Thomas Fans

What is the common little boy obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine all about? Trains are cool and the toys are fun--I get that---but the Thomas movies are filled with short clips of sometimes plot-less stories and cheap animation. Thomas isn't even all that nice. In quite a few of the episodes, he's an obnoxious little engine! In fact, most of the trains can't get along, they're ruled by a wooden man, and their adventures are limited to an island. How many trains does the Island of Sodar need anyway? It's not even depicted as being very big! I just don't get it, but these Thomas fans apparently do. Maybe someday they'll explain it to me.

Dress-Up

This cowboy has had a lot of fun dressing up in the outfit he got for his birthday.

He has had a lot of fun dressing up in this outfit as well. I'm not sure what it is though---fairy princess knight, perhaps? Helmet-head wizard? Hmm...

Box Boy

People always say that there isn't any need to give children toys, just give them a box. People are right! We got a new heating and cooling unit, and Colter has spent a lot of time in his box house. We cut out windows and a door and decorated the inside with crayons. He's filled it with stuffed animals and a toy chair; he's played with it inside and outside and had hours of fun! The only problem is that box boy's box is so big that eventually, we're going to have to throw it away. Maybe he'll sleep in on trash day sometime and the box house can mysteriously disappear. We'll see how that works out. ;)

Missouri Travels 2010--Part IV--St. Louis Zoo

Happy Fourth of July!

Colter decided this year that he sort of likes fireworks but only from a distance. We were able to go to a couple of different displays, the first of which was put on by a man who works for a fireworks company. It was an awesome private display in the middle of nowhere with only a few local residents present, so we were able to get really close--in Colter's opinion too close! He did NOT enjoy the fireworks and thought they were way too loud. He spend most of the time cowering underneath a blanket, covering his ears, and begging to get in the truck. Towards the end of the display, he and I ended up hiding behind a house. Poor boy!

His experience at a second display was more successful. We stayed far enough away that while we could see most of the fireworks, we weren't so close they were deafening. That was more Colter's style.

Today, we shot off a few fireworks at Colter's grandparents' house, but he didn't really love the experience. Even snakes intimidated him a bit. I won't have to worry about him shooting bottle rockets at people or holding roman candles in his hands for awhile! :)

Missouri Travel 2010--Part III Meramec River Float Trip

Hi! I'm Colter and I love floating on the Meramec River despite the confused look on my face. My daddy and mommy are paddling a raft down the river, but I think Daddy is doing most of the paddling. This is so much fun! We have stopped and played in the water, seen lots of animals, and looked at lots of pretty river banks. I highly recommend float trips!

Hello. My name is John. I don't particularly like the water, and I don't particularly have any desire to go on a float trip, but as I love and adore my wife, I'm paddling her six miles down the extremely slow moving Meramec River. It's not so bad. My wife and son are having fun and will be eternally grateful. If only this river had more current and I didn't have to paddle for hours, this could be fun.

Greetings! I'm a pretty little damselfly or dragonfly or some sort of insect who is hitching a ride on a water jug in a slowly moving raft! It's very relaxing except for every once in awhile, the little boy on this raft who is trying to help his mommy paddle whacks her in the head. I hope he doesn't injure her.

Hiya! I'm a teeny tiny toad (or frog) hiding in the rocks along the Meramec River. Can you see me?

Hello! I don't know what I am, but I'm a vicious looking bug, and I want to use my scary pinchers to frighten the man paddling this raft. Maybe I can make him scream and fall overboard. Maybe. But probably not.