haldaman-burger-burger

Ribbit, Ribbit!

2012-01-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned, Joey was the cutest frog I've ever seen in the snow. Not sure why, but he loved just crawling around.

Snow Angels

2012-01-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to get Joey to do snow angels for at least a year now. I know last year I showed him how to make them, and I could've sworn I showed him this year. But nothing. Leave it to Buszi, though, to show him how it's done.

After he saw Buszi lying in the snow, he couldn't wait to do it himself. He was crawling and ribbit-ing (who knew frogs liked snow?) and in general having fun. Then he rolled over and made his first snow angel.

He had snow absolutely everywhere. But he had fun!

If you look closely at the above, you can see his almost-perfected snow angel. This winter has been a success.

In the Snow with Buszi

2012-01-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning Joey and I headed over to visit his Buszi. She suggested that we bring his sled over, and try the little hills in her backyard. I didn't think Joey would be too into it, but Buszi sure had fun!

Joey did eventually get the idea of pushing Buszi, even if he wouldn't sit on the sled himself.

We even got a little walk in, although we only got about three houses down before Joey decided he wanted to turn around and get some ice cream with Grandpa.

Yeah, go figure. I thought he'd want some hot chocolate, but Grandpa was eating a Fudgsicle before we left, and that's what he wanted. I should've gotten picture of his chocolatey face. You'll just have to imagine it for yourself.

Sled Ride

2012-01-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

Joey insisted on taking the sled for our walk on Saturday. The funny thing is, though, he's not necessarily anxious to get on it. Until the end of our walk, when he's getting tired. Then he happily hops on.

The Many Faces of Joey

2012-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when we're playing in the park and I ask Joey to say, "Cheese!"

More Snowy Pictures

2012-01-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

It snowed again this weekend (Friday, really), so of course Joey wanted to be out in it. Saturday morning we went for a walk to the park.

Daddy and Joey in their warm snow pants, pulling the sled.

Still walking ...

Joey wanted to sit on the bench when we got to the park. So we cleared it off, and he sat there just long enough to take this picture. Ah, to be three again.

Snow Swings

2012-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

More fun from last weekend ...

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

2012-01-19T05:52:00.001-08:00

Playing this past weekend in the snow we got last Thursday which is mostly gone now but is supposed to be replaced by 6 inches tomorrow night.

More New Toys

2012-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Joey "inherited" some "new" toys from a coworker, and couldn't wait to play with them!

It really is a shame that Disney doesn't have the "foresight" to keep toys from original Pixar movies in the market. I mean, think of all the kids that have been born since 2006 (when the original Cars movie was released) who can no longer just go to the store and buy a Sally or a Doc or a Sheriff. They could make some good dough off those kids. Although I suppose if we wait another year, it'll be seven years since the release, so maybe they'll re-release and then also re-release the toys. Doubt Joey will still be into it by then, though.

Enjoying the Sunshine

2012-01-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

We stopped off at the park to get in some time on the slides!

Out for a Ride

2012-01-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

We took advantage of the (relatively) nice weather this weekend to get outside. Joey couldn't wait to get on his new bicycle!

First Shave!

2011-12-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Santa brought Joey his first shaving kit. He couldn't wait to use it at bath time!

Waiting for the shaving cream.

Look, Ma! I'm going to shave!

So serious.

Proud of himself.

Look how well I did, Daddy!

Daddy's Little Helper (in the Snow!)

2011-12-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

Joey couldn't wait to help Daddy sweep the snow. (He actually wanted to learn how to "blow" the snow with Daddy's snow blower, but we had to convince him there just wasn't enough there to haul out the heavy equipment.)

Zoo Lights

2011-12-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

The Saturday before Christmas we headed to Lincoln Park Zoo to take in the Zoo Lights! with our friends Grace and Diego (and their mommies Cara and Nicole).

They had these awesome giant characters, and the trees were awesome. Not sure what the kids saw under all their layers.

They seemed to enjoy themselves. At least they didn't cry at all. I do think we'll go back next year - just much earlier in the season.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

A little belated, but we've been busy. Hope you had a great holiday!

Joey, tromping around the house singing, "Have a holly, jolly Christmas" wearing Pop-pop's Phillies 2008 World Series Champions Santa hat.

