Over 3,000 hits on YouTube

I was looking at all of the videos I have uploaded to YouTube when I noticed that this one clip has generated over 3,200 Hits! It is the best. It was taken when Chloe was about 4 1/2 months old. She was still pretty tiny, with a big head, and this is one of the first times she got the giggles. I love this clip. I enjoyed the flashback, and thought you would too.



Click Here to see the clip.

The best thing about that clip is that her laugh sounds almost exactly the same now, at almost 1 a year and a half old!


Here is a recent picture of her, in the morning. She has just finished her morning routine of throwing all her toys all over the living room. I am hoping Santa brings me some storage totes and a shelf for her toys. Fun.

Oh What Fun We Have!

We love the Omaha Children's Museum!! We went here for a fun day out Tuesday. First, we went to the tots sing along time and learned about the letter "I." Next, we ventured into the museum to find our friends Kate and her mommy Krista!! It was good to see them, though the mommies didn't get to talk much because we had to chase our little explorers around. It was an especially memorable trip because Chloe and Kate actually interacted a good deal for the first time! Chloe was filling Kate's basket with fake food, and Kate was holding out her basket for more. They waved at each other too. Krista and I have been buddies since the girls were not even 2 months old. It was really fun to see them actually playing together!

After playing with Kate and Krista, we ate "dino dogs" in the cafeteria area. Chloe ate tiny bites that I broke off (choking hazard) of hot dog. She ate a lot of it! She loved the cookies and carrots too (I had to really watch her with the raw carrots, but they were sliced really thin and diagonal, like chips!). Most of all, she went crazy for the juice!! It was florescent yellow, and tasted of sugar and fake lemon flavor. It came from a jug. Chloe was wired after she drank that stuff!

When we got home, we played with stretch Elmo. Chloe just loves Elmo!!

Thanksgiving in Minden

When this time of year rolls around, I get a little mopey about living so far from my side of the family. This year, our Thanksgiving feast was held at a nice little bed and breakfast. It was a really nice place, but it was disappointing for a few reasons. There was not an abundance of food (I didn't even feel full!), the turkey was cold, but these things weren't that big of a deal. The most annoying thing about this Thanksgiving was that we didn't say a prayer over the meal. No thanks were given, and no prayer was offered. It was just turkey dinner at a restaurant. I think everyone felt weird about praying because we were in a restaurant, but if this happens again, I think I will be the weirdo. I will stand up, take charge, and announce that I will offer a prayer. Hindsight=20/20. Oh well.

Looking over the pictures I realize that we did have a lot of fun on our trip though.

Here is Chloe's Great (step) Grandfather Richard Beck! He is one of those really great people. Salt of the earth, hard working, honest, and sweet. His wife is also a great lady. We really like them. Grandpa Richard was so sweet showing Chloe what's outside!

Chloe got to spend some fun time in a car ride with Grandma Kathy




This is where we went after the dinner, for pie. The nice home of Richard and Betty Beck.

The pie.

Hey! I found my bear bear in mommy's purse!!

Sitting around talking, from left to right:

Zachary, Grandma Kathy, Melanie Beck, John Beck, Erica Beck, Chloe Funk, Grandpa Gary, and Betty Beck.

Gary's brother Bob (whom I had never met) was there. He didn't say much. Chloe is in the background. She was running from me to that chair and hugging bear bear on the chair when she got there. Zach was just trying to be inconspicuous and sat in that chair for a loooong time.

Happy family in front of the courthouse. They light up the whole "square" every Thanksgiving night, and play Christmas music over the speakers. They have the worst pageant I have ever seen (with a female angel Gabriel)! I won't sit through the pageant again if they pay me, but I do think the lights and music are nice. There are a couple of towns in Nebraska that have given themselves a theme. Seward, NE (for example) calls themselves the "4th of July" city. I love going there for the 4th of July because it is SO FUNNY! Parades, turkey legs, ... the works. Minden is proud to proclaim that they are the "Christmas" city.

Zach with Grandma, Grandpa, and Chloe

Bed time reading of hungry caterpillar makes me hungry too.

It was nice to visit the farm and our family in Minden.