Summer Trip 5: From Luau to Hula

After a few days at the condo, we traveled back for some relaxing days in Morrison at Grandma & Grandpa's. Anika has been anxious to have her Grandma (a champion hula-hooper) show her some moves. Anika sure picked up quickly and gave her Grandma a run for her money!

(I'm not sure if her time on the Wii Fit made any difference. . .)

Andrew takes a turn:
Kathryn trys to figure this out:

A hula-hooper is born:

Two at a time (now she is just showing off!):

Summer Trip 4: Luau

Our last night at the condo, the McIlrath's hosted a Luau party. We enjoyed burgers with grilled pineapple, pina coladas w/ paper umbrellas, and leis color-coded for each family. But the highlight for the kids were the costumes. The boys were bucaneers and the girls donned grass skirts and coconut tops. What fun - what memories!!!

Kathryn wore her "Wicker white" lei around her waist:
Andrew really got into his part (we had to outline the "rules" regarding his sword):

Summer Trip 3: Beach

I don't have a lot of pictures of our water fun in MO because it is hard to carry a camera around the pool, lake, jet ski, etc. But one day we took a bit of a jaunt to a beach on the lake. The kids LOVED it. It was water was shallow and the sand was white and fine.

Kathryn wasn't especially fond of her life jacket.

Summer Trip 2: Performance

We enjoyed our annual performance of the "Double A" (Anika & Ali) concert. Karissa wrote, directed and produced! Singing of jet skis & Grandpa, family, and good times!

Kathryn puts on a performance of her own - "So big!"

Cousin Isaiah (2) couldn't cheer loud enough!

Summer Trip 1

Now begins a long series of posts on our time away in the midwest! It was a wonderful vacation - hot & humid in MO where we spent lots of time in the water and then cool and rainy in IL where we could enjoy time together inside.

Kathryn is such a "Mommy's girl" that she wouldn't even let me meet my new nephew. Joshua is already 7 mo. old and I finally got to hold him. He is quite a charmer with that infectous grin!Cousins (Andrew 3, Eli turned 3 while we were together):Anika (5), Ali (6), Karissa (10), Ian (9 while we were there)

Family Fun continues

"F" 4: FOOD

Ah, BLISS!!!! Summer brings in the abundance of fresh local produce. For lunch today we feasted on local watermelon (from a family from church), local sweet corn (just picked from a family from church), local gouda cheese (from Oakdale cheese), and local blueberries (freshly picked by us this morning at a u-pick field in Ripon). Yummmmmmmmm!!!!

"F" 3: FIREWORKS

While Auntie Rachel was visiting, we broke out some fireworks. The kids loved them -- even Kathryn. The hardest part was keeping her out of the water bucket:-)

"F" 2: FAMILY

We enjoyed some time with family! Nene and Aunt Christine and cousins drove through on the way to Oregon to visit Pake. We had so much fun. We were even able to celebrate Simon's 2nd birthday. Me with the littlest ones - Kathryn 13 mo. and Josie 11 mo.

Happy Birthday, Simon!

"F"1: FUN

Here are Kathryn & Andrew hamming it up:-)