How Can This Be?

Our baby went to a morning summer camp today! How can she be this big already?!

Summer Vacations

Todd and I returned last Monday from an awesome trip to Seattle for Troy and Lauren's wedding. We visited Jon and Jen, who now call Seattle home, and then spent a couple days outside of Leavenworth at a beautiful, rustic wedding venue before returning to Seattle for one more night. It was so refreshing to be surrounded by the amazing scenery of the Pacific Northwest. If we could convince our families to come along, I would move there in a heartbeat! More photos of that trip to come!


After spending a couple days at home soaking up time with Lorelei who we missed so much on our trip, we headed to the lake house for 4 days of R&R on the water. Lorelei rode a jet ski for the first time, went tubing, and fishing! We visited the county fair and of course rode Cameo. It was a busy few days but I'm so happy we made the trip and had perfect weather!

Fletch really dislikes the car. 

Greta really likes the car.

We shot skeet with Grandpa. My shoulder still hurts!

Lorelei is too big for sharing the saddle! Ready to ride on her own? 

Our Cowgirl.

Bedtime snuggles.

Check out those photo bombers! 

Didn't quite understand this photo op.

Getting ready for her first carnival ride with daddy!

Can you guess what she wanted to do again? And again? And again? ...

Daddy is giving her some coaching! 

Turns out fishing was pretty traumatic for Lorelei. I got some great pictures, but she only really participated for about 20 minutes, and then just wanted to go exploring in the woods. Here she's having a moment on the swing to sort out all her feelings about fishing, (and how it really wasn't what she expected!) She hasn't mentioned it since, so unfortunately for Todd, I don't think she's going to be a fisherman. 

Fourth of July Fun

We had an awesome 4th of July! We went to the Yorkville parade bright and early. It was so much fun to watch Lorelei really interact and enjoy it so much more this year. She also was very interested in the candy tossing, but we were obviously rookies as we had no bag for her to collect everything she picked up. Turns out she had a great solution for that problem: just eat it all! (Okay, not all, we managed to fill a lot of pockets to get some home).

After the parade and a solid nap, we met up with some friends for a pool party and BBQ. Lorelei has become a very confident swimmer in the last week as we have graciously accepted several pool party invites. She insisted on jumping off the diving board this afternoon, (I'm both very proud of my little fish and totally horrified by her fearlessness). She also proclaimed several times in her tiny but mighty voice, "I'm going swimming by myself!" It will be a long, long time, maybe a lifetime, before these two former lifeguards will let this child swim "by herself" but I'm trying to appreciate her confidence and typical 2-year-old independent streak.

We were all pretty whipped by the time we got home. Todd and I sat on the patio and took in some really awesome fireworks displays from across the field, and our neighbors, once again, did not disappoint. They were incredibly loud and Lorelei was still tossing in bed, so we sneaked her down to enjoy some of the show with us. She was very good and luckily, went right back to sleep when it was all over. If we're lucky, we all might get to sleep in a little bit tomorrow morning! Happy 4th!  

Jump #2: She was a little nervous and squeezed her eyes shut hoping to just walk off and have Daddy catch!