Aqui Esta "El Bride-O"

It was a lovely afternoon for a beach wedding. We gathered on the sand to watch John and Ashely get married, then took some great photos down by the water. They're truly a beautiful couple, and we wish them a lifetime of happiness together.

Mas de Mexico

Uncle Tom with Jack and "Uncle" Scott with Griffin.

Jack and Griffin played in the "penalty box" at the restaurant during the rehearsal dinner.

A family swim in the Gulf.

Did I mention there was a water park at the resort? The boys (all three) were entertained for hours.

Bryan and Griff watched the wedding on the beach.

Griff caught a quick pre-ceremony snooze after a long morning in the water.

The Boesens Head South of the Border

Despite International travel warnings, the Boesens (and a whole bunch of Phelpseseses) headed south of the Border for John (Betsy's brother) and Ashley's wedding. The flight was terribly turbulent which caused Griffin to laugh and laugh, but there were no angry drug lords waiting for us on the other end. Both boys had a great time experiencing the ocean for the first time, and were thrilled with the soft-serve machine in one of the snack buffets.


Mommy gets a rare kiss from Griffin. Perhaps it was because I held a very warm towel for this little water baby who was cold.

Griffin wasn't sure what to make of the sand at first. But once Aunt Jenny started burying his toes and playing peek-a-boo, he was hooked.

The Gulf of Mexico? Not a problem for my water baby. He wasn't a bit concerned about the schools of fish swarming around him looking for treats. He called out "Nemo, where are you?" over and over. Silly Nemo never did show up, but his turtle buddy "Crush" did. Mommy even got to touch the creature!

Jack preferred dry land and swimming pool to the ocean, but he did dip in a toe or 10 just to check it out.

Back to School

Jack started preschool at a new school this year. Here he is on the first day...complete with iPhone (used as bribery to get him to smile).

Just Playing Around

Recently, I got a new camera and have been playing with it...forcing my mommy friends to let me use their darling babies as test subjects. Here baby ElenaThompson seems to be saying, "here, taste this, Griffin." She's quite lucky he didn't show off his strong teeth and take a bite out of her newborn hands.

Marshmallow Roast

We had a great time roasting marshmallows with Amber and Pat, and their two boys Nicholas and Charlie. As you can see, the four boys were hard to contain, and had a great time running in the yard and getting sticky with massive marshmallows.

Jack devoured a s'more faster than we thought he could.

Pat helped Nicholas roast his marshmallow...a safe distance from the fire pit.

Jack gets his marshmallow ready.

Griffin and Nicholas had a nice chat by the fire pit after dinner. They're about 4 months apart in age.

Yum!

Griffin dug in to his first piece of Iowa corn on the cob. Perfect for teething toddlers, he preferred his with lots of butter and no salt. As you can see from the second photo, he didn't move on to the next row until EVERY SINGLE kernel was eaten.

Hut, Hut, Hike!

There are no lights at Kinnick Stadium, but that didn't deter Ricky Stanzi from warming up for the 2010 football season. Not easily intimidated, Ricky spends most evenings preparing for the Wisconsin game.

Saint Sally

Sally was sainted a while back, but the nickname lives on for good reason.
Recently, we planned a trip to Chicago and asked Saint Sally to come stay with Jack and Griffin. She happily agreed. After Bryan and I left for Chicago, she called to say my car was dead...yet again. After transferring bags, carseat and kiddos to her car, she smelled a terrible smell. Griffin needed to be fumagated after an explosive diaper. This procedure caused her to be a tad late to drop Jack off at preschool.
When she did arrive at school, she buzzed the office and waited for directions to the room. Then, Jack vomited all over the office of his school (and himself in the process).
Long live Saint Sally!

Popcicles on the Front Porch

Nothing says "summer" like a melty popcicle on the front step. Nothing says "motherhood" like cleaning up said melty popcicle with numerous loads of laundry and copious amounts of OxyClean. Still, it makes for fond memories.

Jack, neighbor Sam Buggy and Griffin enjoy a break after dinner.

Griffin and Jack hosted cousins Johnny and Sofia for play time during their visit to Iowa. We couldn't believe they all sat still and smiled at the same time.

The Letter Man -- Nomade

The Des Moines sculpture garden is a fun way to spend an evening in downtown Des Moines. Jack is a big fan of "Nomade" by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. My guess is Plensa didn't anticipate his work of art would become a climbing wall, but at least the kiddos are enjoying the art.

Griffin and Bryan's shadow as reflected on "Marriage." I thought this was cool because it shows the two even hold their hands and arms the exact same way. Very strange.

Pool time

The boys have enjoyed swimming in Grandpa Tom and Grandma Patty's pool this summer. We've been amazed at how quickly Griffin took to water. He's fearless, which may or may not be a good thing.

During the 4th of July, cousins Johnny and Sofia Natale came for a visit.

Who needs a bathing suit when you look this good?

Look, Mom. No lifejacket! Griffin does own a lifejacket, but prefers waterwings. He's actually a great swimmer and loves to kick his legs.

Jack shows off his water skills. Only recently did he graduate to sticking his face in the water on his own.

House Update

A True Foodie

A true foodie, just like his mother, Griffin enjoys tasting things for the first time. Generally, there's quite a mess involved, but it at least makes for entertaining meal times.

Griffin's impersonation of "Anchorman" Ron Burgundy: "Milk was a bad choice!" Or, in this case, yogurt smoothies were a bad choice. Thank goodness for bibs and bathtubs.

This smile really lets you know that Griffin enjoyed his first taste of Nutella. He tried to pick up the melted goo with his hands and laughed when it oozed on the floor.

When dining with Griffin, make sure you keep the conversation moving, or he'll let you know he's bored. Here, he simply couldn't wait a moment longer to nap, even though his Wharf burger was on it's way.

Cuties

Peek-a-boo!

Is it just me, or is this kid up to no good? "Shh don't tell Mommy I'm sneaking to the driveway."

"I'm cute and I know it. I use this knowledge to my advantage often."

Jack having fun in his favorite chair. Or, perhaps Daddy was tickling him so he'd smile for the camera.

Future deep thinker.