees in the sky.

Last Day of T-ball!

2009-07-18T21:32:00.001-05:00

20/20 Vision

2009-07-14T20:46:00.004-05:00

We took Tyler to his first official eye exam today and he passed with flying colors. His vision is perfect according to the ophthalmologist, so he's cleared for Kindergarten. :)

Tyler and Dr. Brave

Lowe's

2009-07-11T20:50:00.003-05:00

Another fun morning at the Kids Workshop with The Johnson Family!

Moms and kiddos

I sent Tyler to his room for a nap this afternoon, and this is what he did instead. :)

Box party time!

Back home

2009-07-10T22:37:00.004-05:00

We left Memphis right after breakfast this morning and made it home right after lunchtime today. Let the unpacking begin!

Let's PLAY the Pyramid!

You can still see the shiner on the right side Connor's face from his collision with the front door handle at my grandma's house. I don't think this battle scar will be completely healed anytime soon!

Although, it doesn't seem to be bothering him at all.

Headed Home

2009-07-09T22:33:00.003-05:00

Is it time to go home already? It seems like we just got here! I always hate leaving, because I always know that it'll be at least a year before we make it back. Before we started our journey back to Memphis, Dave took my grandparents' Wii for a spin one last time. The 6-hour drive was uneventful (thank goodness for portable DVD players!), and we actually made it to Memphis by the early afternoon, which gave us some down time. Dave took Tyler for a dip in the hotel pool, then we took the boys to Cici's pizza for dinner and had snowcones for dessert, which we ate while walking along an outdoor outlet mall. When we got back to the hotel, I thought for sure that the boys would crash. WRONG! They were SO wound up, I didn't think they would ever go to sleep. Part of the problem was that I agreed (after Tyler's relentless pleading) to let them try sleeping in the same bed, since the room had two queen beds and a fold-out sofa. I quickly realized my mistake; after about five minutes of (sort of) silence, the giggles and monster noises started, followed by bouts of tickling and tackling. After giving them far too many chances to quiet down and go to sleep (and lots of teeth-gritting on my part), I finally had to separate them, which did NOT go over very well and was met with lots of protests. Tyler, however, was actually asleep in less than 10 minutes. Connor, on the other hand, kept up the silliness all by himself until about 10:45! Think he'll sleep in tomorrow? :)

We're ready to hit the road!

Tyler and Daddy enjoyed clowning around in the cool water, while Chicken Little and I watched them from the sidelines. :)

This is what happens when napless children feast on snowcones right before bed!

Our Last Day

2009-07-08T22:18:00.004-05:00

My Aunt Sherry (dad's sister) came over to my grandparents' house this morning for a visit. After breakfast, we headed over to my mom's parents one last time and spent the afternoon with them and my Aunt Susan. We had my Mama's awesome gumbo for dinner, then just hung out and visited the rest of time. It was kind of nice to have a "slow" last day. On our way back to my other GP's house, we stopped to see my cousin, Dano, at work. He's a couple of years older than me and we were pretty close growing up. I always make sure that we get to see him, even though our visits are usually brief.

My grade school: L.S. Rugg Elementary

We HAD to pull over to the side of the road so that Tyler could see this crop duster in action!

With 14 grands and 11 great-grands, these two have never run out of love, hugs, or patience. They still dote on all of us. :)

Marie and Richard: two of the best grandparents around.

Tyler has just been armed with a Shipley doughnut and his first cup of coffee-milk, thanks to Aunt Susan.

Love my Mama and Papa!

The four of us with Aunt Sue Sue.

I always enjoy catching up with my cousin, Dano.

Our tan man and pale male are ready for the tub!

Backyard Wildlife and Natchitoches

2009-07-07T23:44:00.003-05:00

My dad's parents live on a country road and the houses are pretty spread out. Their backyard backs up to a wooded area that's really thick with trees, so they frequently have "visitors" wandering along the back edge of their yard.

This morning, we drove down to Natchitoches for the day. Our first stop was Main Street, which is lined with antique/souvenir shops and restaurants. After running in and out of a few of the shops, we headed over to Lasyonne's for lunch (it was recommended by the ladies who worked in one of the little shops). The food was fantastic--best meat pies and crawfish pies I've ever had. Connor wasn't too keen on them, so we got a grilled cheese sandwich for him. But, Tyler loved them--he's going to be my little Cajun food lover, I can already tell. :) After lunch, we headed to the Alligator Park, which was actually a pretty cool place. There weren't many people there at all--I'm guessing because it's a weekday and SO HOT--so that made it easier for us to get up close to and feed the animals. It also assured us a front row seat for the alligator feedings, which the boys LOVED.

Lunch at Lasyonne's

We're 54 miles from my home town!

The alligator feedings were the boys' fave part of the whole park.

But, they also enjoyed feeding the goats.

Feeding the emus was kind of a challenge-we found out just how mean they really are!

These pics were taken from our vantage point on the bleachers. This man-made "muddy river" is FULL of alligators--and they obviously know that it's feeding time.

The boys were rooted to the spot the whole time. Tyler couldn't believe that that alligators were "jumping" so high! :)

Dave and the boys on the "broken bridge."

I thought that the restroom doors were cute. :)

We made a quick stop for a cool drink--and cool air!

We'll definitely be back!

Fun at the Zoo

2009-07-06T23:38:00.001-05:00

Today, we took the boys to the Alexandria Zoo and had lunch with my grandparents at Piccadilly (one of the best buffets ever!).

The boys are checking out the baby mice (you can see them on the left side of the bottom photo).

We had a fun lunch at Piccadilly!

The boys had a blast on the playland in the mall.

Last stop of the day: the best doughnuts in the universe!

Another Fun-Filled Day!

