August MI Trip (bazillion pics below!)

Helen and I traveled solo for a quick trip up to MI to see the fam last weekend! We had SUCH a good time and can't wait to go back so we can hang out together again soon. Here are some pics of the fun time we had.Some of the gang.
The littlest ones.
Helen got sick with a fever and an ear infection. Here she is looking kind of sad the day before we took her to the doctor. :-(
Cecily and Chelsey are all grown up now and driving to and fro! :-)
Grandpa has a set of very cool magnifying glasses to help him with the intricacies of computer innards. It also comes in handy to look at bee stings.
H and her grandpa! So cute together!
All 6 grandkids together! Take a picture - hurry!
This step was one of Helen's favorite spots at Grandma and Grandpa's house for some reason. She kept going back to it!
Helen and grandma, hanging out together and looking at cool leaves.

Grandma and grandpa have always had the best blank canvass in the neighborhood.


Hanging out around the kitchen table.
Smooches.
Helen didn't like this birthday present so much. It was squishy and weird - get that thing away from me!!
Opening birthday presents.
Silly goose.
Sophia brought everyone back a gift from Morocco, where she spent the summer. Besides the super cool geode and rock set she gave us, she gave Helen a beautiful Moroccan outfit that she will wear next summer!
Gettin' to know her cuz's.
Sophia had her hands painted with henna before she left Morocco. Very pretty!
Mom and Dad's moon flower on the porch.
These pics are somewhat out of order. I think this and below starts the ones from my camera (ones above are from mom and dad's). H and her cake. Mmm mmm mmm. The third and final birthday party!

Joey is such a ham!
John is such a teenager. ;-)
H back at home with the silly snake stuffed animal I bought at the Toy House in MI many moons ago. She likes wrap it around herself.
Miss H opening Aunt Jane and Aunt Janice's way cool present! Inside is turtle that projects blue and green stars on the ceiling that help you go to sleep. I think this will be coming in handy soon!

August movies

Here's Miss H actually from today! We are enjoying her dessert of peaches after a nice dinner of chicken and black beans (her fave). The aftermath of the black beans are apparent beneath the peaches.



Sooooo cute laughing at mommy trying to do the hoola hoop (very unsuccessfully) in MI last weekend.

July catch up

I've been meaning to post pictures of our visit to the botanical gardens with Yancy in July. It was such a beautiful day and there was just something about the way the new sculptures, flowers, plants, blue sky and clouds all seemed extra vibrant that day. Here are some pics of that (hint - come visit - we'll take you here!)

Yancy and the frog.



Hanging out on the lawn.
In the children's garden.
We are sooooo coming back here next summer to frolic in the water!
The botanical garden recently upgraded their facilities and the upgrades include these wonderful Henry Moore sculptures on loan. I'm not a big sculpture fan by any means, but these sculptures were MADE for these gardens. They fit in as if they've been there forever and the garden was planned around them. I can't wait to go back.

Helen was a little less enthusiastic than we were about the new sculptures.
While she was snoozing, we found a nice swing to kick back and relax on.



Hanging out with Yancy. Come back soon, Yancy!

Sad news :-(

I regret to say that the best cat ever, Walter, passed away unexpectedly last week at perhaps the age of 11. He came into our life in NJ when we spotted him at a Pet Smart. The local animal lovers group had rescued him from a box left on the doorstep of a vet and they estimated his age was about 4. We had 7 wonderful years with him and wish we had at least 7 more. What other cat would let Helen pull big chunks of fur out of his body and sit there patiently, purring away? He will be sorely missed by many. Here's a recent picture of him being his cute, cuddly little self.

Sarah, Jim and Savannah in GA!

Sarah, Jim and Savannah were in town last week and we had a great visit. We ended up trekking down to Savannah for a quick trip over the weekend where we ate some good low-country cookin', saw a few sites, and stuck our toesies in the Atlantic ocean. We're so glad the two cousins got a chance to meet and hang out!

Little toes (and a bum) getting wet.
Helen enjoyed her ocean-going experience much more this time (almost 3 months later) and sat and played in the sand for a bit.
Savannah sitting on Uncle D's knee. She is such a cutie and such a happy girl.
So cute.
Hi.
Ooooooh. Looks like an interesting front carrier you've got there.
Hey. This is my front carrier thingie. Back off.It was pretty hot in Savannah. Luckily they have lots of squares (parks) with lots of trees.
Walking around a bit.
HELLOOOOO from my scary institutional crib. So glad I have Savannah to keep me company for a bit. Can we have a slumber party??