Jack and Cate Update -- August, 2005

Sunday, July 31, 2005

After a bath, the kids lied naked in our bed and watched a movie -- as is their custom. To answer your unasked question, Lisa and I (not pictured) remain fully clothed.

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Catching a shot like this is just Cate's good looks and my good luck. I've tried to get her to strike such a pose, but it somehow never turns out like I hoped despite all my yelling, screaming, and cursing.

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Is it just me, or does she look like she's twelve?

Saturday, August 6, 2005

We're convinced that Cate is losing some of the curls in her hair, but you'd never know it from this photo. I liked the shadow going across her face from the sunlight outside, so I thought it would make a good black-and-white print.

Tuesday, August 9, 2005

When it's August in Dallas, ski goggles suddenly become swim goggles. He might be pretending to swim in the house, or he might need an excuse to run around without a shirt.

Tuesday, August 9, 2005

As is her custom, Cate fought her need to go to sleep for nearly two hours this evening. Finally, she found me watching television in our room. When I didn't chase her back to bed but simply kept watching my show, she quickly fell asleep on the floor next to our bed.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Watching a movie, sound in one hand, and a drink in the other. This girl knows how to fly.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

He has good reason to be sucking his it's-time-for-bed thumb -- we didn't leave Dallas until 7:30 PM and the flight landed in Minneapolis after 10:00. Normally, the kids start heading for bed at 8:00 PM.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

I think we're about to lose her...

Sunday, August 14, 2005

It was after midnight when we reached Elysian the night before. I'm not sure how he did it, but Jack woke up just as we were pulling into town. He sleepily asked, "Where... Where... Where is my Jeep?"

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Our first day in Minnesota also happened to be Kendra's fifth birthday. Luckily, we were able to see her and Mom, Trudy, at Grandpa Delmar's rest-home where they were having a picnic.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

I'm pretty sure that Kendra is the most photogenic child on the face of the planet.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

They see each other once or twice a year, but it's always like this -- just one cat fight after another.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Jack struck his best super-hero poses to impress the older boys. It works for me...

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Cate won her toy goat at the duck pond. I really like this one...

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Jack thought it was really cool to give Buster a ride in the Jeep. The ride lasted about two-and-a-quarter seconds. After all the excitement about the Jeep, I should point out that we suffered all week from a faulty battery. While it never moved, Jack didn't seem to mind.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

This is just not right -- people are not supposed to bend this way. When we make faces and act like it hurts us just to watch, she giggles and does it some more.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Sunset over Lake Francis from Grandpa and Grandma's front deck.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Last year, the kids got to drive on Grandpa's lap. This year, Grandpa decided he was ready for prime-time. Without his sunglasses, we weren't sure he could actually see the landmarks where Grandpa wanted him to go.

Monday, August 15, 2005

If it's hard to see, always go with the imaginary binoculars. Opening your eyes is optional.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Once we finally got him out of the sun, we discovered it was really hard for Jack to see over the steering wheel. Cate had her chance to drive too, but it quickly became apparent (by her total lack of steering) that she wasn't really interested.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Jack's driving skills improved immensely once we propped him up on a cushion and he could see over the steering wheel. And here we were blaming his excessive drinking! How embarrassing...

Monday, August 15, 2005

Proving their versatility, Jack demonstrates how imaginary binoculars are also a good defense against light splashing. Rather than returning home, we took the boat to the public beach for some swimming. Frankly, neither of us thought the kids would like swimming in the lake after always swimming in crystal-clear pools, but we were most pleasantly surprised.

Monday, August 15, 2005

While Jack contemplates a mental break-down, Cate obviously approves of her splashing handiwork.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Like Chairman Mao before him, Jack may have been added to this photo after-the-fact. While not going completely under water, they both thoroughly enjoyed the lake.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Even Buster got in on the act. They kids loved it when Grandma had him (read: forced him) swim to the shore several times.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Jack thought it was pretty cool the way Buster shook to dry himself off, so Jack gave it a go. We really must find him better role models.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Luckily, Jack chose not to emulate this post-swimming behavior.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Just a few weeks before our visit, Grandpa and Grandma's boat lift had been flipped-over and destroyed in a storm. The new one was delivered during our stay.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

The crew made quick work of righting the old lift and replacing it with the new one. It was impressive.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Cate remained decidedly indifferent to all the excitement of flipping boat lifts...

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Surprise! It was Mom's turn to get behind the camera lens. After a few shots, she pronounced it "fun." I've been trying to explain that to her...

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

He hangs on my every word. No foolin'.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Now that it was safely back on its lift, Jack explored the pontoon boat by himself.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

We went to a county fair in Owatonna, Minnesota, and Jack was anxious to ride in the race cars. It's been his favorite ride, but this was the first time Cate had joined him.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

It may be her first time...

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

...and his fourth time...

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

...but I think they like it.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

A corn dog with plenty of mustard -- that's my girl!

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

While we waited for each ride, Jack kept insisting he knew where the entrance was so we could avoid standing behind so many people. Here, he's watching (rather wistfully) as other kids ride the fire trucks and spray water on "burning" buildings. Eventually, they would ride inside the fire truck rather than spraying water and riding up and down on the ladder (they apparently weren't tall enough for serious fire fighting). Neither Jack nor Cate really seemed to mind.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Lisa took the kids on the giant slide, but you may notice a slight problem if you're looking carefully. Lisa (with Cate in front of her) is still climbing the stairs while Jack is ready to plunge head-first down the slide. The operator, meanwhile, is obviously hopped-up on goofballs.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Jack has no problem negotiating the slide by himself.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Mom and Cate enjoyed the slide too, but they lack the originality of Jack's dismount. The judges may be stingy with the style points.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Oh... Can't you just feel her excitement?

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

After watching Cate on the previous ride and then Jack on the motorcycles, I began to question just how old these rides might be. My Dad then informed me that the brand of motorcycles used hadn't been made since the 1950's. I just hope the rides themselves have been maintained sometime since the late 1970's.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

After seeing Jack on the motorcycle, Cate decided she needed to give it a whirl too. She took the front seat while jack got the back.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

After Cate rode the carousel, we watched a human-cannonball fly over both Ferris wheels and into a net on the other side. Watching with the kids, I've never been so happy to see a person land safely in a net.

Monday, August 22, 2005

On the Monday following our return to Dallas, it was the kids' first day of the new school year. They were excited (despite Jack's photographic reluctance) to be moving into the four-year-old class with some of their friends.