Aquarium!

Dad is on vacation this week!! So we decided to go to the big Aquarium.. it was SOOOO cool! It was Dad, Beau and I. Mom was bummed that she had to work, but she says that people like to look pretty this time of year... so she has to go to work.

Where to start on the aquarium? We saw sharks! (my favorite) got to pet the stingrays, which was awesome! They also had 3 bengal tigers. Beau loved the tigers the most.




We also got our picture taken with Santa! That guy is everywhere it seems. Which reminds me, what is up with Santa anyways? Mom and Dad say I am asking way too many questions about Mr. Claus but I can't help it... Something fishy is going on with Santa (pun intended) How can he be on TV this morning when we left, and then at the mall AND the aquarium? I have also been inquiring with Dad about how exactly Santa is able to get around the world in one night with just some reindeer and a freaking sled?! I have seen tons of elk near my house and reindeer look a lot like elk. The elk I have seen are not all that fast and I hate to say it: they are not all too smart either. I wouldn't trust an elk or a reindeer to get me to the grocery store and back, let alone around the world in one night.

I also have been asking how he knows when I sleeping, knows when I'm awake, knows if I've been bad or good... blah blah blah... This guy is a bit of a creep! where are all the camera's if he's watching all the time? if I know anything, it's this: Bearded old men who watch EVERYTHING that little kids do from the privacy of some remote compound (such as the North Pole) usually end up in prison.

Before I go, here is a pic of Beau with the tigers!




Visions of sugar plums dancing in my head!

Brady



***EDITORS NOTE*** Brady still loves Santa and is a believer for now. He is however, asking tons of questions that I do not either know how to answer nor do I want to answer... the other day he wanted to know how Santa can see him in the dark to know if he is sleeping? then he said 'I'll just pull my covers over my head and watch my DVD player.. he'll have no idea I'm not asleep'. Hopefully we can keep this farce up for at least a few more years.. the good news is that the entire world is in on this little practical joke we play on our children.


Pat

Dad yelling at a stranger and other assorted Holiday Joys

Ahh... the wonders of the season... anticipating Santa's arrival, hanging the stockings, Christmas music, cookies!, wrapping gifts, giving a $10 spot to a homeless guy, and ofcourse sitting in my car-seat in total disbelief while my Dad screams out the window at some dude at stop light.... such a magical time of the year!

I think all kids remember fondly the first time their Dad lobs a few choice words at another motorist... my Mom on the other hand, well.. that one never really shocks me, she is a bit of a wildcard. Mom yells at strangers on at least a weekly basis... This was different, I have NEVER seen Dad yell at anyone (except me and Beau)

According to Dad one of these 'wacko' volunteer firemen came flying up behind us, got right on our bumper and then threw his hands up in disgust when we did not get over immediately... problem was we were about to turn left and couldn't get over. Keep in mind that the 'wacko' had one of those stupid Starsky and Hutch red emergency lights on top of his car that was NOT ON.

So Dad does what any hot headed male of irish decent would do... he rolls down his window and waves the guy past us mockingly... then something unexpected and downright awkward happened: we end up stopped at the light RIGHT next to said 'wacko'. Dad rolls down his window and says the following: 'Where's the fire?!' I cannot confirm nor deny whether or not Dad may have added in a quick 'douche bag' at the end of that last sentence, but that's unimportant at this stage of our story... so what did the guy do? well... in a word, nothing. He rolled his window up without saying a word and then continued to haul ass when the light turned green. Here's the thing: this guy was wearing a RIDICULOUS holiday sweater, you know the kind.. this particular one had a dog wearing a santa hat on it or something.. which got me thinking. If I were to have been the one doing the talking at the stop light, I would have said the following: 'looks like you have already donned your gay apparel... fa la la... la la la... la la la' that would have been awesome! but, alas ... Dad wasn't quick enough to think of that one!

What did I learn from Dad's outburst? well, I learned that sometimes, random douche bags are much more responsible and mature than our own parents.


Deck the halls,

Brady

I'm Baaaack!

