Jack is a daredevil

He's really shy about people, but not about risking his body:

Berry Picking

The kids wanted to go pick something, so we went to Roger's mom's house (Grandma Merrill, now), to pick some of her famous strawberries. These are the strawberries she uses to make her amazing, the-rest-of-your-life-will-seem-weak-by-comparison strawberry pie. We got some red potatoes too.

Halle was pretty helpful with the strawberries.

Jack mostly just looked and chased after this cat. It kept pouncing on people who were trying to pick. It's the neighbor's cat.

I mostly just held Gwen.

In other news, the kids like to ride their bikes all the time. I need to get Jack an actual bicycle, but I just haven't gotten around to it.


Aerin is beautiful.

My "Reminder" Pile

So, I write down reminders on Post-It Notes, so that I don't lose the pad I wrote them on, and they can all be in one place. This is what my desk looks like today-I tell people I am busy but they say "yeah, yeah", that's what they say, they say "yeah yeah". Well, who's doubting now? You, Thomas?

Birthdays

Ok, due to the vagaries of fate, from July 29 to August 13, there are 6 birthdays in my immediate family, my dad, motherinlaw, daughter, daughter, wife, brother. So, we try to consolidate.

First, the Aerin, who is 3 years old-August 3, 2009.



The Family before church, Aug. 2.


A consolidated birthday party, because a three-year-old and a one-year-old won't know any better.


Gwen didn't understand why she was getting gifts, but it's all the same to her.







This is how she looked on her actual birthday. So different from when she was only 361 days old, don't you think?


She already thinks she's a movie star.

Gwen at church

Sitting on the shelf.
Ben