Father's Day 2011

What a wonderful Father's Day we had this year! We woke up and gave Erik his cards and presents (most of them homemade masterpieces from the kids!) and then had a nice morning at church. We went out to brunch afterwards at a place that sits across from our downtown train station, so we took a stroll over there and watched a train stop in the station to pick up passengers as it made its way to downtown Chicago. The kids were SO excited. We came back home for naptime, and then spent the afternoon at the beach. The kids were very content to splash around in the chilly Lake Michigan shoreline - we had some bright sunshine keeping us warm. We grabbed dinner at the beach concession stand, and then went over to Homer's, our local ice cream shop, for dessert. Cassidy and Gavin were worn out - after a warm bath and some books with Daddy, they are now sound asleep. We are grateful to Erik for all he does for us, and to our own dads (Grandpa Reder and Grandpa Brown) as well. Happy Father's Day to each of them!

Summer Camp 2011

Cassidy and Gavin are going to summer camp together 2 mornings a week. It's held at the small pre-school where Cassidy went when she was 2, "Wee Care", and we just love it there. They have 2 little classrooms (Cassidy is in the "Bears" room and Gavin is a "Bunny") and a big fenced in playground with playhouses, sandboxes, and a big grassy area where they set up a sprinkler on hot days. This is Gavin's first time away from Mommy, so he's struggling a little with that, but he's also learning that "mommy always comes back", an important lesson in the life of a toddler! He's got his big sister there at drop-off, his good friend Henry in his class, and some very kind teachers that hold his hand and keep him on their laps when he gets weepy. I know with time he'll grow to love it. Cassidy is beyond any separation anxiety at this point and also remembers this school from her time there before, so she is having a blast. It's the first time in 4 years that I've had weekday hours to myself, without children - I'm getting a lot done and trying to use the time to re-energize myself so I'm ready for playtime when they come home. So far so good!

Bowling!!!

We decided to take the kids bowling for the first time. What a hit! We walked into Wilmette's small family-friendly bowling alley on a Sunday afternoon, having never been in before - and the kids were in awe of the dark lanes and black-lighting that made the whites of their clothes, shoes and teeth shine brighter than they'd ever seen. Then the glitter ball started to turn, and they were sold. Bowling was fantastic. We got our special shoes on and set up the gutter bumpers and ball "slide" that allowed the kids to get plenty of pins down with each attempt. They loved everything - from the special air dryer at the end of the lane for your hands to the magic ball return that somehow delivered your ball back to you in seconds flat. We will be repeat customers!

Fun Times with Grandparents!

We have gotten to spend a lot of quality time with all 4 grandparents this spring! We've had trips to their homes, and they've made trips to ours - we love our time with them! Here are some highlights...

Reading with Grandpa Reder during one of his mid-week overnights.

Gardening with Grandma Reder at their house in Rockford.

Playing trains with Grandpa Reder in their basement - a favorite pastime.

Planting this year's fairy garden with Grammy Brown.

The finished product - Cassidy adores it!

Hanging out with Grandpa Brown by the backyard sandbox.

Enjoying a special day with Grammy Brown at Cassidy's school, where she read a book to the class and prepared a gardening lesson. So exciting!

The Great Outdoors

This spring has brought more rain and less sun than we're used to in Chicago, but we're playing outside every chance we get. The kids have had lunchtime picnics, done lots of gardening, and even helped Erik mow the lawn. Here are some photos of our fun times outside this spring!