The Wrenicks are the Best!

We would like to send out a huge thank you to the Wrenicks for having a baby shower for us! Also, thanks to everyone that came. We really enjoyed visiting with everyone and Larry couldn't get enough of practicing to be a dad.

(Dads hide in Thomas the Tank tents and scare children as they come close, right?)

We also really enjoyed the diaper cake. Although, they really should put a warning on those things. Dana found out the hard way that its a cake made of diapers, not a cake made to look like its made of diapers.

(They say pregnancy makes you crave some weird things)

With only 1 month until the due date we are getting really close to having everything ready. Everyone has gotten us really great gifts at the showers and Larry finished staining Dana's great-grandmothers old dresser.

The decorations are getting put up in the baby's room.

And Larry's co-workers have found a sonogram of what the little guy looks like.

Coolest Aunt and Uncle Ever

Well, as you probably noticed, we missed putting up a post last week as we were both busy (Dana) and lazy (Larry). Dana's excuse for being so busy is that she is having a little more trouble getting everything she likes to get done accomplished. Here she is having trouble figuring out what she forgot to do.

(Nobody tell Dana she forgot to put on one of her shoes, she can't see her feet these days)

Larry's excuse for being so lazy is:
1. He has always been lazy and he is getting too old to change his way now.
2. He is worn out after spending a long weekend partying with Emma and James (one of his favorite things to do!)

Here's a shot of Emma and Larry playing Dora the Explorer in the Devils Ice Box Cave.


To Larry's surprise, Emma kept telling Larry they should keep going, and even thought it was cool when they turned off their light when they were as far into the cave as they could go.

Not to be out done, James wanted to show off his adventurist side by having uncle Larry show him how to rock climb.

(Lookout Mt. Everest, here comes Sweet Baby James)

After a long hard day of spelunking and mountaineering it was time to hit the water park and show the niece and nephew how to stay out of trouble. First things first, plugging up the water jets.

Then....Boom!



Emma even showed uncle Larry a thing or two about her technique for plugging the water jet.



James preferred to stick to the water jets that were a little more his size.

Out of town

Well, as you probably noticed, there was no update to the Simonson life last week. That's because ever since Clarence (or gnome) was kidnapped and taken on vacation we decided it was time to get out of town. Thankfully the kidnapper and his accomplice returned Clarence after the ransom was paid.

(Clarence on vacation in Crested Butte)

Dana first headed to Paola for a baby shower before going onto Chicago for work. Before we left town the little Simonson's room looked like this:



When we got back and unloaded everything from the baby shower it filled the room so full we could not get in to take another picture. Thank you to everyone that attended. Time to get to work organizing and preparing for the big day.

Before returning from Chicago Dana stopped off in Lincoln, NE to visit her brother. He's been doing really well and is going strong with his recovery.

(Dana and Grant out catching some rays)

Hopefully by this time next year Grant will be able to join the Simonson's on a trip to Ragbrai, which is were Larry decided to spend his week since Dana was going to be Chicago. As always, Ragbrai was amazing but an entire week without Dana is tough on Larry. Luckily Larry's tent mate was there.

(Collin doesn't smell quite a nice as Dana but he's about the same size)

The entire gang had a great time but as always, what happens on Ragbrai stays on Ragbrai. So if you want the story's you'll just have to come by the homestead for a visit.

(Larry, Matt, Kyle, Eric, Collin)