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A Very Merry Month of May
June 3, 2013
Welcome back, friends and enemies! I think May and July are consistently our most full months of the year, and this May certainly turned out to be very full. The weather has been just heavenly. Last year was horrible (as I think it was for much of the country), with little rain and warmer temps, but as I write this it's a cool 65 degree and the Ozarks are a gorgeous green. Thank you, Lord.
Well I know you didn't come here to read my boring intros, so I guess I'll get on with the good stuff. Thanks again for stopping by! Yeah, thanks!
The following blog has been approved for All Audiences by the Jordan Niednagel Association of America.
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Blog Videos - May, 2013
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"They're at your house again!?" Yeah, they won't leave. In place of our regular front door I've installed a revolving one. At any rate, here's Marscel trying on an outfit he ordered online from some Japanese discount company. lol, let's just say you wouldn't want to catch your pants on any sharp corner. Yep. No pants left.
Thanks for the great gifts, Ma! They actually were just on their way again to St. Louis to attend the birth of Michael and Bekah's baby. It was a boy! Welcome to the world, Cedric Robert Thomas! It's Robert, isn't it? I can't remember the middle name. It was either Robert or Roberta.
Yep, it's that time of year again! William tips his hat to you to welcome you to another Baker Creek Seed Festival! And yes, we're dressed up again. We were in their magazine again this year, and more pictures were taken of us by their staff. I think we're becoming their official mascots! I demand 50%.
Chatting with the Langs. Oh, and that's Emily Andersland there holding Philip. I wasn't totally keen on her coming with us until my wife suggested she could carry the kids the whole time. Great having you, Emily! Really great! :-D
Bryson Long and his Beaver Creek Feed booth. His company's really growing!
The Longs's booth with all their incredible soaps. You just stand there and smell and smell and smell and smell.
Mrs. Long and Morgan with Marian.
That is just too cute. We call Marian our little Pixar bug with her big, almond eyes.
You pull the lever, and this spider comes jumping out. William must have done it like ten times and jumped back every single time.
Newsboys.
Dapper dad and his little dude.
She would have made a cute 19th century baby ... and 18th ... and 17th ...
Bryan, Baker Creek's photographer, snaps some pictures of the boys.
How it appeared on their Facebook page. Look, the fencing has magically disappeared (although he forgot to take it out at the bottom left). :-)
"Duncan and his family." At least, that was the caption on the Baker Creek Facebook page. That's offensive. I do not look like a a Duncan.
Boyhood bliss. I so love this picture!
Girlhood glee.
Willy hangs out with Kassidy Ford. Isn't that a way cool name? Can just picture her when she's 18 with a Southern drawl. "Hellow thare. May name's Kassity Feurd!"
I handed this poor bag lady a $20 when I suddenly realized it was my mom. Lookin great, mother! (she actually got a lot of compliments ... my bad).
Emily thinks this is funny.
All right, we jump ahead to a random picture of the kids swimming in our nearby spring creek. That water is freezing. William's doing what I would have done at his age. Watch and shiver.
My industrious wife tending our growing lettuce. It really is just so amazing how much lettuce you can get, and keep getting, from just a few feet of space.
Are we gardeners or what!? Or what!?
Hey hey hey! Waddya say!? Ok, so there was an economics conference in St. Louis that all the Thomases, Zeses, etc, attended. We weren't going to come. I told the wife I didn't want to go on any long trips until Marian was at least 6 months old. Well, at the last second, after much sweet persuasion (Meliss is frighteningly good at that), we decided to go and surprise everyone. What a great weekend! So glad I had the intelligence to make the right decision.
Chatting with the Leukens. Hadn't seen them in years!
John endures abuse from the kids.
So it's like 11:00, and they've kicked us out of the conference center. Time for bed, right? No sir! Not if you're young, single, and front brain dominate! What better time for some English country dancing! Took this picture before we were out of there like a bat out of ... heaven.
