XXX

Yeah baby! Big Daddy V is back for this report. I know it's been long, but that's just the way it is. Pun intended. We celebrated some hot XXX action on Sunday, and by we, I mean me. 30 years old baby - XXX! If the Superbowl can do it, so can I.

Nothing special was had since we had our blowout party last year for Katie's 30th/my golden birthday. So had some grum, grum, yum, yum babidy back ribs, cooked reeeeeaaallll slow so the fat melts away and all you are left with his bovine delish-ishness, grilled cornz on the cobs with fresh chili lime butter, homemade po-tato salad, the baked beans, and home made peach cobbler. Somewhere, Paula Dean wept with joy.

The XXX nature of this post brings to light two fairly recent conversations I had with my boys that are worth sharing.

First was during a recent road trip to Chicago while the boys were watching Shrek 2 for the first time. We explained there is a new character in this one called "Puss and Boots". When the Zorro like cat appeared on the show the boys were excited and watched intently in silence until Tom eventually exclaimed, "I like Puss and Hoots". "So do I," I vehemently exclaimed. Bwahahahahahha!

Second: Tonight I was having musical instruments night with the boys and they saw my old French Horn to which the following conversation ensued:

Tom: "Dad, play your French Horn"

Joe: "Yeah, I like the French Horn"

Peter enters the room after being in partial earshot of the conversation.

Peter: "I like French Porn".

A good laugh. Yes?

Summer Flowers

This year our hydrangeas and geraniums went CRAZY! Just take a look and you'll see what I mean.....

Door County

So, approximately being home for a day and half from Sioux Falls, we left for Door County to help celebrate Brian's Aunt Marge's 90th Birthday! Marge has 9 children (2 sets of twins) and they had rented a beach house on Lake Michigan for the week. We had a blast! It rained the first evening we were there but the following 2 days were wonderful. The boys had fun playing at the beach, going for hikes, building forts with their cousins and roasting marshmallows:)


Peter is happily digging with his cement mixer.
Tom drawing his name in the sand.
One of Brian's cousin's husband, Tom, flew his plane up to Door County and talked us into a plane ride. Don't think that I wasn't a little afraid of leaving all my children behind with both Brian and I in a plane. Not mention that once Tom completed the takeoff, he let Brian fly the plane around the the peninsula. Once we got up in the air the view was, of course, breathtaking. Here is Brian's second cousin Wil on his FIRST plane ride!!
Wil and I in the backseat of a cessna single prop airplane getting ready for take off!
One of Peter's latest hobbies.....picking at his toes!!
Auntie Marge is helping Tom put his Veggie Tales puzzle together.
The Family out for a afternoon hike:)
Joe climbing over the rocks along the shore of Lake Michigan.
Cousin Mike, Tom & Joe playing peek a boo.
Cousin Mike, the boys and I out on the trails.
Cousin Tim playing with Peter on the beautiful beach.
This is one of my favorite pics. Piggy-toes in the sand and loving it.
Tom insisted on wearing his gloves even though his entire body was covered in sand!
Joe concentrated very hard on his sand creation.


The boys riding a carousal for the first time!
The first time riding the scrambler.
Where's Joe??? Look close and you will see him raising his hand in the air.

We had SO MUCH FUN and hope to get together with the Houlihan's again!

Sioux Falls

In Mid June, Brian and I ventured to Sioux Foo for our high school friend Jim's wedding. We brought the boys with and my parents also accompanied us so they could watch them while we went to the wedding. My parents have some good ol friends from high school who live there, so it was a great times had by all!

While were at the wedding, my parents and their friends took the boys to see the first hot air balloon, the Sioux Falls Zoo and also to a park.

Here are couple of pics from the weekend....I don't think I have any too many of the boys, bc they were with my parents:)

Here's the happily married couple...Jim and Leesa!

Brian and I break'n out our moves for Prince!!

Me, Brian, Jim, Leesa, Kyle and Kim. Brian, Jim, Kyle and myself date all the way back to high school. The guys, however, went to the same grade school as well. How wonderful it is to still remain so close!

Brian and I.

My dad and mom with their high school friend Cindy and her husband Lauri. My mom always tells me that Cindy was her twin growing up.

Tom passed out 5 minutes into the car ride home.

