I thought...

you might like to see some pictures of me enjoying my new highchair.

The Apple Holler

Please pardon the center aligned text. Mom is trying out a new way to upload photos and she's still working out the kinks.

One of the great things about living in the midwest is that, because there are lots of farms around here, in the fall there are lots of fall festivals at the farms! This weekend we headed north to The Apple Holler, a farm with acres and acres of apple orchards and pumpkin patches. They also have a yummy restaurant and bakery with everything apple you can imagine! Outside, you can pick your own apples and pumpkins or listen to the live entertainment. There is also a kiddie area with train rides and slides and stuff. We decided not to pick apples this year and wait until I'm old enough to have fun doing it too. We did go on a hay ride (without any hay) through the orchard. Mom and Dad said the huge oak trees at the back of the orchard looked just like the perfect trees you see on a Disney ride, only these were real! Before the hay ride we tried our hands at the corn maze. It took us a bunch of wrong turns but we ultimately made our way out (I knew the way out all along, of course, but Mom & Dad wouldn't listen to me). Here are a few pictures of me from the trip. As you'll see, by the end of the day I was a very tired boy.

Fall is Coming to Illinois

We are watching eagerly as every day we see a few more trees starting to show yellow and orange leaves. Dad says in the next few weeks we should really get a good show! Here are a few of my most recent pictures:

At the Milwaukee airport on the way to Florida last weekend:

Me and Mom on the Choo Choo at Allstate Family Day:

Come here little cup:

Vikings vs. Packers

After we got back from the RNC my Yia Yia came into town to visit. It was the first time she has been up to visit us here, so we were very excited for her to arrive and show her around. On Sunday we all went downtown to have some fun in the city. Since it is a pain to drive in the city, we took the commuter train down, which meant I got to go on my first train ride!

I also took my first trolley ride and first cab ride that day! We were planning to go to the aquarium but we found out that one of the major exhibits was closed, so we decide to go to the natural history museum instead. There, we met Sue. Sue is the world's largest complete t-rex skeleton! We also saw a bunch of animals and toured a real egyptian tomb.

Afterwards we went up to Michigan Avenue to do a little shopping. Yia Yia and Mom wanted to go to the American Girl store, so Dad and I had to muddle through while they looked at all the dolls. Mom says she hopes I have a little sister one day so she can play with Mom's Molly doll and Mom can pick out all kinds of new American Girl stuff for her. Dad and I don't get it.

The next day it was just me and Yia Yia because Mom and Dad headed north to the land of cheese. Why? To see the Vikings play the Packers in Green Bay, of course. They went to the game with Uncle Jason plus Ms. Nicholle and Mr. Eric and Ms. Nicholle's boss. They had a great time even though the Vikings didn't win. Here are some pictures:

Having some fun before the game (yes, Nichole and Eric are Packers!)

They went to the Packer Hall of Fame before the game (Dad and Uncle Jason almost lost their lunches). I don't know why there are bikes there, but Dad and Eric decided to hop on. Mom showed off her football moves (she also did a Lambeau Leap, but she says the video is too hideous to be shown).

The ESPN Monday Night crew. This is when Dad was "talking" to Emmitt Smith.

Before the game (when the hope was still alive)

Look! It's Adrian Peterson!

After the cold set in:

After the disappointment set in:

Republican National Convention 2008

I told you I would post some more photos from the RNC, so I'm back to follow through. Dad has been working very hard lately because he was in charge of Allstate's delegations to both the DNC and the RNC. That meant he had to go to Denver for a week and then Minneapolis for a week, leaving me and Mom all by ourselves at home for two weeks! Sooooo, since Aunt Jamie and Uncle Delmar were also going to be in Minneapolis, Mom and I decided to pack up and head for Minnesota too.

We had a great time and I learned lots about the political process and about why we're Republicans. One of the very first (and coolest) things I did was meet former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. Here we are with Gov. and Mrs. Huckabee.

I also got to spend some much needed, quality time with my Aunt Jamie and Uncle Delmar!

On Thursday we went to something called Civic Fest, which was a huge event with all kinds of political exhibits like a piece of Air Force One, an old presidential limousine, and a miniature White House replica that even had working tvs in it! They also had an oval office where I was able to get some work done:

On Wednesday and Thursday nights I got to hang out with my cousins Heather and Erika while Mom and Dad went to the convention. Mom & Dad say they had a great time at the convention, but I think I had it the best. Thanks, Heather & Erika, for watching me!

Mom and Dad were really excited on Wednesday night to see Governor Sarah Palin speak. They think she is awesome and say she did an amazing job with her speech that night. Here are Mom & Dad when they first arrived:

Before Gov. Palin's speech all of the women from Florida gathered to go on the floor and show Florida's support for Gov. Palin. They all had orange scarves to wear or wave so they would stand out. There were some hiccups in the plan, however, so Mom didn't get to go on the floor, but she didn't care because she had a great time anyways up in the nose bleeds. Here are Mom and Aunt Jamie wearing their orange scarves waiting to go on the floor:

Thursday night was the night for Senator McCain's acceptance speech. Before going in Mom and Aunt Jamie took a tour of the Fox News tent where they did most of the pre- and post-convention broadcasting that week. I think Mom might have a second career in news:

The Fox News set:

Aunt Jamie was showing her GOP pride that night:

The night culminated in Senator McCain's big speech and, of course, the balloon drop!

The next day was time for us to drive home, but we weren't sad because my Yia Yia was coming to see us the very next day! Check back in soon for more details on her visit and Mom and Dad's big adventure to Green Bay. Here are a few more pictures just for good measure:

Preview

We're back from the Republican National Convention and I have some great stories and pictures to share. We're still waiting to get some of the pictures though, so for now here is a little preview. Stop back in a few days for more!