Monkey on My Back

I think you mostly see wrapping picture of Edie, but at 3.5 years old, Gussie still loves to be wrapped on my back and would spend a good chunk of time there every day, *if* Edie allowed it.

I laughed when I saw these pictures Catherine took. He is so happy getting wrapped up!

 

And after he's comfortably up, total smug mug because Edie is still playing happily and hasn't noticed yet that he is in *her* rightful spot.

But when she does notice, she pretty much always wins. Occasionally Gussie talks me into letting him stay on my back and wrapping Edie in the front, but that is a serious amount of weight to tote around, particularly when both kids involved are capable of toting themselves. So we generally switch back and forth. 

Her humidity curls are amazing right now!

Berry Picking and Carriage Rides

The berry season was woefully short this year. We managed to get out for raspberries and strawberries, but our favorite u-pick blueberry farm was only open for *one* day and it was a day we were travelling so no blueberry picking for us.

But the raspberries were abundant and very delicious!

We had trouble tearing ourselves away even after everyone had picked a couple boxes each. But we wanted to get over to the strawberry part of the field before it got too terribly hot.

The kids decided they liked picking raspberries better because there was no crouching involved.

But the strawberries were worth the trouble!

Grandma treated us to the berry picking then we went back to hang out at her house for a while.

That orange dress and cape, which Aunt Heather wore when she was nine (I think) in Grandma's wedding, is still one of Mary's absolute favorites.

Edie likes mowing the lawn. I mean sidewalk.

Just take a moment to appreciate Gussie's swing here. It's pretty perfect.

The kids go so fast on scooters that it makes me cringe.

Hi Grandpa! He's fixing something. Surprise!

Oh, yes, the carriage ride part of the post. Michael is the horse and Mary is a lady of high society out for an afternoon ride in her carriage.

I think she was on her way to Catherine's house for tea.

T-Ball Recap

Michael Jr's second season of t-ball has come and gone already. We had several game rain-outs early on, and one or two practices at the end of the season cancelled due to excessive heat. About midway through the season, Michael told me he wasn't going to play t-ball anymore because it is boring. Well, the practices are ok, but the games are super boring and he doesn't really like it. He wants to play soccer instead.

I did manage to convince him to finish out the season since he had made a committment to himself, his coach, and his teammates to play for the season, but I don't think he was particularly heartbroken about the fewer number of games than normal.

In spite of his lack of enthusiasm for the game, Michael did improve quite a bit this season. He hit off the pitch in every game and has gotten a lot better at throwing and catching.

The batting helmets still don't fit though.

I promise, Michael doesn't always coach in cufflinks! He worked late that day and had sent me a text message asking me to bring him shorts and a t-shirt to change into for the game. Apparently Edie heard the text come in and replied with some gibberish, which Michael thought meant I had received the message and let her reply. Instead when I checked my phone before we left it didn't show any new message alerts and he was very confused when we showed up at the game without clothes for him. And it was crazy hot outside. Good one, Edie.

When Gussie saw this picture, he said, "Woah!! Michael just BOOMED that ball! He just BOOMED it!!"

After the last game we went out for ice cream with the team. All of the kids were there, but I think Gussie enjoyed his ice cream the most.

Mary Berry, chillin in the evening sun.

No comments about how grown up Catherine looks will be entertained here.

Michael has a strict policy of avoiding my camera, so I have no pictures of him with his victory ice cream, but he made it through the season (and probably had a bit more fun than he is letting on).

The Almost 5K

I know, I basically skipped all of June on the blog. I promise, I'll catch up at some point, but I know Catherine will be happy if I get these pictures out right away!

A couple months ago Catherine asked me if I thought she could run a race, and I answered the obvious: of course. After a few little runs I asked her if she really wanted me to register her for a race, and she said yes, but she wanted Daddy to run it with her. She still wanted me to run all the training runs with her, but Daddy to run the actual race. I think she was worried I would slow her down.

Unfortunately I got an email the day before the race that said they had to cut the route short due to some problems with the trail close to the initial turnaround point, so it was no longer going to be a 5k, but instead 2 miles. Still, they were already registered so we got up early and navigated our way downtown amidt a ridiculous number of street closures for both a parade and another 5k starting by the stadium that morning. But we made it in plenty of time for the start.

They're off!

The race started and ended at the base of the Arch and ran along the river trail. It turned out to be a beautiful and cool race morning, and even though we could only see the runners at the start and finish line, we had plenty to watch while we waited: trains, barges, tug boats, and a big furry dog. Before we knew it, racers were coming back in.

Headed to the finish line under the arch! Daddy looks like he's doing ok in spite of his lack of training.

Catherine finished the 2 miles in just under 18 minutes, which put her in first place for her 10-and-under age group. Plus her time pulled Daddy into 3rd in his age group! (It wasn't a very big race.)

Catherine didn't like that this picture was pulled back to have the Arch in the background, so we had to get a medal picture closer up so she had a good picture of their faces. And Daddy's biker's tan.

Catherine had fun but decided she wants to train some more and run another race since she didn't get to actually complete a 5k. So... who's going to run with her in the Fall?

Summer Antics

Hmmm... these pictures are still from May so I guess technically this post should be titled "Late Spring Antics".

One of Edie's favorite inside activities is wrestling, second only to dancing.

The result of one of Gussie's famous "sneak attacks".

The last time we went to the gardens, I don't think we got yelled at once! But it's only because you're actually allowed to ring the bells in the bell tree.

I don't know if you are technically allowed to spray water all over from this fountain, but it's way back in a corner and no one bothered us.

After I took this picture, Gussie spent about ten minutes making sure I noticed his pose and telling me all about it just in case I hadn't actually noticed it.

We spent an afternoon at the Daniel Boone Home. The big winner of the day was this wagon (and the lady shooting a gun, and the wood working shop, and the man who started a fire with a flint) but I pretty much only have a picture of this wagon, which is a good thing because otherwise Grandpa wouldn't know what he is supposed to build for Gussie in the back yard.

Catherine and Mary had a chance to throw a tomahawk. They're heavier than they look!

We were spending a lot of time on playgrounds until it got hot enough to boil the skin off someone foolish (or unsuspecting) enough to sit on a slide.

While the big girls had ballet day camp, we spent a lot of time at a nearby conservation center. There is a walking path that makes a mile or so loop down into a valley with a creek at the bottom. We love creeks so much.

Except for some reason I had not prepared to watch Edie in the creek, so she was wrapped up.

Lots more pictures to catch up on but that will have to do for now!