My parents' Christmas tree, Christmas morning.

Joey, Christmas morning. He was so excited to see all the presents Santa left him!

Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Here's the obligatory shot in front of the tree. We got it last Tuesday, put lights on Wednesday, some ornaments Thursday, and then I finished up the ornaments Saturday. Had to promise a lollipop for this smile. (And yes, he got a haircut this weekend, so he looks a ton older than he did just last weekend, when we got our picture with Santa. I already miss the longer hair.)

Santa's Village

2011-12-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

We went last weekend to get Joey's picture taken with Santa. It was actually a successful trip, but did not start out that way. We headed over to the mall around 8am. Early, yes, but we did beat all the lines. And for Woodfield, that could mean at least an hour. Joey was not into it, though. I had to bribe him with a lollipop just to stay in line. It wasn't looking good at all, but then we got to the snow area.

It's actually quite cool. They have it "snowing" in the middle of this area, and it helps the kids calm down before they sit with Santa. Joey wasn't sure about it at first, but as you can tell, he got into it. (Doesn't this picture just make you want to sing, "Fame! I'm gonna live forever!"?!)

He got into throwing the snow, but my camera just wasn't fast enough to keep up. It was a good time, though, and we got a great picture with Santa ... stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Shelley!

2011-12-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hope you have a great day with that adorable family of yours!

Kisses!

2011-12-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

Fall Hydrangeas

2011-11-30T16:17:00.000-08:00

Getting lost in Mommy's hydrangeas. I never did get around to pruning them all this year. It'll be a fun spring project.

Cookies!

2011-11-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I visited with some friends and decorated some cookies. After we were done decorating, the boys showed up, and had to taste-test them.

Joey also helped decorate one (hence all the silver sprinkles on the plate).

He definitely enjoyed them. It was hard to keep his little paws off them!

More Leaves

2011-11-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to downloading the photos off my camera. I think these are over a week old now. They still show how much fun raking leaves can be!

Daddy's Little Helper

2011-11-18T06:52:00.000-08:00

Joey loves to help his Daddy clean up the leaf piles, especially when they pile up in the basement entryway. He gets his broom and dust pan out (you can see the flash of yellow in his left hand - that's the dust pan) and will throw the leaves into the garbage can. He'll even tell us when it needs to be done! I hope he keeps up this "little helper" attitude into the teen years.

Movember

2011-11-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

Even Joey's sporting a mustache for Movember. Of course, it's just a smoothie mustache, but what a cutie!

Steak and Shake

2011-11-16T05:54:00.000-08:00

While I was away at my conference last week, Joe and Joey had a boys' night out at Steak and Shake. (Coincidentally, it was also a fundraiser for daycare where a portion of your purchase goes to the school.) If I remember correctly, at least one of those tiny cheeseburgers made it home. None of the shake did.

Z is for Zoo

2011-11-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

Friends of ours were in town from California, and after lunch, we headed to the Lincoln Park Zoo. We walked through the Primate House, the Cat House, saw the gorillas and some zebras and even some camels. But of course, when you ask Joey what his favorite part was, he says the Tractor.

After we walked around the zoo proper, we stopped by the Farm at the Zoo. One of the nice things is that the part Joey likes is completely in doors, so we stayed nice and warm and out of the wind.

All the kids got into the action - and somehow we managed to get at least one good shot where we could see all the faces!

For those who haven't been, this is a real tractor, and Joey must have gone on at least four times. The most fun for me is watching the dads stand in line and then yell at their kids to come over when it's "their" turn.

They also have these giant tractor wheels (with recycled rubber instead of sand) which is fun for all to play in. And the rubber cleans up so much easier than sand! (If we ever do a sandbox in the backyard, I'm thinking the rubber also is less attractive to the kitties.)

The Singing

2011-11-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

(Just watch his face while we're singing. Priceless.)

Happy Birthday, Joey!

2011-11-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a week, but the hard drive's been full and we've been busy. I finally had a few minutes this morning (since Joey woke up at 5:40am) to get some things off the camera.

Here are all the kids getting ready to sing to Joey. (Including the babies, left to right, it's Diego, Wolfgang, Joe, Tano, Sammy and Annbel.)