2009-07-05T23:12:00.003-05:00

We did lots of running around today, but enjoyed catching up with more of my relatives. My parents each have six siblings, almost all of which are married with children, and most of them still live in my hometown (or at least within driving distance). It's not always possible for everyone to meet at one time and in one place, so our week-long visits usually consist of lots of driving here, there, and everywhere, trying to fit in at least a brief visit with as many aunts, uncles, and cousins as we can. As chaotic as it is, we love being able to see everyone and always have a blast. :)

We had a nice lunch at a Mexican restaurant with my Uncle Bert (mom's brother) and his wife, Amy. Then, we visited my Aunt Joann (mom's sister) at work.

After lunch, we drove out to my Aunt Vivian's house to visit with B.J. and Ann again, along with B.J.'s brother, Jonathan, and his girlfriend, Tiffany.

We had a fun afternoon with my Uncle Jr. (mom's brother), Aunt Linda, cousin Christy, and her boyfriend, Rodney. The highlight for Tyler was riding their horse, Cheyenne. :)

Apparently, Connor's fear of carousel animals does not extend to LIVE animals!

The "boys" enjoyed a sweaty game of b-ball while the girls watched--and sweated profusely while sitting still.

Home Depot and Fireworks

2009-07-04T22:14:00.003-05:00

Did you really think we'd miss a Kids Workshop at The Home Depot just because we're out of town? Never! Tyler had a good time building his picnic caddy, though he commented that it would have been more fun with his buddy, Spencer, there. :( After the workshop, we headed over to my other grandparents' house (my mom's parents), where my Mama had lunch waiting: steak and sausage with gravy over rice (one of my faves!). After a very yummy meal, the boys played outside for awhile and went down for a nap. While they were sleeping, my cousin, B.J., and his wife, Ann, came over to visit with their kids, Bailey (who is Tyler's age) and Alivia (who is as cute as a button!). When my boys woke up, all four kids had a ball playing cars and running around outside together. Later this afternoon, we headed over to my cousin, Keith's, house for a dip in his pool, which was super nice on a miserably HOT day. Then it was over to my Aunt Ginny's house for an awesome dinner, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. For as long as I can remember, my dad's side of the family has always gone all out for fireworks--and it's worth every penny!

That's my Mama and Papa in the middle--two of the greatest grandparents around. My aunt Susan (mom's sister) had lots of fun clowning around with the boys.

Don't feel sorry for Dave just 'cause he's at the bottom of the pile--he instigates this almost daily!

The Lunning's and the Tassin's (B.J., Ann, Bailey, & Alivia)

Tyler really enjoyed playing with Bailey and Connor decided to brave the heat and try out the big wheeled trike.

The four of us with Mama and Papa.

One of the things I DON'T miss about living down here!

Pool time! That's my Aunt Ginny (dad's sister) in the upper left photo with Connor.

Scooter ridin' at Aunt Ginny's house

Happy 4th!

Connor loved just sitting and watching the chickens in my aunt's chicken house.

Ready for the fireworks: Uncle Jesse, Dave and cousin Keith; Uncle Jesse & my cousin, Lexie; me with G'ma and G'pa; Aunt Ginny and her husband, Buford.

The boys enjoyed their sparklers!

Ooooooo.........ahhhhhhh!

We made it!

2009-07-03T22:07:00.002-05:00

We left our hotel at around 8:00 this morning to finish the 12-hour journey to Louisiana. We stopped for about an hour in Monroe, LA to eat lunch and let the boys run around a little bit. Since there was a mall right off of the highway, we decided to grab a bite in the food court. Afterward, Tyler and I rode the carousel, while Connor (who is 100% scared of carousel animals!) and Daddy watched and waved. Then the boys took turns "driving" trucks and trains in the play area. Once we got back in the car, it only took us a little under 3 hours to get to my grandparents' house in Dry Prong, LA. After unpacking the car and getting settled in, it was time to head to my cousin's daughter's 1st birthday party, which was a lot of fun.

The boys were all smiles right before we left our hotel in Memphis.

Tyler chose to ride the eagle on the carousel, but I had him pose for a pic with the alligator, too. And the deer....well, I don't know that I've ever seen one of those on a carousel, so I had to snap a pic!

The boys had a good time "driving" the ice cream truck and choo-choo train.

My cousin, Tim, and his wife, Wendy, celebrated the first birthday of their daughter, Camri, while we were there. We're so glad that we were there for the party!

I didn't get the chance to see my cousin, Crystal, while we were visiting, but her husband, Damon, brought their daughters, Jordyn and Taylor, to Camri's birthday party. Jordyn and Tyler are the same age and had a lot of fun together.

My grammy and grampy; me and my Aunt Cindy; my Uncle Justin with his girlfriend, Dawn; Aunt Cindy and her husband, Chuck.

My Uncle Ted gave all of kids (there were 20+ of them!) rides on his golf cart, which they all thought was pretty cool!

Group shot

On Our Way to Louisiana!

2009-07-02T21:00:00.004-05:00

We started our journey South after work today. Dave and the boys picked me up at my office and were were on our way. We usually leave in the morning and stay overnight in Jackson, MS, but since we left in the late afternoon this time, we decided to make our stop in Memphis. The boys did awesome in the car, as usual. :)

En route to LA!

We found out how much Connor loves Bugles. He kept stacking one on top of another and saying, "Look, Mommy--a tree!"

The boys in front of the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis

Winding down before bedtime at the hotel

At least I THOUGHT they were winding down......the endless energy of boys never ceases to amaze me!

Lowe's Build and Grow

2009-06-27T20:45:00.003-05:00

Today, we made our first trip to Lowe's for their free Build and Grow Kids Workshop. It's very similar to the Home Depot workshops that we do once a month, except that these workshops are twice a month (luckily, none of the projects are duplicated). So, we now have a standing date at one store or the other three Saturdays a month; Tyler loves it, so he's not complaining. :) Today's project: a pirate ship.

This afternoon, we watched Ava for a few hours so that my lil sis could do some shopping with a friend of hers. Handling three kids seemed pretty easy, though they did sleep part of that time. :) I was pretty proud of myself for getting everyone down for a nap at the same exact time!

My little wood worker hammering away.

Connor isn't too interested in building things yet; he'd much rather play with cars, so we always take a project home for him to do later.

