Baltimore in August

We flew into Baltimore, walked into the airline terminal, and Jack says, "Where are some crabs?" Thankfully, the airport giftstore was close by with a plethora of crabs pictured on merchandise. Still, Jack was disappointed to find that he had to wait to actually EAT some crabs.

What fun to introduce Thomas to his East coast family and to watch the four eldest Powell cousins (ages 5, 3, 3, and 2.5) romp non-stop around the house. A few highlights:

With Great-Grandma Parrish


Tucker and Jack


At the river:





After a long weekend of non-stop romp:


Jack and Elias
With Grandma Annie


Fit in some quality time at the "Beach" (Sandy Point by the Bay Bridge) and the pool:

Back in Texas

One last shot from our time in Texas in July. (Happy Birthday Uncle Michael)

Powell Boys

Our computer has been on the fritz for what seems like forever. We're tentatively back in action, and will start uploading the backlog of photos from this summer.

To start, here are Jack and Thomas at 2.5 years and 6 months. (June 2009)

Oh, I see what you're talking about.

Jim and I were having a conversation in the front seat of the car, and Jim said something along the lines of, "I think this is the right neighborhood."

Jack, from the backseat, cried out, "No, not neighborhood, ROBIN HOOD!"

And that settled that.

Big Day

First bath together.

Screech

Tom's latest antics

Jack Quotables

Jack ran away from us in Target and disappeared long enough for me to get pretty anxious. When I finally found him (well, when he found me) I tried to calmly explain how Mommy feels sad and scared and worried when I can't find him. Jack listened with wide eyes and replied, "But Mommy, Jesus keeps me safe."

We're big fans of our church's kids' program and the teachers. Jack memorized his first verse! According to Jack it is: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Problems 3:5

Jack and GrandDad

Soaking up all of GrandDad's pointers on duck feeding.

Remembering Grandfather

2 Priceless TX videos

Jack's first zip line experience:


Thomas's first hysterical laughing fit:

Texas Trip Greatest Hits

With the family before dinner at Carino's (Kristen's anniversary, once again, spent without Jim...I think we're 3 out of 10 for spending the day together and not with high school kids.)


Typical.


The Greats:







Jack took this picture:


And this one (my personal favorite).




The Aunts and Uncles



Trying to sort out the problem with GrandDad's leg.


Classic.


Playdates with TX friends

Clarification

TCU is in Fort Worth, my brother and his wife are alums, so either they or my Mom are the likely culprits who taught Jack this catchy phrase while we were in TX two weeks ago. I hadn't heard it before today. Oh, and TCU is an arch rival of BYU's football team.

Thomas, eating machine

Here is Thomas on the occasion of his first spoonful of rice cereal, June 4th.




and here he is after 6 weeks on baby food:

Overheard

Jack walks into the kitchen and says, "Horned Frogs! That's my team!"

Another Quotable

Jack's been practicing the "Oh, Okay." with various inflections for a few weeks now, which cracks us up. Who knew you could use those same two words to express so many different emotions. But yesterday, he busted out his latest favorite phrase. We were explaining something or other of importance to him, and his response:

"Oh...I see what you're talking about." (drag out the "Oooooh", and the "I" and you'll get an idea of his charming two and a half year old inflection.)

Birdsongs

Hiking, we overheard some beautiful bird songs.

Kristen: Jack, do you hear the birds singing?
Jack: Yeah, they're singing Jesus Loves Me and Shrek.*

*Shrek = Accidentally in Love by the Counting Crows (from Shrek 2) a song that our entire immediate family has memorized and we often listen to in the car on repeat (it has replaced Hillsong's Hosanna and rivals Coldplay's Life in Technicolor as Jack's favorite.)

What??!

