a few sights from the 2010 kickapoo country fair.
it seems like just yesterday that odin could fit under the mary’s berries sign – hard to believe that was 3 fairs ago!
you can click on “show info” during the slideshow to see a brief description, or visit here and click on each image to see the description.
around, ironically enough, dinner time i walked outside to find odin and a friend sitting on the picnic table happily chatting away about this and that while petting a couple of The Girls who have become increasingly adjusted to a life of constant love and affection from odin who adores All Things Great and Small.
while absolutely adorable, it does highlight the challenge that lies ahead to get him to understand that many of them will eventually become dinner.
yes, for the fifth year in a row, odin starts his day by waking up, racing downstairs, donning his special birthday shirt and running outside to watch the fourth of july parade assemble in front of his grandparent’s house in the upper peninsula of michigan.
it’s quite a fun way to start your birthday year after year what with giant cows appearing across the streat and everybody recognizing that it’s your birthday, ’cause your shirt says so!
patriotic birthday cupcakes made with love by grandma.
odin inspects the first of what will presumably be the first of many birthday cards that play “chicken dance” song.
it ain’t a midwestern fourth of july parade without a tractor or two!
and it ain’t a midwestern fourth of july parade without an ATV convoy!
jesus! and a soldier! on a float!
the belly dancing troupe was a new and intriguing addition to the yooper parade 🙂
odin and his cousins, unaware that in about 1/40th of a second the girl up in the cab of the forestry equipment is going to blast them with a water gun.
i thought they retired smokey the bear?
if they did, he’s gone rogue and is still appearing in upper peninsula parades.
didja know that, thanks to their innate gentle disposition and intelligence, texas longhorns are are increasingly being trained as riding steers?
i didn’t!
phew. that was a long parade. time for some nourishment. and when you’re hanging out with yooper finns that means there’s probably some pannukakku sitting around.
in addition to cupcakes grandmas can make a pretty awesome cake!
yes, presents were opened with some frenzy.
odin enjoys his new roller blades ( we left his helmet and pads at home )!
after a parade and presents, what could be more fun than bouncy slides!
independence day birthdays certainly have their benefits 🙂
odin is running out of steam on this “best out of three” competition against his cousin on the inflatable obstacle-course-rock-climbing-slide thing.
but, hey, who really loses when the course ends with a giant slide?
even more competition with cousins on the elastic harness-that-holds-you-back-while-you-try-to-place-an-eraser-on-velcro-inflatable-thingy.
such a fun-filled day, can’t forget to actually sing “happy birthday”, blow out candles and eat some cake!
for the first time in 5 years, birthday fireworks were rained out!
the upside? we had the time to end odin’s 6th birthday with a father/son sauna.
as awesome as fireworks on your birthday can be, ending the day with a sauna is pretty awesome in its own way 🙂
two thousand one hundred and ninety one days ago, i made kris go to the hospital – against her wishes if i recall – to get an official opinion on an unexpectedly bad migraine that came on quickly.
we were, of course, completely unaware that within twenty four hours odin would be born almost 4 months early and that we’d spent the next 96 days in intensive care with him.
6 years later. he’s big and strong and healthy and can barely be bothered to stop for a second, while playing with cousins on the shores of lake michigan, to let his poppi get a shot of the last day of five.
it’s impossible to imagine what the next six years will bring.
odin was the first to notice the strawberries were ready for harvest – and harvest he did!
he was a little reluctant to share the bounty. maybe, just maybe, i had to bribe him with the promise of vanilla ice cream to go with them 🙂
apologies to alice cooper.
sigh. didn’t the school year just start?
and yes, at odin’s school they wear silk capes, walk over a "Rainbow Bridge" laden with silk scarves, and receive felt finger puppets to mark the passing of the school year 🙂