Summer Update

Summer 2012?  What can I say about this summer. Well, two words really...HOT & DRY.  Although it's been too hot to even go to the pool most days we have managed to have some fun still. Enjoy the picture highlights from the past few months!

April

 Ev mastered using a fork!

 Mike built a fire pit with drainage and everything!

 He filled in the dirt spot with grass and it looks great.

 May

Evelyn: 16 months old

 

 We enjoyed a visit from Sam and Isabella at the end of May. I've gotten so bad about taking pictures that the only shots I have from their visit were the cute little cousins in the tub.

June

 Evelyn discovered a passion for corn on the cob.

 We found out we're having another girl!!! Which is exactly what we wanted.

 One Sunday morning Evelyn took it upon herself to do her hair...needless to say, we ended up running late that day.

July

 With the 4th of July came some house guests. Meagan, Zeke, and family came to stay for a long visit. We had a great time! Here's a shot of Mike in the parade for the bank.

Chariton is a creative town. Part of the annual 4th of July festivities are "bath tub races"...now you know!

 Ace - Meg and Zeke's 4 month old puppy - and Amos played and played!

 We made the hour trek over to Eldon, IA to visit the Gothic House/Museum. It was hot but fun.

 Beth Howard (aka "The Pie Lady") rents/lives in the Gothic House. She is somewhat famous because of her recently published book Making Piece, her book about how starting to bake pie literally saved her life. She runs a pie stand in the Gothic House so of course we had to buy some!

 She's wrote a note in and signed my copy of her book!

 Jasper and Ev checking out a doll house in the American Gothic Museum.

 Ignore the ridiculous expression on my face and check out how ginormous baby #2 is already at only 22 weeks (we are now nearly 25 weeks)...it's gonna be a looooong wait until November!

 How stinkn' cute is this picture?! Jasper's nuk is priceless : )

 

Sooooo......you can dress up for a parody shot in front of the Gothic House. It was 100 degrees outside but we went ahead and did it anyway. Ha!

That is our summer so far in a nut shell. We're visiting Wisconsin August 10th -16th or 17th. We are staying at Nana's Friday-Sunday (Mike goes home Sunday). The remainder of the week Evelyn and I will be at the Larson homestead. It should be loads of fun. See you then!

Well Hello!

It's been a while...again. We've had a lot going on lately. We took a trip to visit Meagan and her family in Downers Grove, IL while Mike was at a work conference for a week. Then Emily and her kiddos came to visit last week while they were on Spring break. I have been horrible about taking pictures but I do have some to share. Evelyn has been growing up! She loves to play with toys, watch PBS Kids, play outside, and just be silly. Here are a bunch pictures of what we've been up to.



Evelyn gets really silly before she goes to bed. One night she got a hold daddy's hat and thought it was the funniest thing ever! She is such a goofball.

Gettin silly at lunch time.

Ev loves to carry around daddy's ties, belts, and jeans.

Evelyn really enjoys watching PBS Kids. It's so cute when she really gets into a show and kind of spaces out. Maybe I'm a "bad mom" for thinking it's adorable how my little girl loves watching TV...but just look at her!

We used to let Ev play with pop cans. She would focus so hard trying to stack them.

One day I walked into the living room and she had her favorite bucket around her neck. I have no idea how she managed to get it over her head. But she played that way for quite a while.
She is so silly!

She finally has enough hair to play around with. She inherited her daddy's curls (I bet you didn't know he actually has curly hair!). They are adorable! She also loves to wear her sunglasses, outside...inside, it doesn't matter.

It has been super warm and Evelyn loves to go on walks and play outside. She likes wearing her hat and sunglasses. She actually keeps them on most of the time. She is learning how to ride her bike. So far she can only go backwards.

I hope you're all doing well. We'll be home for Easter...maybe we'll see ya then!

A Family Visit - Part 2

Ok - blogger seems to be working again. So we left off with...

...making pizza for dinner. It was fantabulous!

Sunday morning was nice and relaxing. We hung out in our pj's, played, and made an egg bake (thanks again for making breakfast Carrie & Nana!).

Nana was hiding under Evelyn's blankie...

...Evelyn got a kick out of it!

I LOVE this picture! Carrie & Ellie laughing together.

Evelyn loves her auntie!

Us girls spent some time hanging out in the basement studio through out the weekend. We went through my old (old, old) pottery. Betty and Carrie were angels and took a big box of it home with them. We did some jewelry repairs. And made Evelyn a new pair of earrings (per Mike's request : ) Can you see her cute little flower hoops?

One last cuddle before it's time to leave Sunday afternoon.

Packed in and ready to go!

Bye Nana!

The Map Masters working out a short-cut home.

One last good-bye...

And they're off.

It's always a little heart breaking to watch our company drive away. Walking into the house just isn't the same after they're gone. It's TOO quiet! We had such a great weekend and made lots of memories. We will definitely look forward to next time!

A Family Visit - Part One

We had such a great weekend! The Haas' (Mike's sister's family) and Betty (Mike's mom) came to visit. They arrived Friday evening - to freshly baked cookies, no less - and after a quick tour of the house, were settled in for a weekend of fun.

Evelyn woke up to a house full of cousins, her Nana, 'Auntie', and Uncle Curt. She was SO happy to see them! They quickly got reacquainted with a few games of peek-a-boo. Notice Amos' progression from the floor and up to where all the action is. He's such a stinker! 

Carrie and the girls went through their old toys and brought some for Evelyn. She LOVES the alphabet bus! Ellie was showing her how to use it.

Enjoying a nana with Nana

Evelyn & Erica

Mike made Saturday Morning Pancakes - our tradition for company.

Evie & "Auntie"

Cutie Patooties Ellie & Erica

Curt crawled into the kiddo's hide-out - cupboard under the stairs.

Nana let Ev empty out her cosmetics bag...

I have no idea how they got Amos in there with them!?

Chillin out Saturday evening after a surprisingly busy day. It was gorgeous out so we walked to the town square and went to some of the cute local shops, toured the bank, took a driving tour of Chariton, & played at the fun park down the street. We were all pooped out but it was worth it!

Nana with her oldest & youngest grandkids - Christopher who is 13 and Ev who is 14 months. Such a sweet picture.

Auntie Carrie & the girls made Ev this Sesame blankie for Christmas. It is Evelyn's favorite!

We made homemade pizza for dinner. Yum-nummy!

{Blogger is acting up and I can't seem to upload any more pictures at the moment. So this will have to be "A Family Visit - Part One}