So, I’m eating lunch, watching CNN, and there is a commercial about KAZAKSTAN??! I pause, stunned as familiar images flash before my eyes, in fact, I’m pretty sure every photo they used was already familiar as a documented destination on the Morningstar Adventure of a Lifetime. Apparently Kaz is hosting the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on July 1 and 2nd and wanted everyone in America to know? And guess what’s more, I already have a good hunch of what the venue might be...something with a black room and a white room...and a room with freakish doves. Seriously, what an odd moment, but a big THANK YOU to the Morningstar family for such a great Kaz education!
Oh, and if you are reading this and need some clarity, I'm sure Jamie will share the appropriate links over at http://morningstarhappenings.blogspot.com/

Baby Talk

K: "Hey Jack, can you talk baby talk to your brother?"
J: "Yeah." And he leans in real close, smiles at his brother, and in a sweet little voice says, "Baby talk, Baby talk".

K: "What would you like for lunch, Jack?"
J: "I'll think about it." (places hand contemplatingly on face) "Hmmmmm...let me see."

"Come here, Mr. Smarty Pants."
"I not Mr. Smarty Pants...I Jack Harrison Powell!"

We watched the helicopter that was on display at the Summerfest Carnival as it took off and flew away. Jack: "There it goes! Flying to Texas!"
Jim didn't hear what Jack said, so I asked him, "Tell Daddy, where is the helicopter going?" Jack: "Going to Costco!"

Just like Daddy

Jim was leading songs for the college group. But he wasn't a solo artist for long (and, perhaps slightly upstaged by Jack's killer moves).

Fro Watch: June

Here we go again...

Thoughts on Rainfall

Mommy: Look Jack, its raining.
Jack: Yeah, its lots of water, for the dirt to drink.
Mommy: Oh really? It is a lot of water...
Jack: Yeah, a big water fountain gives the dirt water to drink.
Mommy: The rain comes from the sky...
Jack: Yeah, from the bottle in the sky.
Mommy: From the what?
Jack: From the bottle of water in the sky.

Payback

Thomas finally exacted his revenge on his brother for all those times Jack tried to squash him.



Jack's response to this situation was to remain as motionless as possible. It may have been the most still while awake he has ever been in his whole life.

Powell Boys

Escape Artist


Thomas and the Great Race: one compelling bedtime story


Already developing his own sense of style

Just call him the "Bambino"

...of mini golf

This was Jack's 5th mini golf hole ever! What a natural!

So True

Jim: Jack, come back in the yard and don't stand in the ant pile.

(Jack obeys)

Jim: Thanks for being a good listener, buddy.

Jack (looks up at his Dad, and earnestly says): Well, a spaceman's gotta do what a spaceman's gotta do.

Fro Watch

Thomas's hair just keeps getting better and better. Someone asked what product we put in his hair to get it to do this. That'd be a negatory good buddy. We attribute this sort of hair behavior to the Burr side of the family.

Its Okay Baby Thomas...

HOW ???

This picture was not staged in any way.

This is what I found when I went in to check on Thomas during his nap on April 21st (in case you are keeping track of the length of his fro...yep, this picture was taken a few weeks ago)!
Needless to say, when I laid him down for naptime, the pacifier was in his mouth.

Overheard

Today was a rainy day, so Jack rambled happily about singing "Its raining, its pouring, the snowman is snoring..."

We have several bird nests outside with busy mamas flying back and forth with worms. After watching this for a while, Jack watched a mama bird fly away and said, "She's gone...gone to Costco." "Oh really", i said, "for what?" "For samples...feed her babies samples." *Note to reader: we really don't go to costco as much as one would think based on Jack's obsession with it.

K: Jack, do you like eating at Sonic?
J: I dunno, I'll think about it."

Jack tried on Jim's bike helmet, put his hand on the side, and said, "Helmet...soooo beautiful!"

Jack has this new trick of jumping up in the air and swinging his legs out in front of him so he lands flat on his bottom. It works great in most grassy areas, but he tried it inside the house and it didn't feel so good. He stood up and said,
"My bum hurts! My bum hurts!...I'm sad about that."