Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

August 2008

Friday Chuck and I spent the day at the State Fair and Mom and Dad picked up the kids from Weecare Daycare. They played at the park near our house by Lake Byllesby. On Saturday morning Mitchell asked if Grandma Helen could come for a picnic at the Green Lake Park...check out the spread!
Did Grandma deliver...or did Grandma deliver!!!!????!!!
Maria and Mitchell bouncing on the modern Teeter-Totter
Maria says to Mitchell, "MY Grandma!"
Daddy and Maria relaxing before bed with the iPod--greatest invention of this decade, I can't believe we've waited this long to experience it!
Mitchell discovered his Cousin Natalie's hand-me downs for Maria, again, and put on a cute little dance show: "Fame!"
I'm gonna live forever...
I'm gonna learn how to fly!
HIGH!
(This is the part where they pour the water over the dancer!!!)


Marshall and Joanne Allen visited from Texas August 21-25th. The kids called her Gramma Jo and they had a good time playing. We had a dinner Sunday night for them at our house and Brent and Wendy joined us too! Uncle Brent sure was busy with the kids--they wanted to show him EVERYTHING, and being the good uncle he went along with it!





We went to the New Zoo on August 7th and saw the Grizzly Bear exhibit.
The kids helped Chuck get his car, the 1966 Chrysler, Gert proudly named after the Grandmother who was the only previous owner, ready for the First thursday Fun Night on August 7th and the Cruise In on August 16th downtown Cannon Falls.


It was bedtime stories by the window--Mitchell likes to read by the window when it's still just light enough to see.


They just love each other--most of the time!

This was a small summary of August--short and sweet! We are finishing up Labor Day weekend at Mom and Dad's house with a family picnic/reunion and a Birthday Brunch for Dad on Monday, September 1st--then it's back to work/school/daycare!

Como Zoo

Mitchell & Maria and I also went to the zoo with a few friends from work.

Idaho

We had a fabulous dinner at Bonefish and had some fresh fish from the Seattle Fish market. We had a rocky flight out there, but nothing a little Dramamine and a cold drink couldn't soothe. We forgot our camera everywhere we went--so we only got a few photos. We got up the foothills of the Sawtooth Mountains to Bogus Basin the ski resort. Beautiful scenery! And of course not to mention the "float" down the butt numbing Boise River! Saturday night we got to see The Crucible at the theatre Chris is working at this summer. We had a great time visiting Chris and Mitchell and Maria had a great time with Grama and Grampa. They went to Como Zoo and saw a "big Monkey". They got to ride on a few rides and had a picnic. We were glad to be home to see them!

Around the Fourth of July

Maria loves ponies!  She is our little sweet heart.

She saw the picture of Mitchell sticking out his tongue, so of course, Monkey See Monkey Do!

I can hardly get Mitch to stand still to get a decent photo, but here he is with his bright eyes!

You will hardly believe this, but Mitchell put on a pair of jeans!!!  This little fella is making great strides and growing up fast!  Grandma bought him a few more pairs of jeans after he wore these three days in a row!

Gotta cuddle with them when I can--No, Mitchell is not freaking out because he's sitting with me, I'm sure something scary is happening to Scooby Doo!

Finally!  A photo of them together!  Mitchell is happy to visit his toddler bed in Maria's room and she is happy to have it to play on.  So far she has only taken naps in it, but I think she really likes waking up and being able to come out of her room on her own.

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Photo #1 Elementary School some year...
Photo #2 First Guitar?! Hey--I recognize the clock!
Photo #3 Grandma Pudge and her second Grandchild, sometime in 1986...
Photo #4 "M-I-C, See you real soon, K-E-Y, Why? Because we love you!"

Chris will be spending his 23rd birthday on July 3rd in Boise, Idaho, where the temperatures are in the hundreds...his internship is going well! And his mom, Connie, will be visiting him over his Big Day! Check out his blog at www.christophermarc.blogspot.com or also on facebook if you are online and in tune! Grandma Pudge got a phone call from Chris, and immediately following she called Chuck & I to tell us what a wonderful young man he is--it makes a person feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF CHRIS!

First day in our Pool

Mitch and Maria had a great time in the pool. They even washed their hair. The next night we went to meet friends Anne, Lily & Cora at the town pool. We came home and Mitch looked at our little purple pool and said, "That pool's not so much fun." He has worn shorts, or "short pants", as he likes to refer to them in both pools. And Grandma convinced him to wear cut offs of his long pants on a really hot day. Maria is really into dresses, but we have to be careful because if we make a big deal about it then Mitchell wants to wear them too!
Today we head to the Klein's annual 4th of July party in Elk River. They plan to have a bouncer and pool set--I think the purple pool will be really boring after today!
We have been walking on the trails and visiting the dogs next door. Holly, the black lab, will play catch with Mitchell--he says, "Holly, the black dog, is my favorite." He sits at the slide platform and Holly brings the ball to him and he tells her to drop it and she drops it on the platform for him to throw again. Maria is still a bit scared, but she did swing while the game of catch was going on instead of clinging to me.
Chris is having a great time in Idaho. He has a blog which you may check out on my links at the top left of this page. He went to Seattle for a little while and loved it there. He told us to bring our suits when we go out there in case he can get some time off and we can go floating down the Idaho River. Sounds like a great time. I'm excited to see The Crucible and to get a personal tour around the theatre!