Angry Birds

 Playing Angry Birds on an iPhone is so "old fashion." Why not play Angry Birds in your living room with wooden planks (couch pillows), stone slabs (mattresses) and green pigs (kids).

Of course, launching the Angry Birds (kids) from a sling shot (dad) can be a bit tricky, but the aim is amazingly accurate. Kjersti: "Watch out pig with a helmet (Eve)!"

The pigs snort and mock you until you knock them out... but in the real life game, sometimes they just keep snorting and mocking you even once they've been knocked out.

Eve (bomb bird) totally took out everyone in this shot. It did smell a little ripe, so we weren't exactly sure what exploded after this happened.



Flat Stanley Pays a Visit

Cousin Luke Peterson sent us a good friend of his in the mail... Flat Stanley. Since Eli was out attending a birthday party, Kjersti and Eve picked up the slack and gave him a first rate tour of the area! The tour started in front of the Strong home. Stanley said, "Thanks for rescuing me from the envelope. Do you realize what a traumatic experience it is traveling in the mail?"

Next, the kids took the wee man to Base 117 out in back of the Strong house. Stanley said, "Base 117?!? How did you come up with that?" Kjersti replied, "There used to be a sign on the fort that said, Base 117, so that's what we've called it ever since."

Stanley got to check out Kjersti's school, Ashland Elementary School. Stanley said, "This reminds me of the place I was born."

Stanley got to hang out in nearby Prince William Forest Park. Stanley said, "Do racoons eat paper men?" Eve said, "Absolutely!" Stanley wasn't sure whether she was serious or not so he jumped back in the van.

Kjersti and Eve wanted to take Stanley to a place their parents always take them on walks at The United States Marine Corps Museum. Stanley said, "I think the Marine teepee is leaning a little bit sideways."

Stanley took this picture of himself in front of the main gate to Quantico Marine Corps Base. After he took the shot he asked, "Does this picture make my head look big?"

Continuing the Marine Corps theme, Stanley checked out the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington. It was here Stanley boldly stated, "I will join the Marine Corps!" Kjersti broke the news to Stanley that paper men were not allowed to enlist. Eve said, "Awww, poor Stanley."

Running over to the Jefferson Memorial, Stanley said, "That all paper men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights!" This created a bit of an awkward moment.

The Washington Monument. Stanley loved it, but was very disappointed to find out it was still closed due to the 2011 earthquake. "Bummer." he said.

After the big adventure, we took Stanley to Kjersti's favorite restaurant, Potbelly Sandwich Works. It was here Eve dropped a meatball with marinera sauce on Stanley's face. Let's just say that paper men don't wash up so well. Despite that, Stanley was sent back on another traumatic trip through the mail to give a full report to his cousin Luke.