Dad and Tyler with the finished product.

Tyler and Connor sharing lovins with Cousin Ava.

She is such a sweet girl!

Connor LOVES our new John Deere tractor!

Wonder why it takes so long to mow the lawn....

Spunky Beans

2009-06-25T21:43:00.003-05:00

Spunky Beans the Clown comes to the boys' classrooms at school two or three times a year. She paints their faces, makes balloons, does magic tricks, etc. The kids all enjoy it. When she visited today, Connor asked for a basketball balloon and Tyler requested a dragonfly.

2009-06-24T22:50:00.007-05:00

Some of us room moms accompanied Tyler's class to see "Tale of Despereaux" at the theatre today. All of the kids did great and sat still through the whole thing--and it was a really cute movie. I was able to snap a few pics before and after the flick.

Tonight, I took some pictures of the boys while Dave read "The Me Book" to them (it's a Big Golden Board Book). My sister and I had the same book when we were kids and we LOVED it. It teaches kids about the functions of different parts of the body. We started reading it to Tyler when he was around 2, and it was cute to watch him try to act the story out while we read it to him. Now that Connor is old enough to understand what to do, we've started reading it at bedtime again. It's so fun to watch both of them perform all of the actions that are in the book. If you don't already own this book, it's a must-have! :)

Allison, Hannah, Emma, Tyler, and Blake

Tyler and his girls--he's quite the Ladies Man. ;)

I sat between Blake and Tyler, and Tyler sat with her mom, Cindy.

After the movie, we went back to school and I hung around for a few minutes while the kids ate lunch.

My mouth is for SMILING--Connor has a genuine smile and a new silly smile. ;)

My mouth is also for WHISTLING.

My hands are for TICKLING!

And for CLAPPING.

My knees are for KNEELING.

My legs are for JUMPING.

And for SWIMMING.

My feet are for TIP-TOEING.

All of me is for HIDING! (Connor just found Tyler hiding in the closet)

Winding down for the night!

Connor wants to sleep in Tyler's bed EVERY night.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T21:24:00.005-05:00

Today was a very busy day for us. We went over to my mom's house for lunch and swimming, then came home and celebrated Dad's Day with Dave's parents.

Happy Father's Day, Papa Scott!

Wonder where Tyler gets his silly streak from?

Can you guess which of our children is completely TERRIFIED of the water??

Connor is okay with lightly touching the water, while Tyler runs full speed toward the pool and does a flip right into it!

Mama Neanie is Connor's "numero uno."

Papa Scott, Tyler, and David having a blast in the water.

Like father, like son.

When you gotta go, you GOTTA GO!

Three generations of Lunning's.

Dave and his parents.

Us and our crazy boys!

Dave and his dad enjoyed the lawn mower cupcakes that I made for them.

When Tyler saw this Willow Tree figurine at Hallmark, he pointed to it and said, "Look, Mom! It's me and Dad!" So, I had to buy it. :)

Wherever Tyler is, Connor is never far behind.

Going Green

2009-06-19T22:54:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to share one of the projects that Tyler brought home from school today.

Bounce U

2009-06-17T22:32:00.006-05:00

Today, I went with Tyler's class to Bounce U, a really neat place with lots of inflatable houses, slides, etc. He and his classmates loved it! Looked like the perfect place to host a party for kids their age.

Tyler loves it when I ride the school bus with him on field trip days.

Top photo: Noah, Daniel, Ty, & Landon
Bottom photo: Emma, Blake, Allison, & Eric

Tyler spent most of this time in this inflatable enclosed area. The goal is to "shoot" the balls through the guns and either hit the targets on the other end (see bottom photo) or sink them into the b-ball net. It's not as easy as it looks, but he actually made a couple of shots through the net!

SCORE!!!

Tyler and Landon are getting ready to go down this huge slide together.

Mr. Hoops spent a lot of time shooting buckets, too.

Time for pizza!

Big Bro, Little Bro

2009-06-14T21:00:00.002-05:00

Just some quick stats on our two growing boys....Tyler, who is 5 1/2, weighs 41 pounds and is 45 inches tall. Connor, who is 2 1/2, weighs 31 pounds and is 35 inches tall. Dave's dad appropriately calls him "Tank." :) I'm pretty sure he's going to end up being bigger than Tyler in the next several years!

T-Ball Practice and a Motorcycle Ride

2009-06-13T22:51:00.008-05:00

Coach Dave talks to the team before practice starts.

Tyler and Spencer warm up with Coach.

Coach Tommy is giving Tyler some tips while he stands at first base.

Our little all-stars!

Two cool daddies. :)

Abby is enjoying a snack while the boys practice.

Spencer and Abby on the sidelines.

Coach Dave is a total kid magnet. :)

Team photo

Tonight, our good friends, Alicia and Earl, had us over for a barbeque. We had a lot of fun--and Tyler & I took our first Harley ride together. He thought that was pretty cool!

Earl, who is SUCH a nice guy, went out and bought a Slip n Slide for Tyler to play on while we were there. He had a blast with it!

Here I go....

Notice their expressions...like father, like son.

This is as close as Connor would get to the water.

Earl is helping him get a drink of water.

This picture cracks me up!

Connor is learning how to give "knocks" to Earl.

Chillaxin'!

Time for a brewski!

Tyler had a great time with Olivia, Earl's neighbor.

Salute to Scott Picnic

2009-06-13T21:13:00.003-05:00

After T-ball practice today, we hung around the park for the Salute to Scott Picnic, hosted by Scott Air Force Base. Even though it was HOT, the kids had a blast and so did we. Lots of fun things to do/see!

Our first stop was the face-painting table. A ladybug (?) for the boys and a kitty cat for Abby.

Sitting in an ambulance that the kids were allowed to climb into.

Tyler was pretty impressed with the imprint that his Scooby-Doo boxers left on his skin. :)

Fun in the bounce house!

The Johnson's (minus Chaser) posing with the Maggie Moo's cow.

Then it was time for arm tatoos.

