Thinking ahead...

So I know it's super early to be thinking about this.. but I'm guessing the next few weeks might be a little occupied with things other than "Ben". So we were brainstorming today and trying to come up with a good idea for a Halloween Costume.
I was totally thinking a Raving Rabbid..
Ben was thinking Spiderman (blah)
I was pushing the Raving Rabbid idea and he switched to a Transformer...
(found a really cool costume with video )
I think we finally, sorta, initially, for now, settled on R2D2!
What a great fun costume to make WITH HIM this year.
I hope it lasts.. I'm totally geeked about what Pete can do electronically to make him beep and light up..

air show

It's been over 12 yrs since Pete and I have been to the air show here at Offutt. Pete really wanted to take Ben this year and see the Blue Angels. The plan was to go in the morning and see the Golden Knights parachute team, leave, and come back in the afternoon for some Blue Angels. The plan doesn't always work.
We got sucked in and stayed ALL day! A L L DAY!!!!!!! The only thing that made it bareable was the temperature. This morning when we left the house it was 63, and the high today was only 74 - so a great day to be outside - A L L day.

The Blue Angels were awesome - as expected. But the 45 minute intro of pilots, flight line checks, and taxing could've been done without.

The line for the shuttle bus back to our car wasn't terriblly long - probably one of the shortest. By the time we got home we were A L L exhausted. Now to lounge around this evening and debate on whether it's going to be too Cloudy or cold for the lake tomorrow - (high temperature only 72 and I'm just guessing here, but I'm thinking my wet suit isn't going to fit me these days).

Another BEN weekend

As if this might be the last weekend of Ben being an only child - we took him to the zoo this morning and this afternoon he rode a hot air balloon.
It was tethered and only up for a few minutes - but he had a blast. It was a fund raiser for a local high school band that is trying to raise money for the Rose Bowl Parade.

waiting in line... we were about 4-5 rides back when the winds picked up too high and they deflated the balloon. We went back this evening and at 730 the winds finally diminished to re-inflate, Pete and Ben were the 2nd ones on since they had tickets from earlier.






I think he liked it JUST a little bit


We stayed and watched for a bit since they were going to keep going after sunset. The lantern glow was great!

Ben and the mail

Today I ordered Ben new shoes online. This way we stay out of the stores and avoid the chanting for shoes that blink. Pete and I agreed on two pair last night, and with Ben's approval today I placed the order. This evening we enjoyed the concert at the Towne Center and on the way home Ben said he wanted to check mail to see if his new shoes arrived already.

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Earlier today we were sitting out front waiting for Pete to drive up, and I was telling Ben about the Snap Dragons in the flower bed. I told him to grab one and I would show him how they snapped. He started for it, then backed away and asked "Are they going to bite me?"
The giggles started, and he was too leery to grab one. I finally convinced him THEY wouldn't snap his finger so he grabbed one for me... and then i couldn't get the darn thing to snap at all.

Recently in Ben news...

Ben's school moved closer to our house., now it's only a bit over a mile away. This week I walked to pick him up in the afternoon and we've really enjoyed the walk back together. Today on my way to school it started to rain on me, I turned around and headed back to the house but 2 blocks away it stopped and the skies were blue again and the sun was out. I turned back towards school and continued the walk and dried off b/f I arrived, but on our way home pete calls to tell me the worse is headed straight for us. WE GOT SOAKED! for most of a mile it rained and rained HARD. We had fun stomping thru the puddles and singing in the rain.

Ben with his super cape, pop-gun, and shades. He was defending the deck from the bad guys!

I think Ben has plenty of dinos these days. HE LOVES THEM.. but I think he has 3 t-rexes, 2 steggies, and a million more. He wants me to play with him, but i get frustrated. Doesn't matter who I am, his T-Rex always wins.

For Aunt Laura

LOVE BEN!

It's a great day for going to the zoo...

It's been a ridiculously long week here. Mandy came up to visit with us and we've been going non-stop.
The other day was the last 'members appreciation day' at the zoo and we attended and went 'behind the scenes' in the aquarium. We watched as they fed the sharks and enjoyed all the educational stops. Ben wasn't sure about the touch-tanks though.

His two favorite things at the zoo this trip:

Ben loved the clowns

and he insisted on the train ride as the very second thing to do (after the desert dome and the alligators)

Happy 4th Birthday Benjamin!

Ben was so excited this morning, our little guy that USUALLY sleeps in past 8 was up at 6:30 this morning telling us that it was daytime, the sun was up, and it was time to wake up. He's had a great birthday, if i say so myself.
This morning Pete made him BLUE pancakes at Ben's request. We took him to the park and he caught several fish (a little better luck then yesterday's adventure for those of you that received that email). This time there was limited running and no screaming, well until I saw one poop on Pete.. then there was a little bit of a shriek.
We returned home long enough to regroup - WASH UP, and head out to play mini-golf.
Then cake, presents, a nap, and now more play, pizza making, and a movie this evening.

More Pictures can be found here

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