And here they all are helping him unwrap his presents.

Tub Time

2011-11-03T05:57:00.001-07:00

Family Photo

2011-10-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins

2011-10-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

More pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch.

Yes, they're all staged. Deal with it. There are still pumpkins in them!

Odyssey Fun Farm

2011-10-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, we finally made our trip to the pumpkin patch. (Spoiler alert: we didn't actually buy any pumpkins. Oops!)

After a little hesitation, Joey got comfortable with the farm and eventually had a little fun running around the pumpkin patch. (The "sticks" in his hand are from a broken pants hanger. He kept calling them his "chopsticks.)

He picked out a pumpkin he liked ...

and made sure to inspect it carefully. He then decided at some point he didn't really want it and left it in the patch.

"I said cheese ten times already, Mommy. If you want me to actually look at the camera, that's a completely different request!"

The Park

2011-10-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

We did stop during one of our bike rides (I think Sunday late morning) to enjoy the park.

Running around to all the different equipment.

Playing Super Man on the swings.

Constant Motion

2011-10-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

They say that a body in motion tends to stay in motion. (The "they" in this case being Newton.) Little did I know how much this applied to almost-three-year-olds.

He sure had fun this weekend, though. And Daddy and I got our exercise in trying to keep up!

Fun at Daycare's Open House

2011-10-19T18:44:00.001-07:00

SNEAK PEAK: Halloween Preview

2011-10-13T16:40:00.001-07:00

Apparently the "reflective" material is actual reflective material. Makes the costume even more awesome!

Grease Lightnin'

2011-10-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

The promised video of Joey in his car. I swear, it looked even faster in real life.

Ridin' Along in My Automobile

2011-10-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

It was absolutely gorgeous out this weekend, so of course we spent a little time enjoying the weather. Joey couldn't wait to take his car for a spin.

(It's amazing how different he looks with his hair swept to the side and from a goofy angle. Almost doesn't look like Joey!)

I have a great video that I need to find of him in this car. He realized there's a little slope from our porch to the sidewalk, and he'd start backward and end up spun around, faster than you can believe! (Maybe I'll have it for tomorrow.)

He just loves playing outside.

His Own Tractor

2011-10-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

Joey spent some time last night on his own tractor. It was beautiful when we got home (70s), but he just kept telling me he wanted to watch Dora. I put my foot down and told him we needed to go outside. (Seriously, he never wanted to stay inside to watch Wonder Pets. What's the deal? I guess if Linny, Tuck and Ming-Ming had saved an ice cream truck, maybe he would've.) Anyway, once outside, he was excited to get his tractor out! Mommy's excited, too, because it's supposed to be beautiful all weekend. Upper 70s, no rain until Wednesday. Enjoying it while it lasts!

One Last Time

2011-10-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

When Joe cut the grass on Sunday, Joey was so excited! It is still a bit amazing to me how excited he gets. But I'll let him show you ...

Waiting his turn.

Just getting on the tractor.

Zoom! Zoom!

Watching for Daddy

2011-10-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

He heard the tractor start and raced outside. We had to drag him back in to put a coat and hat on.

Daddy's Bar

2011-10-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

They had another kids' show at the Blues Bar on Saturday. Joey was so excited he was going to the bar and would be helping Daddy.

When we got there, he grabbed a menu and kept telling us he was reading the newspaper.

During this interlude, he was either helping Daddy or checking his email. Depends on when you asked him.

But have no fear - we put him to work, too. He helped carry all the cable and some of the mike stands back. He is so proud to help Daddy, how can we stop him?

BONUS CONTENT: Race for the Cure

2011-10-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Not that this picture proves I actually ran, but here we are after the Race for the Cure 5K in downtown Chicago. It started raining (again) just as I was finishing, and the poor walkers probably still had at least a mile and a half to go. But it was still a lot of fun! My friend Sophia (in all black above) is trying to convince me to the do the Monster 5K the weekend before Halloween. We'll see.

I Need My Exercise, Momma!

2011-10-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

I don't remember when it was, but at some point I must have mentioned needing some exercise, and that walking was a good way to do it. Now, whenever we go for a walk, at some point during the excursion, Joey says, "I need my exercise, Momma!" and then proceeds to pedal as fast as he can.

