LAKE OKOBOJI

The blog has been on a little bit of hiatus - and rightfully so...we have been way too busy enjoying summer!  But, now that the extreme heatwave has hit (again), we are spending some more time inside these days.   During our Memorial Day weekend in NW Iowa, we found an afternoon to spend in Okoboji - Arnolds Park, Queens Court, the Pier, the Emporium, and Terrace Park Beach....oh, how we love Okoboji!

Ethan won the water balloon race game - his competitor, you ask? Mom. 

His very own Boji Bear!

Ethan and Mom at Arnold's Park

Eating ice cream at the Queen's Court

Hauling water and sand for castles

Playing in the sand

GOING TO THE CHAPEL

On May 19th, Jon and Jess's big day finally arrived - Wedding Day!  I had the role of bridesmaid, Mike had the role of groomsman, and Ethan had the role of being cute, well, a really cute ringbearer!  It was a very memorable, fun, and love filled day - it couldn't be any other way with a Johnson party!

THINGS MY KID SAYS

Ethan continues to make us laugh day in and day out - well, and if you can imagine, he about makes us pull our hair out too!  What a multi-talented child!  Enjoy some of our recent conversations.............

Setup:  Walking from the car to the Doctor's office building.
Mom: Oh, Ethan, look at all the pretty flowers.  I love the pink ones!
Ethan: Oh, Mom!  Look at the yellow flowers.  I wuv them.
Mom:  Ha! You do?
Ethan: Yes, I just wuv them.

Setup: Just a normal day at home
Ethan: Mom, I wants a snack
Mom: Uh, no, not right now
Ethan: But, but, but, but, but I wants a coooookie (imagine the pouty face)
Mom: You don't need a cookie, we will be eating dinner soon
Ethan: But, I wants a cookie, I just wuv them.
Mom: (chuckles), I know you do, but if you eat all of your dinner you can have one later.....

Setup: Bedtime - time to say our good nights and I love yous........
Dad:  Good night, Ethan!
Ethan: Good night, Daddy!
Dad: Don't let the bed bugs bite
Ethan: No, YOU don't let the bed bugs bite (pointing his finger at daddy with scrunched eyebrows)
Dad: YOU don't let the bed bugs bite
Ethan: Ah! I a bed bug - rah rah rah rah rah (those are supposed to be pretend biting noises - and he is pretending to attack Dad as a bug)
Dad: Ah! No, no, no don't bite me!!!!
Ethan: (belly laughter)
And.....repeat, over and over and over, night after night after night!

Setup: Packing and planning for our first camping trip
Mom: Ethan!  Are you excited?!  What are we going to do when we go camping?
Ethan: Eat marshmallows and hot dogs!
Mom: Yeah!  And what else?
Ethan: Pick up sticks!  And go camping!  And eat........BUGS! 
Mom: BUGS?!  Uck!  I don't want to eat bugs!
Ethan: (laughing) NAH!  We no eat bugs! (he totally cracks himself up!)

Setup:  Random moments of singing...
Ethan: B-I-ES-ES-SHO, B-I-ES-ES-SHO, B-I-ES-ES-SHO (translation: B-I-N-G-O, and the song goes no further than this!)

Mom: Ethan - tell Dad what song you were singing to me in the car!
Ethan: (singing) Here's my nummer! (translation: Carly Rae Jepsen's super popular 'Call Me Maybe' song)
Mom: (burst of laughter - first I have heard this) Well, yes, I guess we heard that song too, but tell Dad the other song!
Ethan: Rumors has it, Rumors has it, Rumors has it! (translation: Adele's also super popular 'Rumor Has It' that is also played on the radio all the time)
Dad: (shaking his head, not sure if he should be proud or not)

Setup: The HUGE battle of picking up toys around the house
Mom: Ethan - are you listening?  Let's get your stuff picked up.
Ethan: (in la-la land)
Mom: Hey - you need to put your listening ears on
Ethan: (grabbing both of his ears - you, know, to put the listening ones on!)
Mom: Ok, come on, let's get this stuff picked up
Ethan: Mom?  Can I take them off now?
Mom: Take what off?
Ethan: My ears.
Mom: Sigh.......................(translation: I give)

Setup: Pretend play..........Mom is folding laundry, Ethan is playing
Ethan: (grabs empty hamper and puts over his head) I 2 be a wobot, I 2 be a wobot (in his amazing robot voice)
Mom: (laughing) Ethan, are you a robot?
Ethan: (walking stiffly with the hamper still on his head) I 2 be wobot, I2 be a wobot.........Mom! MOM! I a robot.
Mom: (still laughing) Oh, yes, you sure are!

Setup: Playing with his fellow 3 year old friend - neither of which want to share a golf ball (yes, a dang golf ball)
Ethan: (to his friend) I want the ball, give me the ball!
Mom: Ethan Michael!  You need to talk nice to your friend!
Ethan: (gets in his friend's face)  NICE!  NICE!
Mom: ETHAN! Don't just yell the word 'nice' at him, you need to use your nice words!  Just share and take turns.  UGH!
(all of the adults roar into laughter- I believe shortly thereafter the ball was taken away from both of them)