It's the next day and we're enjoying a picnic with the Zeses. Course they always bring the best food and we just are so blessed to mooch off it. Thank you! :-)
Micaiah spends some quality time with his new niece.
Most gorgeous hair ever (besides my wife's, of course).
I was too embarrassed to ask Audrey Hepburn for her autograph.
Why can't it be the month of May all year? Everything is just so bright and happy and cheerful.
Smile, ladies.
"You'll come if you know what's good for you," said Mr. Zes days before we decided to come. Yes, in the end, I knew what was good for me.
Don't you just remember loving big blankets as a kid?
Yeah, I'm all that, and I know it.
"Excuse me, ladies, is this seat saved? No? Are either of you?"
"That's gotta be the worst Christian pickup line ever."
So now it's like nearing midnight and we're in the lobby of a nearby hotel making more conversation.
And for Mother's Day ... we got Ma a clock! Happy Ma's Day, Ma!
It's Sunday afternoon and we're at a little get-together at the Zeses with about 10 other families from the conference. The ladies enjoy some conversation.
The Thomas kids chat with Luke Botkin.
All right, we jump ahead again to a trip to Branson for Jeremy's 37th birthday!
Growing like zits.
Yep, another butterfly palace! This one was a little bigger, and the kids were given those cool hats and big magnifying glasses. So, where were the guys?
Golfing, of course! (You wouldn't think Jeremy would ask to go see butterflies on his birthday, do you?) Anyway, you'll recall last year we played with Jeff Ford and Daniel Sims, so this seems to be turning into a fun tradition.
Very difficult course. Let's just say I needed a calculator to add up my score.
Meanwhile, back in butterfly land ...
God's handiwork.
I like this picture.
There is something so striking about this. Nature's cross.
So sweet of you to look like a goober with the kids, hon.
A motley crew.
I guess they had this fun mirror maze. I think Keoni just creamed into one.
When she's older ... "I just remember strange lights ... fuzzy carpet ... and feeling completely psychotic."
Having fun at a nearby creek afterwards. Thankful for Philip's perfect head placement in this one.
We reunite for a picnic meal in the evening.
Happy birthday, Jer Dog! Just remember that you're really not as old as you look!
Had to throw this picture in. This is in our yard a few weeks ago as Melissa planted flowers in the pouring rain. Notice the drip coming from her nose. That'd dedication.
Sheer beauty.
Our garden this year is the most organized it's ever been. Even if it doesn't produce a thing, at least it's organized!
And the Thomases were able to join us once again on their way back to Oklahoma to celebrate William's 4th birthday! William wasn't apparently enjoying his meal.
My mom made these paper people that were supposed to resemble each of us. Not too accurate.
Although I have to say, Melanie's is spot-on.
William receives some socks and forces a smile of appreciation.
Now this is more like it! A wooden bow and arrow! Sweet!
Just a random picture of me hanging out with my girlfriend.
Sir William Locksley, sporting his new bow.
A few weeks later we had Uncle Bob and Aunt Beth from California come visit the property for a few days! SOO WONDERFUL seeing you both again! Uncle Bob still calls me "Captain Poop Deck" after an unfortunate incident that occurred when I was about a year old and he was babysitting me. I think you can put two and two together.
Jeremy's only daughter with my only daughter. There really is just something so different about having a girl.
Just another random picture of Wiliam before church. He sure makes our lives more extraverted. :-)
This my wife's side of the bed. I think she's done just about everything humanly possible with 5 feet of wall and floor space.
And lastly, a golden William with his golf finch friend. It hit a window, and sadly died a few hours later. "Yet a sparrow does not fall to the ground outside your Father's care." - Matthew 10:29
If that isn't evidence for an intelligent (and artistic) Creator than I don't know what is.
That's it! Thanks for stopping by! Beware the no-comment virus! A few unfortunate folks were hit last month! ;-)
