Ain't nobody sayin I ain't got rhythm ...

From the archives ...

Later!

Pierce...the dancing machine...Miller

Champaign is also a city ...

We took another road trip this week. I'll report on that later.



First, I have to say that I take my studies seriously and was very good about getting my homework on Tuesday. My assignment was to decorate the green guy and I used glue, scissors, stickers, markers and crayons to get it done. Mom and Dad checked my work. (They didn't do it for me, they aren't like some parents who do their kid's cutting, coloring, etc. for them. I mean seriously, how do you expect to get along in the real world if your parents have to do your cutting and coloring for you?!)



Anyway, Thursday night was open house at school and I got to show Mom and Dad my projects. Here Mom and I are with my teacher Chelsea. She's cool!

That night we left for Champaign, IL and the wedding of the year. For some reason Mom and Dad were concerned about a six hour car ride and "did something they never thought they would do". They bought me a DVD player! Sa-weet! Woo-hoo! Awesome! Thanks to my new best friend I was able to relax and watch a tractor DVD while we covered some miles.

After driving for about four hours we stopped for the night. Let's just say that I "wasn't feeling it". I tried and tried to tell Mom and Dad (and the rest of the hotel) that I wasn't tired but they wouldn't listen. After a couple of hours I finally just gave up and came to the realization that my parents weren't going to listen to me.

Friday morning we finished our journey and had some time to kill so we made a stop at McDonald's playland. (Trust me, there's a reason why there weren't any photos.) I thought it was pretty cool. Mom kept talking about another "thing we thought we would never do" and Dad said some colorful words.

A little later we were greeted by a gaggle of Palzkills doing what they do best ... hanging out in a hotel lobby!

After visiting and catching up everyone retired to their rooms to get fancy. The ceremony was beautiful and I found out something about myself. I cry at weddings. (In my case I cried as Dad carried me out of the sanctuary because I was being too loud.)

The reception was quite nice. (Jeanne and Howie can throw a par-tay!)

Since we were at such a nice place I felt like I needed to work the room. I made sure that Grandma, Papa, Uncle Eric, Mom and Dad all got to spend some quality time with me.

There was another party planned Saturday night so we got dressed up again and hit the town! Here I am with Uncle Eric on our way.

This time the event was at the University of Illinois. All the Palzkills were there. Grandma's sisters stopped for a minute to take a photo ...

... and Dad decided to get all lovey-dovey in public. (Not cool, Dad. I have people here I'm trying to impress.)

There was great food, drink and dancing. Since Grandma's leg still hurts Mom danced with Papa ...

... while I kept her company at the table and enjoyed some very good Grandma lap time.

After awhile I just couldn't stand it anymore and had to "bust a move".

Finally Grandma couldn't stand it anymore either and did a bit of dancing. First with Papa ...

... then with Zach Palzkill and me. (You may remember Zach from the pacifier "incident" at last year's Palzkill event in Wisconsin.)

Everyone was in great spirits so Mom decided that we should try for a family photo. Dad and I weren't into it and I think she was annoyed.

Oh well. She got over it because today, on the way home, we made a stop in LeClaire to drive by the home of one of our favorite TV shows, American Pickers. We weren't expecting much but hit paydirt. (In the words of Mike and Frank, we "popped" on something!)

We happened to catch the crew while filming and saw some great stuff while meeting Mike and Frank!

Danielle was there, too!

Mike and Frank were so nice. What cool, mellow and real guys. Mom and Dad were thrilled and I have to admit that I was impressed.

Well that's it. I'm off to my crib. I'm pooped. Mom is pooped. Dad smells like poop. Tomorrow it's back to school and another week of adventures.

Pierce

A horse of course ...

Another week has come and gone. Dad traveled this past week so Mom and I got to hang out a lot.

Saturday was a day when we could all catch our breaths and get some work done around the house. Grant's Mom and Dad gave us some hostas to plant so Mom, Dad and I worked to get them into the ground.

Mom watered the plants and I helped put the dirt back in place after Dad dug the hole.

Let me make sure I have this right ... one part water plus one part dirt combines and results in mud. Got it.

Dad was going to mow so I helped move the sump pump hose out of the way before calling it a morning.

After a bath I had lunch. Mom bought me a treat because we have a long car ride coming up ... a DVD player. They tested it out as I was eating and I've decided that it is quite nice to eat applesauce and watch Monsters, Inc. (Later I heard Mom and Dad lamenting the fact that they've become "those parents". I'm okay with it.)

After lunch Dad and I headed to Chariton. I was excited to see Great Grandma Margaret and Great Grandpa Jack. They have cool toys and it's fun to talk to them. (They both give really good hugs, too!)

After I caught up with Great Grandma "the men" headed to the barn. Great Grandpa wanted to show me some toys and then we also talked tractors, lawnmowers and cows. He asked me about horses and was surprised that I'd never been on one. "Follow me." he said. We loaded up Dad's car and off we went ... to see horses! The three of us picked up a new friend of mine, Anna, and she took us to see her some of her family's animals.

Great Grandpa told me lots about horses and it was fun to see Anna ride. She broke the horse I'm petting and it was very nice and gentle. I even got to go for a ride! I was smiling. Great Grandpa was smiling. Dad was smiling. And, I think even Anna and the horse were having fun.

What a great visit! Thanks Great Grandpa!

Last night I stayed at Grandma Maggy's. (I don't care what the kids at school say ... Lawrence Welk is cool and I'd much rather watch him with you than Big Joe's Polka Show with Dad, Grandma!)

(Look out Jeanne and Howie ... I've been working on my dance moves and I'm headed your way!)