Here he is, on one of his missions.

He even agreed to smile for me. Ginny is especially grateful he likes to go on walks so much!

Wolfie's Baptism

2011-09-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

I really wish I had better pictures to post of Wolfie's baptism on Sunday, but the lighting in my church didn't work well with my camera (so everybody has red-eyes, and they're the hard-to-fix kind), and I didn't really use my camera much at the brunch. So you'll have to settle for these.

Buszi with her two favorite grandsons.

Joey eating birthday cupcakes. (Sunday also happened to be Aunt Danielle's birthday.)

See how delicious these cupcakes are? (Seriously, he ate two. The were DELICIOUS!)

It's Getting Dark ...

2011-09-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

Not that you can tell, since I used a black and white filter, but if you look closely, you might be able to see that the flash went off, which means IT'S GETTING DARK BEFORE 7:00!! We still headed over to the park for some fun. They have lights there.

Father-Son Moment

2011-09-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

One last look-back at our awesome time Saturday at the Blackhawks Training Camp Festival.

Des Plaines Fall Fest

2011-09-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

We headed over to the Des Plaines Fall Fest Saturday afternoon, to see what it was all about. We got some pretty good food, and of course some fried dough. Joey even tried one of the rides.

As you can see, he looked happy to be getting on the cars, but not too many smiles once it was going. It did seem to go a bit fast, but he never really got into it. He even said he wanted to go back on, but then I couldn't get him to stay in the seat for longer than two seconds. We'll just have to try again next year. Maybe if he's with one of his cousins, he'll like it better (hint, hint).

Hockey Season is Back!

2011-09-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

We got tickets this year to head to the Chicago Blackhawks Training Camp Festival, which is essentially the first day of practice for the season. Wasn't sure what to expect, but since tickets were only $6, and they were available, we figured we'd take advantage of what could be the only chance we get to see the Hawks live this year.

They had a practice, two scrimmages, and then another practice. Joe and I had a lot of fun, but unfortunately Joey's just not into yet. He did love the "tractors," also known as zambonis.

And I managed to get him to smile once. Of course my camera didn't focus correctly, but I'll take it.

In the Ocean

2011-09-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

This is the furtherest we could get him in. And I'm pretty sure this was completely by accident when a wave came in.

In the Water with Nana

2011-09-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

Two of a Kind

2011-09-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

This was from the first day of vacation. They have this awesome 80s-style chair/entertainment center that the kids simply call their Ship. I can't believe how many hours of enjoyment they've gotten out of it. Then again, I can. And it's a good thing, too, because the weather has been crappy (thanks to the remnants of Lee) and the surf has been too rough (thanks to Katia).

My Little Thinker

2011-09-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Joey was adorable Sunday night. He was eating goldfish at his little table, and he would cross his feet and just get this very deep look on his face. Too cute for words. (And this picture doesn't even do some of the looks justice.)

Birds of a Feather

2011-09-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

We stopped in to see Grandma and Old Grandpa this weekend. Joey was a little bashful at first, but then had a blast playing with the toys and exploring in the garden. Old Grandpa loved playing host.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

2011-08-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

Joey loves to go for tricycle rides, especially early on Sunday mornings before anyone else in the world is up.

So What? I'm Still a Rock Star!

2011-08-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tractor Rides

2011-08-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

As usual, Joey had a ton of fun on his tractor ride with Daddy. He was badgering Daddy for a ride since last Wednesday, when he last cut the grass. It's amazing how much joy he gets out of such a little thing.

Special note to my loyal Twitter and/or Instagram feed readers: Just deal with the fact that you've seen these all before. I've got a lot going on this week, so I'm recycling because I can.

Easy Rider

2011-08-26T04:56:00.000-07:00

When we drove out to Pennsylvania earlier this month, I wasn't sure how the twelve hour road trip was going to be. I mean, I've done it a million times, but Joey is getting older, and I wasn't sure how well he would do.

I think the picture above explains it all. He was great! He sat in the back all by himself, played with his toys, sang some songs, took a nap or two, and just generally enjoyed himself. Huge relief for Mommy and Daddy, who are both driving people.

