August 2012

We could hardly keep up with all the action in August.  Or maybe it was that July was such a crazy month that we needed August to catch up on just being lazy.  In any case, it's hard to grasp that summer is now over!  Here are a few of the highlights from the end of the season.

Edgewater

Naomi & the girls enjoyed a Lake Erie beach day at Edgewater Park, a short walk from our home.

Mermaids!

Nora practiced putting her face in the water:

To the Zoo!

We hopped the tram to the Zoo's upper level, where we would meet up with the Mattesons

 

Elise tried on a pair of kangaroo ears in the "Australian Adventure" part of the Zoo

Nora climbed up on her new friend the baby elephant for a photo op

Elise & Eli joined in for some cuteness

Hamming it up with an old friend

Last stop, the Zoo's newest baby... a pesky little rhino!  We watched "Juba" head butt and otherwise climb all over her mama while she tried to sleep.  I don't know which was more amazing - the mom's ability to ignore all of her babe's efforts or Juba's persistence!  Either way, it was a riot.

Ready for School

Nora started at her new Pre-K - Urban Community School (UCS) at the end of the month.  She still says she misses her old schoolmates from Parkview, but she's been so excited about her new school and new friends that she's hardly had time to think about it.  Despite the new 5-day/week schedule, we really love the proximity of UCS - just 15 minutes on foot or 7 minutes by bike!

And why not get a haircut to go with that new school uniform?  Nora told Naomi that she was too hot and wanted her hair off of her neck...

 Much better!

See you in September!

Spring 2012 - Catching Up [snippets]

Since we've started and lost track of more blog posts than you'd care to know about, we're going to focus here on just catching us up to the end of spring in one quick post - photo heavy, light on commentary.  For starters, a birthday party at Grandma and Grandpa B's:

Grandma B, Aunt Beth and Elise work on some cupcake candles

 Nora details a fine piece for her collection, while Elise looks on with admiration

 Nora practices fairy leaps in the backyard on a warm April day

Backyard tunnel fort!

Sister picnic!

 

Elise and Papa went to the West Side Market while Nora was at school.  She got a carrot juice...

...and fell asleep in the bike cart on the way home.

May Walk Against Hunger on Wade Oval

Elise (credit to Jeff Downey)

 Mama ambush!

 Nora wanted to be a parrot

 

 Nora was running laps around Papa, making him very dizzy!

 

Hanging with Stephanie on the way home

Mothers' Day picnic on Wade Oval with Jen, Grandpa B, Grandma B, and Great Grandma Miller

A little Mothers' Day treat at Sweet Moses Treat Shop

Canoeing at Tar Hollow State Park with Kevin and Eli

Out of the canoe, Nora and Papa went exploring up a creek. This water was cooold, but Nora's cold blooded, so no problem!

Mama steals a kiss from Lisi on the bridge to our cottage

Violet and Elise, chilling on the bridge

Nora wants to be a part of the cute action

Eli joins in the fun!

Off on a nature hike!

Goodbye Tar Hollow, hello chocolate popsicles!

Celebrating our 5-year anniversary with a picnic at Edgewater Park

Timer shots... poised to leap

Nailed it!

Nora and Papa went off to get Honey Hut... the ice cream was melting down our elbows on our way back... it was tough work!

Back home... best. nail. clipping. ever.

Half-naked sister duets are the best!

We'll get around to the summer months sometime around Thanksgiving!