Jonah and Jayden "hiding" for hide-n-go-seek. 

Jayden, Jon, and Jonah at the train station--dressed up in their engineer stripes! 

My sister Jamie and her family have been here all week visiting. On Wednesday morning, Jon and Adam took Jonah and my nephew Jayden on a train ride to Seattle. The boys were all dressed up engineer stripes. When the man came through to take their tickets, he said, "What're your names?"
"Jayden."
"My name's Jonah, and this is my friend, Daddy."

Jonah learned to fetch our daily supply of water from the old pump out back. 

The "Sand Box" at the Fair, filled with corn!

Playing flutes at the Clackamas County Fair last week. PopPop and Nana took Jonah, Ava, & Elisabeth. The kids had so much fun!

It is not often that Jonah willingly shares, but today when Ava untied her balloon and it flew off into the blue sky, he reached over to her (she was crying) and said, "Here, Ava, do you wanna share my bawoon?"
I was so proud.

a silly picture of jonah! 

Jonah's favorite spot. 

Ava Louise on Sunday (17 months old) 

Jonah likes to shorten some of his words.
For example:
"Thank!" (You can figure that one out) and
"Welc!" (You're welcome)

Tonight I picked Jonah up to carry him up to bed.
He layed his head on my shoulder and said, "When I'm asleep I miss you. "

Ava has some new favorite books: Spot (he's a dog). She will sit and read the same book with us three or four times in a row. She calls him "Pot." (smile)

Recently Jonah decided that he doesn't like bread crusts. He just eats around them and leaves them on his plate. Today I told him that eating his crusts will give him big muscles like Daddy. (My sister Jamie tried that one out on a neighbor boy growing up)
"Weally?!"
"Oh yeah--Daddy eats all his crusts and that's why he's so strong."
Just then, Jon happened to walk by.
"Daddy, do you eat your cwusts?"
"Yup, I eat my crusts so that Scary Guy won't get me. And it gives me big muscles." Jon flexed for Jonah and walked outside.
Jonah's eyes were huge with awe and without a word he picked up his crusts and ate them all!
"What are you doing, Joe?" I asked.
"I'm gonna get stwong wike Daddy so I can keep Scawy Guy away."
"You have to eat a LOT of crusts to be strong like Daddy."
Hopefully we won't have to throw crusts away for the near future!

On Sunday Jonah won a door prize at the Chevron company picnic:
a karaoke machine.
He holds the microphone so close to his mouth that his version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," sounds a little too similar to Ozzie Osborn's, even though Jonah actually knows the words.

Proof that there's only two things on a three-year-old's mind:
Tonight I was telling Jonah about how Auntie Jamie, Uncle Adam, and Jayden are going to come visit in a few weeks.
"What should we do when they get here?"
"We can pway games!"
"OK--what else?"
"We can eat!"
"Oh--what should we eat?" I asked.
"um . . . how 'bout treats!"