Friday on Navy Pier

On Friday we went with Jason, Karina, Reiley & Luke to Chicago's Navy Pier, especially to see the Children's museum. The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time.

Surprise, it's water!

Papi and the boys.

Fill 'er up, Reiley!

How much for this chicken?

Luke, up creek without a paddle.

Are they biting?

Making faces, and memories.

We had a hard time getting Reiley to leave this exhibit. He would've stayed all day, I think.

Luke tried on a sea anemone... I think green is his color, don't you?

Reiley walked all the way, and slept hard that night.

Are you sure you want a double dip?!

Garage Sale?

(click to enlarge)

Imagine our surprise...
That's our address, but we're not having a garage sale. We didn't even see this notice until the guy from 5728 N. Meade showed up at our doorstep to tell us the newspaper made a mistake. He'll be putting a sign in our yard tomorrow morning, to advise the crowds of people looking for a deal. I'm keeping the garage locked, as well.

Nigeria, Here They Come

Tonight Andrea, Daniel, and Josiah are aboard a plane en route to London. After a thirteen-hour layover, they'll catch another flight to Abuja, Nigeria. This is their long-anticipated mission survey trip. In the next two and a half weeks, they'll be visiting several areas; some with on-going ministries, others where the work has yet to begin. They are praying for the Lord's guidance for a future ministry in missions.

Splish-Splash, Josiah!

Ready.... aim.... gotcha!

Live and Learn

If your computer fan starts working overtime, and sounds like a jet plane ready for takeoff, try the following:

1. Unplug your computer tower and take it outside.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Use "Dust Off", or another brand of 'canned air', to blast all those dust bunnies inside your computer.
4. Take computer back inside, replace cover, and hook it up.
5. If you hear any jet planes, you're living too close to O'Hare.

On a Recent Visit...

Luke practiced his trampoline act.

Then he performed on the piano for us.

Reiley and Vovó made playdough memories.

Reiley and Papi really got "into" this Clifford book.

Good Night, Josiah

Last night Daniel called and put Josiah on the phone.

D - “Come and say hi to Vovó, Josiah.”

J - “Vovó!”

V - “Hi, Jo-Jo! What are you doing?”

J - “Vovó! Shhhs, shhhs! Doh, doh! ‘Side, 'side! Vovó!” (pointing wildly)

Translation: Get my shoes! Open the door! Let’s go outside, and straight to Gramma’s house!

D – “But Jo-Jo, we can’t go right now. It’s night-night time.”

J – “Waaaaahhhhhhh! Vovó!!”

Just about broke my heart.

I've always thought Good Night Moon is a bit strange, but it’s probably a better bedtime routine…..

Lettuce Enjoy....

Beans, beets, broccoli, lettuce, onions, peppers, spinach, tomatoes....
It's amazing how well you can eat from a 10' x 20' garden.

This is one of my favorite places to sit on an early June morning, sipping coffee and reading my Bible. My brother-in-law poured the patio for us four years ago. I can't believe we lived here nine years before deciding to do it.

Presenting...

Grandma MaryM, the newest gramma in the family.

Happy Birthday Owen James

My niece, Rachel, had her baby in the middle of the night. That means my sister is officially "Grandma" now. Welcome to the club, MaryM. And congratulations, Rachel and Roger. 

Run With Perseverance

Out with the old...

In with the new.

The old may not appear worn out, but you can tell when you put them on. The idea is to keep running, or walking, until the race of life is over.
This morning PR and I are going to a memorial service for a retired pastor who finished his race over the weekend. He finished well.
Sometimes you need new shoes.
In the end, you get a whole new you. Now, that's what I'm talking about.

"...walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" Eph. 4:1

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

At the beach in Torres, RS, Brazil, January 1979.

At camp in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, January 1979.

PR and I were reminiscing this morning about that rainy, foggy Saturday morning 29 years ago. We'd been in Brazil less than a year, so having a baby "in Portuguese" made our first labor and delivery experience unique. I'm sure PR wondered where I'd learned all that "vocabulary"...

(Well, Daniel, now that you're 29, are you going to follow in Uncle Chet's footsteps and stay that way? Did he ever make good on his promise to pay you a dollar every time you told someone he was 29?)

Josiah Update

Josiah has modified the sign language for "thank you". Instead of touching his chin, he touches his ear. If he's really thankful, he touches both ears.

This boy loves his books!

Road Trip

We went to visit my mom in Minnesota.
Here's my momma-Mimi playing in the dirt, er, gardening. She loves it. After all, what's a little stiffness in the back, compared to all this fun?!
(click on photos to enlarge)

When she wasn't planting (or cooking for us), she was digging up perennials to send home for my garden.

Good ol' coffee! Yes, I'm drinking coffee, again.

If you're ever in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I recommend that you stop for lunch (or supper) at Clay City Sandwiches. My niece, Hannah, and her husband just opened for business a few months ago. They have a varied menu of sandwiches, soups, etc.
Delicious!

Here I am with my nieces, Elizabeth and Hannah. Liz is helping out with this venture.

Elizabeth and Hannah, working hard.

We spent a couple of days visiting Reiley and Luke (and their parents, who don't get photographed nearly as much).

Reiley, walking in Vovó’s shoes.

I had to include these pictures of Luke sporting his new Adventure hat.