Potty Break

Had to pull over for a pee emergency.

Look At This Cool Hat

We're Up and Running

Figured out how to blog from iPhone! We're back in bid-ness!

HAJ

Look Out Lance

Guess what I did today? Mom and I went for a bike ride together. Well, she ran, (and I use the term "ran" loosely. She basically jogged in place) while I rode my bike next her. The plan was to go a mile. Is that a lot for a three year old? I'm not sure. Well, I made it 3/4 of a mile before I told her I was tired. So she pushed my bike home and I ran the last 1/4. Honestly! It was great. Now I just need some running shoes because these Crocs just aren't cuttin' the mustard.

I can just see it now. Fifteen years from now I'm going to be on Oprah, and she's gonna ask me, "So when did you start biking?" And I'll say, "Well Oprah, its actually a funny story. My mom decided she thought maybe she wanted to be a runner, and she hated pushing me in a stroller while she ran. So at THREE, she started me out biking a mile while she ran. Child abuse? Maybe. Fun? For sure!!!!"

Crunch time,
HAJ

PS - I rode my big boy bike, not my trike as shown above. Hey, let's get together and try to think of a better name for my new bike. Its draggin' me down typing "big boy bike" all the time.

Sometimes Its the Brakes

You aren't going to believe this, in fact that what I told Mom: "I can't believe I have a big boy bike, Mama. I can't believe it." But Daddy found this bike in some one's yard and it had a "FREE" sign on it! So he picked that right up, took it to the bike shop to get it fixed up and surprised me with it yesterday! I really love it, but with my old trike, when you pedalled backwards, the bike went backwards. With this thing, it puts on the brakes. It gets to be a little more than frustrating sometimes, but Daddy says to stick with it and I'll be going as fast as Mommy one of these days.

He stuck to me like a fart in a phone booth,
HAJ

Month 39 Archives

Dear Henry,

Today you are 39 months old. You are a rambunctious, crazed, energized three year old. You've grown more challenging now that you're three. You have more opinions, and you're not afraid to pass them on to anyone who will listen.

Your shyness is really getting a lot better. I still wish you didn't need quite so much warm up time, but you're really coming along. A few funny phrases that are part of your every day language includes: "Oh man!", "I'm going to bust you!", "Don't freak out!". You're sassing off a little. You want to put me or your dad in time-out all the time. I've lowered down the hammer and have put YOU in time-out every time you say it. And amazingly, it almost never happens anymore. I've also starting incorporating yoga breathing, (for you AND me) when you're starting a tantrum. We do 10 deep breaths, and again amazingly, afterwards every body is calm.

You are really into riding your bike. Unfortunately for you, we live on a giant hill, with a giant hill drive way, and no sidewalks on our street. So you're a bit limited as to where you can ride. Daddy and I will back our cars out of the garage so you can ride around in there. Fortunately, you're still on a trike, and you don't mind the small quarters. In fact, you really seem to enjoy when I am sitting in a chair in the middle of the garage and you ride circles around me all day long. I love it how, (and so does your Grandma), you never get on your bike without your helmet. You say, "I have to be safe, Mom." Keep it up Buddy.

Besides horses and baseball, you do like watching a little TV. OK, maybe a lot, but you'd still always rather be outside, so I'm OK with it. Your favorite shows right now are Imagination Movers, Scooby-Doo, and Phineas & Ferb. I love P&F too, so its fun to watch it with you. You laugh at some things, and I laugh at somethings. Its a perfect match!

Well, that's a pretty good wrap up of your life these days Kiddo. The weather is getting cooler, so we'll be inside more. I'm looking forward to going to the pumpkin patch, going sledding, and putting you on a plane for a couple vacations to Texas this winter. Even though you've done them all before, its going to be like the first time, and I'm looking forward to hearing your play by play account.

Love you Boogie,
Mama

Want Fries With That?

I just love to pretend that I'm working at a fast food restaurant and take people's orders. I ask them if they want hamburgers or tacos. Would they like ketchup? How about mustard? Any ranch? I really could do it all day long. Hmmm, maybe this is my calling. Watch out Ronald McDonald.

mind your own business,
HAJ

Biker Boy

Mom said I have to practice, and when I get good, she'll buy me a big boy bike!

Nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs,
HAJ

PS - Happy 29th Birthday Uncle Addison!

Now, More From Back At the Ranch

Life wasn't meant to be easy,
HAJ

Nine Nine Nine

Nine #1 - Happy birthday to my GREAT Gpa W! He is 86 years young this year and I love him very much. When I visit him he always lets me check out all of his baseball stuff, and more importantly he lets me ride his scooter. Love you Gampa.

Nine #2 - Happy birthday Big J! While he is one of my most favorite people in the world, and super fun and a great coach, the best thing he ever did was marry my cute Auntie M. So even though its your birthday Big J, maybe you should take your cute wife out for dinner just cuz.

Nine #3 - Happy birthday to Brookie! She's the greatest! She always has time to spend with me. She is always thinking of me by setting up play dates and always bringing me a toy or a treat. I hope she knows how much I appreciate every little stitch of it. She's so fun and thoughtful, and I just really hope she has the best day ever!

Love,
HAJ

Gastrointestinal Review

Welcome to my Minnesota State Fair 2009 Gastrointestinal Review! The tradition continues with the Johnston's and the Willegalle's, including the new little shooter at his first fair - Griffin. Grab your bottle of Tums and hang on:

We started out this year with Martina's favorite, shocker, fried cheese on a stick! So yummy and creamy. It really tastes like a grilled cheese sandwich. We then headed over to Juanita's Fajitas for a breakfast burrito. Daddy said it was just "OK" but I loved it. (See photo above). We washed it all down with a little German Root beer (think Barq's without the bite) and headed straight on over to the Mini Donuts! This is where Griffin really got to shine!

Next was the only new thing we tried this year, yes, we're growing a bit lame in our old age: Pickle Dog. Its pastrami and cream cheese wrapped around a pickle spear. It was good, but how about if it was SALAMI?! Mom got her favorite soft pretzel dipped in mustard next, and it was off to every body's favorite Turkey To Go. Brian couldn't keep his mouth off that one!

After a brief intermission of Palmer and I saying we wanted to go on rides, and then actually really not going on rides, well I didn't anyway, we headed back over to the food. Mom tried the Shaved Hawaiian Ice, pretty good, but really sweet. The day was then rounded out with fried pickles, a quite large pickle on a stick, and the always yummy caramel apple. We really had another great day at the fair this year! Thanks again to the Mitsch's for the best parking spot in town!

Burp,
HAJ

We Were FINE!

Tune in next week for a gastrointestinal recap of the Minnesota State Fair!

HAJ

Boating With My Daddy

HAJ

Pman - Another Year Older

I'm spend all of my free time organizing all of the vacation photos that I got from Grandma and auntie Chris yesterday. Thank you, thank you. In the mean time, I have to tell you about Palmer's birthday. We were out of town for his actual party, so Mom and I decided to take him out to lunch on his big day instead. We took him to the Machine Shed. Remember that awesome place where all they have is John Deere tractor stuff?

It was such a great time! There were presents! And - you probably won't believe this, but my mac n cheese and Palmer's hot dog were served in tractor trailers! AND - we drank water out of JARS. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Hope you had a great birthday Pman...I sure enjoyed it.

A piece of the action,

HAJ