Vroom vroom! (Connor is more concerned about the cracker that he dropped)

Spence and Tyler are waiting for their turn to ride the horses. Connor and Abby decided just to watch.

Coach Dave standing in line with the kids for the bounce slide.

World's largest banana split in the making (we left as they were putting it together).

Ice Cream Truck!

2009-06-12T20:44:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it's actually a van, but that's not the point. It's always a good day when the Ice Cream man pays us a visit, no matter what he's driving! I can't believe how excited the boys (especially Connor) get when they hear the music. They race outside together with Connor shouting, "Ice Cream Guck! Ice Cream Guck!" while his brother yells, "Hurry Connor, or we're gonna miss it!" I'm pretty sure that'll never happen--do those vans ever exceed 5 mph?

Connor picked out a Road Runner treat and Tyler requested Sponge Bob.

Since our house is close to a cul-de-sac, the boys always want to wait for the van to come back past our house so they can wave to the ice cream man. :)

Petting Zoo

2009-06-10T21:10:00.002-05:00

A local petting zoo visited the daycare for Connor's class today. He LOVED petting the small animals, but wanted nothing to do with the llama or pony. He was one of three kids who refused to go on a pony ride; as you can see below, that didn't stop me from getting a quick picture of him sitting on one. All in the name of posterity! :)

The Panda Class waits patiently for the petting zoo to be set up.

As we walked over to the animals, Connor stopped next to our Jeep, and said, "Look it! Daddy's Jeep!"

The ducks were Connor's favorite.

And he really enjoyed feeding the animals.

Cheez, Momma!

He didn't want to get anywhere near that pony.

But I decided to try to get a fast photo of him up top--it started out okay.....

.....but he quickly realized what I was doing and let me know exactly how he felt about it!

Fun with Mama Jeanie

2009-06-09T21:07:00.004-05:00

Dave is out of town for work this week, and when he's gone, my mom usually comes over a night or two to help me out with the boys and just hang out. It's always a lot of fun, especially for Tyler and Connor. :)

One of the reasons I'm glad to have such a young momma--she can still do the airplane!

This is exactly what Tyler used to do with his big trucks, trains, tractors, etc.

The boys each wanted Mama Neanie to read a story to them before bed.

Tyler loves his Scooby-Doo books and Connor's favorite book is called "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes." He calls the book "Twinkle Stars" and his fave nursery rhyme from it is "Brother John." It's so cute to hear him sing it. :)

Brusha Brusha!

A New Yard Toy and a Grad Party

2009-06-07T20:13:00.005-05:00

When Dave sat down on our Craftsman riding lawn mower to cut the grass yesterday, nothing (and I mean NOTHING) happened when he turned the key. After checking the battery, spark plugs, etc., he determined that it was not revivable (is that a word?), so he and his dad took Tyler to Lowe's this morning to pick out a new rider. Tyler's fave features on our new John Deere tractor are the dual cup holders--in his words, "one for my Capri Sun and one for Daddy's beer." :)

This afternoon, we took Tyler to a preschool graduation party for his friend, Bethany. One of his good buddies, John, was there and the two of them had a lot of fun together. It actually rained for most of the party, but that didn't seem to bother any of the kids!

The party guests gather round the table for cupcakes.

Tyler and one of his girls, Hannah. :)

Bethany, John, and Tyler enjoyed trike races.

First T-ball practice and Home Depot

2009-06-06T21:31:00.005-05:00

We had fun watching Tyler, Spencer, and the rest of their team at the first practice today. I think that Tyler had a good time, but he did comment afterward that it's boring being in the field and that there's nothing to do. He LOVES to bat the ball, though, and wanted to be the first batter today. :) I think that he got used to the fast pace of basketball and soccer and doesn't know what to do now that he's in a slower-paced sport!

The team is meeting with Coach Dave; Tyler runs over for a pre-game hug from Mama Carol.

Our little all-star!

Dave and Spencer hanging out on first base.

GO REDBIRDS!!

Swing, batter batter--SWING!

Hustling to first base, with a little help from Dad.

Connor and Abby; Tyler and Spence resting while they wait for their turn to bat.

Mama Carol, Tyler, and Papa Dave

After practice, we made our monthly visit to The Home Depot for the free Kids Workshop!

Tyler, Spencer, & Abby are working hard on their Father's Day kids project.

Connor is very curious about what his big brother is doing. :)

Papa helped Tyler out with this project so that he could surprise Daddy with it on Father's Day.

Their finished projects!

The proud moms and their woodworkin' boys.

This afternoon, we headed up to E'Ville for dinner at my mom's to celebrate Robin's high school graduation (my step-sister). Tyler was excited that the two of them graduated "at the same time." :)

My bro, Michael, thought that Tyler would like this snapping turtle that he noticed on the side of the street on his way to my mom's house.

Congrats, Robin!

Another Liberace in the making.

The Game That We Almost Missed

2009-06-02T22:16:00.000-05:00

On our way home from work today, I reminded Dave to call his parents and ask if they could watch Connor this Thursday so that we could take Tyler to the Cardinals game (Dave's dad gave us the tickets several weeks ago). It's a good thing I did, because his dad's immediate response was, "The game is tonight, not Thursday." WHAT??!! I had June 4th locked into my brain for weeks, and now we had less than two hours to get home, change clothes, grab the tickets, and head back out to Busch Stadium. I ended up deciding not to go, so Connor and I hung out at home, while Dave, Tyler, and Papa Dave enjoyed the game together.

Tyler thinks that Fredbird is hilarious.

Papa must have had a soft spot for a 5-year-old with a sweet tooth. :)

Big Brother, Little Brother

2009-05-31T21:01:00.000-05:00

Tyler and Connor have really started to grow closer in the past couple of months. They play together constantly (matchbox cars are still their favorite pasttime) and want to be together all the time. Though they still have their "moments," their relationship is definitely evolving. :)

One of their favorite things to do together is what they call "The Running Game," which involves them starting off against the wall in our bedroom until Connor says, "Mark. Set. Go!" Then they tear off down the hallway to the other end of the house at top speed and giggle when they arrive at the "finish line." Oh, and Dave is usually a participant in this game, too!

