Living Room

 What started out as a crawl space. . .

slowly turned into this.

As you look at this, the living room is along the back wall.

 Painting the living room

Lizzie strutting her stuff.

 It is slowly coming together!

Today, I started lining the ledge with cube bookcases that will hold books, games, and "stuff."  I am still amazed that it all started as a crawlspace!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This year for Mother's Day, I did something I have always wanted to do. . . I planted a garden.  Since I have absolutely NO idea what I am doing, I have declared that if I yield one cucumber and one pepper this year, I will consider it a good year.  So far, so good.  Zach has been very good about watering the garden.  It really is a fun thing to do as a family!

Woo hoo!!  This year is already a success - I have baby cucumbers!!!

Lizzie looks for more cucumbers as Jacob waters.  

My little garden!  

 Pumpkin plants!

Randomness

Lizzie lost her other front tooth this summer.  

Poor Sox is tired of being chased by Sadie!  

Day Three: BrickWorld

Our final day in Chicago was spent at Brickworld.  Brickworld is an opportunity for LEGO lovers to get together and share their creations and ideas with each other. We oohhhed and aaahhhhed and ALL came home ready to build some new creations!  I was amazed that all these creations were made entirely of Legos.

The kids all like to build dominos and try to get them to fall.  That is why I really enjoyed this table.  The little creatures on the bottom left of the picture are ramming the first domino.  The dominos all have people on them.  

This was a pretty neat city.

 Golden Gate Bridge

 Chicago's Home Insurance Building.  There was information beside the model that said the building was the "World's first Skyscraper."

Lizzie and I enjoyed this girl hopscotching.  The girl was almost as big as Lizzie

This is all one epic battle.  The two armies are each protecting their own castle and kingdom.  This was Jacob's favorite.

Had to laugh at this one.  It is a concert and on the screen they had a Justin Beiber video going!

I loved this city.

Mosaics were sooo cool.

 Smolny Cathedral which is in St. Petersburg, Russia

Such cool things to see!

Day Two

Day two found us enjoying the Navy Pier and then exploring the Miracle Mile and surrounding areas.  It was a hot day.  Probably one that I should not have been out in, but we had a great time, so all the tingling and pain was worth it!

Navy Pier

The Lighthouse

Lizzie and Brian enjoying the breeze and the view

Part of the Chicago Skyline from the pier

Cirque De Soleil presented the Year of the Dragon and we got a little preview.

 After much walking, we finally made it to Michigan Avenue

Lizzie with her first purchase from the American Girl Place 

 Lizzie and her new doll, McKenna

While I was busy on a detective mission (see below), Brian and the kids had a visit from the Ice Cream Man.  Lizzie thought it was awesome and she and her daddy got some ice cream.

This caravan of cars was sitting in front of the Hotel Inter-Continental right off of Michigan Avenue.  I knew it had to be somebody important.  So, I staked it out for a while, but finally had to leave because everyone else in my party was giving me grief.  That night at the hotel, I found out it was Michelle Obama!

 Jacob was one hot, tired and hungry little boy by the time we were almost done.  We visited the rock and roll McDonald's for an ice cream cone and drink. 

 

That night everyone was tired.

Lizzie, Jacob and I hit the hotel pool after we relaxed a while.  Brian and Zach went out exploring and had a father/son dinner.  A long, hot, but very memory making day!

Chicago: Day One

We took a weekend trip to Chicago.  It was great seeing the sights, but even better was spending time together as a family.  We realized this trip that our kids are growing so quickly that we need to do more and more of this.  We left home early and headed to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry for the day.  

Brian and Zach battle to see who can toss a card the fastest and have it stick into the wall.  It was a MythBusters exhibit that examined whether a person could kill another by throwing a card.  Brian threw his card 26 MPH and beat Zach's 21MPH.

In the "Future" exhibit, we came across this dress.  Lizzie fell in love and can't wait until they start selling them in her size!

Jacob is determined to dock with the space station.  He never did make it, but her sure tried!

All three of them ready for their day.

Lizzie was at her Daddy's side the entire weekend.  Hanging out by the old soda and ice cream shop in the Museum.

This exhibit was amazing.  It is a real U-505—the only German submarine in the United States.  

 Periscope up!

Another view.

Jacob figured that if phone books that were intertwined could hold two tons, then it could surely  hold him.  He was right!

Another amazing fall full of exhibits.  We learned and explored lightning, fire, tornados, avalanches, tsunamis, sunlight and atoms in motion.  

Lizzie tries to pull the table cloth out from underneath the dishes.  It didn't go so well for her.  

 Zach just KNOWS he can land the Space Shuttle.  After several "oops landings, " he did finally make it. 

We saw so many cool things and experienced so much that I could post pictures all day.  But, in order not to bore you, I will just stick with the above.

More Pool Time

People have been asking how my summer has been.  I always answer with a "great."  Then the follow up question is usually, "what have you been doing?"  I usually answer, "swimming!"  As you know my kids love to swim.  I think I can count on one hand the number of days at least one of my kids hasn't been in the pool - either ours or a friends. 

Jacob is most relaxed when he is in the water.

Lizzie and her good friend, M enjoying our pool

This was taken when Lizzie was just getting brave enough to swim in the deep without any flotation devices.

 After six ballgames in one day, Zach joined us at a friend's pool.  He jumped off the diving board a few times, played with everyone and then sat with a wet towel over his head to help cool off.

Not only are we just enjoying our time in the water, but we are all learning something as well.  I have been aqua jogging and learning appropriate form.  Zach is learning how to dive.  Jake is working on his diving style.  Lizzie has learned to swim in the deep.  She now jumps in with no noodle or floatie and swims to the side.  She also swims across the pool in the deep end!