Lowell 4H Fair

A few weeks ago we went to the Lowell 4H Fair with Grandma Sue, Aunt Bonnie, and the girls.  The kids loved petting and seeing all the animals.  

Ethan, Addy, and Emily inside the sheep barn. 

Fair Food!

The kids wanted to ride the ponies- they all did very well- here's Ethan . . . 

and Emily . . . 

and Addy . . . 

and finally Lucia!

Beach Days

We have had some great beach days this summer.  Here's some of the gang heading down to a spot on Muskegon Beach.  It's a great beach to bring kids b/c you can park right near the water.

Lunch time!

My handsome guy!

Lucia and Luca enjoying the sand

Kids in a hole!  Uncle James dug a big hole- then we threw them in and told them it was lunch time- it was fun watching the younger kids figure out how to get out!

Lucia and Grandpa

Lucia's Birthday Party

We had a pool party at Nonna and GiGi's for Lucia's 2nd Birthday.  Here's my cousin's kids jumping in!

Uncle Dan and Ava enjoying the water. 

Nick and Jim looking too cool for their own good, someone should really tell them they look ridiculous before it goes to their heads!

Kids doing what kids do best- eating!

Enjoying a birthday cupcake- I think . . .

Luca sure loved his cupcake!

Lucia loves Yo Gabba Gabba lately.  She will sit down and watch that show start to finish.  She even sings the songs from it when we are in the car, etc. ("keep hands to yourself, hands to yourself"  or "keep trying, don't give up, never give up!)  It's pretty cute.  Anyway- I saw these Yo Gabba Gabba Beanie baby toys on Amazon and I knew she would flip out if she got them.   It was so cute watching her open the box, I don't think she knew what to think when all the Yo Gabba Gabba's were right there!  Here she is hoarding them from the other kids at her party. 

Ethan and Susannah

Chiara and Co. spent quite a bit of time in MI during July.  Here's Ethan holding his new cousin Susannah.  She sure is a chunk of love!

Good-bye "Daddy's Car"

We bought Jim a new (used) car at the beginning of July.  The Alero was getting up there in age/miles/etc.  After we had Ethan, Jim sold his 2 door Monte Carlo so we could upgrade to a family car.  Since then, he has been driving my old Alero to Holland and back every day.  The kids refer to it as "daddy's car" and Jim promptly reminds them that it's actually "mommy's car that mommy makes daddy drive."  Anyway- we settled on a Honda Accord for Jim.  Hopefully it lasts us a good 10+ years!

Ethan's idea of "breast-kist" (breakfast)

Sometimes Ethan gets up before his parents.  He likes to make his way downstairs and enjoy the house while it's nice a quiet.  Sometimes he will fix himself breakfast- or "breast-kist."  I woke up one morning to discover this in the fridge.  At first I thought he added whole grapes to his bowl of Kixs.   When I looked closer, I discovered they were Whoppers (the malted milk ball).