EDITORS NOTE:

I have to admit to a brief, albeit torrid love affair with a rival site: FACEBOOK. After a few weeks of being stalked by losers and realizing that I don't even remember half the people I went to High School with... I am officially in a fight with Facebook. IT'S ON! That's right, the evil genius that is Facebook kept us away from the what is REALLY important.. this effing blog!!!

Ok.. Later,

Pat



After a three month hiatus, I have decided to return to blogging. After creative differences with my editor/Dad were solved, we are back together and ready to take on any and all blogs!! So, get your keyboards ready biatches, here we come!!


Here is a quick pic of Beau messing with me: See ya Soon. REAL SOON!

Brady

Monday,Monday

Well... I am back at pre-school today. Dad is off Mondays so he takes me and picks me up... I like Monday, we usually go to the park after school if it's nice... and, it has been really nice this fall so there has been tons of outdoor time.

I am so excited! Mom's Aunt Roxanne sent me $10 in a birthday card! I am trying to talk Dad in to taking me to Target after school today... I want to spend my ten spot! We'll see... sometimes he wants to do other stuff like laundry, or cleaning. I think he does this stuff just so Mama won't be mad when she gets home (Mom does A LOT more cleaning and cooking and laundering)

Anyways... here is a cute pic of Beau from my party last week. Uncle Jeff brought him a new hat from his trip to Canada! I think Beau looks cool in the hat.



Brady

My Birthday Party was AWESOME!

We had my birthday party yesterday... it was so much fun. Mom did a great job getting everything together and we had tons of kids! I really had fun with the transformers pinata! We all took turns taking whacks at the pinata and then Mom and Dad realized this was one of the pinata's with the strings and it wasn't about to break... that was funny.

We are still looking for the picture of the cake and will post it when Dad can figure out which camera that was on.

From left to Right: Beau, Cousin Jack, Serena, Kelsey, Jordan, ME, Ethan and Back row: Sam, Haley, Cousin Sidney.



Brady

Countdown to the party!

My birthday party is on Sunday! I am getting so excited... tons of kids from my pre-school are coming and hopefully they bring gifts! (did I say that out loud?)

Here are some pics of Beau playing on the swingset and looking at some birds to hold you over...




Have a great day!


Brady

Happy Birthday! (to me!)

I am 4 years old today!! Do you believe it?!?!

I got this super cool new Trek bike!! It's called the 'Jet'... I was out-growing my old Spider Man bike. Dad wants me to try it without the training wheels but I still think I need them!!

Brady

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPPY!!!

Today is Poppy's B-Day... He is 63. Don't feel bad though Pop, you are only 17 celsius!
Beau and I just love our Pop and get so excited when we see him. If we make a right turn (toward Amma and Poppy's) out of our driveway instead of the usual left, Beau always yells 'POPPY!' (it comes out as PAPA but we know what he means)

Have a great day Poppy!


Brady

Beau's turn!

What's my motivation for this photo shoot?

Beau got a new hat the other day so I decided to try it on and do a little modeling.








Dad didn't like how I immediately started to act like a spoiled prima donna. Whatever... he knows that I ALWAYS drink Fiji water on photo shoots! What is this Aquafina garbage!?!?! Damn him! and where are the shrimp cocktails I asked for?!?!?!?

I am out of here!


Brady

Lazy Sunday...

Mom is at the mall... Dad gave us popsicles for breakfast! (don't tell)

Going to Poppy's B-day party today! That will be awesome... maybe they will rent a jump castle for him?


Brady

Sandbox!!!

Mama's friend Ree ordered us a sandbox and had it sent to the house! When the UPS man came, I was so excited to see the sandbox. We put it on the deck and it is great!!

Thanks Ree!

NEWSFLASH: Crocs banned at Banks' residence

UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED: Crocs shoes... the Ford Pinto of footwear?

Dad has placed a ban on Crocs shoes which went in to effect about 3 weeks ago (he didn't tell me until yesterday when I got these sweet new Keen shoes)

Since the ban on Crocs, injuries are down about 88% and the use of band-aids is down as well. Crocs are comfy shoes but Beau and I tend to trip and fall down the driveway often in these spongy death-trap shoes.