Tricycle

2011-08-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

Yes. I downloaded a new app for my iPhone, and now I can do all these cool things to my photos. Hope you like them.

The Great Backyard

2011-08-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Joey was "hiking" all around the backyard on Monday, with his backpack strapped to his shoulders. He stopped briefly to make sure he had all the proper provisions - books, trains, and cars.

Chicago Air and Water Show

2011-08-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we headed down to the South Loop to visit the other Burgers and catch some of the Chicago Air and Water Show.

We weren't crazy enough to go to Oak Street or North Avenue Beaches, though. We found a nice spot on the Museum Campus and watched some airplanes.

The Thunderbirds were awesome. And apparently my camera takes some pretty cool pictures of fighter jets. (They weren't all cool, but these are some of the best ones.)

All in all, it was a great day. (Yeah, Joey was getting a little crabby after a couple hours of just sitting and watching the planes and his cousin Wolfie. But we all survived. And we both napped on the way home.)

Singin' in the Rain

2011-08-22T05:54:00.001-07:00

You Are My Sunshine

2011-08-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

For more cuteness, check out Shae singing the same song when she was Joey's age!

Pizza! Pizza!

2011-08-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Don't Splash Me!

2011-08-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone got in on the action in the pool. (Except the photographer, of course!)

Hanging by the Steps

2011-08-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

As I may have just mentioned in my previous post, when we were home this weekend, we did a little swimming. I tried to get the kids to pose for at least one pic, but alas, they are kids and didn't cooperate.

At least somebody wanted their special reward.

Even kisses couldn't coax them into submission.

You can always resort to some crazy dancing to get some giggles. And sometimes the un-posed pictures turn out the best.

Family and Photos

2011-08-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

For me, this is what this past weekend was about. Spending time with the family by the pool.

And taking lots of pictures so we can remember it.

Betsy Beaver

2011-08-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

I was going through some old pictures, and I found this goodie. My cousins Aaron, Chris and I ran for President of the Forest in first or second grade. I won. But for those keeping track, we were Betsy Beaver, Fitzgerald Fox and Bartholomew Bear. Not sure who was the Fox and who was the Bear, but we all had fun.

On Your Shoulders

2011-08-06T05:48:00.000-07:00

The first time I tried to put Joey on my shoulders, he absolutely hated it. Granted, that was probably over a year ago, and he was probably scared, but it was still something I remember him hating. Now, whenever he gets tired when we're out on a walk and he asks us to carry him, he always says, "on your shoulders."

Even Daddy gets in on the action. And Joey absolutely loves it.

Phoning It In

2011-08-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

I'm too tired to write. Enjoy some pictures of Joey and his Pop-pop.

(Maybe it was all the fun with Joey and Pop-pop, but I am ready to sleep for a week!)

Green Goggles

2011-08-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

Pop-pop brought Joey a few gifts in his carry-on. While we haven't gotten a chance to try these out in the pool yet, Joey couldn't wait to put them on!

Running through the Sprinkler

2011-07-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

It was hot here yesterday, so we needed a way to cool off. Cue the sprinkler.

At first we were just running through in our tank top and undies. Eventually, though, we changed into our swimming trunks.

Joey had so much fun running through! He hated it at first, but then, I couldn't get him out.

Even Pop-pop put on his swimming trunks and got into the action.

The two of them had a blast!

Sneak Peak: Weekend with Pop-pop

2011-07-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

We picked up Pop-pop at the airport around 8:15, stopped at Target, then Costco (for gas) and the bakery, and now the boys are having fun with Joey's train set.

We don't have much planned other than lots of Joey-Pop-pop time. It'll be a great weekend.

A Glimpse into the Future

2011-07-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not saying I condone it, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is what the future looks like:

(Using an old picture from our last trip to PA. This was in the terminal at O'Hare.)

Staying Cool

2011-07-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

There's no better way to stay cool than a nice ice cream cone. Since the summer started, Joey has gotten much better at eating them. He definitely takes after his mom and would eat ice cream all day every day if we let him. He'll even go into the freezer and pull out the half gallon and hand it to me.

It's still a little messy, but at least he loves (and asks for) vanilla, so not as bad as chocolate everywhere.

