Only in Minnesota

Mom is here this week.  For all of the boys' birthdays, she gave us Twins tickets.  Only in Minnesota do you have to wear a down coat and bring a blanket to a baseball game in September.  We had a great time though.  The Tigers (Mom's team) beat us with two back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth inning.  Fun was had by all.

Ben and I go to Chicago

For Benjamin's 12th birthday, he and I took a trip to Chicago.  We had a great time.  Guardians of the Galaxy, Chicago dogs, the Train, Sears (Willis) Tower, Buddy Guy's Legends blues club, Bucky Fount (Buckingham Fountain), the Bean, Lake Michigan,  Magnificent Mile, Gino's East, The "L", "roller dogs" (hotdogs from a gas station: one of Ben's requests for the trip), and lots of great conversations for a dad and his boy.  The blues club for lunch was a high light for both of us.  What could be better than sitting just in front of a dude working his blues guitar for an hour while you eat some hot and spicy food?

It made me super thankful to God for Benjamin and the young man that he is becoming.  It made me thankful for my dad and the way that he loved me and brought me up.  It made me thankful for Amanda and her support of our trip, staying home with the other five by herself.

Here are some pictures of two dudes having a great weekend.

A tradition has begun at the Gammons house.  Caleb and I have already begun talking about where we will go for his 12th birthday trip.  Thanks, Ben, for a great weekend.  I'm glad I'm your daddy.

A video from our last camping trip

Gammons kids meet the governor

Yesterday we went to the fair.  While we were getting our $1 all you can drink milk, we saw a sign that said that the governor was going to be there soon to toast the milk booth's 60th anniversary.  We stuck around and got to meet Governor Mark Dayton.  We forgot our phone at home so we had to rely on the governor's twitter feed.  Unfortunately, only Ben and Molly got in the picture.

Nathan turns 2

Tomorrow Nathan turns 2-years-old.  We enjoy him so much.  He is such a pleasant little person.  The thing he loves most in the world is music.  He loves to play his fake guitar and loves to sing.  He is always singing.  His favorite song is "All the people said Amen."  He makes us play that at least once a day and would have it on repeat if we let him.

He recently has been singing the song "Three In One."  This is a song that the kids learned at their choir camp this summer.  First listen to the song below, especially the chorus at 0:46.


Now get a load of Nathan John's rendition.  What a sweetie!  Happy Birthday, buddy boy.

Lucy the prizefighter

Lucy got stung by a wasp or hornet yesterday.  This is what she woke up looking like this morning.  Like a trooper though, she takes it all in stride. 

Nathan on the farm

Sometimes playing in the sand is just more fun without your clothes on.