Last Minute Trip Up North

Friends of ours asked if we wanted to go to Brookfield Zoo with them on Saturday.  We ended up making a little mini vacation out of it and had a great time.  We spent Saturday at the Zoo, then checked into our hotel and swam for awhile.  Afterwards, we sat in the hotel dining area and had PF Changs take-out and McDonald's for the kiddos.  On Sunday, we went to Legoland for the Star Wars exhibit.  Our friends were planning on going and we just tagged along, not really knowing what to expect.  There was a lot of people there and it was pretty intense, so Lola was a little overwelmed.  Then there was an incident... We came to the end of a hallway where you could turn right and go around another corner or go left to another room.  Brian and Lola (he was holding her) turned right and went around the corner and came face to face with a StormTrooper.  Brian jumped and Lola burst into tears because of the "scary man".  After that, it all went down hill.  When we got home, Lola said "I had a fun vacation!  I don't like Legoland." 

Lola and Alina in the butterfly garden

There was an "Extreme Bugs" exhibit at the zoo.  Hence the gigantic bugs!

Before the StormTrooper attack...

Bode's 9 Month Pictures

I've had these for awhile, but am just getting around to posting them.  These were Bode's 9 month pictures, taken at a park nearby!

More 4th of July

I got sidetracked and forgot I had a few other pictures...

Papa Dana and Bode

And here is good ol' Illinois fireworks at their best.  You can sense the excitement from all of the family!  :)  Next year I'm taking my chances and getting some illegal ones!

Snakes...

Party Poppers

Smoky Balls

Sparklers and the BIG FINALE!!

Can't see the big finale??  I'll provide a close up!

Happy 4th of July

We had a very nice 4th of July holiday, with half of our family.  Darren's family and Denise's family were on vacation, but the Preston's, Karr's and my parents spent the afternoon in Denise's pool (we had her permission!) and then had a cookout at my parents before watching the Clinton fireworks.  

Lola was very excited for all of the fireworks and enjoyed our wimpy little fireworks that we set off at my parents.  

This getting both kids to smile ~ at the same time ~ is becoming nonsense!! 

Bode smiling... 

Lola smiling...

And finally... kind of!



Bode Phil is 10 months old! ... And on the move!!

This has been an exciting month for Bode... lots of new accomplishments and also some bumps and bruises along the way.  Neither Brian nor I remember Lola being so active; active to the point where you feel like you had to watch her every moment of the day.  Bode is a different story. 

He is crawling, climbing, pulling himself up and maybe taking one or two steps while holding onto the couch.  He loves to be able to move anywhere he wants and finds all kinds of things to play with.  He is a very quick crawler, which Brian and I had to learn the hard way.  Let's just say an open door and a quick little Bode equals bad news...

He has seven teeth, so we're able to start giving him some table food.  So far, he's had pancakes, waffles, toast, crackers and a french fry which didn't end up so well.  He still loves any kind of fruit and he's getting better at being able to hold his own sippy cup to drink his juice. 

Lola and him are still good buddies (most of the time).  The more that he moves around, the more he's getting into her stuff though, which doesn't always go well.  But she is good about bringing him his toys and playing with him.  And she is one of the only people who can truly make him belly laugh, which is so cute to see!

No matter how hard I tried, I could not get one smile.  :(

Until later...  :)

Father's Day

We had a very nice Father's Day weekend last week.  On Saturday, the day before Father's Day, my family had a pool party at Denise's.  We all had a good time swimming and spending some time outside.  On Sunday, Lola, Bode and I went to church, then gave Brian his presents and then went to Clinton again to have lunch with his family. 

Lola LOVES to read books and Bode really seems to like looking at pictures too.  So each of them gave Brian a book.  Ironically, they were both called "I love you, Daddy" and they were both about a daddy bear and a baby bear, but they were different books.  And then our group gift was what we called "Daddy's Favorite Things".  It was a bag full of food / snacks that Brian likes. 

Look closely... yep!  That is my brother!



Candids