Spring Break!

Over Spring Break, we made a (once again) very quick trip to South Dakota and Montana. The Daughenbaugh's met us at my parents' place. Since we have 3-year-old boys, by default, we went to Dinosaur Hill on our first morning. It was a little chilly, but the kids didn't seem to care. Wally found his "favorit dinosaur" the stegasaurus, which also happens to be the most fun to climb on. Here, he was going "really fast."

His head was also a great thing to jump off of.

My Dad took advantage of having Joel and Jason around to help him carry out the old fireplace insert in the "old" house so that he could put in new gas logs. Joel apparently was downwind!

There are great things to climb on everywhere at the Reder Ranch.

Even if you are 32 years old! (Notice the monkey see-monkey do action in the background.) There are also lots of things to be creative with at the ranch. On a hike, I found Wally singing "I'm a little teapot."

There are also opportunities to show how strong you are...

And to use those muscles to build something, like a house:

We'll hopefully finish it on our next trip, but it is a good start!

Joel got rewarded for waking up early to take care of the dogs...

The ranch always looks magical!

We then made a quick trip to Broadus to visit Joel's family. Sadly, as I was up-loading these pictures, I realized that we didn't get any pictures with Joel's Dad's family. We had a great time playing with the girls. They are growing up so quickly. Mary and Wally had a great time together. Mary even managed to get him in some dresses. He didn't keep them on for long, maybe if they had been pink...

As always, Wally had a great time with Gramma Kathy. Here, Wally was teaching her how to work his computer.

And here, Gramma was showing Wally how to use Great-Gramma's walker.

Gramma Kathy's piano is always a hit. We might just have a musical genius on our hands! Here is his rendition of Jingle Bells (I know it is March, but he doesn't seem to care)

We then returned to the Reder Ranch for another day with the Daughenbaugh's. This is what kids look like after several days at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The kids decorated "Easter cookies" that Reder and Katie made. Reder as as careful as ever, Wally was not, and Ruby just went for the frosting (that a girl Rubes!).

Grandma Mary had to make more pink frosting, go figure!

The kids also did some sidewalk chalk. The boys are getting so old that they can write their names by themselves (granted Wally can type his name better than write it).

Cousins are so much fun!

What boys should be doing! And girls, if you ask me!

This is the life!

Technology. Between Wally's computer and Joel's iPod, the 13 hour drive didn't seem so bad.

Wally being Wally

Wally is such a goofy kid. This blog will mainly be pictures of Wally being Wally.

Wally made a new "friend" at the tot-lot at the rec center in town. Here he is with "Hudda," the blue elephant. He found Hudda a couple weeks ago and immediately named him such. This is only the second thing that Wally has named something other than "Wally." I was able to pull Wally away from Hudda long enough to play in one of the big jumpy castles.

Grandma Mary and Papa Randy came for a visit. When they got here it was snowing, but Wally had an activity in mind that he wanted to do with them anyway.

The Children's Museum is always a favorite place. Here, it looks like Wally is shopping in the little grocery store like any normal kid, but actually, he was working very hard to put everything away that the other kids left out. We didn't complain though.

Wally is really getting interested in activity books and learning his numbers and letters. Wally was working with Papa to put stickers in the right spot to complete the picture.

Wally wanted to make a cake for Grandma and Papa's visit, so of course it was a pink cherry chip cake with pink frosting. Wally also had to demonstrate the proper way to eat pink cake. Maybe he learned this from Papa Randy!

We went sledding on a really nice morning. Most of Grandma and Papa's visit was cold and yucky.

Grandma and Papa are pretty cool!

We of course had to go play on the play ground after sledding. Wet slides in wet snowpants is pretty exciting. Maybe this is where Wally gets his silliness from...

I started the video a little too late to catch the phrase right before the slide "I don't think I want to do this!" Guess she did anyway! Sorry about that bruise Mom!

Wally and Papa played at the mall play area while Grandma and I went shopping. Wally was fascinated by his reflection in the white parts of the climbing toys. Here, he was serving Papa some fast food. Thanks for the visit!

A professor Joel works with has a ranch southwest of town. He lets us bring the dogs out for some stress-free running. Wally and I joined Joel for a hike. It was a beautiful day, but with the humidity and the whipping wind, it was still pretty cold. There was a lot of snow, so Wally had a hard time walking (plus he knows we are still suckers and like to carry him - until our backs break!).

Wally found some snow shoe tracks to follow.

How to improve pizza. By Wally.

Simply add vegetables, of course!

What a proper outfit looks like. By Wally

Pink Princess pull-ups on the head. No pants. Socks that definitelly don't match anything. Top it off with an "angry face."

This is random, but I felt it deserved a spot amongst the Wally pictures. I posted a blog last November describing a meal of fresh brocolli after Thanksgiving. Well, I went out to check on the garden a couple days ago, and couldn't believe what I found...Fresh brocolli. There wasn't much, so I didn't pick it.

This is what the poor plant looks like. Now with the snow melting quickly. I will have to see if there is enough brocolli to pick a serving.

Wally loves mail, so here he is paying his bill. He "loves bills." (Where did this kid come from?) He can write a W, and likes to trace the other letters. Wally is also into playing fireman. If he can sucker someone into playing with him, he is in seventh heaven. I apparently was on fire in this picture. Fireman Daddy just stayed on the fire truck for this fire.

Wally can put out fires and can drive the truck!

When outside to play in the snow and build a snowman, make sure to always climb a tree instead. Wally has had an oral fixation lately. He chews on his coat or mittens constantly. I tried to tell him to stop because he was getting his face all dirty. He didn't believe me, so I took a picture. Didn't help. He kept on chewing on his dirty mittens. He's pretty cute though!

Wally takes very good care of everyone, including the dogs. Daisy apparently needed Blue Daisy to sleep with her on the porch.

Ah, though I don't have a picture. Wally hit a major milestone last week. He broke his first window. He was fishing on the porch with his fishing pole. He is getting really good at casting. He did a really good cast and bang, his weight thingy nailed one of the windows on the porch and one of the corners shattered. It is now fixed with packing tape. I guess boys will be boys (even if pink is their favorit color).