Michigan Part I

Maura with Daddy getting ready to go on a boat ride to Mackinac Island

Aunt Brigie and Noah getting on the ferry to the island...

Gabriel watching the water as we ride across Lake Huron to Mackinac

The Mackinaw Bridge... it connects the lower peninsula of Michigan with the upper peninsula of Michigan...

Daddy and Noah enjoying the boat ride!

Mommy & Noah freezing their booties off!!!

Nina (my mom), Gabe, Katherine, & Annabelle

Noah loved watching the waves as we rode over them...

Pulling up to the island... Mackinac Island is one of the most beautiful islands... cars are not allowed on the island. All work is done by horse or man. Luggage brought over is either carried by horse & carriage or by a bike carrier... The flowers are gorgeous and the scenery like traveling back in time... More information here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackinac_Island

The "town" of Mackinac

When Casey and I were first engaged I really wanted to get married on Mackinac, but realized it would have been quite a trip for friends and family in California. This was the church I really wanted to get married in... St. Anne's

My oldest niece Katherine... Getting ready to visit the Butterfly House.

Inside the butterfly house on the island. They have hundreds of butterflies of all species found anywhere from North America to Africa. In this picture we were taking a little break while having butterflies fly all around us... even landing on us!

Noah learning all about the butterflies..

Noah takin' a break with Nina and Aunt Bethie

Above you can see Fort Mackinac which was the site of two battles during the war of 1812... Many of the buildings have been preserved and they have actors who reenact what life was like at the Fort during that time.

One of the homes on the island...

Casey & Noah in front of another home...

Walking up to the Grand Hotel...

The little stone church on the way...

Noah stopped to smell some of the beautiful flowers...

Back at Nina's house the kids played out in the yard... Annabelle, Maura, Katherine, Gabe, & Noah

Annabelle & Katherine

August 15th-22nd, 2011

Beach Day: Carlsbad, California

Daddy & Noah enjoying/playing in the sand

Noah really liked to eat the sand! He kept putting handfuls of sand in his mouth and saying "ummmmmm" which in Noahnese means "yummy"!

We tried to bury his legs, but our little man is a wiggle worm!

BIG BREAKING NEWS THIS WEEK!!!!
Noah pee pee'd in the big boy toilet!!!!

August 8th-15th, 2011

This week started out with Gabriel eating rice cereal for the first time! He loves it!

And Noah figured out the drawers in the kitchen work great as a "step-stool"! I was feeding Gabriel and turned around to see Noah on the counter! Notice the knives directly behind him! I about fell over dead on the spot! Ahhh! On Tuesday locks were installed on the drawers...they were already installed on all the cabinets.

On Wednesday Noah & Gabe had their friend AJ come over for a play-date... AJ was born in February so is only a few weeks older than Gabe!

Gabe, AJ, & Noah

On Friday Noah got a new drum! We read a book to him every night that has a drum in it so we thought it would be fun for him to actually drum on a drum rather than all over the furniture!

On Saturday Noah & Gabe had a birthday party to go to with the girls that live across the street... They are 5, 10, & 14... Their Mom put on a party for all three on the same day! Noah liked their bike helmet & lawn mower...

Zoey & Noah
One of the birthday girls & Noah on their princess bike! LOL...

Lily- another birthday girl

All lined up to hit the....

Dora pinata!

Saturday night Beth & Sean went downtown San Diego to celebrate Jamie's (Sean's sister) birthday... They came to drop Maura off who spent the night with her cousins!

Did I mention mention we are stickin' to two kids??? LOL!

Sunday morning they had eggs and CHOCOLATE CAKE! Aunt is great... she gave us chocolate cake! LOL!!!

Sunday night Uncle Johnny came over to drop off Finn because he's going to Michigan for a week... Gabe looks pretty happy! 2 hours past his bed time and still smiling...

Monday morning... Daddy off to work.... Eating breakfast!

Noah loves his eggies and toast every morning!