Connor loves being with his big bro.

Ready to race!

Graduation Barbeque

2009-05-30T21:58:00.003-05:00

We hosted a BBQ in our backyard today for our families and Tyler's close buddies from preschool. The weather, again, was perfect and everyone had a great time. The boys get along so great--I'm really glad that we planned this!

The boys enjoying a yummy lunch in our backyard.

Dave and his dad.

Thanks to our neighbors, Dave and Laurie, for letting us borrow their Bonzai Falls Waterslide. The boys had an absolute blast on it!

Connor decided just to observe the water slide action from the sidelines. He had fun hanging out with Papa Scott and Mama Neanie instead!

My mom & Scott; Dave's parents

Ava and Connor testing out the water at the bottom of the slide.

I was actually able to get these four to sit still for a quick photo before they made their descent!

Another terrific cake by Mama Carol and Papa Dave. The boys loved it!

The boys requested that I cut their names out of the cake--I'm thinking that was just a sneaky way to get a bigger piece of cake!

I found these cute (and cheap!) party favors at Party City. The boys thought the sunglasses were really cool!

As you can see here. :)

Our nutty fam; John with Ross & Nancy; Landon with Deanna.

Goodies from Mama Jeanie/Aunt Kay-Kay and a special diploma from Mama Carol & Papa Dave.

Tyler enjoys hanging out with Kayleigh; and you'll have to excuse Connor's expression in the bottom photo--I think he was eating an M&M when I snapped it!

A fun, but obviously exhausting day!

Tyler's Preschool Graduation

2009-05-29T21:27:00.004-05:00

Today was a bittersweet day. Our "baby" graduated from preschool and in a few short months will be entering the "real world" of big-kid school: Kindergarten. While we're excited about Tyler starting school, we're also sad because we're nearing the end of an almost 5-year-long chapter that has been filled with more good times and fun than we thought possible.

Things that we'll miss: being able to drop off/pick up the boys together (one of the benefits of carpooling); hearing Connor's excited chatter all the way down the steps from his room as we make our way to Tyler's room (he LOVES going to pick up Tyler everyday). The car rides home will be quite different without Tyler's constant questions and comments about things, which we love listening to (most of the time!). As one of the moms who has attended nearly every holiday/birthday party for the past 5 years, as well as most of Tyler's class field trips the past two summers, I've had the chance to really get to know a few of the other moms, as well as all of Tyler's classmates, most of whom have been on this 5-year journey with him. This year has, by far, been the most fun. One of my favorite parts about being involved with Tyler's class is the feeling that I get when I walk into his room and find myself immediately surrounded by his classmates, some wanting hugs, and ALL of them chattering excitedly about anything and everything.

Things that Tyler will miss: sharing miss Jen's (the assistant director) breakfast with her, secretly getting to choose a piece of candy from the director's jar at drop-off time, and helping Jen unload food and supplies from the delivery truck once a week--this is Tyler's fave chore. Being the first to arrive at daycare does have its benefits, I guess. :) I know that what he'll miss most of all is being with his three best buddies: John, Lucas, and Landon. They've been inseparable since they all moved into the Elephant Room (4 year-olds) together. The moms and I are trying to plan times to get together so that the boys don't lose touch; it won't be as often as we'd like, but we'll do our best to keep those friendships going for as long as we can. Tyler will definitely miss the fun that he's had with his other classmates as well. He's the only child in his class who lives in Illinois, so he'll be "starting from scratch," so to speak, in the school friends department. I'm confident that he'll make fast buddies in school--he's very sociable, outgoing, and fun, so building new friendships shouldn't be a challenge for him. :)

Despite an issue here and there (who doesn't have them?), we've been VERY happy with the care that Tyler has received at MBCC. The teachers there are truly wonderful people and treat our children like their own. They've guided Tyler, with love and patience, through every developmental stage since the age of 9 months and have also been a great resource for us as parents, especially with some of the major milestones (like potty training!). And the great thing is that Connor has had and will continue to have all of the same teachers that Tyler has had (most of them have been there 10+ years). That is a HUGE benefit, not to mention a rarity--I don't know of any childcare centers that have as low of an employee turnover rate as MBCC. And in a setting where continuity of care and a set, predictable routine are vital, it's certainly a comfort to know that our kids are seeing the same faces in the classrooms and hallways every single day.

The weather for Graduation was perfect and we all had a great time celebrating this important milestone in our children's lives. We also enjoyed getting to know some of the parents that we've never met and catching up with some that we only occasionally get to see/talk to. After the cute--and BRIEF--ceremony, the kids played on the park playground while hamburgers and hotdogs were being grilled in the pavilion by the assistant director (the food was great, Jen!). It was a fun evening for everyone, especially the kids, and we're so grateful to MBCC for planning this and allowing all of us to celebrate this huge milestone together. In my opinion, every preschool should participate in this tradition!

Such a big girl!

Cool banner, yummy cupcakes, and "gifts" that each child gave to his/her parent at the ceremony.

Miss Ava had fun hanging out at the park with Mommy and Mama Jeanie.

Dave loves to give Jen (assistant director AND master griller) a hard time about practically everything. She dishes it out as well as she takes it. :)

The Zebra class walking out to greet the parents; Tyler accepting his "diploma" from Mrs. Niki; and one very excited 5-year-old.

The Missouri Baptist Childcare Class of 2009!

Proud parents and grandparents with the graduate.

Getting a family photo with Connor NOT picking his nose was futile.

These four have been inseparable for the past 18 months.
L-R: Lucas, Tyler, Landon, & John

The boys with their wonderful teachers! Tyler was proud of the apple that we picked up and had his entire class autograph for Mrs. Niki.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T23:18:00.001-05:00

It was a very rainy, dreary day, but despite the weather, we had a lot of fun with our friends, The Johnson's, who came over for lunch. We grilled, chatted, and the kids had a lot of fun together. Tyler and Spencer are about the same age and like to do some of the same things. Connor and Abby are both two, and are really cute together. And little Chase, who doesn't have a Lunning counterpart (yet), is a real cutie.

