summertime Ohio visit

We packed a lot into our 3 days in Ohio this past weekend!

 We started with a train ride with just Nate, me, Drew and Opaw. Thanks to Omi for staying home to watch Harper:) We took our bikes and put them on the train one way and biked about 13 miles back to our car. Ohio has a great "rails to trails" bike system and Andrew had so  much fun on the train and on his bikeride.

 I got to take a few pictures of this adorable little guy...we hadn't seen Beau in over a month and he's already growing up so fast!

 It's always a treat to take a ride on the mower with Opaw:)

 I'm not sure why Harper wasn't wearing any clothes here...she was happy hanging out with Omi!

                            He loves his mama;)

 We got out the pool and Drew and  Harper had a ball!

 On Sunday, we headed to a fun little park with kids' rides and a carousel. Andrew had so much fun and I think we'll take them back next year when Harper can ride as well.

 Riding the train with Opaw

I should call this next series of pictures "Fear turned joy on the carousel" because that's exactly what happened when Nate forced him to get on a  horse (not the little sleigh he wanted to sit in).  He screamed, he cried and then he loved it. I stood by trying not to laugh:)

 After the carousel incident he was ready to take on anything including the cars and the airplanes!

 Back at the house, we forced the cousins to take a group photo. Beau is new to this concept but he'll soon get used to it:)

And on our drive back to KY we were thankful for a stop at Diddy's house as always!

Summer days are flying by

This summer has just been so much fun with Andrew and  Harper both finally at the age where they can play and we can do fun activities. I say this in comparison to last summer when Harper was a newborn, our backyard was a mudpile, plumbers and builders were walking through our house on a daily basis and the average temperature was 110 degrees outside! Yep...this summer has been great by comparison and I feel like I am really getting to enjoy these two:)

 My friends Mary and Laura and I took our kids to Floyds Fork creek and they had such a good time!

 I couldn't resist...when you gotta pee, you gotta pee.

 Sweet Lily (on the far right) kept eating the sand. I'm sure it'll toughen up her digestive tract:)

 Climbing trees and being boys

 Taking these two on a bikeride in the evening. The weather has been amazing with highs only in the 80's so we've been loving it.

 Playing together...but don't be fooled by this seemingly peaceful sibling moment. Two seconds later they were fighting over this bike. Let me just say that Harper can hold her own...tough girl!

 Nate and I took the kids on a hike through this beautiful park in Anchorage. We found a swing along the path!

 Looking for fish with Dad...he kept saying, "I think I see an alligator!" Andrew is very into alligators and snakes currently and we have a stack of library books to attest to that. He has also started the typical 3-year old "curious" phase where he asks questions all the time. But instead of "why" he's chosen to ask "how?" How are we going to the grocery store? How is the sky blue? (no joke) How are snakes made? How are lizards made? How is God? How is Jesus? (They increase in their existential nature by the end of the day). My favorite question he has asked is "What is love, Mama?" I told him it is the feeling you get when you care so so much about someone. He thought for a second and said, "I love YOU, Mom!" and followed up with a big hug:)

 One sunny morning...playing in the sprinkler.

 I just love those chubby grass covered legs:)

A fun 4th of July Weekend

Nate's parents were here this weekend and we had the best "staycation" with them! They got a room at the Galthouse so the kids (and us) could have a pool and be close to all the downtown fun as well. Even though it rained a bit on Friday and Saturday, we fit quite a bit into their visit. 

 Walking downtown with Omi and Opaw...he chose that tie himself.

 We went to the Muhammad Ali Center and did a little shadowboxing while we learned more than you could ever want to know about boxing and Mr. Ali.

 Andrew tried on some shoes that were a bit too big...

 That evening, we walked up to the Crescent Hill 4th of July Festival for our neighborhood and listened to some music on the lawn.

 Then we went back downtown for some Impellizarri's pizza and the trolly hop that runs on the first Friday of the month...the kids stayed up till 9 which was late for them! I had Harper in the baby carrier and at one point we were squished in the corner of the trolly that was PACKED and she was grabbing everything (i.e. everyone) in sight...but overall she and Drew kept up with our packed day!

 Sitting on the hotel couch in Omi and Opaw's room...the elevator ride alone was enough for Andrew to justify a Galthouse visit.

 In front of the statues downtown.

 At the Frazier Museum...Harper appears unimpressed by the dragon.

 Finally we had a sunny day and got to swim!

 This girl loves the water!

 This is how DeeDee and I spent the day:) The view was great and the weather was perfect!

I think we wore him out!

Harper's First Birthday

I can't believe it but our sweet Harper is one year old! She is so much more of a toddler now and less of a baby of course. She's almost walking on her own but loves to cruise on the furniture or a push toy. She and Andrew are playing together a lot now although I often hear shrieks of both laugher and anger from both of them if one dares to touch the other's toy...I'm already breaking up sibling disputes!

At her checkup yesterday she was 19lbs and 29 inches tall (40th and 50th percentile) and right on track for all her milestones. She's eating almost anything we give her now (as opposed to a couple months ago when she was Miss picky) and is into absolutely everything she can get her hands on. I have to watch her like a hawk but Andrew helps too ("Mom! Harper is about to put her hand in the toilet!").  Life is busy as ever around here!

Her "smash cake" I made for her to destroy.

 We had balloons for about 5 minutes before Harper popped them all by taking a bite out of them and then I had to fish the leftovers out of her mouth...what a stinker!

 Diddy sent up a gift with Omi and Opaw!

 And as always, the box prooves to be more exciting than the toys of course;)

 Her little bike from Omi and Opaw

 Singing "Happy birthday" to our girl!

 She picked at it for a couple seconds...

 ...and then Drew helped her out of course.

 Pushing her shopping cart from Granna and Grandpop

 He had fun with this game!

Omi and Opaw stayed for the whole weekend to hang out which made for 2 very excited kiddos!