Some things that Charlie has discovered.

We found out that Charlie discovered several things in his young life. He discovered his tongue. He loves to blow raspberries. If I made a noise that sounded like a raspberry, he would mimic it with about a pint of spit. But I didn't mind. It was so cute.

He also discovered my mustache. We were sitting in Sunday School class and I had Charlie on my lap facing me. All of a sudden, he reached up and was feeling my mustache. Then he ripped the pacifier out of his mouth (he is married to that thing), opened his mouth like a hungry baby wanting to nurse, reached up and started munching on my mustache. It was so funny. We started laughing. He did it time and time again. We were causing such a ruckus and making others around us laugh too. But I could not stop him. So I just let him continue with his discovery. But after about 15 minutes, it was getting a bit much so I would turn a cheek towards him when he came up for another bite. He did this for about three days afterwards before the newness left. We never got video of it but it sure was fun.

Since Charlie was standing up by himself, it was my mission to make sure that he was walking by his first birthday, the following Wednesday. We worked and worked with him on walking. He could stand unaided, with something in his hands and he was balancing well. He would take a step or so, stop to catch himself and then sometimes take off again. But most of the time it was "PLOP" on his rear. His birthday came and he still was not walking like I wanted him to. But his record was 19 steps, across the living room to the kitchen wall., and that was on his real birthday. Way to go Charlie. We will need to wait for the official walking date from Tiffany. But I tried.

Charlie is One!

I always take the week off for my birthday and most of the time I take a trip. Last year it was a trip to Utah by way of Texas. This year we wanted to spend more time with Kyle and Tiffany and their great kids. So off to Utah we went. We took theRAV4 and I was pleasingly surrprised with the gas milage. It is rated at 26mph on the highway. We avaraged 25.4mph with a 40mph head wind and a 30mph tail wind.

We rang the doorbell and I knelt down to be at eye level with the kids, because I could hear them fumbling with the door knob. The door opened and they saw us with ear to ear grins. It was so fun to see them again after almost a year. Wish they were closer. Charlie was having his first birthday the following week but we had a birthday party for him just a few hours after arriving.

It started with a ball pit, a blow-up pool with about 200 balls. It was kind of an appitizer for the caterpillar party. Erik and Ellie really enjoyed it but Charlie was not so sure this was a fun idea. We had earthquakes and hurricanes and the balls were flying, as well as the kids. Nothing but laughter, except for Charlie - he wanted out. The others played in the ball pit for quite awhile. Close friends and family were there to usher in birthday number 1.

As usual Tiffany out did herself again with the party decorations. And even though Charlie won't remember a thing about them, they were all recorded on digital film.

The creative theme and cake was inspired by the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and all the snacks were taken right out of the book.

All smiles from Ellie, still in the ball pit.

As was Erik!

Charlie was enjoying one of his presents - an electric toothbrush, so that he would not keep taking his sibling's electric toothbrushes. Well if you buy one at the dollar store, it probably won't work. This one didn't. What do you expect for a buck?

We finally got the actual party started with the birthday cake. Charlie had his own - nobody else was allowed to touch it. There was some extra wind supplied to blow out the one candle but he got his wish and didn't end up with any girl friends.

Charlie didn't know what to think of the plate of sweetness placed in front of him. He started cautiously. This is the before.

Mmm. Tastes kind of good......

I need a bigger bite.

Man, this is really addictive. I hope I don't get any cavities; I have six teeth now, you know.

I am done now. I don't feel so well. Take the remains away. Sugar highs are a fallacy. Notice the gob of frosting on the wall behind the high chair. This is the after.

More blogging of our trip to follow.

Look Out Tyra!!!!

This is the newest America's Top Model. Lorelei loves to dress up, look pretty and pose for pictures. These are all in her port-folio, so enjoy.

Easter Day a Grampa's

It was a beautiful Easter day in Brooklyn Center, warm and sunny. The Barnharts came over in the morning and we watched General Conference projected on the wall. We had Kirstin's and Brett's over during the break and we had a delicious Easter dinner. It was so fun to have them all over, except for Kyle's and we told him that we would have an Easter dinner in Utah next month when we visit. Calvin was wide awake but it seems like only Grampa can quiet him down and that is giving Gramma a complex. Lorelei is her beautiful self and she likes to pose.

This is Gigi's mean girl look.

Joseph is showing off his skills with launching an airplane.

Mom with all four.

All of them still had happy faces on at the end of the day.

Shhh. The king is resting

King Calvin was at our house yesterday. He was tired and needed a rest after ruling over the family. Actually Joseph saw some things in the toy box and decided to embellish him. Then he says, "Look at him!" It was so cleaver that the camera had to come out.Closeup of the scepter and ring.
Then Calvin's cousin came by for a visit. Gigi latched on to him and was raising him up like a set of weights. She loves babies.
The Barnhart's and Kellan with each of Joseph's hands on the newest grand kid's heads.
Gigi had enough of her brother sitting on her and just moved away, creating a void that Calvin slipped into.
Lorelei and Kellan

A card for Great Gramma G

Joseph is a very kind, considerate and thoughtful eight year old boy. His Great Gramma G was sick and in the hospital and he wanted to make and send her a card so that she would feel better. He called his Gramma Larsen and asked her what Gramma G's favorite color was. Judy said that it was RED. So he went to work and spent a couple of hours thinking, designing, laying out, drawing, cutting and coloring this card. We brought her home from the hospital and it was waiting for her. Sniff, sniff. Thanks Joseph. Gramma G loved your card.

Yo Gabba Gabba

Okay, there may be some of you that already know about this group. Well, I probably had my first and last experience with them. Kirstin came home from the hospital with baby Kellan Friday afternoon. We agreed to take the twins Saturday afternoon and keep them overnight and take them to church the next morning. Kirstin had already bought tickets for Yo Gabba Gabba knowing that we would love to take the Dudes to the concert. So after supper we headed to the Target Center. Since this was the second show, they were not ready to let us in and we had to wait almost 30 minutes with rambunctious kids, running around the Giant Timberwolf on the floor.

We all got our Party Glasses because there was "A Party In Your Tummy". There was some time before the show started so I took the boys down to center court right to the stage where all the action was going to happen.

Before we got there, we all picked out our favorite color character. Mine was Muno - he's the red cyclops.

Logan decided he wanted to be the blue guy - Toodee. He change from the green guy.

Liam from the start, and there was not any deviation, wanted to be Brobee, the one in the sporty yellow robot suit.

Here is the whole cast.

We can't forget to include DJ Lance, the handsome dude in Orange.

After 25 minutes, it was time for half time, a.k.a. intermission and also for merchandise sales. The intermission lasted 30 minutes, five minutes longer than the first half. Then they had the second 25 minutes of the show. I was going to upload the intermission sign but forgot. They also had a really goofy rock band. The boys got balloons that fell from the ceiling and decided to have a balloon fight. See for yourself below.

Now that Liam was armed with a balloon weapon and the fact that we were sitting in the first row with a railing in front of us and a walk way below, he bonked everyone that walked in front on the head with the balloon. My hero! He was protecting us.