Putting Anakin's Starfighter together (again) with Spencer and Coach Dave.

Yes, when it rains, my husband is not above grilling on the front porch!

Abby & Connor; Tyler & Spence; Baby Chase

Tyler and Spence playing a Clone Wars game with Dave.

Molly and me.

We went over to Dave's parents' for dinner and they had a special "Welcome Back" gift waiting for Tyler. He ended up choosing two planes for himself and gave the other two to Connor (after some persuasion, of course). Thanks, Mama and Papa!

Heading Home

2009-05-24T20:12:00.004-05:00

Aunt Kimmie dropped us off at DIA about 90 minutes before our plane was scheduled to take off. I figured we'd have plenty of time to get checked in, go through security, get down to our gate, and maybe have some extra time to run into one of the giftshops and stop for one last potty break. WRONG! The lines for check-in were horrendous (even though we used the automated machine to get our boarding passes), and there were a gazillion people trying to get through security, although it did move faster than I thought it would based on the lines. When we approached the "podium" in Security, I gave my license and our boarding tickets to the very nice, but very serious-looking lady standing behind it. She looked at me and back at my license three times (honestly, I've hardly changed AT ALL since high school!) and smiled as she handed everything back to me--except for Tyler's boarding pass. She took off her school teacher-ish spectacles, looked down at him with a small smile, and said, "How are you today, young man?" He said, "Good," while looking around and shuffling his feet, showing his rarely existent shy side. She asked him to look at her, so he did, and the following exchange occurred:

What is your name, son? "Tyler Craig Lunning"
How old are you? "Five."
Where are you going today? "Home." At this point, she looks over at me and kind of smiles.
And where do you live? "St. Louis."
He must have passed the test. And I was obviously ruled out as a possible kidnapper based on their little conversation, because she handed Tyler his boarding pass, thanked him, and told us to enjoy our flight. It felt kind of strange to me at first, but I'm actually glad she did it. With everything happening in the world today, you never know what people might try to get away with. Our next obstacle was getting through security, which went pretty smoothly. Tyler had his shoes off before we even made it up to the conveyor belt (he's a pro at this!) and he was huge help as I emptied out backpacks, computer bags, and camera cases. We had our own little assembly line going; as I put an item into a bin, he pushed it through the "little curtain," as he called it. After he walked through "the tunnel," the gentleman saluted him and gave him a sticker. Then, we got all of our stuff packed up and headed for the subway. Got down to our gate to find it empty--we were officially the last people to board a FULL flight and left the gate with two minutes to spare. Whew!

When we deboarded at Lambert, the pilot stopped us at the exit and asked Tyler (who was the only child on the flight) if he would like a picture of the plane we were on. He of course said "Yes," and the pilot gave him a baseball card-size photo of our United aircraft. Then (and I was not expecting this), he looked at Tyler and said, "How would you like to drive my airplane?" Tyler's eyes got big as he looked at me as if to ask if it would be okay. I told him to go ahead and he giggled as he climbed into the pilot's chair in the cockpit. He was smiling ear-to-ear the whole time. The pilot asked if I "happened" to have a camera handy. I chuckled because anyone who's known me for 5 minutes knows that I never go anywhere without it. :) The flight attendant offered to hold our carry on bags while I dug it out and started snapping. The co-pilot let Tyler push a few of the buttons and showed him some of the other cool features. This was definitely the highlight of the trip home for him and it melted my heart to see him so excited.

2009-05-23T20:07:00.001-05:00

Today, the boys (U. Rayme, Blake, and Tyler) enjoyed a fun morning/afternoon of fishing while A. Kim, Blair, and I went to a graduation party for one of Blair's cousins on Kim's side of the family. We beat the boys home, and when they arrived, we headed over to Taylor's (Blair's boyfriend) graduation party, which was held at his dad, Grayden's, house. Tyler and I didn't know any of the guests, but everyone was super nice and the women, of course, loved Tyler. :) We ate lots of snacks and spent quite a bit of time in the entertainment room in the basement, which was equipped with a pool table, bubble hockey, a foosball table, and a full-size Pac-Man arcade game (where I spent lots of time battling those pesky ghosts as Ms. Pac-Man1). It was definitely a fun gathering. :) After the party, my Aunt Mandy and her boyfriend, Dennis, came over for a visit.

Tyler baited a hook with a worm for the first time and also caught/reeled in his very first fish!

The proud fisherman. Check this out, Dad!

Fun in the entertainment room. I'm pretty sure that Tyler could live down here!

Standing on one of the deck's of Grayden's house.

Someone was upset that he didn't get to be in one of the above photos. :(

Aunt Kim, me, Aunt Mandy, and Dennis.

2009-05-22T20:06:00.001-05:00

Today was kind of a relaxing, do-nothing kind of day. Tyler watched cartoons in the morning, then he and I went on a walk/scooter ride. Then I took him to Target because I told him that I'd buy a small Star Wars lego set for him since he was being such a great kid. :) I told him beforehand that he had to pick one out that was $20 or less, and we totally lucked out. The set that he wanted (Anakin's Starfighter from The Clone Wars) was on sale for $17 and was the only inexpensive set they had. Whew! He was chomping at the bit by the time Blake got home from school. The two of them sat down and had it assembled in less than 30 minutes.

Blake has a big collection of Star Wars Lego sets that he assembles and displays in his room. Whenever we're there for a visit, Tyler spends a lot of time in Blake's room, in awe as he checks out the various ships and fighters that Blake has put together over the years. He has now decided that HE needs a place to display his S.W. Lego sets. Not sure how we're going to do it, but we'll think of something. :)

Graduation Day!

