John Ball Zoo Trip

Last week we went to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids and had a great time. The zoo is the perfect size for little ones; you can get through it in a couple hours. We went with our friends the Ridleys. Laine is just a little older than Kyle and they are great buddies. Emma Grace is a year older than Erin, and I know they are also going to be great friends. And Rachel, their mom, is my friend. :-)

We all drove together, with Kyle and Laine in the third row of our Highlander. This was the first time Kyle ever rode back there, so he was thrilled. Then when we picked up Laine and they sat together they were so excited. Heck, we could have skipped the zoo since they were having so much fun sitting in the back together.

It took me a bit to post on the zoo because I narrowed my MANY pictures to 30. I couldn't decide whether to narrow further, or post all 30 here. Posting 30 pictures is sort of a pain with Blogger because there are very funky spacing issues that occur. Sooooo, I decided to try this.

I already added the pictures to my Facebook account (which is an easy and quick upload.) With the direct link, anyone should be able to view these. So hopefully this will work. Check out our zoo pics by clicking here. If you click the first picture (Kyle running) you can scroll through and also read my captions/comments. Someone please let me know if it works or not for you; especially someone not on Facebook.

Kyle asks everyday when we are going back to the zoo!

Happy Birthday Beth!!! ... and Harborfest

Tonight we went down to Harborfest (here in South Haven) to celebrate my sister Beth's birthday. After pouring and storming all day long, the sun came out late in the afternoon. We decided to go ahead and walk down and it worked out perfectly! About an hour after we got home huge thunderstorms rolled through again. (Too bad for those not leaving to get little ones to bed, though!)

We had a super time! Happy birthday, Beth!

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Erin checks out a huge dog!

Hmm, what time is it?

The boys ran and ran and ran! One would hope they might sleep in tomorrow, but we're not placing any bets on it.

The guys.

Erin dancing to the band.

Beth's adorable baby house.

We walked down to the end of the pier.

Watching ducks.

My cousin is so cool!

Happy birthday Beth!

Strawberry Shortcake, take three

Tonight was the third year (see last year) we have had strawberry shortcake for dinner night... a growing tradition in our house that we enjoy when the Michigan strawberries come in. Kyle, Erin and I loved it tonight!!! Mike has decided this tradition isn't really his bag, so I planned it for golf night. Can't please everyone, lol!

Professional pics of Erin and Kyle

I took Erin in for her one year pictures on Wednesday, and also had them take some of Kyle while we were there (at age three and a half.) I got good ones of each of them individually, but we did not have even one picture of the two of them together. There was not much cooperation going on between them!

My little friend of worms...

Kyle loves worms. While I have been gardening I've shown them to him when I have come across them. He's taken them, held them, driven them around in his trucks, and then we always put them back in the dirt. He makes me laugh because he always calls them cutie and talks about how cute they are. He talks to them, "Want to drive over here little cutie worm? Want more dirt little guy?"

I would say it was a "boy thing," but honestly, I remember walking to and from school in elementary school and picking up worms off the sidewalk and throwing them in the grass. I have no idea how many worms I have "saved" in my life. Kyle and I now do that after it rains when we see a worm. While I've never had any kind of fascination with worms, I think it is just my love of animals extending down to this little creature. (Although it does fascinate me that a worm that is cut in half will live on as two worms.)

Today I went to rake a clump of leaves that had gathered in a corner of the pavement last fall. It was very wet and there was dirt at the bottom of the pile. WOW. It was a haven for worms. Big worms. Kyle was napping, so I actually got a container and put ten worms or so in it for him. He loved them! Here are some pictures of "the release" in the garden this evening.

And yes, Kyle is out in a shirt, jacket and underpants. Again, not all battles are worth fighting. I don't care what he wears to let worms go. ;-)

Looking Back at Memorial Day

Every year since Kyle was a baby we have gone to the Memorial Day parade in South Haven. It takes place two blocks from our home, so it is an easy walk over. The parade is short, with veterans and service people, two bands, some police and fire vehicles, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. Kyle enjoys it every year, and Erin enjoyed it this year.

Yesterday I was beaming with pride when our South Haven Tribune arrived and there was Kyle's smiling face waving his American flag at the parade. I was pretty sure it would be in since they got our names when they took the picture, but I didn't know how many pictures they took that day and how many would make the paper. Our boy did!! Go Kyle!!!

Here are three pictures from the parade, too.