happier posts

I thought this Old Navy Halloween shirt was pretty cute ($5 by the way). I don't know what he's going to be for Halloween yet. Still time to think.

Hank started Sunday school this month. They have a 2 year old class this year and a parent has to come along. It's really unstructured - pretty much a playdate for the parents. Maybe next time someone will actually attempt to read them a bible story. ;) The picture below is when all the kids marched in for the beginning of church. Hank changed seats 4-5 times, including wandering aimlessly in front of the pastor. Snatching him up would have brought on some screaming so I just let him be.

Lindsay's kareoke contest:
Over the summer, several bars around Topeka had try-out kareoke nights to make it into the final competition - the grand prize being $1000! Lindsay was one of 18 to compete. Each person sang 1 song and then they only chose 3 to go on and she made it! Our cheering section was pumped! Their were several great singers that didn't make it because the judges were equally judging stage presense/performance with singing ability. The 3 finalists sang 2 more songs. She sang: 'Sin Wagon' by the Dixie Chicks, 'Alone' by Heart, and 'Heart Breaker' (Pat Benetar?). Each song had an outfit change (I don't have a pic of 'Sin Wagon' which included a shiny red dress and a banjo). Unfortunately she did not win (she's with the winner above). We'll say she got 2nd. ;)

Lindsay's Fan Club!

3/4 of the people in this picture are related to just 2 families: the Edmonds and the Reynolds.

Other Hank news:

He is a HANDFUL! I still take him everywhere, despite the fact that he runs all over at stores and refuses to sit in a shopping cart anymore. Some funny phrases lately: 'Stay, Mom, Stay!' (when he has a dirty diaper and doesn't want the hassle of changing it); 'Get out of Town!' (from when Ryan was yelling at a game); 'May I have some?' (I just think this is so cute - he never says 'can I', only 'May I' - I bet he picked this up from Dee); 'That be fun'. Oh, I could go on and on, but they'd probably sound like normal phrases to you. He's slept in his toddler bed a few times (the crib is also still in the room). I'm not sure what our strategy is on that. I'm ok with staying in the crib longer (not like he needs the boot for any reason yet). He did actually crawl out of his crib this week. I'm VERY surprised he didn't do this months ago.

Oh, and we got a new car! It's a scion xD (which meant nothing to me 2 months ago). The beetle was traded in; the first car I bought after college. :( Ryan deserved an upgrade for sure though (I drive the pontiac vibe). Some of you already heard this story, but I know there are some non-facebookers out there, so I'll tell it again:

Four hours before going to the dealership to get our new car, I was leaving to run an errand. Hank and I were in the beetle (which is VERY rare - I almost always have the other car). I backed out of our basement garage, up our steep driveway, and out onto the street, realized I forgot something, pulled back in at the top of the driveway. Apparently I only put on the parking break and did not put it in park!!! I ran up to the front steps and noticed the car slowly driving forward - with Hank in the back seat! I knew there was no way to get there in time and CRASH - into the garage door. So there is the car, half way in/half way out of the garage. It basically pushed the garage door off the track so the door is resting on the car. Hank is wide-eyed when I open the door, but otherwise thought it was hilarious. I ran and got a neighbor to help hold up the door while I backed the car out, so no more damage would be done to it. I'm amazed that there were just some scratches (that mostly wiped off w/our finger nail and nail polish!), but the windshield was fairly shattered. Ryan took it pretty well. He wanted to be mad but it was just too funny. They knocked $200 off the trade-in value.