We took a weekend trip to Chicago. Anna and Cole have been working hard this summer to buy something for themselves. Anna bought an American Girl Doll. She good a class on how to fix her doll's hair. Grandma Jane, Anna and I enjoyed a brunch at the cafe. It was fun to spend some girl time with Anna.
Anna started second grade and Cole started kindergarten. They both had a great first day. I think it is going to be a wonderful school year.
It is hard to believe that is has almost been a year ago that Tessa was born. It has been a fast year. It is always amazing to me how quickly babies grow and change and Tessa is no exception. She is full of life, energy and smiles. She is cruising everywhere and taking a few steps on her own. She can also Army crawl. Between the two she gets where she needs to go. She loves the attention of Anna and Cole and her Dad is her new best friend. She likes to look at books, snuggle with her stuffed animals and be in the middle of the action.
It was fun having our cousin's visit for the week. We went for a bike ride on the canal, spent the day at Conner Prairie and of course shot off a few fireworks. Our house seems quiet now that they are gone.
Anna and Cole attended Conner Prairie Camp this week with a couple of friends. They had a great time shooting bow and arrows, riding in paddle boats and fishing. Their favorite thing about the week was riding in a hot air balloon.
Tessa is becoming more and more mobile. She has just learned to roll over and enjoy being on her stomach. She loves to cruise around furniture and walk with her toy car. She likes to snuggle with her pink bunny and rub his ears against her face. She likes to listen to music and dance along with it. Her fingers are getting better at grabbing small things. She likes to look through books. She is usually happy and smiling. We are amazed by her curly hair.
We had a fun Fourth of July. Our neighborhood had a bike parade and picnic with spectacular fireworks that evening. Our good friends, the Boezman's invited us over for a cook-out. The kids enjoyed the slippery slide and water balloons.
Cole has been taking gymnastics for awhile and is enjoying it. He has been working on climbing a rope with a bell hung on the top. Each week he gets a little closer and tonight he reached the top. He was so excited. We are proud of Cole.
Anna has been taking piano lessons for about 6 months and had her first recital. She did a beautiful job. It was neat to have Grandma Jane there. Miss Kathy, our neighbor and dear friend has been Anna's teacher. It should also be noted that this is the first time Anna has worn a skirt or dress since anyone can remember.
After 13 years Corbin makes me laugh almost every day. I am amazed at how much he can get done in a day. I think he is as handsome as the first day I saw him. I am grateful for the life we have. I am living the life of my dreams in Indiana (who would have thought)?
On our drive to North Carolina it was great to reconnect with some friends. We stopped to see our friend Dr. Hammon's in Lexington. Anna and Cole loved looking at his crystal collection and listening to the poetry he is writing for his upcoming book. It was also great to see the Scott's in North Carolina. We enjoyed eating dinner and swimming at their pool. We are blessed to have many good friends.
We enjoyed a relaxing week in North Carolina. It was fun to see some beautiful places on our drive there. Cole liked riding the waves. Anna was a sea shell collector. Tessa enjoyed the water on her toes.
Tessa or "T" as we call her is nine months old. She makes us smile every day with the funny things she does. She has developed a unique way to move. She scoots on her bottom to where she wants to go. Her favorite way to get around is to walk holding on to our hands. We make a lot of laps around the furniture in our house. Her favorite toys are drawers and the dishwasher. She loves to open and close them. She has discovered the swimming pool and likes to kick in the water. She loves to make lots of noise and claps her hands. She likes to watch Anna and Cole and they all keep each other entertained. She went to the doctor and weighs 19 pounds 13 ounces and is 43 cm tall. She is growing and doing great.
It was fun to have our Partridge cousin's visit us this weekend. They had fun swimming, swinging, playing games, making music and jumping on the trampoline. It was amazing that they haven't seen each other in two years, but they picked up right where they left off. Thank you, Judd and Steph for stopping by on your move west.
