Good times...

Josiah gets his picture with Buddy Bear

He's having fun decorating the tree

Here he is complete with smiler!

Yeah, time for sledding at the Lawrence Park hill- Josiah went down for the first time all by himself and loved it!

He is a happy boy getting to eat his lollipop

Fun times with his friend Owen

He got to open one present on Christmas Eve-- Harold the helicopter from Thomas and Friends

A self-timed family photo...after going to a Christmas Eve service

Josiah took my hat (my first knitted hat). He looks good in it!

On our way to Bigfork I stopped to take this beautiful scene

Josiah loved the amazing train set at Mr. D's house.  It was very elaborate with two running tracks, lights, steam, moving ice skaters, a ski hill and a lit village

We were ready to go see baby Luke who some friends of ours just adopted a few weeks ago, but Josiah has had a sniffly nose so we had to reschedule...

Our trip to South Dakota and Illinois

Mineke, Peter, Curt and Kim being a bit silly....

Josiah and Noveah became fast friends, running up and down the walk in Curt and Mineke's backyard.

We took a trip to Chicago via the train; Josiah LOVES trains, he really loves Thomas and this was a lot of fun for him especially getting to do it with another little friend...

The Navy Pier...

The Chicago Children's Museum, I remember taking a trip when Curt's kids were little and thought it would be fun to have Josiah get to go too...there are lots of "hands-on" activities and exhibits for the kids to enjoy.

Kent is the king of popcorn at our house; it is the staple snack most every night so what better gift to give Curt for his birthday?  It just so happened that we were there just before his birthday by a week or so...

Lake Michigan

We went on an adventure getting on the train ourselves and then the subway to get to where Curt was working at a Harvest campus in downtown Chicago.  We had gotten lunch at Subway and ate it at the lake and then on our way back stopped at a famous cupcake shop for dessert.

One of the stained glass windows at the new old church that Harvest is now renovating, which is why Curt was working there.

It won't be long and Josiah will fit on a bike this size...

We went on the bike trail for a quick trip, the scenery was beautiful, way more rural than I would have imagined right outside of St. Charles.

We passed this fellow who was biking in this contraption, looks like fun!

This was one of the bridges that we went over on our bike trip.

Future cornflakes of America!

Here we are in South Dakota at the zoo...

The train engineer is ready...

Trying out uncle Keith's new lawnmower

Kent's family farm in Trent, South Dakato

The ol' homestead

The cemetery where some of their family is buried

The ol' swimmin' hole where Kent and Keith used to swim as kids.  This is where the lifeguard would sit.  Classic!

The same swings they swung on as kids....

Kent's boyhood Baptist church

Some of Kent's family 

We went to Adam Madetzke's house for a birthday party...

Kent's Uncle Cindy and Jeff

Kent and his friend Andy from childhood

Andy and his old tractor from his family farm

Andy giving Josiah a four wheeler ride

We had a quick lunch with some of Kent's family including his Uncle Don and Aunt Emily

Josiah is meeting his Uncle Brian for the first time, hitting it off

Uncle Brian, Sandy and Josiah.  They live in the black hills

Josiah and Noveah hugged many, many times, lots of photo opps...