It's probably just fine as well... Crocs look a little goofy on adults, especially the bright colored ones, and especially on men. I know we all have some Crocs in our closets but let's end this mistake now. We saw a 50 year old dude wearing purple Crocs at the grocery store the other day and I think everyone in the store was a little embarrassed for him.... it was awkward.

Here are my new Keen's !



Brady

The Pale Knight

Hey y'all... got this Batman mask the other day and I have been wearing it non-stop!

In other news, we had a HUGE day yesterday... went to Tiny Town, which is a town that as the name might suggest has tiny little buildings and a tiny train to ride. Tiny Town sounded good but it turned out to be LAME! then we went to the rec center and went swimming last night!! that was super fun. Beau has no fear of the water and wouldn't let Mom and Dad hold him, he would just walk until it got too deep and then he had to be rescued. He dunked himself 4 or 5 times and never cried once. I as a little more 'cautious' about that stuff when I was little. Bobo just doesn't care.

Have a good one!


Brady

Shaking hands, kissing babies. Can I count on your vote?

Derian is so nice... I had to smooch him! (everyone else was)

Lates,


Brady

Got any Irish in ya?

Beau LOVES beer! Last night when Chas and Melissa were over having dinner, Beau keep looking at Dad, then he would point at his beer and yell 'mine!!!'.

Dad hands Beau the beer and he downs the rest... too funny. There are lots of genetics at play there... I am more of a water guy for now.

'Throw 'em the heater!'

I have been really in to baseball... we have to play at least once a day. Mom bought me some plastic baseballs and Aunt Linda (Mom's Aunt, but we all call her 'Aunt'...confusing, I know) brought me a couple bats. Sometimes I get mad when I miss the ball but Dad says you miss more than you hit in baseball... what? these guys must suck at baseball! Why can't I get a hit EVERY time!?

Dad says I can play T-ball next spring because I will be 4 by then... he explained that they set the ball on a little tee and let you whack at it... LAME! I want to play REAL baseball, with a pitcher. Oh well... maybe I will make some new friends on the team.


Brady

Baby Derian... in the house!

Mom and Dad's friend's Chas (works with Dad) and Melissa had a baby boy on 7/31. Derian Joshua is a super cool little dude. I am really really interested and amazed by the new baby. Mom and Dad think its funny that I am so curious about him.

Chas and Melissa came over for dinner last night and Derian was really good. He did cry a little one time and I decided to take off my Transformer T-shirt because I was certain that it was scaring him. That seemed to calm him down.

Here is a pic of little Derian with Mama and I at the hospital... you can also read (and see better pictures) about him on Chas' blog (link to the left)



See ya,

Brady

Hotter than ^%$# !

This is from the 9news website:


**On Wednesday, the mercury once again zoomed past the 90-degree mark in the metro area, making it 18 straight days of 90-plus heat, tying a record last set in 1901.The heat continues over the western U.S. and that means more 90-plus weather for the metro area and Front Range. According to 9NEWS Meteorologist Marty Coniglio, Wednesday's forecast high temperature was 97 degrees. By noon, the temperature was already hotter than 90 degrees, marking 18 straight days of 90-degree heat, tying the old record last set in July of 1901.**

Good thing Mom and Dad decided this was the year for air conditioning! (they got lucky on that one)

It hasn't rained much AT ALL... Keep your fingers crossed that a fire doesn't get started, the whole place would burn down!


Brady

P.S. I like the heat, we get to wear bathing suits all summer!! It's awesome.

Nice work Kelly!

***Dad is posting this one:


Had to make a quick posting... Kelly took this DARK (almost black) buffet and worked it in to shape. It looks great.

She stripped it, sanded it, re-stained it, and then put a polyurthethane coating on it. I wish we had a before picture of it... I didn't really think she could do it, but she worked on it for at least a month.

We moved it back in to the house yesterday... She hasn't decided on the new knobs for it yet.

