Let the good times roll (and rock of course!)

So much fun was had with the VA family this past Tuesday! The adults enjoyed fabulous weather and conversation during a picnic... and the kids had fun playing and simply being together.

Mehandis and Tizu tried their hand at "Fat Bat" baseball. Looking pretty good I have to say!

After some lack of "connecting" with the ball, Courtney showed Tizita a fancy softball swing. I will have to remember it for the next time I am up at bat!

While Mehandis is a king of facial expressions... I do believe Tizu outdoes our little performer. Check these out!

A little out of order, but Courtney showed us her and Tizu's "winning" Mother-Daughter Look-a-Like Pose (yet to be entered in an official contest... but I do think they will take home the prize). So Mehandis and I had to show off our "piggy nose" pose.

This was Tizu and Courtney's bring home the gold look!

And on with more looks...

We continue to enjoy occasional outdoor concerts at Washington Park and other local venues. Maira enjoyed some Ring-Around-the-Rosie with Stefan and Mehandis, along with some big hugs!

And they all fall down...

We took an adventure to the Racine Zoo last week... awesome! It is along Lake Michigan, inexpensive and full of great animals. My favorite was a pretty small animal, the meerkat. I had the three kids mimic it's pose. Nice job kids :) We will definitely go back... they even have an opportunity to walk in with the giraffes during feeding time.

Oh and yes, let's get some more rock pictures in. Here is our the kids from our group of friends at church, all "attempting" to play Rock Band. Thank goodness for the Practice Level where you don't get kicked off... and that no one realized that only one person was actually playing. I think Emily and Mehandis were the dancers here.

Sarah really enjoyed the vocals... and dad Cory was patient as could be with telling the kids what colors to push. The real talent came when 7 of the 9 kids performed a Sunday School song together for 9 month old Eliana. Mehandis acted as band manager, saying "Are you ready?" and "One more time!".

Cardinals

Mehandis and I saw a cardinal outside of our house today... didn't know it was symbolic until I did a search on our latest "list" number. We are now number 35 which is the same number West Virginia was for becoming a state in North America. And their state symbol includes a cardinal.

Now for some more interesting facts... from Michael's parents' AARP bulletin I learned of the most popular tourist spots in our 50 states. They follow below, along with three asterisks *** by the sites I have personally been to (or at least remember visiting, please feel free to add to any locales that you think I have been to that I may not remember!).

Alabama- US Space and Rocket Center
Alaska- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
***Arizona- Grand Canyon National Park
Arkansas- Hot Springs National
***California- Disneyland Park
***Colorado- Rock Mountain National Park
Connecticut- Hammonasset Beach
Delaware- Delaware Sea Shore
***Florida- Disney World's Magic Kingdom
***Georgia- Stone Mountain Park
Hawaii- Waikiki Beach
Idaho- Silverwood Theme Park
***Illinois- Navy Pier
***Indiana- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Iowa- Amana Colonies

Kansas- Flint Hills Tall Grass Prairie
Kentucky- Lands Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
***Louisiana- French Quarter
Maine- LL Bean Flagship Store
Maryland- Assateague Island
***Massachusetts- Faneuil Hall Marketplace
***Michigan- The Henry Ford Museum Complex
***Minnesota- Mall of America
Mississippi- Natchez Trace Parkway
Missouri- Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Montana- Yellowstone National Park
Nebraska- Henry Doorly Zoo
***Nevada- Las Vegas Strip
New Hampshire- White Mountain National Forest

New Jersey- Atlantic City Boardwalk
New Mexico- Albuquerque Biological Park
***New York- Tiimes Square
North Carolina- Blue Ridge Parkway
North Dakota- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
***Ohio- Cedar Point Amusement Park
Oklahoma- Oklahoma City National Memorial
Oregon- Crater Lake National Park
Pennsylvania- Independence National Historic Park
Rhode Island- Roger Williams Park Zoo
South Carolina- Broadway at the Beach
Tennessee- Great Smoky Mountains
Texas- River Walk
Utah- Temple Square
Vermont- Ben & Jerry's Factory
Virginia- Blue Ridge Parkway
***Washington- Pike's Place Market
West Virginia- New River George National River
***Wisconsin- Devil's Lake State Park
Wyoming- Yellowstone National Park

Happy Graduaton Dad!

