August Musings

Other than the Houston heat, August has been a good month and we have been enjoying our routine at home, after traveling a lot in July.
Hanging out in the heat

I can't believe he already knows how to mimic computer usage!

Summer library reading club award for listening to 20 books

Entertained by Daddy in the playroom

Fire House

Henry and I visited the Greatwood Fire Station last week as a part of a MOPS social outing. He wasn't too keen on getting in my himself, but we had to get a picture in the truck.

We are looking forward to our MOPS group that will meet twice a month starting in September and hoping that we meet new friends - both adult and toddler!

Michigan Vacation

Last week we met the Bayes family in Michigan and spent a wonderful five days on Spring Lake. Thank you to Uncle Terry and Aunt Jan for opening up their home (and refrigerator, play room, dock, swimming pool...you get the picture). Save for a bout of the stomach flu for a few of us, a good time was had by all - especially Henry, the new found beach bum. The pictures below are a collection of the week's events. Highlights include a day at Lake Michigan, feeding the ducks at Spring Lake, 'Cow Day' at the farm, blueberry picking, quality time with the cousins and a quick stop in Chicago on the way home.

Henry and his puzzle

OK, allow us to be obnoxiously bragging parents for a moment. Henry LOVES puzzles and he's grown bored with the puzzles designated for his age (20 months) so we recently have started checking out puzzles at our library. Here's a Melissa and Doug puzzle for ages 3+ and up he's been working on this week. Next week we start SuDoKu.

Summer in the Fort! Part Deux.

At the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo!:

With grandma and aunt Mary in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard:

Giving Grandpa Franke his Father's Day present...what could it be???

Showing off his new (hopefully barely noticeable) scar:

Every Texan toddler should have just a little bit of blood on his jammies:

-MF

Summer in the Fort!

We just got back from a great trip to Fort Wayne for Mark's grandpa Franke's 90th birthday party. We went to a parade, the zoo, and also to the Emergency Room (for a few stitches in Henry's forehead after falling into a corner of the hallway just before bed). While we all pray the scar heals well, we still had a great time overall on the trip.

Here Henry is coloring with his second cousin Dallas and great Aunt Lucy. He was wishing his great grandma Meneely a happy 80th birthday in Greenwood. Looks like blue eyes run in the family!

Henry and Grandpa Franke at the Hoagland Days parade waiting for great-grandpa Franke to come by riding in his float with his WW2/Korea veteran buddies. Notice the tongue...it isn't just inherited from his dad!

Mom and Henry waiting to catch some candy!

Henry and cousin Eli checking out the tractors. It wouldn't be Hoagland Days without a whole bunch of old tractors.

Dad and Henry.

Grandma and Henry getting ready to ride the carousel. Henry liked watching the carousel more than he liked riding it...

The whole Franke gang, minus only Dan off in the Navy!

STL, part 2

Here are more pictures of the time that Henry and I spent in St. Louis last weekend. He really enjoyed playing with his cousins and loved the dance party. The last picture is with the Moser kids when we stopped by for a visit.