Joe fell asleep about the same time.

Sir Peter was out in record time....probably and minute or two.

Witty Thomas

Setting: Grandpa and Grandma Vnaks

Scene: Front entry way. Thomas is sitting down putting on his shoes to go outside. Mom is standing up looking down on him.

Characters: Thomas and Mom

Mom: "Thomas you have to be careful with the money in your pocket because it could fall out when you are riding the hummer.

Thomas: (Very pointedly) "Mom, I understand what you are saying, BUT I need the money to pay Grandpa in order to get the hummer out of the garage!"

4th Birthday Garbagemania

Garbagemania
Who would have guessed our twins would like the garbage man and their TRUCKS SO MUCH??!! (and I believe this is an understatement).
Mom-"Tom, guess what Auntie Dee thinks you are going to be when you grow up?
Tom- "What?"
Mom-"A lawyer or a politician."
Tom-"What!" "No, I am going to be a garbage man!"

Tom, Joe and now Peter all are infatuated with garbage and recycling trucks. Just ask them what the names of them are and they will list them off...Tom and Joe alternating turns..."ACE, Walters, Waste Management, Allied Waste, Waste Technology, Nitti, Violia, and my favorite....ASSSSSSSSPEN."
They can also tell you which order they come in EVERY Tuesday morning.
First it is Allied waste, then ACE, Waste Management followed by Walters rubbish and then Walter's garbage. Oh, and the recycling guy comes in the afternoon.

I pray every Tuesday that the recycling guy comes SOONER than LATER! Why???? It's always right before nap time!!:)

The boys are into helping collect the garbage throughout the house and then taking it out and putting it in the trash can. Every Monday evening is trash night at the Vnak house. The boys place the trash and recycling bins down to the street all by themselves. The neighbors walking by get a good laugh out of it b/c all they see is a moving trash can!

True Passion and contentment from waste recepticles...so simple.

As I was asking the boys what kind of birthday party they wanted, it came to me that we could throw them a garbage truck party. After a little research on the internet, I felt comfortable with the theme and the boys thought it was an AWESOME idea.

I had Brian look into calling our garbage service "Walter's". Their response was oh sure! What day and time?? They showed up on a Friday at 5:30 pm on a Holiday weekend....SUPER AWESOME!! They also brought with hats and shirts for Tom and Joe along with 24 ice cream cones.....best part....for FREE!!

I had made invites with the colors of the Walters service...green and orange...
Collection Date-May 28th, 2010
Collection Time-5:00 pm
Collection Site-The Vnak Dump
Also added to please wrap presents with newspaper or place in trash bag.

We had brown bag dinners for all the kids

I bought alligator grabbers at target to play a game it the backyard. Brian threw out a bunch of trash, recycling, and rubbish out and the kids had to pick it up with the grabber and place it in the appropriate waste bins.

My mom was super creative and made birthday hats out of newspaper and then added curly ribbon to the top of the hats.
She also drew a picture of a the garbage truck and Target bakery was able to replicate it to make and awesome Walter's truck cake.

The kids took home a small garbage truck along with a sticker that said, "I got TRASHED at Tom and Joe's 4 th Birthday Party!"

We kept the garbage truck debut a secret and the boys were a little stunned. At first they said, "it's not Tuesday...it's Friday...."

So now, on with the pics......

Did somebody say birthday? Joe left/Tom right
Here are the kids not knowing what they were waiting for.
Our niece Elena also waiting for something magical to appear.

The gang getting restless...our friend Julie got them started on the a game of red light green light.
Our nephew Brett.....standing motionless wondering what his wonderous eyes are seeing.
Peter- "What the #### is this garbage truck doing in front of my house on a Friday?"
Family pic with the very nice garbage man.
Tom left/Joe right....."so mom and dad, was this the surprise?"

Mom and Joe testing the horn.
Mom and Tom working the controls.
Here's the Walters cake! I also made the arrangement of flowers out of garbage:)
Tom left/Joe right
Here is Evan sporting the birthday hat and devouring his green frosting.


Peter also having a special moment with his frosting.
Joe showing off his green tongue.
Tom showing us how well he eats the frosting and NEVER the cake.
This is one of my recent favorites of Peter......too cute!
Thomas the garbage man!