Dirt Eater

Now that he's one I thought I should kick Isaiah out with the big boys while I made dinner. This worked quite nicely but I'm afraid the kid ruined his appetite.

Apparently the dirt at Manito Park in Coeur d'alene doesn't taste as good as Moscow dirt.

Some more from Manito Park -

I've probably mentioned that there are a lot of Moose in this area - finally, here's some proof!

Cherry Pickers

Welcome to our *new* blog. Sorry to our faithful followers - you're going to have to change your bookmark. This blog has been about more than our first born for 2 1/2 years now. So it's high time I've changed our URL to johnbakken.blogspot.com to bakkenfam.blogspot.com. So we're good now.

There are many reasons to love the Northwest. Reason #1001: It's miserably hot everywhere but here. Reason #1002: Gobs of cherries! So we went cherry picking. While most of America has to pay through the nose for the privilege of enjoying these sweet bites they are cheaper than air here.

And it's more fun that going to the park!

I put him in a red shirt for a reason.

Reason #1003 to love Moscow - my boys live here!

Camping

Our church had its first annual family camp last weekend. It was in Coeur d'Alene just 1 1/2 hrs north of us. Not only was it beautiful and a blast. But it was also exhausting.

Jack and Patrick are at the perfect age for tent camping. Jack even asked if the tent could be our new home. I nixed that one.

Yes. Dirty and tired.

Look who turned 1 on the first day of our adventure!

Half-way

Summer just started yet we're already half-way!

Patrick wanted to hold Isaiah - who seems to be about the same size as him.

Isaiah will be 1 on Friday! He is crawling fast and loves to pull himself up to furniture. He also loves books - especially GK Chesterton and CS Lewis. He weighs 21 lbs 8 oz and is just over 30 inches tall. His head looks huge (according to men who aren't very sensitive to his feelings.) But it's really only in the 50th percentile. I think it looks huge due to all the English literature he reads. For his birthday I think we shall get him a toolbelt.

The boys aren't the only growing things here. We have picked our first tomatoes of the season and they were just as tasty as they look. Despite a very late start to summer my tomato plants are HUGE! I now sing the glories of raised beds.

Yup we live in Idaho. Somebody parked this next to our van at the local mud-hole (aka aquatic center.)

But most of the time we use our own pool.

I tried potty training this guy a couple weeks ago. I quit after a couple days but I think it was because I personally was not ready for the challenge. Patrick on the other hand tells me several times a day that he has to go potty - and he does! This morning we found an old Easter bunny behind the bookshelf and Patrick piped up "Oooh chocwat! I have to go potty!"

I'm so bad about taking pics of the boys with their friends. Here's Isaiah and his little bud Brody doing their step aerobics.

As for me - I just realized this morning as I got out of bed that now I have to put on my glasses, insert my false tooth (basically my dentures) AND strap on a walking boot. Yup, I'm a real gimp since I broke my foot (falling off a swivel chair.) I'm really looking forward to getting my new tooth and a healed foot - I'll be a whole new person! Our house is almost finished being painted, so there will be fun new pics of that soon too.

Patriotic Festivities

The 4th of July is definitely a carnivore's day.

Grandma set up 3 (!) pools for the boys.

This guy liked the fireworks most of all. He even burnt his fingers pretty badly on one of the sparklers yet still got over his fear. Future Pyro? Oh dear.

These two didn't appreciate the noise as much.

Goings on

This guy is still not crawling - unless there's a bookshelf, electrical outlet or cords in the room.

Patrick got a haircut. Actually, they all did. Ignore me in the picture, I just think it's funny how Patrick liked to watch in the mirror.

There was a dragon sighting in the park near our house. (We finally got to use a dragon kite that Aunt Becky gave the boys ages ago. They loved it, Thanks Becky!)

There should be a before picture with this, but I must have deleted it off the computer by accident. This was my first attempt a reupholstery. I also refinished the wood. I bought this icky 70's chair from Craigslist for $7 bucks and went at it. I'm pleased with the outcome however imperfect it may be and I definitely would like to try my hand at upholstery again.

They grow so fast

If you drop in on us unexpectedly this is what you will get -

Jack grew a beard today.

Patrick's let his unibrow get outa control.

And of course this guy is too young for facial hair but he does like to pretend with yogurt.