Cole's First Tractor Ride

Last summer Cole was so small and the weather was so hot that we never managed to get him on a tractor.  So, today we did!  Marc was working ground all day, and Cole and I took lunch out to eat with him - and got a ride on the tractor!

 

Here they are returning from their first round.  As they were approaching, from the road, I saw Cole take Marc's hat off and wave it around.  Marc grabbed it and put it back on. :-)

I got to join them on the second round.  Two rounds was about enough for the little guy.

The first ride of many...

Summer Reading Program

I signed Cole up for the Summer Reading Program at the Sublette Library this week.  He has to read 25 books in June to qualify for the hot dog party in early July.  Ha!  Don't know if it's silly that I did this or not, but I love participating in city stuff.  I found out that they have storytime every Wednesday morning at 10:30 (though that silly morning nap always seems to get in the way) and a few other fun activities throughout the month.  We'll go when we can!

 

Climbing

Cole has been working hard to climb up on the couch.  He can only do it if he has something to step on - a pillow, Marc's jeans the other day when I was folding laundry, and recently...General...

 

 

And then he goes sniffin' around Daddy's cubby where there's lots of fun treasures...

What a joy!

Jeff and Melinda's Wedding

Marc's cousin, Jeff, married Melinda this past weekend in Winfield.  They live in Wichita but found this really cool venue called Quail Valley Farms.  The weather was nice, not too hot in the shade.  It rained just a little bit but not enough to bother much.  The farm had a blow up trampoline for the kids and a petting zoo. 

 

Other cool things:

• The attendants walked into the ceremony from a long way off.  When it was the bride's turn, she was hidden behind white umbrellas while she walked toward us and then revealed at the last second.  A grand entrance!
• They had a photo booth at the reception where you could go in with a group and use their props to take funny pictures.  It was designed so you got a copy and then put a copy in a book for the bride and groom.  Fun!
• Instead of cake, they had doughnuts!
• The two grandmas were the flower girls.  They both had walkers.

 

Cole and Owen and Adam

Little man looking dapper.  Marc and I thought he belonged in the movie "Newsies".

Cole's seat for the wedding.  He stayed content with snacks and a pacifier.

Cole and Marc at the reception after Marc changed out of his long sleeve shirt and tie.  He was an usher.

Cole and Grandpa Voth

Chelsea and Michael

Shandra, Cole, Grandma and Grandpa Voth

 

Cole and his mama - dancing

First Happy Meal

While we were in Winfield this past weekend for Marc's cousin's, Jeff's, wedding, we stopped at McDonald's for lunch and Cole had his first Happy Meal.  I think his mom and dad were more excited than he was.  He gobbled down the cheeseburger and apples and enjoyed the milk.  We were surprised to see the teeny tiny little fry box.  Marc had me save it for his memory box.  Ha!

 

We sent the picture below to Joel, since he's a fellow McDonald's lover.

 

 

I've come to realize lately that Cole loves taking bites off something big that you hold for him - like this cheeseburger or a ham and cheese sandwich.  He eats it right up!

Mrs. Sturdivant

Cole and I took flowers from our yard to Mrs. Sturdivant, our old lady neighbor.  Her daughter texted me earlier that morning and told me it was "Grandma Sturdivant's" birthday.  I wonder if I was included on the text she sent to all her grandkids?

 

She was surpised to see us at her door and was grateful for the flowers.  Easy enough!

Cole is Stylin'

Cole got lots of fun clothes for his birthday.  Here are a few of his latest outfits...

At the park chillin' in his sneakers, fishing cap and athletic garb

Cute car shirt with plaid shorts

Digger shirt playing on a trampoline in town

Getting braver...

Ear Protection

Cole found Marc's ear muffs and thought they'd be fun to try on (or his dad thought it'd be fun to put them on him).  We thought it was pretty cute...

 

He got to the point where he would bring them to us and ask us to put them on.  He always laughed as he took them off!

