Been Farmin' Long?

Again - with the celebrity of it all. This morning my new auntie Chris was on the radio talking about the engagement! I mean, this thing is spreading like wild fire! I'm not going to get too excited until Matt Lauer calls. Then we'll really have something. Mom's promised not to call anymore people. She swears.

Look how good I'm getting at standing. Its my new favorite thing to do. Don't these overalls remind you a little of these kids? I want to get that poster and hang it in my room. After all, I got a little farmin' in my blood.

You're a gentleman and a scholar,
HAJ

My Brush With Celebrity

I keep telling Mom, "I'm too big for the kitchen sink! Just too big!" But she doesn't listen. She says it hurts her back and knees too much to bend over the regular tub. She's going to keep this dream alive as long as she can. Well, at least until Dad gets her a new kitchen, but that's whole other blog.

Today has been VERY exciting already! Mom went and stuck her big nosey noserson in her brother's business, and wrote the Pioneer Press the whole story about his and Chris' engagement. They called right back and said they thought the story of the two love birds was great and said they'd publish it. Well - we wake up this morning to this! On the front page of the paper! Above the fold! Things are crazy here! People are even talking about it on the message boards they have for the Winter Carnival. Then - by some strange twist of fate, they also published the actual story that Mom wrote here. What a fun day! Mom didn't mean for this to be their 15 minutes of fame, but enjoy it while you can guys!

Cakes and ale for all,
HAJ

Man-acation Over

My dad is finally home! He is pretty tired though (he fell asleep on the couch last night), his voice is really hoarse (he didn't sound familiar), and he hasn't shaved in a week (ouch!), but all seems well. He brought us home a load of walleye! Yay! Haven't heard much about what all happened up there. I guess what happens in Lake of the Woods, stays in Lake of the Woods. (I've seen Deliverance.)

Back to daycare today. It'll be weird to not see my mom since we've been connected at the hip for the last 4 days. But the separation should do us good. I was a little uncharacteristically fussy/whiny/crabby yesterday too - maybe a tooth is on the way?

Fight tooth and nail,
HAJ

Let the Good Times Roll

Good Sunday mornin' y'all! Things are getting real crazy up here in the Grove! Music is blaring, people are naked, I think I just saw someone eat the eyeball of a chicken for a buck! Ok, ok, there's nothing going on. I'm actually napping right now, (its amazing how I blog & nap.) Mom's working on laundry - AGAIN - so Daddy gets yummy clean sheets to sleep on when he gets home today. I can't wait to see him! He's more of the comedian in the family. Not that Mom ISN'T funny (lookin'), but I think she kicks more of a kick out of herself than I do. Don't tell!

I'm still working on the rolling over thing. I mean, I can do it, but sometimes I get stuck if my arm is down. Mom keeps telling me to put my arm up, but I don't know what that means. See? And see? And see? I'll get it one of these days.

Rattling 'round like a pea in a jam jar,

HAJ

Kiss This

Hey guys! Hope this finds you all well and good. Mom and I have just been hanging out the last couple days. We went to the grocery store today for our big outing, but we didn't even leave the house yesterday. OK - I lied. Mom went out to get the mail at one point. HA! We've just been playing, eating, and sleeping all day. Maybe a little laundry on the side, but that's about it. Seems all my pals are out of town this weekend too. I'm looking forward to Daddy coming home. Mom's great and all, but I can only deal with so much. She's trying to teach me how to kiss on command. I had it down on Thursday, but yesterday I woke up and forgot the whole thing. So every time I turn around its, "Kisses! Kisses! Kisses!" Good grief lady! Yes, I love you, but jeez. I got it already.

Raise hell and put a chunk under it,
HAJ

Knee Deep in the Whoopla

I thought I better start practicing my poses for cover shots of magazines. Pretty soon all the big ones will be calling: ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, GQ. Oh, don't forget Men's Health.....I better get to work on my abs! Look out Joey Mauer!

Speaking of St. Paul, I would like to send a shout out to all my new readers on the "East Side." Apparently if you write about my new auntie Chris, half the eastern seaboard tunes in. We had a record day of 33 different readers yesterday. We better watch it or Bill Gates is going to offer me millions to buy me out, just for my readership list. NEVER!!

Yesterday Mom took me to her office for lunch. That was a blast, but they're all a bunch of loons over there. Thank goodness they're only picking out pretty colors, and not saving lives. We'd all be in trouble. Then we went somewhere I've never been before....here! Now that was somethin'. I could do that again, many times. Isn't the world just so much fun, every where you turn around?

It all comes out in the wash,
HAJ

PS - check out www.banksfamdamily.blogspot.com, to see what I bought for my new friend Beau.

New Auntie! New Auntie!

I have such exciting news everyone! I am the proud nephew of another auntie!! My uncle Derek proposed to his girlfriend Chris last night, and believe it or not, she said YES! She said YES! She pictured above standing beside her new fiance and my mom. I definitely approve of this couple. She is so much fun and she makes me laugh like no one else. Just look at this. And that was taken in September, when I would only smile for Queen Elizabeth and Oprah.

Derek proposed last night in Como Park in St. Paul. They were out hunting for the Winter Carnival Medallion. But, the whole thing almost didn't happen....my uncle and my mom (well more Derek than her) were just DYING on Tuesday night when they found out that someone found the winter carnival medallion!! He had been planning and planning on asking Chris while they searched for it. He called us almost in tears and totally panicking!! He came over and we all brainstormed for about 4 hours on trying to think of another special, yet last minute way to propose. We were googling "unique proposals" and stuff like that. We had plans in place where Mom and I were in disguises and I'd deliver a pizza with the ring in the pizza box! I mean Mom was actually trying out the disguise around the house. It was good too. Then, Chris is so efficient, and we had to figure out how to make sure Derek ordered the pizza, when he really was calling us to come over and deliver it. I mean, this was a process people!!

Then we had an idea to put it in her glove that she left at my house with this whole big story. Derek would throw the glove on the counter and then it would "clang" when it hit the counter and then Chris would wonder why it did that and then she would find the ring. But Derek was still stuck on getting us in costumes. OR - how about when Derek pics her up for dinner, she would quick go to the bath room before they left, and then when she opened the door, he'd be kneeling there with the ring. "But its in a bathroom!!" Derek didn't go for that one.

We were dying laughing - THEN - she actually called and said they are going to do a second hunt!!! We couldn't believe it!!!!! Derek went from pure crabby, stressed, bummed, and worried - to total hyper, happiness!! It was awesome.

We got the call last night that it happened, just as planned. And found out that Chris' grandparents also got engaged in Como Park. How cool is that? Its meant to be. It'll be a great story to remember every year when they hunt for the medallion, and when they take their kids. (hint, hint, I need more cousins!) Welcome to our family Auntie Chris. We've been wanting to say that for a long time.

HAJ