Barron of Blog » libby http://mike.shannonandmike.net Wife, Kids, and the Pursuit of Happiness Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:01:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Rolling Down a Pillow Mountain http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/10/rolling-down-a-pillow-mountain/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/10/rolling-down-a-pillow-mountain/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:01:58 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6786 The kids wanted to do this for a loooong time - it was fun!

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/10/rolling-down-a-pillow-mountain/feed/ 1 Rockin’ the Wireless Headphones http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/09/rockin-the-wireless-headphones/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/09/rockin-the-wireless-headphones/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:01:32 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6781 Libby and Cooper typing letters and drawing stuff on my computer. Libby insisted they both listen to "The Wizard of Oz" soundtrack while "working" on the computer:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/09/rockin-the-wireless-headphones/feed/ 0 Go Hoosiers! http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/08/go-hoosiers/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/08/go-hoosiers/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:06:43 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6777 Dressed up and ready to go before this past weekend's IU vs. Purdue game:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/02/08/go-hoosiers/feed/ 0 Watching the Game in Laundry Baskets http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/01/23/watching-the-game-in-laundry-baskets/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/01/23/watching-the-game-in-laundry-baskets/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:10:47 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6758 Pillow-lined laundry baskets make perfect seats for little kids (Libby's legs were sticking out the end, but she looked comfortable enough). Here they are watching the Patriots beat the Ravens:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2012/01/23/watching-the-game-in-laundry-baskets/feed/ 0 Drawing Fun with Libby http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/22/drawing-fun-with-libby/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/22/drawing-fun-with-libby/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:41:56 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6692 Libby and I created two drawing together last weekend. They were both of similar scenes (as dictated by Libby) involving a horse, a tropical island, and a pelican flying in the air above. It was delightful to color and doodle with her - such a fertile imagination. She really seemed to have rich stories behind each object represented on these pages:
Horse island drawing made mostly by Libby. There is a frog walking behind the horse on lily pads. Horse island drawing made mostly by Mike. The box around the horse is meant to be a boat, the little red-headed girl on the purple horse is rowing.

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/22/drawing-fun-with-libby/feed/ 0 Polar Express http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/20/polar-express/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/20/polar-express/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:50:23 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6686 Libby and Cooper enjoying hot cocoa and cookies on a recent ride on the Polar Express!

We visited the north pole (where Santa hopped onto the train), had chefs serving us drinks and snacks, and got our tickets punched by a real conductor. It was a thrill for the kiddos. You can see more pictures on my wife's blog.

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/20/polar-express/feed/ 0 Playing with Light http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/12/playing-with-light/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/12/playing-with-light/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:24:32 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6668 We got two special ornaments in the mail today - they were small snowmen with LED lights that cycle through the spectrum. The kids and I had a great time playing with them in the dark office before bath tonight:
Cooper smiling up at his big sister Only streaks of light visible Cooper and Libby moving the lights around the toy vanity An interior "shot" composed by Libby Love the transition from blue to orange

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/12/playing-with-light/feed/ 0 Post-Thanksgiving Walk http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/07/post-thanksgiving-walk/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/07/post-thanksgiving-walk/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:43:54 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6654 Thanksgiving was great this year - all four of our parents were there, making it one of those wonderful moments in time that I fondly look back upon. After having a gigantic (and delicious) Thanksgiving meal the entire crew went on a walk. It was brisk but pleasant.

Here's Libby walking with her two "Papas" - love the long shadows:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/07/post-thanksgiving-walk/feed/ 0 Fan Fort! http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/05/fan-fort/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/05/fan-fort/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:45:33 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6642 One of my favorite indoor activity with Libby is building forts. We have made pillow forts, blanket forts, and laundry basket forts. But I think we really outdid ourselves when we made this "fan fort":

To construct this fort we cut open 5 large trash bags and taped them into an approximate teepee shape (original plan was a large tube, but we ran out of tape so we improvised). After attaching a small fan and checking for leaks we inserted a table lamp (and loads of toys) to brighten the space up.

This fort is a perfect little hideaway. Despite being a small dark plastic cave, the fan fort is very soothing. The constant whir of the fan drowns the world outside, and it's the perfect place to read books or pretend with a friend.

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/12/05/fan-fort/feed/ 0 Cooking with the Beckman Boys http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/28/cooking-with-the-beckman-boys/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/28/cooking-with-the-beckman-boys/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:09:57 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6617 Love the aprons:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/28/cooking-with-the-beckman-boys/feed/ 0 Ride for Will http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/22/ride-for-will/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/22/ride-for-will/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:32:58 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6604 Libby rode in a charity bike event this summer in support of one of their friends who has juvenile diabetes. The first lap of the "race" was lead by a fire truck and police car with their horns wailing and their lights flashing... very exciting!
The whole group of kids on the ride Lining up before the race Libby was very excited to race!

Libby did great - she rode for several laps and did a great job keeping up (and even passing) some older kids that were there.

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/22/ride-for-will/feed/ 0 Halloween Costumes http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/02/halloween-costumes-2/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/02/halloween-costumes-2/#comments Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:24:47 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6569 Rapunzel and a monkey has a great Halloween this year:
Cooper the monkey Rapunzel

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/11/02/halloween-costumes-2/feed/ 0 Encounter with a Wheel Bug http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/24/encounter-with-a-wheel-bug/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/24/encounter-with-a-wheel-bug/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:56:24 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6542 Alternate title: "How to unknowingly expose your kids to a potentially dangerous bug and live to tell the tale."

This past weekend we went to pumpkin fest - it was a gorgeous, perfect day to spend sliding down a hay slide and playing in some corn pits. Near the end of the afternoon we came upon a large bug which the kids loved to (carefully) play with and investigate:
A wheel bug hanging onto the edge of a finger The wheel bug slowly crawls from hand to hand Letting a wheel bug climb up Sam's arm Libby posing with a wheel bug on her sleeve

We did not know at the time, but that bug was a Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus):

The [wheel] bug plunges its beak into its victim, pinning its prey with its front legs. It then injects enzymes into the victim, paralyzing it and dissolving its insides, and proceeds to drain all of the victim's bodily fluids. The bite of a wheel bug is painful and may take months to heal (sometimes leaving a small scar), so caution is highly advised when handling them.

Yikes! Guess we won't be handling these bugs in the future (at least not with kids :) ).

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/24/encounter-with-a-wheel-bug/feed/ 0 Little Brothers are Good to Have Around http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/04/little-brothers-are-good-to-have-around/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/04/little-brothers-are-good-to-have-around/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:00:52 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6454 Taking full advantage of her little brother's desire to push things:

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/04/little-brothers-are-good-to-have-around/feed/ 0 Libby Loves Horses http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/03/libby-loves-horses/ http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/03/libby-loves-horses/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:08:49 +0000 Mike B. http://mike.shannonandmike.net/?p=6448 Libby loves riding horses - here she is at Conner Prairie during their "Country Fair":

]]> http://mike.shannonandmike.net/2011/10/03/libby-loves-horses/feed/ 0