A Quick Post

So, I've organized my pictures and have about... 100 pictures to post! AND we have more fun planned for the weekend which will undoubtedly put me even farther behind! It is that time of year that I just have to say, I'm ready for school to start so we can get back to normal around here!! (Even if it will be volleyball season!)

Before Brown County, Grace and I took a Kindermusik class. She really did a good job and it was fun for both of us.

My favorite thing to hear from her now is, "I have a song about _______" (Insert recent discussion topic or random item near by.)

It is a quiet tune that always starts out, "Here is a (mixer/chips/etc.). It opens up and you can cut it...." Hee, Hee.

And, I finally had a few minutes to locate the sunflower field nearby and get a few pictures. I'd like to go back and get some more, though!
(This one is my wall paper)

More to come, soon!!

Chicago - Part 1

So, I'm still trying to get pictures posted as our July unfolds so as not to get too backed up, so here is my first post of our weekend in Chicago with the Curli! (They have more pictures I want get when we swap ours for theirs.)

We started out just exploring down town Thursday when we arrived. Monica hooked us up nicely with a great deal at the Blackstone - Renaissance hotel on Michigan Avenue, just a few blocks south of Navy Pier and the Magnificent Mile! Thanks Monica!

There were lots of people out and about, but it didn't feel too crowded. We walked through Millennium park and took in the artwork.

(This big silver - reflective ball thing)

Then we took a water taxi to the Sears Tower. Our hotel is in the bottom left corner of this view, with the green roof.
The new clear ledges you can walk out on! This is Tim and I!
And Marc and Mel just hanging out of the building!

We walked right out of the Sears tower and found the pizza place we were looking for - Giordonos!! Great Chicago style deep dish!

We found this cool water fountain at night and I got to play with the settings on my camera.

On Friday we did Navy Pier and had a Chicago style hot dog! It was good!

Mel and I shopped the Mag Mile while the boys took in the Cubs game at ESPN Zone. We joined them for the end of the game - you can see Mel thoroughly enjoying herself... :) (So many sports to watch... so many other things she'd rather be doing! Such a good sport though! Love ya!)

We found the Leggo store!

Here you can buy them by the color!

I didn't buy any, but got a little creative with the camera. I won't post all my pictures from here - they are just like this one, but in all colors!!!

They have a Leggo Marriott! This is for you Monica!

We rode the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier.

That night we sat out on the pier and took in the free jazz music while we ate ice cream for dinner at 8:00!! (I had a wrap - but, still it was 8:00! Awesome!) And, it was perfect weather all weekend!

And, on Saturday before we headed home, we hit the IKEA!!! What fun! That makes Ikea stores on four continents for Mel, five for Marc (I think), the same one twice for me, and probably the only one for Tim. Ever.

It was a great relaxing trip. Once I got over my "we have to eat at 5!; Hurry before someone melts down; or I need to know the plan!" thoughts, I totally relaxed and enjoyed a weekend of leisure with great friends.

We're talking of even making this an annual trip as we feel like there is still so much we'd like to do!

Oh, and the kids had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. We were worried that it would go so badly they would never let us go with the Curless' again, or (the Curless' hope) that it would go so badly that Grandma might rethink her objections to the Drake's living overseas for a couple of years! No such luck! (And that is a big dream at this point anyway! Not to worry anyone!)

All right... next up... Brown County!

July is going to be a busy one for us!!

On Saturday we visited Grandma Patty at the jail and snapped a few pictures on this cool blue wall my friend Winter discovered!

Then, that evening, we headed to Ohio to visit Grandma Margaret. On Sunday we found the very cool Inniswood Metro Gardens and went for a walk and checked out the pretty flowers.

Grace was inspired by the MANY photographers in the park and posed for me!

Jump!

I call this one... "Boys". (Sigh...)

Catching a ride to the van on Monday morning.

Then we headed to the Polaris Fashion Mall to play on their very cool soft play area!

Just before we left, Grace made a new friend! I think.... It looks like maybe she was just telling her how it is!

Chillin' on the mall after our play time!

Grace was very helpful all weekend, both kids did wonderful, and it was a great time with Margaret. She is doing much better as she is getting settled in there. We're very happy with the facility and the care she gets there.

I'm going to try and keep up on this blog so I don't have 400 pictures to post at the end of the month! Next trip: Chicago! (and the farm for the kids!)

Happy 4th of July!

15 Months

Cooper is 15 months now - hard to believe! He had his check up last week and again did wonderful. He is 21 pounds 3 oz and 31 3/4 inches long. That makes him in the 10-25th percentiles for weight and 50-75th percentiles for height - Yea!! We finally are moving up on the chart! There seem to be no worries about the medicine affecting his growth... he just finally hit a spurt!

And today he had his blood drawn for another round of testing. I discovered a cream I can put on him to numb the area where they stick him and it was AMAZING!!! He shed 2 tears today - from the tape that I used to cover the cream, and for the nurses being so close to him. Way better than 10 minutes of screaming! I also insisted they start on the right this time and they only had to sick him once! I'm just on cloud nine that I can make these trips to the lab less stressful for him! We'll hear the results later next week and then see the doctor in Indy in couple more weeks.

He is communicating much more and starting to understand NO and STOP. He still chooses to ignore them, but we're seeing progress! He is a hoot to have around!

Doin' the Zoo

Monday was the PERFECT day to do the zoo! We had amazing cool weather and the kids did wonderful! We arrived right at 9:00 and beat the rush. (I wouldn't want to be there in the afternoon!!!) We headed straight for the African Adventure which just reopened this month and found it to be very nice. The kids liked walking and exploring!

Grace was most excited to see the giraffes and we (Mom and Dad) got to feed them lettuce!

What a tongue!!!

Cooper had fun pointing at the animals...

But, didn't want to get too close to any of them!!!

We took a break for our picnic lunch. Cooper loves the Oreos! The wind picked up at lunch and Grace about went hysterical when it started to blow away a hat (which the family next to us found amusing), but once we caught it, she found it all very funny.Back in the zoo, we headed for our train ride. (You'd think it would go somewhere to see animals... but no. Just into the woods and around a small lake.... but the kids liked it!)

Then we brushed some goats,

Played in the water,

and headed for home. We barely made it out of the parking lot!!

With them out so quickly, Tim and I were able to enjoy some Dairy Queen without having to share with them! The ladies at the drive through were even kind enough to whisper to us!!

What a great day!!