Outdoor cousin fun

Our final afternoon in Michigan brought decent enough weather to allow us to play outside, so we seized the opportunity.  NanaB and GrandDad have a stash of new and vintage toys for this very purpose.  Like this classic thingamajig:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this baby carriage was Stephanie's when she was a little girl.

Peter's pig went grocery shopping with him.

Peter and Quinn loved chasing the balls down the sloped driveway.

Maisie joined us after her nap.  Her ensemble had a lot of school spirit, but was a little odd.

Maisie didn't last long in the walker -- she wanted to crawl!

Steph led a marching parade around the circle in a vain attempt to keep the kids out of the flower beds.

Performing on the "stage" in the children's garden area.

The only shot we got that day of all four kids -- not so good.

DJ Maisie K in the house!

Quinn found some wet potting soil to play in -- can you tell?

We left the next morning on our long journey home.  Note to self -- don't hit Nashville during rush hour traffic unless you have a death wish.  Other than that, the trip home was blissfully uneventful.  Thanks for inviting us to visit, NanaB and GrandDad!  We're looking forward to coming back in June for Camp NanaB.

Fun with Granny and Grandpa Great

A playdate with Granny and Grandpa Great was next on our agenda.  When we showed up, we found a great set-up of car toys that Corey says he remembers playing with at Granny's house when he was little.  The kids were entranced.

Granny is such a cutie.

More pictures!!

The cars were a huge hit!

Charlie Jo, our resident sleuth, had a great time looking for clues with Granny and Grandpa Great's magnifying glass.

Maisie loved goofing off with her Granny Great.

I love this ridiculously adorable photo of GG & GG.

Fun with the golf putter toy!

Buddies!!

These photos of NanaB, Uncle Doug, and Uncle Dave always make me smile whenever I see them at GG & GG's house.

Who knew the shower in the guest bathroom would have provided such entertainment?

Peter liked playing outside the shower better than inside.

Charlie and Grandpa Great checked out a book about birds.

Petey teased Granny Great all morning, but never would give her a cuddle.  A combination of teething and a separation anxiety phase inspired him to be extra stingy with his hugs on this trip.

Thanks for inviting us over for a playdate, GG & GG!  Can't wait to see you again this summer.

Feeding the ducks -- FAIL

Stephanie and I learned a tough lesson one afternoon.  Apparently, a 3-year-old, 2-year-old, 1-year-old, and an 8-month-old are NOT good candidates to feed ducks by an idyllic pond.

First, apparently it is physically impossible for any of them not to to charge wildly at the ducks upon sight.

We dragged the kids to the playground to see if they could run off some energy before harassing the ducks again.  Petey kept stopping by to check in with Maisie.  I still can't believe he was so gentle with her all week.

Quinn raced his mom down the slide.

Charlie Jo ran around and made friends, and I pushed Peter on the swing for what seemed like eight hours.  We finally decided to head back to see the ducks and give it a whirl.  We gave Quinn and Charlie some cracked corn, and then this happened:

Yeah, they charged at the ducks with the corn held tightly in their little fists, screaming "DUCKS!!!  COME HERE DUCKS!!!"  Even with some tutoring, they completely freaked the ducks out.  We cut our losses and left the ducks in peace.  After all that fun outside, the kids needed a bath.  Good thing NanaB and GrandDad have such a big tub!

I had to include this last photo of Quinn and Charlotte watching cartoons the next morning.  So cuddly!

Michigan cousin convention

After Charlotte and I stopped puking our guts out and felt well enough to drive, we loaded up the Big Red Van and raced to NanaB and GrandDad's house in Michigan.  There, we met up with Corey's sister, Stephanie, and her kids, Quinn and Maisie.  For some reason, my first batch of photos from this visit omits both GrandDad and Quinn!  I guess even though Maisie learned to crawl forward that week, she still moved a little slower and was easier to catch on film.

Charlotte was so excited to be reunited with Maisie's "fat cheeks for me to pinch!"

Granny Great stopped by to check on her namesake.

I'm still not sure how NanaB did "Rickety Rickety Rocking Horse" so many times without ending up in the hospital.  Look -- you can see Quinn's rear end in this photo!

Maisie knows how cute she is.

Zoinks!  Is NanaB goosing her?

Cuddles with NanaB are the best.

Crawling around in a hand-me-down outfit from Charlotte.

I'm GORGEOUS!  And MOBILE!

Oh yeah -- Peter was there too.

Oops -- Maisie was still better at crawling backward than forward at this point, and it kept getting her into trouble.  Did we save her?  Yes, but not before taking pictures.

Easter at the Arboretum

After we opened Easter baskets last Sunday, we headed over to the Children's Garden at the Morton Arboretum.  Charlotte, Peter, and Sonia had the place practically to themselves!

The mirror ball was a big hit.

As was the xylophone coming out of a flower.

We put Charlotte in the doghouse and told her to stay there until she learned to eat vegetables other than baby carrots.  We may be able to pick her up in about 10 years.

WHEE!!

Climbing Mt. Everest is easier when you wear lots of purple.

Uncle Andrew led the way across the bridge to the tree house.

Peter charged right across like a pro, but Charlotte needed a little help.

What do you see, Charlotte?

Sonia was looking for baby animals to rescue in the trees.

Hold on tight, Charlotte!

The floating granite sphere was so cool.  Andrew wants to put one out on his deck.

The next morning, we set off for Michigan to rendezvous with Aunt Stephanie, Quinn, and Maisie at NanaB & GrandDad's house.  More photos to come!