Pictures....

Now for the picture deluge...

Tian and Trace having fun with a cell phone they stole from their brother...

Tom bravely taking both out on the canoe - Ty is swimming
Tian swinging
I don't even know what Ty is doing here...I think the water is coming out his ears...

Tian,Ty and Trace feeding the goats at the zoo in Omaha

Tom - could this be a bad American commercial?-

eating a King King burger big enough for2 or 3 people

Ty tested for high Yellow belt - he passed.

Grant Germaine is one of the judges and assists Ty in breaking a board
Trace making sure he isn't missing anything

Could a birthday end any better - Ariel doll, Ariel sheets.... The babies attacking my in Tom's parents' pool

Riding the Gorillas at the Omaha zoo Trace wondering what strange American custom this is

Tian hamming it up over her new Ariel bathing suit - which she wore for a week straight with cowboy boots...

Empress Tian - regal as only she can be :o)
We had cake at the pool - where else would one have a mermaid party? We made a castle cake and I let (okay, she made me) Tian decide how and help decorate it

Ummm...did I mention she doesn't really have ... the manners of an Empress...I am ashamed to say her little brother is much, much much worse. We are thinking of feeding with his chair in the middle of a wading pool

It was a fun weekend- we canoed here at home, got some weeding done, I cleaned off my desk ( an Oympic feat) and actually enjoyed some nice, barely humid, weather. TJ had to work most of Saturday and Trev was up at camp Mitigwa working on service hours required for the Order of he Arrow. odd, it was such a peaceful day ( you connect the dots :o)

We cooked over an open fire Sunday night, we even made non-burned popcorn and dreamed of our someday deck and patio. We avoided any trip to the ER for over a week- does life get any better ?!?

I know it has been FOREVER

No pics today...maybe tomorrow

Quick update -
Trace survived palate surgery and his liquid diet ( 5 weeks!!!!) and another trip to the ER. The very morning we saw the surgeon and got the all clear to eat regular food, we went to the science museum to celebrate - Trace found some pills on the floor and ate them! HE is fine, didn't enjoy the charcoal too much, but he is fine.

The kids won't start school until September 2 ( I am hoping to get the house organized ( ha ha) .

We have had fun visiting Tom's family in Omaha - especially King Kong Burger ( I will post pictures) , my parents survived a whirlwind visit with us for my birthday:o) My mom had the nerve to say our house was a little chaotic! Can you believe it? At that point we had 2 dogs, 10 cats ( 5 of which were kittens), 5 kids and Trace was still on a liquid diet and VERY 2! Tian fell in love with her Grandpa Jon and did all of her best tricks :o) I don't think the poor man had 10 seconds to himself while they were here and I am sure his ear is killing him from all the talking ( and singing.)

Here are the latest Tianisms:

We are at a restaurant and she is sitting so close to me I can barely breathe. I ask her to move over becasue I can't eat - she looks up with those big black eyes and says, " Well then, don't eat." Too bad I can't think the world revolves around me ....

WHile visiting Grampy and Grandma Tessa Tian proudly claimed the title "Bossy Boots." ( I wonder why) At home yesterday she proudly proclaimed, " I am a Bossy Boots, Grandma Tessa told me so." If only we all were as comfortable in our own skin... she had no qualms about telling the ER nurse that the blood presure cuff was too tight on Trace's are or that the charcoal drink looked "Very nasty, he can't drink that."

Her FIRST joke - and it was actually funny! Ty got a black eye ( I am sure there will be an entire page about it ) He and Trevor were fighting over a wooden sword and guess what. Anyway, Ty walked around the first day telling everyone to look at his black eye and that Trevor gave it to him. Tian doesn't quite get what the big deal is ( after all, her eyes are always black!) She looks at Ty and in a tone only a little sister can use points to her eye and says, " Look at my black eye. I got it in Chin-ee" She repeats this while laughing hysterically every chance she gets.

TJ decides to try to tease Tian the other morning. He looks at her and says," Tian you're adopted." She replies " Yes, so be gentle with me." Where does that even come from?!

A word of warning the boys will be posting as part of school each week - so beware of lost limb pictures, tales of horror and woe - they should be signing them.... luckily here at home I can check them.

Tara