Total Pageviews

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

July Moments

Audrey letting Sam do the Pokemon thing.

Looking op at a massive tree on a walk in Plainfield.

Humpty Dumpty outside the Batavia library.  

Sam taking in the local bulldog statues throughout Batavia.

Sam and a train car in Batavia.

Quiet time by the river in Ba

We enjoyed our time in Batavia.  Sunny, quiet, just a nice summer moment.

Sam throwing rocks into the river. 
Sam and the river.


Audrey getting teeth cleaned and inspected.  No cavities!  

Good report back from the dentist!  However, braces are in her near future!

Finished the day with a nice quiet sunset walk around the subdivision.  Thankful for the life we have.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Rainy Sunday Thoughts

The girls enjoyed a week of swim lessons!

Thunder and lightning are crashing outside, but the rain seems to be letting up a bit now.  A few minutes before the storm, I managed to get the lawn mowed.  The first drops of rain were hitting literally as I shut-off the mower after completing the job.  Now I sit, savoring some coffee, on my living room couch.  The rest of the family is in the other room, watching a movie that I think I have seen numerous times, and the opportunity to blog was a nice alternative.

Yesterday we put our cat Eliza to sleep.  She was nearly 18 years old, and was showing all of the signs of nearing the end, and I made the decision to end things before she stated suffering.  She is one of the few pieces of my life with Kim that predate this blog.  She has been with us in Schaumberg, Chicago, and both houses in Plainfield.  Eliza saw all three Orelove kids join the family, as well as two dogs and one other cat.  She was a good cat.  

Now the skies have truly opened and there is a full storm outside.  I will continue to sip coffee and watcht he rain.  The rest of the day will entail naps and cleaning and possibly a run if the storm passes.  Simple things today.  The trials and stresses of daily life will return tomorrow when we continue to focus on house organization, family items, and the like.  We have been so fortunate to have such a wonderful summer thus far.  While less than a month remains, I have a lot planned and the days are just packed.  I think, in some ways, returning to school will seem like a break!  Ha!  Until then, though, let it rain and enjoy a nap!

-a

Cookies.  They were ok.

Another great fire out back! 
Beautiful flowers on an afternoon walk around the neighborhood.  Beauty is everywhere if you are looking for it.


The deep end.  Swimming lessons.

Sam roaming in a field.

Oskar and Audrey enjoy a nap on the floor.
Sam getting serious with a water pistol.

Sam napping.



Audrey the water slinger.

Sam at the water fight!

Kids and their water guns!

A hot day in July.  Water guns at the ready!

Monday, July 8, 2019

Summer, Family, Zoo....oh My!

The summer sun is hot.  The days are long.  The hours within them are ours.  We spend these days together, finding joy and adventure in the simple things:  long walks, play in the backyard, fires, snacks, naps, movies, swimming, taekwando, zoo, and catching fireflies.

Last weekend we enjoyed hosting Kim's sisters, their families, and mom and Ann at our house to celebrate birthdays and just being family.  The next day my father spent the night and enjoyed some time around the grandchildren and bring some artwork from his Alaska home back to his place in the city.  

Today we spent the majority of our waking hours at the zoo with our good friends, the Grill Family.  While I don't enjoy seeing apes and dolphins in captivity, it is still amazing to watch animals operate and move inside their confines.  It was also a wonderful day that was not too and a great opportunity for kids to run around and get some ya-ya's out (as I like to say).  

The day is winding down as we enjoy some pizza and old reruns of Jeopardy.  Showers and an early bed await us and tomorrow brings Grandpa Ted and Lisa to Chicago!  What adventures and memories await?  

-a

Selfie at the zoo!

Sam holding an old photograph of me around the age of three!  

Walking around Plainfield.

Violet's basement dojo!  

The family gathering at our house!  (FYI-It is hard to get kids to all look at the camera at the same time.)

Looking up in our back yard as the sun sets.  Nature is amazing.

Audrey made strawberry shortcake.  I ate a lot of it.

Zayde and Sam playing Mickey water soccer game just before the Women's World Cup on Sunday!

Quick snack outside of Australia House.  

Kids watching the giraffes.  

Audrey watching bison.  They are big.

Violet is an eagle.  The other ones are just hot.

An amazing peacock on our trail walk around the zoo.  

Just amazing.  

Polar bear peeking.  

Sam loved watching the fish.  

Zoo group shot.

Lego jeep.

Violet and Lego penguin.  

Audrey and Lego leopard.

Violet and Lego baby pandas.

Audrey and Lego baby pandas.  

Violet and Lego baby penguin.

Violet and giant Lego panda.

Violet, Sam, and Lego parrots.  

Audrey and Lego hyena.  

Violet and Lego polar bear.

Violet and Lego shark.  

Audrey and Lego Giraffe.  

Kids and Lego bears.

Kids and Lego tiger.

Kids and insane giant elephant.  

Sam petting a tortoise.  

Audrey and the red panda.

The red panda.

Violet and the red panda.  

Sam and llamas.  

Kids and a goat.

Sam bonded with this goat.

The parakeet house.  So many birds.

Violet and Master Chuck.  

Action tough guys picture.