He's doesn't quite like eating the cone yet. He'll try a few bites, but it's just not his thing. Eventually he'll realize it's just like a cookie. Until then, Mommy gets the leftovers.

Monkey Doodle

2011-07-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

When we were at the park today, Joey didn't want to go on his normal equipment. He headed straight for the climbing wall. There was another little boy (who was five) who had to climb the second he saw Joey start. But we managed to get our turn. My little guy didn't waste a second.

He was up that wall faster than I could imagine. To think, not that long ago, he barely wanted to climb on the steps on the toddler equipment. Now he can't wait to go up the wall with the big kids.

I was extremely proud of him. And even though I was the one spotting him, my heart was in my throat the whole time. Lord knows what he'll be trying as he gets older. I think we have a little Jason on our hands.

Kicking in the Pool

2011-07-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Practicing our kicking in the pool. Watch for Ginny in the background!

Pool Time

2011-07-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

We have quickly moved up from just getting our piggies wet to almost swimming in our little pool this week. Mommy is pleased.

Joey is clearly having fun.

Did I mention the little squirt gun Daddy got him? He already knows how to fill it in the pool, so we're good.

Two peas in a pod. Or maybe two fishies in a pond is more appropriate.

Hose Time

2011-07-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

After our day in the pool on Sunday, and knowing that it's supposed to be in the 90s for the foreseeable future, my wonderful husband inflated our pool and started to fill it up. Joey was definitely in on the action.

The water was absolutely freezing, but Joey had to be in the pool to help make sure it all went according to plan.

He loved pretending (and not pretending) he was going to get Daddy with the hose.

Then we decided to put the nozzle back on so we could water everything, since it hasn't rained here in quite a while.

He couldn't wait to help sprinkle all the flowers. He also mastered the hose very quickly.

I think he couldn't wait to get himself with the hose, too. He might not like swimming yet, but he loves to play with the water!

(Almost) Swimming

2011-07-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we headed over to Buszi and Grandpa's again to go swimming. Joey kept saying he wanted to go, so I figured I'd see if we had better luck than we did in PA.

After "fighting" with him for the first hour or so, we finally got him to at least sit on the first step with Buszi.

(Just loved the face, so worth repeating.)

This is a very big step for Joey. He really didn't want to sit on the second step, but we convinced him it would be fun. The whole pool was actually only a foot deep, but he just hung on for dear life. So that by the time we were leaving he would walk across while holding my hand was a huge deal.

I'm hoping if we keep this up, he'll be comfortable in the pool by the time we head to the beach. In the meantime, we can at least try to get a little color on his skin.

It's Still Rock and Roll to Me

2011-07-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

Busy Child

2011-07-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday was an extremely busy day for us. Early morning, we left to hang out with Buszi and Grandpa. Of course, Joey wanted to head to the park.

He had fun on the swings, and the sliding board, and in the sand box.

After lunch, we had to help clean up the mess we made with milk and Rice Krispies.

That afternoon, we got to head over to Diego's grandparents' house and wish him a Happy Birthday!

And then, the fete accompli, we went to the Blues Bar. Where Joey took the kick drum mike and decided he was going to put on a show.

Seriously. It didn't even need to be wired. If you stood close enough to the stage, you could hear him. It was awesome.

Water Falls in the Upper Peninsula

2011-07-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, we decided to take a little excursion to check out the water falls of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. (We were only ten or so miles from the border, so it's not like we were in the car for hours or anything.) Joe had downloaded an app with some National Parks, and it mentioned the Agate Falls, so we headed there first.

It looked like it had potential.

There were some paths to climb on, but not much. Essentially we were only there twenty minutes. The water was beautiful, but there wasn't much there.

We then backtracked to the Bond Falls, which weren't listed on Joe's app but were on the Google maps app in my iPhone. Joey was getting a little anxious and hoped it all worked out for the best.

These certainly delivered. There was a gorgeous path you could hike up either side of the falls. We probably spent a good 45 minutes to an hour there. It would've been more if a certain two-year-old cooperated a little more.

We all got to enjoy the majestic beauty, though. The falls and my boys. It was gorgeous.

More Wisconsin

2011-07-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few you probably haven't seen before.

