After leaving Boston and Connecticut, we headed out to Iowa to celebrate Grandma Goodie's 92nd Birthday with several family members out there. We had a great time reuniting with Paulsenoids from all over.


Here's the crew at a picnic in the park

Talking with Grandma Goodie

It poured on our picnic day, but the kids didn't mind at all-- here they are playing in the rain

Soaked Aaron

Ben and binky baby Elliot

Elliot enjoying assisted walking

Aaron and John playing chess

Aaron, James, and Zachary playing out in the yard. They really had fun playing together this trip, which was fun for all of us to watch.

Hanging out in the living room, enjoying the kid entertainment

Elliot and Grandma Marsha

Grandpa John and styled Elliot (hairdo by John)

I like the symmetry of these two shots. Above is Elliot at about nine months playing the piano with Ben. Below is Aaron at about three months playing the keyboard with Ben.

I just like the symmetry of these two pictures. Above is Elliot at nine months playing the piano with Ben. Below is Aaron at about three months playing on the keyboard with Ben.

Elliot was just starting to crawl during this trip. I will be forever grateful to him that he waited to crawl until we were done with the bulk of our travels. I don't know what we would have done in Germany and Ukraine if he would have been crawling then. It was great though because he skipped all the usual inbetween stages-- he went straight from being non-mobile to crawling around on hands and knees, like so.

We spent a lot of time wrestling around and playing with the kids on the floor

Great Aunt Sandra playing with the kids

We flew from Iowa to Tahoe together with the John, Marsha, and Daniel. (This picture set is out of order... sorry)


Elliot and his mama peeking at Grandma Marsha

Two cute kids

Whenever Ben and I pass through a jetway, we have to kiss and relive the moment when he proposed to me (almost six years ago) in a similar jetway corner (without the two kids in tow). Our life was good then, and even better now.

Elliot, along for the cooking ride

The crew enjoying a feast at Marsha and John's home

Elliot in his dad's old high chair, which was also used before by his big brother Aaron

After Iowa, we headed off for our annual trip to Lake Tahoe. Grandpa John and Grandma Ruanne fly us out every year and we enjoy a week in the sun, eating good food and just hanging out together.


Daniel, Pirate John, Phil, Rex, and I on the beach

Aaron after a typical sand-roll on the beach

Brotherly bath post-beach

Elliot playing with grandpa

Aaron swimming from Tato to Mama

Whoa, did you see that?!

A couple of good dads (above, Phil pouring water on his helpless cherubs; below, Ben admiring the sand globs on his own beloved ones)

I just love all of these beach pictures because they show how fun and relaxing our Tahoe trip is. We love it!


Our beach baby Buddha

Aaron in one of his very few picture-friendly moods

In addition to the regular public beach at Tahoe, we went to a private beach area, which also had a couple of swimming pools. The kids LOVED the small, very-heated pool for kids under five. Aaron swam around the pool for hours, and Elliot had a lot of fun kicking around, too.