August gets hot in Chicago

We have been seeing how long we can go without using air conditioning this summer.
(Might as well wait until there is a pregnant woman around to play this game.Right?)
So far it has been pretty painless.

Today it was pretty hot, so I put Elanor in her bating costume and we headed out to the zoo to play in the fountain.







I am not sure whose idea it was to get the ice cream, but neither of us fought it.

Are you suprised to hear that we went to the zoo?

We spiced this trip up with the addition of the Ferraros...








an expert group of goat groomers.

Grandpa Jim and Judy's House

We went to Appleworks and after having a cider squishy we visited the animals in the petting zoo, in this picture Elanor is feeding the donkey some oats. You can't feed the animals back home.

Our girl enjoyed the bumpy ride down the path in the trailer of the tractor.







We found some geodes during this walk. (wade)
They looked great once we opened them back at the house.
If you want to see them, they are on our front porch here in Forest Park.





Here is a friend that we met in the woods.











Here we have a salamander that we found in the stream.


























Kristen, Elanor, Grandpa Jim, Mimi and I all went to lunch Wonderlab, the Bloomington children's museum.









Recognize anyone?

The Hubers set sail on the Sunset.

Our friends Jill and Frank have a sailboat, Sunshine, in Monroe Harbor.
They invited the three of us to join them for Venetian Night.
We Packed a picnic and headed out for a night on the water.

It was the fiftieth Venetian night so there were some extra bells and whistles including a flyover by the Lima Lima Flight team.








I don't have any pictures of the boat parade because from the water you are facing away from the decorations, they all face the shore. So here is a picture of Kristen decorated with some glow earrings.




There was a fireworks show synchronized to music on the radio.
The barges that the fireworks are staged from were about one hundred feet from the Sunshine.









Oooo








Here are my girls watching the show.











Jill said that fireworks are her favorite things in the world.
(We are hoping that she considers Frank a who not a what.)










Ahhh

A long weekend with the Meyers.

We met my cousin Nikki and her family at the farmers market on the capitol square in Madison.










The girls were great helpers.








Eating above the table...








footsie below.








We visited Clair's Aunt Cindy's House and took a dip in the pool.
Here we have Uncle Ryan making his grand entrance.

(It is now weeks later and Elanor still wants to have a Popsicle on Aunt Cindy's porch.)

Fourth of July

We got started with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Judy on the Third. Practice makes perfect.











Then we headed over to the Ferraro's. It was a great time hanging out in their yard, eating and celebrating Laura's birthday.








Elanor Loved playing in the pool in their yard.








A handsome pair don't you think.
(I am thinking of an arranged marriage.)








We hope that you had a great Fourth too.

Vermont in Chicago

Years ago Kristen and I went to see a Gillian Welch concert and we met a couple from Vermont, Dave and Emily Keller, who were touring the country by car. We sold them a spare ticket and by the intermission we had invited them to stay with us. They were planning to camp at the Beach State Park in Zion and make day trips into the city to see the sights, with their dog Hickory.

We have kept in touch mostly through birth announcements and holiday cards since. Until a few weeks ago when I got a comment here on Little Hubers from Dave. Fast forward a little and we were all together again, with their two girls Ida Lee and Hava and our Elanor to boot.

We took the El to Millennium park.








This is Sierra, she asked if it was OK to sit next to Elanor. She was super sweet with Elanor and ended up giving Elanor a bracelet for keeps.

(For their whole visit Chicagoans were very nice to us, my thanks to Chicago for putting on such a nice face.)






Here Ida Lee and Elanor are looking at their reflection on the Cloud Gate.







What a handsome family.











I think that Dave enjoyed the Crown Fountian.












I just liked this picture of the Thompson Center.

After the visit to the Park the
girls all fell asleep in the strollers.








After lunch at The Corner Bakery we
headed to the conservatory.






Check out the chick sat the MSI.







We also visited the Beach by the MSI.

a little child labor

We went to the zoo today...
and the pygmy hippo put on quite a show.

Then Elanor had to take in the recycling bin to earn lunch.

Mommy was feeling tired, baby and all.
So Elanor and I took a trip to Jewel to get a few things while Mommy rested.
(Lazy Daddy made Elanor cary the basket.)

A morning spent at the Shedd with the Meyer ladies.

Here is the Shedd Aquarium as seen from in front of the Adler Planetarium,
it is a great place to see the skyline.

The girls are looking at the amazon river exhibit here.
Elanor seems a bit less enthused than Claire.

HEY, look it's Dad...
We just happened to be walking by as the dolphin presentation began,
it is always fun to watch them jump and play.
Did I mention that the girls enjoy each others company?