Joey had a lot of fun playing with the pinwheel.

And, of course, he had fun with his Buszi.

We also managed to get in a few family pics, although none of them are very flattering. But look how blue the sky is!

Catching Up ... Wisconsin

2011-07-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

So I realize it's been a while since I've blogged, so I'm going to try to catch us up over the next week and a half or so. Let's get right to ... our trip to Wisconsin.

This first image is a picture of Joey crashed out at Buszi and Grandpa's house the night before our trip. And this is setting an extremely important precedent ... two weeks later, he still prefers to sleep on the floor rather than his bed.

Joey was so excited to hit the road! Mommy was also excited to have extra help keeping Joey entertained. If we're being honest, I sort of "dumped" him on Buszi for most of the trip up, and I was more than happy to sit up front, help navigate, and read my books.

The house was absolutely gorgeous. There was space inside for all the families to have their own floor, and there was plenty of space for Joey to run around outside.

I had to take a picture of Joey and the bear.

Completely unprompted, the boy wasted no time getting down to work and watering all the flowers on the porch and steps. He really does love to help!

Editor's note: I promise not all the pictures I post over the next week and a half will be repeats. Just bare with me.

More Father's Day Fun

2011-06-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law just shared the pictures she took from Father's Day. And there are definitely a few cute ones in the bunch!

Here's Joey with his cousin Wolfie. (That's a Tootsie Pop in his mouth, courtesy of Nana.)

He absolutely loves helping me in the garden, especially when it involves water!

And you know my boy loves to sing happy birthday. When we got the cake out for Buszi, he couldn't wait to help blow out the candles!

Visiting the South Side

2011-06-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today we spent time visiting some folks we haven't seen in a while ... Joey's great-grandparents. They don't even live that far away, so we don't have an excuse.

Grandma didn't want her picture taken, but I told her too bad. Joey clearly didn't want his picture taken either, but eventually Grandma was able to hold him down long enough for me to snap one.

This was adorable. As soon as Joey sat on Grandpa's lap, he couldn't stop staring at him. This was the best we could get with them. At least we have some, though. Can't wait to get back to Easton this fall and get more with his other great-grandparents!

Burger Boys

2011-06-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

We had a little pre-Father's Day get together at our place today. It was low-key, with some grilling and relaxing. We managed to get all the boys together for the first official Burger Men picture.

Joey woke up at 5:45am, so by 2pm, when we took this picture, he was not in the mood to cooperate. (And now, as hard as we tried, he still wouldn't take a nap.)

He did have fun playing with his cousin Wolfgang. He was climbing all over the chair Buszi was sitting in, just to get a better look.

Here are my two favorite Burgers, though. Happy Father's Day, Joe! And Happy Father's Day to all the other wonderful fathers out there!

Miles and Miles of Hydrangeas

2011-06-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

Ever since I pruned the hydrangeas this spring, I've been a little worried if I'd gone too far and maybe they wouldn't come back this year. Boy was I wrong. (And now I know what I need to do every fall and spring.) I know this first picture isn't the greatest, especially since it was taken through a window screen, but I think it helps give you an idea of just how many hydrangeas we have in our backyard.

We also have more along the back fence line, and of course in the front. And if you look closely in this next picture, you can see a few in the back left, under the evergreens.

My mom's been concerned that our soil is so pH-neutral that the Endless Summer hydrangeas might come in white. Not sure how well you can tell in this picture, but they have a beautiful purple hue.

Can't wait to share pictures when everything's in bloom!

Climbing at the Park

2011-06-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

When we got to the park today, there were quite a few other kids Joey's age already playing. He watched as they used some equipment he's never really attempted before, and I think it gave him the courage to try.

This isn't the most difficult piece to use, but it was fun watching him deftly maneuver and successfully cross over to the landing.

This Is How We Do It

2011-06-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

For those wondering exactly how a clematis grows in a rose bush, here is what it looks like.

I think I'm going to try to move the clematis over a little. I never imagined the roses would do so well, or we would have planted them further down. At this point, though, it's probably much easier to move the clematis next spring.

As for Joey, he's realized that the pedals are extremely important when driving the tractor, so he's given up on the seat in exchange for reaching the pedals. We are definitely in trouble.