Pierce

ombine ... agon ... acker

(Combine ... wagon ... tractor)

Wow, I thought the museum last week was cool. It had nothing on Papa and Grandma's farm during harvest! I rode several tractors, spent about 3.5 hours in the combine, ate lunch in the field, helped set up an auger and had a blast!

We arrived late Friday night and I was ready to hit it Saturday morning! (Apparently nobody else is ready to farm at 4 a.m., which surprised me.) After the adults stalled for a few hours and we had breakfast Dad gave me a ride while Papa and Uncle Tim prepared to harvest.

After what seemed like HOURS the show began! I volunteered to help Papa get the combine to the field and he seemed appreciative. My seat was all ready to go, the corn head was on and we were ready to work.

After driving to the other farm Papa and Tim needed my help to get the auger set. I was in the tractor ...

... while they were on the ground. Working together we "got er done"!

Dad wanted in on the action so he rode with Papa and I for awhile. Here we are unloading into the wagon. Fascinating.

So ... very ... tired ...

Apparently Papa used to take Mom and Uncle Eric in the combine and they would sleep too. Combines are magical kid sleeping machines!

After you work hard you get to eat lunch in the field. Boy, I tell ya, I was really hungry. That PB&J hit the spot.

Back to farming! I rode with Mom and Papa in the afternoon and, after a brief period of instruction, got to drive the combine!!!!!

What a fun day. Up early. Two quick cat naps in the combine. Hard work. A bath. Sleep. Then came Sunday.

I slept a little later (because I knew the adults were tired) then was ready to go. Here I am modeling my A-C wear to show that I'm serious about farming.

Before combining Dad, Papa and I went to the old house and I got to explore and play with even more farm equipment. (I like to think that I'm in pretty good shape but I just didn't have the upper body strength to work the uni-loader. Hmmm ... more pushups for me!)

Tractor!

You know, I kind of hit a wall Sunday. I'll admit it. Thankfully Grandma was right there. (There isn't anything better than a cuddly Grandma nap. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours.)

Back at it! Before leaving Denmark Mom and I wanted to get one more round in. Papa and Tim were working on beans and I was very curious about how a bean head worked. Interesting.

Wagon!

Well, that's it for this week. I had a great weekend and saw lots of family. Rode lots of equipment and even got a new toy out of the deal.

It's good to be me ...

Pierce

Oh-Ma-Ha

This past weekend we took a family trip to Omaha! After spending Friday night at Grammy's house (it was Mom and Dad's six year wedding anniversary) I was picked up and whisked away on I-80 West.

Mom brought me a new tractor to play with! It has a John Deere bucket which is fun to play with (and has the capacity to hold two Goldfish crackers). I didn't want to act like I didn't like my new toy but was disappointed that it didn't have a Westendorf loader which I believe would have held three Goldfish.

Upon arriving in Omaha we headed right to their children's museum. Very, very cool! There was a boat I could steer ...

... water exhibits to get really wet with ...

... a "tractor" to drive (I tried to find a manager to tell them their tractor was lacking but got distracted) ...

... by a slide!

There was a cool hand thing which let you make designs ...

... and a fire truck too!

(I think I wore Mom and Dad out ... Mom had to sit down and Dad's eyes got all glassy.)

In another room there was a cool compressed air maze that you could get balls to go through but I didn't really get it or enjoy it much ...

... because there was a drinking fountain to play with! Wholly cow! Drinking fountains are awesome!

Before leaving I picked up some things for the hotel room from the grocery store.

After the museum we headed to our hotel. There was nice park with very cool bronze sculptures that I got to touch and examine.

Our room was high in the air and I liked the elevator and looking out the window.

The next day (Sunday) the Omaha marathon was right by our hotel so we watched runners and cheered on our friend Aaron Kennedy.

There also was lots to climb and run around (and look cute) while folks came by. After watching the race we headed off to the Omaha Zoo. Not only do they have a "regular" zoo there is also an aquarium! We watched some divers clean the penquin tank and that was a lot of fun.

There was also a tunnel that let the fish swim all around you. Some of them were really, really big!

Yeah, us!

While walking around the zoo we saw a very cool steam engine. I made Mom stop with me and watch.

After that it was on to see the bears. They like playing in water too. (I bet they would like the children's museum.)

There was a petting zoo and a dairy information center we stopped at. Dad felt like he had to teach Mom and I how to milk a cow by hand. It's good information to know.

So tired. So, very tired. Ugh.

The cool thing about vacations is getting to hang out and relax in your hotel room. Jammies? Check. Bug? Check. Snacks? Check.

On Monday we headed to the biggest pumpkin patch ever. There was so much to see and do that we didn't even see everything. One thing I liked was the corn play area.

I know it isn't safe to play in the corn at Papa and Grandma's but this wasn't deep and it was set up for guys like me who just like to roll around and enjoy myself. (Mom and Dad pulled 11 pieces of corn out of my shoes, pockets and diaper afterwards.)

They had fun peddle cars and we went for a family ride. (I didn't even have to peddle!)

Little did we know how true the sign was. Get lost? Yep!

Corn. Some people call it maize. Mom made a good observation ... shouldn't this be called a maize maze?

Are we through this yet? We've been walking for days!

After the maze we took a hayrack ride. Since we were riding on a wagon and the whole thing felt just like a "real" farm I borrowed Dad's hat.

Yep ... that's MY pumpkin. Not your pumpkin. Piercy's pumpkin. Mine. Mine. Mine.

The happy family. This was a cool thing where everyone had their own little wagon and we got pulled around an old farmstead.

Drive. Drive.

Towards the end of the visit Mom and I took a seat and watched duck races for awhile. I tried to find a betting window to catch some wager action but none could be found. I did get a couple of bucks from another kid who didn't seem to understand what was happening but that was like taking candy from a baby.

I sure like pumpkin patches!

That's it for now! Have a great day, everyone ...

Pierce