The VanderBeeks

I got to hang out with the Herberts in Fresno on my drive up :)

Ben — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:58:38 +0000

The Herberts’ Blog

photo posted from my iPhone

So many bridges, creeks, and rocks, so little time

Ben — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:43:22 +0000

photo posted from my iPhone

Noah’s Green Tomatoes

Ben — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:40:31 +0000

As I was pulling some weeds in the garden this evening I heard Noah proudly exclaim, “tomato!” (Which sounds kind of like “teedo.”) I saw him appoaching me with a racquetball-sized green tomato freshly plucked from one of our tomato plants. I didn’t want to squelch his wonderful passion for the harvest, so I gently explained to him that we wait till tomatoes are red before we pick them, but thanked him for trying to help out. He sort of understood. Maybe.

Thinking I might prove my point, I asked if he wanted to taste the tomato (assuming it would be bitter and hard), which he was more than happy to do. Unfortunately for my attempt at proving a point, he enjoyed it very much. I had a bite and it’s not exactly a delicious home grown tomater but it really didn’t taste bad even in green form.

After thoroughly going over the fact that we do not pick the tomatoes until they’re green, thinking he understood, I found him a few minutes later hovering over the cherry tomato plant. He got a few of those little buggers off the plant before I got to him, but I really don’t think he was being devious. So I let him eat those too.

Oh well, hopefully we’ll get some red tomatoes later this year before he eats them all green.

Noah and Aston playing “Kitties”

Ben — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:29:13 +0000

Today Noah got to play at the park with his (best) friend Aston. This was the first time we saw them play something resembling a game. At least more of a game than them talking their own moonman language with each other or chasing each other around screeching.

What was thia game you ask? They spent 15 minutes saying “meow” to each other while walking around through the bushes and vines at the edge of the park.

This description does not do it justice, so just take our word for it. It was ridiculous and wonderful.

Date hike to Lake Ilsanjo. The woods on the way up were real Ferngully-y.

Ben — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:16:52 +0000

photo posted from my iPhone

Noah throwing rocks off the bridge

Ben — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:51:23 +0000

You’ve seen it before, now in video form.

Noah’s first trombone playing

Ben — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:50:21 +0000

If you don’t realize this is a milestone right up there with first steps, you don’t know Grandpa Van.

Hiking at Spring Lake & Annadel

Ben — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:02:18 +0000

Noah munchin on some broccoli

Ben — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:33:02 +0000

High five, Snoopy!

Ben — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:08:04 +0000

photo posted from my iPhone