Garden Treasures

2011-06-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

The spring flowers have come and gone. The summer flowers, though, have started to bloom.

My "prize" rose bush. We planted this last year, and there have to be at least fifty or more buds (and now blooms) on this bush. It's beautiful.

We planted these peonies three summers ago. They have a faint pink center. (Not sure if it shows up well in this picture.) Even though my dad hit them with the weed wacker two summers ago, they've been coming back fine ever since.

I think we planted the clematis three summers ago, too. There are actually two plants, and both are thriving. I've cut these both back to the roots this spring, and I think they're bigger this year than ever!

Well, you all know when this flower got here. Now he's growing like a weed.

Not sure what these are, but we have them in red on both sides of the front of the house, a little in the back, and then a bigger pink grouping by the garage. They've almost taken over, but I don't mind at all.

Special thanks to my mom and dad for all their help with the landscaping and flower selections!

Smiles for Miles

2011-06-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay. It's been a little crazy around here. Ninety plus degrees and a sick dog and just general craziness. Enjoy some pictures of Joey and Daddy having fun on the tractor.

Your bonus picture for today ...

my Endless Summer hydrangeas!! I'm guessing the week we're in Wisconsin is the week the hydrangeas finally bloom. But then they'll bloom the rest of the summer, so I know I won't miss anything.

My Handsome Model

2011-06-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

Joey had "school pictures" taken right after he started back up at daycare. Their idea of school pictures are a little different than what I remember, but it's still nice to have something professionally done. Expensive, but nice. Now that he's bigger, they pose him in three different outfits. I still can't decide which one we like best. Let me know what you think!

Can't you just hear the western music playing in the background? (I imagine the old-timey western music, not Tim McGraw and Faith Hill country, but a nice twangy guitar that's the soundtrack for the horses movin' through town.)

I wish they would've done Blackhawks, but since the Bulls were hot this year, I guess I don't blame them. (I also think they did the 'Hawks last time; Joey just wasn't old enough yet.)

Seriously? A chimney sweep? I mean, if they were going for the reporter look, they could have at least given him a newspaper or a note pad or something.

A Ray of Sunshine

2011-06-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Who Doesn't Love Bubbles?

2011-06-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

There are two things I realized while everyone was over on Sunday. We have too many toys. Even with all those toys, the kids were most amused when playing with bubbles and plastic cups.

It was so much fun to have all the kids playing together. There were no fights and everyone was generally happy, excepting Joey when we told him he had to share his tractor. (See previous blog post.)

Even the adults were getting in on the action. I mean, you should have seen how much fun these kids were having.

Joey's face in this picture says it all.

Everyone Loves the Tractor

2011-06-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

After the monsoon ended on Sunday, our friends and their kids came to visit to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. It took much cajoling, but eventually Joey shared his tractor with his friends.

Grace loved it! She needed a little help figuring out the pedal, but given that this was her first time, she did great!

Sammy looked like an old pro at the wheel.

Kristopher also got the hang of driving. There were maybe a couple incidents of near and actual collisions, but overall, the tractor was a hit.

A Day at the Races

2011-05-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours was headed to Arlington Park on Monday, so we decided to join him. Joe had never been, and we thought Joey might enjoy watching the horses.

It was 90 degrees (or at least felt like it) on Monday. Joey hadn't napped all weekend and was exhausted before we got there. He didn't even want to feed the animals at the petting zoo. Daddy had fun, and won a little money. (Correctly guessing the trifecta on the fourth race, and consciously playing the same horses boxed, essentially playing the same trifecta twice.) But we didn't stay very long.

I got Joey to smile a little. Here we are at the Paddock, just after the horses for the fourth race entered the track. He had been using the video feature on my camera, watching himself on his tractor. At least I know how to keep him amused.

Fun in the Midwest

2011-05-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors have been storing a Bobcat in their driveway for a colleague of theirs all spring. Yesterday, he offered to take Joey for a ride. There was no way Joey was sitting on his lap, but he had no problem sitting on Mommy's!

Bicycle (and Tricycle) Safety

2011-05-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Always wear a helmet.

We're practicing for when we have an actual bicycle. Thanks Pop-pop and Nana!