Cooling Off

Poor Darby. I didn't know it at the time, but the poor kid was coming down with something the day we got the pool out. He didn't eat any lunch after we were finished playing, and he woke up from his nap with a fever. That might explain why he didn't look terribly happy in the photos. Or maybe he just didn't care for the way Casey was wielding that hose ...

At the Fair

Okay, I have some catching up to do photo-wise. This first batch is from the Verona Hometown Days about a month ago. Verona was only our hometown for less than a year, but we liked their annual shindig enough to go back even though we have moved on to Cross Plains.

The highlight for Casey was the rides. Verona had their fireworks on a Thursday evening at dusk, which here in Wisconsin doesn't arrive until about 9:30. Darby and I were wiped out for some reason that I don't remember (maybe, I'm guessing, just the fact that I'm a mom, and he's one), so just Chris and Casey went to the fireworks. From what I heard afterward, Casey enjoyed the fireworks all right, but he REALLY was intrigued by the carnival rides. Chris told him that we would go back on Saturday, and that he could ride some rides then. On the way home, Casey told Chris, "I want to ride the zoo train. That's at the top of my list." Chris asked what else was on his list, and Casey thought about it for a while in silence, then said, "Nothing. That's the whole list." As it turned out, there was more on the list. For the next day and a half, all we heard about were what rides he wanted to try.

So we get to the festival and check out a few other things then head over the rides, which Casey was as excited about as ever. Chris bought some tickets for him. Immediately, Casey froze up and refused to go on anything. Chris stayed calm, and we spent the next half an hour wandering around trying to coax him out of his fear. FINALLY, I talked him into trying this really tame-looking ride where he just got to sit on a motorcycle and go around slowly. That was a hit, and after that we got him to try just about everything he qualified for height-wise.

You can't really tell by the strained expression on his face, but this rocket thing was really one of his favorite rides there.

This alligator coaster was one of the ones he was talking about nonstop between Thursday and Saturday. It was his first roller coaster experience ever. He looked really brave before it started moving. Then he looked like he was holding on for dear life. Afterward, he said it was fun, but he didn't want to go again.
Chris even took him on the Tilt-o-whirl, and I took this picture before it starting tilt-o-whirling. This was another one that Casey said he didn't want to go on again.

Darby isn't big enough yet for rides, so he just got to watch. I was worried about how he would take that since he always wants to do whatever Casey's doing, but Darby was great. He just liked watching the rides, and he cheered and clapped for Casey.


I think this is him watching the Cobra ride--something that Casey did NOT go on, but that they both were fascinated with.

Casey the Storyteller

While Casey was playing, he starting composing little stories out loud, so I got my notebook to write them down. Here is one of his stories, exactly as he told it to me:

"Once upon a time, the rocks are falling off the couch, and Casey turns into a little squirrel. Then the squirrel bites a mouse. That's what squirrels like to bite. And then the squirrel saw something big. It was a big rocky giant. It was walking through a rocky forest. The rocky forest turned into a jungle. The jungle turned into a desert. The end."

Goofin' Around

Darby is quite the climber these days. He is all over this thing.


I think I know where he learned it from.


This kind of thing doesn't make me nervous at all! It's a good thing he has nine lives. That saying's about toddlers, right?

But he's so happy.


Some well-earned relaxation ...
No one can accuse my boys of working too hard. They know how to kick back.



Funny faces
All I want is one cute photo that shows this kid's dimple, and this is what I get. He's so normal looking when the camera's not aimed at him!



Aw, here's a sweet one. He likes to open and close the door, saying, "Hi!" "Bye!"


Casey and Moonbeam Bear
As always, inseparable.

Tracking a Toad

Chris was mowing the lawn and saw a "rock" suddenly jump behind a plant. When he was done, he brought the boys over to show them, and they were riveted.

Casey's First Bike

He wouldn't stay on it for more than a couple seconds, but he'll get there. There's a lot of summer left.

Darby wanted to try too, of course. It'll be a while before this little guy can reach the pedals.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood