Reading

Nathan reading a book in November 2006 (10 months).

Mathew reading a book in June 2009 (14 months).


In so many ways they are similar.
And in so many ways they are different.

Strawberries

We went strawberry picking at Afton Orchard. Both boys had a good time. Nathan is a veteran berry picker now, so he knew exactly what to do.

Mathew, on the other hand, is new to berry picking. At first, he focused on walking down the rows of straw without tripping.

Then, after watching me demonstrate several times, he selected his first berry.

I took several attempts to get him to try one.

He decided they were pretty tasty.

Check out Nathan's knee-high socks. He didn't want anything to brush up against his legs.


The boys were tired after picking berries in the sun. Both slept all the way home. I looked in the back and this was what I saw. I thought it was funny, Mathew in the mirror.

Splash Day

Yesterday was Splash Day at school. I forgot to bring Nathan's swim trunks, so I asked his teachers to let him wear the shorts from his spare set of clothes. They changed Nathan into his spare shorts and everyone headed out to play in the water. Ms. Kiehne turned around to find Nathan standing there naked. She asked him why he wasn't wearing his shorts and he told her that he didn't want to get his clothes wet! She noted that he had hung them up very neatly.

Movable Alphabet

Nathan started the "Movable Alphabet" at school. He picks one of the little objects and then choose the letters to sound out the word. Nathan is very proud of his work. And we are very proud of him :)

1st Haircut

Mathew had his fist haircut today. He was due!


Mathew wasn't sure he liked this little adventure.


The jury was in... and the decision was "I don't like this one bit!"

Luckily the fine folks at Cost Cutters in Stillwater were experienced. The whole ordeal only lasted about 4 minutes!

Nothing Smells Like a Deere

The new John Deere riding mower was delivered yesterday.
This morning Nathan put his shoes on and opened up the garage door to go to the truck...

Nathan: Mom Mom! Come here!
Me: What! What's the matter?
Nathan: You hafta smell this!
Me: (Thinking something died and rotted in the garage) Why? What's it smell like?
Nathan: It smells like a new John Deere tractor in here! Do you smell it?
Me: Yep. I can smell it.
Nathan: Smells like a green John Deere, right?
Me: Yep. Definitely a green one.

10 Steps!!!

Mathew took 10 steps this evening!

Such a happy boy... and in need of a haircut :)