2009-05-21T19:58:00.002-05:00

Today was Blair's graduation from Highlands Ranch High School, which was held at The Red Rocks Amphitheatre. What an awesome venue! It was a long (and high) hike from the parking lot, but was totally worth the view. The weather was kind of "iffy" (overcast and cool), but it really only sprinkled on us once during commencement, which was good. Afterward, we headed back to Kim & Raymond's house for Blair's graduation party. It was a lot of fun!

Me and Tyler-Bug; Blake with my Uncle Raymond; and Tyler with his fave 2nd cousins.

Congrats, Blair Blair!

Top photo: view of the orchestra and choir from our seats
Bottom photo: view of the audience from down below

Top photo: We have to walk WHERE??? I made sure my inhaler was handy before we started the hike up. :)
Bottom photo: The journey back down--our car is down there somewhere!

The Dickerson Family and Blair with her boyfriend, Taylor.

Tyler didn't let go of Blair's hand the whole way down to the car. He had fun sitting in the "way back" (of the Tahoe) with Blake.

My Aunt Mandy & cousin Mackenzie; Rayme, Blair, & Kim; me with my Great-Aunt Kack; Blair, Taylor, and Ryan (one of her good friends from childhood).

Tyler was a real hit with Blair's friends. He had them playing Hide-and-Seek, shooting Nerf guns with styrofoam bullets, and giving him piggyback rides. At one point during the party, he ran into the kitchen and very excitedly said, "Mom, I'm having so much fun with those white guys!" In case I need to explain, they're all wearing WHITE t-shirts........

I'm pretty sure Uncle Rayme would have had a conniption, had he seen this.

My Aunt Kim with her mom and sisters (her brother left the party before I could snag him); Great-Aunt Kack with Uncle Rayme; Aunt Mandy, Great-Aunt Kack, and Blair; Aunt Kim, Colleen (they've been friends for 20+ years) and me.

Hanging out after the party.

Group photo: All of us are, or have been, a Dickerson.

Colorado, Here We Come!

2009-05-20T19:51:00.002-05:00

Tyler and I flew into Denver this morning for my cousin, Blair's, high school graduation tomorrow. Tyler was SO excited about getting on the plane and did awesome on the flight. He watched "Star Wars" on his portable DVD player, had a few snacks (he thought it was so cool that he got his own can of juice from the flight attendant), and we visited the potty once (of course). When we landed, we walked through the terminal (Tyler LOVES the moving walkways) and caught the airport subway (one of his fave parts of flying in DIA) to baggage claim, where my Aunt Kim and Blair were waiting for us. Tyler flew into my aunt's arms and was so happy to see Blair. I'm glad that I decided to let him tag along. :)

After dropping our stuff off at my aunt's house, we went up to the soccer fields to watch my cousin, Blake's, soccer practice. Tyler plopped down on the grass and was rooted to the spot for about half an hour. I think he was mesmerized by how the "big boys" play soccer. One of the moms had an extra soccer ball, so Tyler kicked that around for awhile. He even convinced my aunt into being the "kicker" so that he could play "goalie." A younger brother of one of the boys on Blake's team came over and showed Tyler some soccer tips, which he thought was really cool.

Movies and snacks made the flight go by fast!

Blake (12) and Tyler (5)

Tyler receives some pointers from one of the big boys--and wishes he could play with them as he sits and intently watches them practice.

Tyler thinks that Blake is a real soccer star and is crazy about Blair. :)

Why we should only draw on BLANK pieces of paper!

2009-05-19T22:08:00.002-05:00

Tyler thought it would be a good idea to draw a picture of himself and write his name on Connor's birth certificate (obviously not realizing that's what it was). Is it still official or should I purchase another one?

Get well soon, Mama Carol!

2009-05-18T22:05:00.001-05:00

Dave's mom had surgery this morning, so we stopped by to see her on our way home from work. Tyler picked out a bouquet of flowers for her at Schnucks, as well as a Snoopy "hope you're feeling better" card.

Squeezes from Papa!

2009-05-16T21:45:00.003-05:00

Today was Tyler's last soccer practice (until the Fall). Afterward, we drove down to AAA, where the #77 race car was on display. Tyler was excited to see it, until they started up the engine. Boy, was it loud! He also enjoyed a racing game with Dave while we were there. Next, we headed up to E'Ville to celebrate my mom's birthday. We had a lot of fun; it was a gorgeous day!

Mama Neanie and Connor watching Tyler's soccer game

Tyler and Spencer get along really well!

Coach Dave gave medals to each member of the team after the last game.Dave, Spencer, and Molly in the top photo. Our crazy family in the bottom one. :)

The boys enjoyed snow cones provided by O'Fallon Parks and Rec after the game.

Happy Birthday to my momma!

Her fave guys helped blow out her candles.

The boys had a blast playing outside.

It's begonia-planting time!

Tyler loves to help Dave plant flowers--when he's not hunting for roly-polies, of course. :)

He told me 15 minutes before I took this photo that he didn't need a nap today. ;)

2009-05-15T21:25:00.005-05:00

The five of us (my siblings plus our step-brother and sis--David and Robin) got together at Portrait Innovations and had our photos taken as a Mother's Day gift to my mom. She loved them!

Kindergarten Registration

2009-05-14T21:59:00.001-05:00

We took Tyler to his school, Marie Schaefer, tonight to get him registered for kindergarten. His first day of school will be August 14th. It's so hard to believe that he's going to be in school already! Does he really have to go? :(

This isn't a great picture of his school, but it's the only one that I was able to get before we left. I'm sure I'll take more at the Kindergarten Open House in July!

Ouch!

2009-05-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

We took Tyler in for his 5-year immunizations after work today. I made it a point not to tell him where we were going until we were about 10 minutes from the ped's office. And that's when the floodgates opened; he begged and pleaded with us not to take him because the shots were going to hurt REALLY bad. I tried to explain to him (in between the alligator tears) that the shots would help keep him from getting sick and that he couldn't go to kindergarten without them. He wasn't buying it. So, the tears continued to fall as we walked into the doc's office and while we sat in the waiting room. Once the nurse put us in an exam room, he was okay (sort of), but when she and one other nurse walked in with the syringes, he lost it again. I was glad that, since he needed two separate injections, they tag-teamed (each took an arm) and gave them simultaneously. About five seconds afterward, he stopped crying and said, "That wasn't so bad." You don't say! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T22:16:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my boys! We had lunch at Chili's with Dave's parents, then came home for naps. It was nice to have a rarely-quiet house for a couple of hours, even if I did just spend it doing laundry and cleaning up a little. :) After naptime, Dave's parents came over for dinner and we opened our Mother's Day gifts.