Side note: Kelly must have stood and stared at this piece of furniture for an hour last night (not kidding). I guess she couldn't believe how nice it turned out either.

Here it is:

Kinda bummed...

Dad has to go back to work tonight... when I woke up this morning I came over and hugged him and said, 'Will you still snuggle me when you have to work?' Dad said that he is just going back to work and he will be back late tonight just like always. He said he will come in my room and kiss me goodnight, just like he does every night (even though I never wake up).

Beau and I have been having all sorts of fun on Dad's vacation. Mom just smiles and says that it's like she has '3 boys' since Dad just wants to play all day too... We have been outside so much, even BoBo is getting a tan!

We got to go to Amma and Poppy's last night while the parentals went out for some Sushi. Beau and I ALWAYS love to go to Amma's! It's the best.

Here are a couple pics of Beau from dinner the other night- He is a PIGGY!


C-YA,

Brady

New girlfriend?

Dad took Beau and I to the park this morning. The best part is that we got to take Dad's bike and Beau and I rode in the trailer. It is super fun... Dad seems to get a little red and sweaty... oh, well it's good for him.

At the playground we had a real fun time. I met a new girl! Her name is Sophia and she told me I was 'cute'. Cute? Dad said that was a good thing but I want to be called tough, or awesome, or a superhero, or a transformer! Anything but cute!

Sophia was fun to play with. As we were riding home Dad asked what Kelsey from school would say if I told her about Sophia... I said maybe I could marry both of them? Dad laughed and said that I would have to start my own religion for that...

Here is a picture of me and my new girlfriend at the park.

Talk to you later,

Brady

I took this picture!

Awesome huh? I grabbed the camera and took a picture of Dad and Beau. Now I want to use the camera ALL the time!

Dad is not so keen on that idea. I told him that I know how to use it! just look at that great picture! Dad said something about blind squirrels and nuts or something... not sure what that means exactly.

Anyways, look for more great photography from me in the near future.


Brady

I finally get it!!!

That's right, it only took 18 months... but I just figured out that Beau isn't just my little brother, he's also a little kid that I can play with!!

All of a sudden, in the last month or so, I have started to include him in all my games and fun stuff... We have been playing all sorts of fun games, I usually have Beau be the bad guy so that I can be the hero... works out pretty well. Don't get me wrong, Beau is still a major pain in my ass.. but things are getting better.

Rainy day today. This is the 3rd driest summer on record (says the weatherman) so far for the Denver area... so needless to say, the rain is a good thing.


Brady

New sunglasses... feelin' cool

Dad and I went to WalMart the other day... he doesn't like to admit that we sometimes go there, but the Wal Mart is much closer than Target. The thing is, we have to take shower after walking through WalMart so it's kind of a toss up on whether or not we actually save time going there.

ANYWAYS, I found these sweet Transformers sunglasses along with a Transformers flashlight, all for just $3.00 (Sorry, it was actually $2.96- WalMart, remember?) Dad said that the glasses and flashlight were likely made by a kid about my age in China or Indonesia or some other place like that. I think it's so cool that 3 yr. old's get to have job's in other countries! they are lucky.

Another odd thing about that place: Why does the evil WalMart price everything with .96 on the end? annoying... The funny is, on this particular trip to WalMart, Dad said 'we are never coming here again'... just like he has said the last 5 times we have gone there. This time I think he means it!

To recap,

WALMART

Pro's:

-Lots of cheap, plastic crap from China.

-Close to home

-The people that go there make you feel good looking AND smart in comparison. (and thin!)

Con's:

-Don't pay a fair wage, so the people that work there can only afford to shop THERE.

-Don't allow most employees to work full time, so they don't get health benefits (guess who has to pay when they go to the hospital?) Well, I don't really know- I'm only 3 !!!

-Dirrrrty. Plain and simple.

Sorry for the soapbox today!

Oh, and here are some pictures of the sunglasses! I hope we don't really boycott WalMart... I like it, they have a crane game!!


Brady

Play area renovation complete!

