"Down-tooown" Chicago

Buckingham Fountain on a beautiful day with a clear Chicago Skyline.

We drove downtown on Saturday to meet Erin and Sean who were visiting from D.C.  We don't go downtown much so I don't think the girls knew what to expect.  Fortunately, we had great weather and they didn't seem to mind the walking.  We met at the fountain and then walked north through the Millenium Park up Michigan Avenue.  We stopped for lunch and went by the bean before parting ways.  

Looking up at the bean.  

Family photo at the bean.

Simeon smile!

All the girls.

Sean, Sebastian and Erin.

All the walking really wore Sebastian out.  

Thanks for visiting with us!

Cana has been talking about downtown and Sebastian ever since.  

She loves "down-toown" and brings it up every time we get on the freeway.  

Braids

First Time Jumper

September 27, 2012

Strong legs to jump.  The first time he just twirled around to look at everything.

September 28, 2012

And now we know how to jump!

Daddy & Cana Snuggle Time

 September 26, 2012

Simeon finding his feet

Baptism

The Baptism of Simeon Matthias Nitzel - September 23, 2012

We were honored to be asked to be godparents to little Simeon and I was overjoyed to be a part of the baptism itself.  Adley, Cana, Simeon our sitter Becca and myself drove to Bloomington for the service and to celebrate with lunch afterwards.  It was a great day to meet Simeon, witness his baptism, and to be together with friends.  I thoroughly enjoyed the day with my three well-behaved children and plenty of help too!

A quick photo after church in our matching dresses from Aunt Karen.

Silly picture time.

Two baby Simeons

Simeon, Cana, Adley, Aiden, Josiah and Simeon

Awesome to have all 6 in one photo.

Adley with her godparents Chris and Heather. 

(and Chris and Megan too!)

Its beginning to look a lot like fall...

September 21, 2012

The first day we had to break out the coat.

Pony Tails

Garden Update - 9/17/2012

Checking on the carrots with Daddy.

Box 2 - Tomatillo plants in the background, overgrown rhubarb chard plants in the foreground.

Baby carrots!

Adley took some of the larger ones peeled in her lunch the next day and told her teacher about the carrots she grew.

Box 1 - onions on the left, carrots on the right, cherry tomato plants in the middle.  Bean plants done and removed and beets on the back side, not visible. 

Picking beets with Daddy.

Tomatillos make great salsa verde!

Our harvest:

a half dozen small carrots

a dozen tomatillos

a dozen beets

a dozen or more small white onions

more chard than we know what to do with

Cupcake Girls

Simeon

9/16/2012

This is my favorite.

They're all my favorites!

Skype with Grammy & Paka

Creation

Adley is learning about Creation at Kindergarten.

So she decided to create the "world" in our living room. The sheet in the back is cliffs.  The ground has blankets of grass, The armchair on the left has a blue blanket waterfall and, of course, all the animals.  The dolls on the couch are learning about Creation.