Clear the Air Space!

A very crabby Andrew had a miraculous turn around when Nathan made him a paper airplane. I can't believe how long he played with the half dozen or so creations that Nate made him. (He is still playing with them this morning!) Amazing what a piece of paper can do when all the other expensive toys sit in tubs untouched! Learning the technique:

The throw:

The follow-through:

Fire Dog

I don't think Scout is ready for fire academy yet! I wish I had a better picture of this. She sat nicely for a second but by the time I got the camera is was done. Well, at least, I got Scout on the blog:-)

Pantry Invader

I heard a noise in the pantry the other day. . . Maybe I should do a better job of keeping the door closed. . .

Playdate Fun

We've been so busy trying to enjoy these last few days of summer (sniff, sniff) that I haven't been doing a very good job at posting. Sorry! Last week we enjoyed a number of playdates with friends. It was a beautiful week last week - nice cool breezes and warm sun. (This week is a different story -- high 90s to triple digits.) We were able to enjoy time with my blogging buddies, Jen & Amy who are in the next town. It was fun to get out of town, watch the girls play dress up, laugh at Kathryn's delighted giggles over Lily (the VM family dog), and stand in awe of Jen's hosting abilities -- (she handles 6+ kids pretty well!). It was so much fun to chat over tea and see each other in person:-) Thanks, Jen!

I think the girls tried on every outfit in Ella's trunk. Anika was in heaven!
Andrew enjoyed playing outside; he even had a tea party with the girls.

Z is for Zoo

Since our failed attempt in IL, Anika has had a fervent desire to go to a zoo. So we went to Sacramento Zoo. We had a great time (and even became members!) We enjoyed seeing the animals, eating a picnic lunch, and makng it home before dinner. It was a wonderful day.

Which one is the monkey???

Summer Trip 8: What Kathryn did. . .

Since Kathryn didn't participate in all the activities of the other kiddos, I thought I would include a few shots of her. One rainy afternoon we took all the kids to see Pixar's "Up". (This was a last min change since we had hoped to take the kids to the zoo -- the downpoured that ensued during our drive changed our minds) The kids and I enjoyed the movie immensely; Kathryn monopolized her dad's time and walked around the lobby. (Thanks, selfless Daddy!) After a week, Kathryn finally started warming up. . .

Kathryn loved the trike and Aunt Hilary giving her a ride.

Summer Trip 7: Family Pictures

We were all together in MO so we thought an "Old Time" picture was appropriate. It turned out surprisingly well.

Here is the picture of Kathryn that I would have photoshopped into all the family pictures if I had the time and expertise:-) Our family:

Daddy & his threeums:

Grandpa & Grandma with ALL 9 grands:

"Go, Cubs, Go" pose:Mom and her girls:

Me and my sisters (and Hilary's dog, Ryken, who posed so beautifully):

My three with their Grandparents:

Summer Trip 6: Indoor Fun

The weather in IL was cool and rainy (which was nice for those of us who are no longer used to the heat & humidity). So, we spent some time indoors!

Dad enjoys his favorite pastime:-):

A little homemade playdough was a fun and creative outlet for all ages:

Ian (the birthday boy, 9)Hilary helps Isaiah (2):

Alethea (6)

Karissa (10)

Eli (a new 3):

Andrew (3):

Anika (5):

Andrew adored his cousin Ian and they enjoyed playing some Wii together. The girls planned an "American Girls" tea party and Karissa was kind enough to let Anika play with one of her dolls. They had a great time and Grandma spoiled them with "real" tea (hot chocolate) and cookies.