Mom and Dad have been working their butts off to get Beau and I's play-set up and running... it looks awesome!

Here is what they have done: sand and stain, put on new swings, and a slide, line the area with LARGE and HEAVY rocks, put down weed shield fabric, and FINALLY they spread 4 yards of wood chips. I am so excited!

Gotta go: it's play time!



Brady

Play date today!

My buddy Liam came over today! I went to preschool with him. He is 4 years old. I can't wait until I am 4! Anyways, we planned to play outside all afternoon BUT it rained. It hardly ever rains here so that was kind of nice... it has been a DRY DRY summer. We played inside. I am going to Liam's tomorrow morning and Dad and Beau are going to visit his buddy Alex, so Mama has a free day. She is pretty happy with Dad right now. Mom doesn't get a whole lot of time to herself.. she is thinking about getting a massage.


Here is a picture of Liam and I (Liam doesn't usually have that crazy looking red eye- that is just Dad's camera.


Brady

Lazy days...

We went out to eat at the White Fence Farm last night. It's a pretty cool place. They have a petting Zoo, huge playground and great fried chicken- what else could you want?!

Mom and Dad didn't have nearly as much fun as I did.. they were saying something about not going out to eat with tired, grumpy little boys anymore. I guess Beau and I were 'challenging' at dinner.

We are all enjoying Dad's vacation, although I think he may be wishing we had gone somewhere. With that being said; here is a pic of a real vacation:


Today we are hanging at the house, playing outside on the swingset, squirting the hose, riding bikes. ALMOST FORGOT: we got a new slide for the swingset and IT IS AWESOME! When Mom gets home with the camera we will post some pics of the new slide.


Brady

HOT HOT HOT!

The temps are going to be in the mid 90's the next week or so! I love it. We get to play outside, set up the ghetto pool, and run through the hose. Summer is the best.

Here are some pics of Beau watering the flowers.

Brady

Spidey!

We went to the Evergreen farmer's market (Every Tuesday from 10-2) today. That is SO much fun! I got to ride on the train, had my face painted like Spiderman, ate some great food (CUPCAKES!).. and Mom bought some veggies or something.

I don't know about Mom, but she always does the most BORING stuff at the farmer's market... Dad and Beau and I were eating chocolate cupcakes and she is off somewhere looking at snap-peas and spinach. I stil love her.


I was worried that someone would mistake me for the real Spiderman and ask me to fight evil or something, but I made it home safely.


Brady

Smack that booty!

*** PLEASE NOTE: BLOG HAS BEEN HIJAKED BY DAD

Ok, as you saw earlier, the boys and I go to the lake to feed the ducks, and play a little. Brady likes to climb on the statue. While Brady was on the statue, I was having pleasant conversation with an older woman who was at the lake with a YOUTH GROUP... as I am speaking to her, Brady yells 'Excuse me Dad! Dad!' so I say 'yes...' and he throws out this little beauty 'check it out! I am spanking this girl's booty!' I look and, sure enough, he is slapping the butt of the statue (see photo)... needless to say, I start laughing and old lady walks away.


Pat

Them ducks is hungry...

Beau, Dad and I went to the lake to run around and feed the ducks. Good times. (that's my favorite new phrase) Mama thinks it's funny when I sigh and say 'ahhh, good times'.

Dad's vacation has kicked off... it's nice to hang out and do whatever we want.

Back to the ducks: Those fellas were starvin'! I like to try and throw the bread out out as far as I can, so that the little ducks way in the back can have some.

You should see Beau throw that bread! He has one heck of an arm!

Brady

Easy Rider

Kris and Jennifer came over yesterday on their way to Grand Lake. Kris let me sit on his motorcycle! THAT was so cool!


I am super excited today. Dad has vacation coming up! after he works tonight, he is off until the 25th!!! We have tons of stuff planned: swimming, zoo, aquarium, bikes, hiking, movies, naps, you name it! It's gonna be great.


Stay tuned, tons of pictures in the near future.


Brady


P.S. I did a backwards somersault at gymnastics ALL BY MYSELF yesterday!