Fishy shower invitation

I noticed the shower invitation didn't come through on the blog.  Here it is again. Hopefully you'll be able to see it.  I think it's kind of clever.

Texas trip favorites

I wanted to include some of my favorite photos from our recent trip to Texas. We had a great time with great people.

Here were my travel buddies on the way south.  Thanks, Cindy, for taking your car on the trip!

HAD to make a detour through Waco to check out the old stomping grounds of Kathryn Ellis, 

the best daughter-in-law ever! 

Being goofy.  Why?  Not sure but I think we sent this photo to Elsy. ? ? ?

Beautiful evening in Austin - on our way to see the bats. A-MAY-ZING!

Batmen and one woman 

Joel's future office building is in the background - I think.  :-)  

If I were there, I could point it out to you.  REALLY!

 LOTS of pictures taken of this lady - Tirzah, not Janet.  Teehee.

Norma and Ladell did a great job of planning Joel's graduation party!

We made it to San Antonio.  Ladell and Christina were great map readers.

Love this guy! Ain't he cute? I would go to the ends of the earth with him!! 

This was one of Tirzah's modes of transportation 

Playpen for Tirzah! 

Fun breakfast place in San Antonio.  Hey Abby and Norma. 

Texas barbecue is not wrong.  It is just different.  

Lois' Art Gallery

Over the years my wonderfully talented mother-in-law has stitched numerous counted cross stitch creations.  Four of her projects, two of which are shown here with stitcher Lois, are on display at Tallgrass Creek. The other two, down the wall a bit, are birth samplers she made for Dana and Brad.  Julie's sampler didn't have the right kind of hanger on the back so it is still hanging on the wall at our house.  :-)  Some of you are recipients of some of her handiwork.  She loved to make wedding samplers for newlyweds. She does beautiful work.  We are so glad she consented to display them for others to see!

Fishy wedding shower

One of our BEEEF group offspring is getting married - Kyle Ellrich, son of Dave and Marlene.  The wedding is in Denver (Westminster) on June 21.  Dave and I will attend the wedding.  We love an excuse to go to Colorado!

The first weekend in May we hosted a wedding shower for Ashley, Kyle's finance.  Kyle's proposal to Ashley gave us a great shower theme.  Here's the story:  He is an avid outdoorsman. It was January and ice fishing season.  He and Ashley went fishing. When they first arrived, they put a line in an outside hole but spent most of their time in the fishing hut tending the holes there out of the cold.  As they packed up to leave, Kyle asked Ashley to check the outside line.  She pulled out the line and she saw a ring at the end of it!  When she turned around, Kyle was down on his knee and proceeded to ask her to marry him!  How exciting!  The rest of the story is that the underwater ring was fake (just in case a fish ate it or whatever); Ashley received her real ring and she said YES!

Our theme:  Hooked on Love!  Here's the invitation we sent out, with a ring hanging from a fishhook.  What fun!

Our brunch menu included homemade cinnamon chip scones, crescent roll wrapped asparagus with canadian bacon, yogurt bar with fresh fruit toppings and granola, "diamond ring" powdered sugar donuts.  The 30 people there seemed to really enjoy the food.

Our decorations were simple but striking. The angle of this picture isn't very good but gives you an idea of our decorations. Using fishline and fishhooks, we hung pennant-type letters that spelled "Hooked on LOVE" over a drapery background.  Hanging amongst the letters are "diamond ring" favors.  Besides the food, the table had a really neat looking tree arrangement.  The branch was painted black and had white flowers and votive candle holders hanging from it.  Pretty cool.

We used a combination of all three hostesses china plates and real tea cups!  That was fun.











In the picture below, the bride Ashley is in the center, her mother is on the left and Marlene is on the right.  I was bummed to see that I caught Marlene with her eyes closed.  Ashley was so appreciative that we hosted the shower.  The party go-ers included Marlene's co-workers, church people, a couple of Ashley's Colorado friends that live in Lawrence and . . . the BEEEF gals!