It's amazing to me that more people weren't killed in the I-35W bridge collapse. I know more are missing but I thought for sure we would have lost more than we have so far. Please keep those victims and families in your prayers. I can't imagine. I just can't imagine. I have to admit that this whole thing has freaked me out a bit. I think I need to see it. They've opened the pedestrian bridge just upstream from there and maybe in the next couple weeks I can go see it. It seems unreal to me, even the pictures and video I've seen and it still doesn't seem real.

We've had a busy couple days. Saturday morning was James' 6 month pictures. They turned out so well! I had twelve pictures that we cropped and enhanced from which to choose. Now, unless I went a la carte, there was no way I could afford that! So, I bought a package of pictures plus the CD of all the pictures. Now I have every single picture and the copyright to them all! I have a picture each for all our family (and if I want reprints, I can go back to the studio and get them at 50% off!). If you'd like to see how they turned out, I've uploaded an album called James 6 Months. Go take a look! My baby boy is such a cutie! He was in such a good mood and hammed it up good for the photographer.

That afternoon Kris and I headed in separate directions. The kids and I had an appointment that afternoon to get James' new convertible car seat installed and inspected. It turned out that they were running so late that we'll have to reschedule. Some time this week we'll get James in that new car seat. My baby has outgrown the infant seat! And while we were hanging out at the hospital, Kris and his siblings were having a little sibling bonding time. At the tattoo parlor. Go see the pictures (new album labeled 7-14-07 to 8-5-07) to see what Kris did. It's Chinese and means Father. It looks good I think. It's small, say 2x2", and I like it.

That evening we went to a BBQ to see Are, Jessie and the kids. They live in Denmark (hoping to come back to the states May or June of next year - we're so excited!) and are home for a few weeks this summer. Even though it was cool and drizzly, it was such a great night! We didn't get to spend too much time with them. It's always hard to socialize when you're hosting. Hopefully we'll get to see them again before they head home. We also got to see a bunch of Kris' college friends, some which we haven't seen in years. And all of us have kids now, all about the same age, and it was great fun to see them playing together. Annika loved playing with the girls and talked the whole way home about her new friends Sydney and Mia. It was a great night.

Today James is six months old. Six months! Happy 6 months baby boy! To commemorate the happy occasion, James had his first taste of food - Green beans. He ate almost a whole serving before refusing any more. I don't think he totally hated them though!

We met my work friends at the Como Zoo today and spent the morning and early afternoon walking around seeing all the animals. Annika loved seeing all the kids and especially loved splashing in all the puddles left from the rain. Goofball. It's so fun to see these girls grow up together. We've gotten the girls together every couple months since Annika was about 6 months old. Of them all, I think Annika and Brianna get along the best. I think that's because Brianna is fearless and so outgoing where the other girls are still a little timid and shy around each other. So Annika warms up to her and pretty soon we have partners in crime as seen in the puddle jumping pictures from today. Oh man the giggling coming from those two! And the rest of us just stood there and let them do their thing. You only get to be a little kid for so long - enjoy!

When it was time to leave there we got a phone call from Dusty and Carrie again. They were out and about so we joined them for a little while. We always like to spend as much time as we can with Carrie when she's in town. Now that she's closer we get to see her more often. It's great! Annika had a meltdown towards the end of our outing though. Uncle Dusty bought her an ice cream cone and while she was eating it, Kris told her she had to say thank you to Uncle Dusty. For whatever reason, Annika is always shy around Uncle Dusty and so she didn't want to say it. Kris took the cone away, Annika started crying that she wanted it back but wouldn't say thank you, etc., etc. until finally I end up throwing the cone away and Kris carries Annika to the truck, still crying. Ugh. But when you tell her that she has to do something or else and she doesn't do it, you better be prepared to follow through with the or else. She was tired and really needed a nap but I also wonder if we're too lenient with her sometimes. She generally listens pretty well and she really is such a wonderful, sweet little girl - but sometimes, whew. She wears me out. She has a strong willed streak in her and if she doesn't want to do something, there is just no way you are going to make her do it. The day ended up nicely though. We went outside to play, chatted and played with our new neighbors. The moved in about six weeks ago and they have two kids, a boy and a girl, around Annika's age. It's great! Then we came in, had baths and now both kids are in bed sleeping. It's getting late and Kris thinks I've been typing forever so I'll take my cue and wrap this up.