Someone thinks that HE should be outside with Tyler and Daddy EVERY time they go out the door. :)

The perfect Mother's Day gift? A quiet house. :)

Me and the lights of my life!

Happy Mother's Day to Mama Carol from Tyler & Connor!

Connor's teacher at school helped him make this cute bag for me, complete with a "bouquet" of flowers made from cut-outs of his handprints. And Dave bought me a charm with each of the boys' birthstones, along with a chain to put them on.

Debbie (my sis-in-law) sent these beautiful flowers to me for Mother's Day.
Our little stinkers--they often live up to the nickname. ;)

Mom's Day in Carbondale

2009-05-09T08:10:00.010-05:00

After Tyler's soccer practice this morning, we headed down to Kay and Aaron's house to celebrate Mother's Day. The only bummer--and it really wasn't that big of a deal--is that they've been without power for two days after an inland hurricane passed through Carbondale and a few of the surrounding towns last Thursday. Thank goodness for gas grills! We still had a yummy lunch: burgers/hot dogs, mac 'n' cheese (on our Coleman stove that we use for camping), potato chips, etc. We had a lot of fun together and enjoyed the nice day outside.

Uncle Aaron is showing Tyler how a leaf blower works.

A nice lunch on a beautiful day!

Yummy Mother's Day cupcakes for dessert.

This is one of those "addictions" that I'm positive I'll never understand!

Tyler and Mama Neanie

Our little car lover can turn anything into a road or garage. :)

Connor is really trying his best to get some lovins from Lola.

The Queen Bee is enjoying all of the attention!

It's hard to believe that she's almost 7 months old already!

Tyler was the only baby we knew who always seemed to be smiling--then came Connor. :)

Tyler loves his Uncle Aaron!

Tyler had fun riding on the trailer as Uncle Aaron drove him around the yard, stopping to pick up branches from the terrible storm that passed through a couple of days ago.

Top photo: This huge tree was uprooted by the hurricane-like winds; I can't even fathom wind gusts being that strong!
Bottom photo: There were also LOTS of trees that had fallen and were resting on power lines. The right lane in this photo was actually open about an hour before we took this picture.

Zoo Friends Day

2009-05-08T13:09:00.004-05:00

Dave and I have always loved our zoo here in St. Louis (one of the best in the country--and it's free!), so we decided several years ago to get a Zoo Friends membership. It's especially worth it now that we have the boys because they really enjoy going as well. Every year, the zoo holds a Zoo Friends Day, which entitles all members to free rides on the carousel, free admission to the Children's Zoo, free animal shows, free parking, etc. Many times, it also provides an opportunity for members to see a new animal exhibit before it becomes open to the public. This year, the Stingrays at Carribean Cove were the animals to see--although, by the time we arrived, the line was about a 1.5-hour wait. The exhibit is open until September, so we talked Tyler into waiting until the next time we go to the zoo, which I'm sure will be soon. :)

The boys like to wave to the people on the Zoo train as it passes by.

Fun on the carousel!

Cards vs. Phillies

2009-05-04T23:13:00.003-05:00

Dave's dad gave us tickets to tonight's Cards game that he wasn't going to use, so we took Tyler and had a great time. The weather couldn't have been better and Tyler was full of questions about the rules of baseball. The most important thing to him was being able to locate the score on the big screen, so once we got that out of the way, he was content to watch the game--at least until he got tired, which was around 8:45 (top of the 6th inning). His fave part of the game was getting to see Fredbird, of course (we weren't sure that was going to happen, since our seats were WAY at the top). After seeing an announcement on the Jumbotron that Fredbird would be in Ford Plaza until the 3rd inning, Tyler and I rushed down there only to find out that he wasn't actually going to be making an appearance tonight (apparently, the message that we saw was a default one and someone forgot to remove it from the announcements). Tyler was bummed, but after I explained that Fredbird probably just didn't feel well enough to walk that far, Tyler seemed okay with it and we headed back to our seats. About 45 minutes later, guess who appeared in our section? Tyler immediately looked at me and said, "Mom, I thought you said Fredbird was too sick to come and see us?" Nothing like getting caught in a lie by your own kids. :) He was too excited to care, though, and wanted to run the big red bird down right away. It wasn't easy to get close to him--I couldn't believe how excited kids AND adults get about having their picture taken with Fredbird (the adults were actually worse!). We were patient, though, and finally got our turn with him. After seeing Fredbird lean over and put his beak around other kids' heads, Tyler said, "Fredbird, eat my head, too!" when our photo op arrived. Gotta love the candor of kids!

One more thing--as we were approaching the stadium, a man came out of one of the Employee Entrance doors and approached Tyler with a baseball. He gave it to him and told him that the Cardinals had just used it for batting practice. Tyler was so excited!

An excited 5-year-old with his "prize catch."

We grabbed a couple of "5-dollah foot-longs" on the way and ate them at the stadium.

It was a gorgeous evening!

This was the highlight of the night for Tyler. He giggled non-stop after Fredbird "ate" his head. :)

He wanted his momma in the picture, too!

Squiggly Creatures

2009-05-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

Tyler has discovered a fondness for worms--I have no idea why. He likes to pick them up and let them crawl all over his hand. Today, he brought one of them into the house and asked if he could keep it in his room. I talked him out of it by convincing him that it wouldn't be very nice to take the poor little worm away from his family and expect him to survive in a Dixie cup half-filled with dirt. He must have agreed with me because he took the worm back outside and carefully "set it free." :)