Hats off to you Dad... on your final day of proton therapy!



My mom let me know that all of the staff from MPRI signed a graduation cap and gave it to my dad following his final treatment session this morning. They are now in their car on their trek back to Chicago, after being gone for 2 months. Very eager to be back home!

We enjoyed sharing time together during our past Indiana visits... but our eager to take the train again for our trips to Chicago.

Indiana walks were very picturesque but lacked in the city skyline.

Mehandis is eager to have his own bedroom again at Grandma and Grandpa's downtown condo.

Congratulations Dad on your completion of treatments! Hoping a long road of good health lies ahead for you.

Family (and the Circus) Comes to Town!

The last two weeks we welcomed overnight guests. My mom came for a few days, during the week we had a bit of a heat wave. We had a great time together playing in the sprinkler, getting our hair done, going to a Texas BBQ and taking respite in the down stairs AC. She quite a knack for making tunnels and elaborate track designs... which I am having difficulty now replicating for Mehandis.

Last week, during much milder summer heat my dad's brother and sister, Uncle Gregg and Aunt Ardith came for a visit. They enjoyed teaching Mehandis the names of more American -made cars (being from the Michigan, BMW's just don't cut it!), eating dinners al fresco, and getting re-acquainted with their great-nephew.

Enjoying some conversation and relaxation together, the day they arrived.

Uncle Gregg took to train playing and Sesame Street watching with Mehandis.

We took a trip to the Children's Museum, where Aunt Ardith got to enjoy "playing" with a crane in the post office display.

We then walked to the lake front to see the Circus Parade festivities. There were many ornate circus cars, elephant and pony rides and a petting zoo.

Mehandis did very well giving all of the animal feed out of the ice cream cone to the goats. I was convinced he would want a bite as well!

As luck had it, our swim lesson's open house was during the week my aunt and uncle were in town. So we have new swim class pics :)

The little boy receiving Mehandis's splashes doesn't look so thrilled at how skilled of a kicker Mehandis is.

Mehandis kept looking to the balcony for Uncle Gregg.

The instructors do a good job complimenting Mehandis on his swimming. They told him that he was one of the best jumpers, underwater goers and shows much enthusiasm for the water!

This is the best part of class for Mehandis... jumping! Ready. Set.

Go!!!

Quack, Quack, Quack

My little duck is turning out to be quite a skilled swimmer these days. We have taken 2 weeks of swim lessons and Mehandis is kicking, jumping and splashing up a storm.

He learned how to safely go underwater in his last class... by closing his eyes, shutting his mouth and holding his breath. As you can see in the photo above, Mehandis thinks that he needs his tongue out whenever he shuts his mouth.

Sometimes, he empties the pool a little too quickly with his antics - both literally and figuratively!

Cousin Lauren is very patient with him. She is a waterbug herself.

Unfortunately, my water-loving friend Dara was unable to enjoy beach time with us during our last visit to the Fort. The weather never got out of the 60's so we made the best of it with a picnic at a playground and lots of fun during Mehandis's 3 hour nap! The adults enjoyed watching a movie, followed by cocktails. George is quite skilled with a swizzle stick and a story.

Cheers!

We all enjoyed the "snicky-snacks" after Mehandis woke up.

The boys shared some new dance moves with us as well!

So as the summer is moving on... the time to get to my "To Do List" is shortening. The list includes some painting, photo album filling, closet re-organization and porch repairs. But the most daunting to me is potty training!

I do think that Mehandis will be excited to finally be allowed to flush the toilet (he asks all the time) but I just hope he can make it to the toilet eventually! My mom bought Mehandis "Cars" underwear... which Mehandis knows he gets to wear when he is potty trained. For now he is happy using his "big boy pants" as a hat.