Cooperstown 2.0

Last week we traveled to Cooperstown, New York with Jay's family.  We were also there two years ago when Lily was ten months old.  Our nephew, Brian, was in a baseball tournament at the HUMONGOUS Cooperstown Dreams Park (100 teams play in a tournament EVERY WEEK!), and Jay's parents also like to take us back because they used to live there.  We stayed in a wonderful (perhaps haunted?) house with Mom and Dad Printz, Tracy and Brian, and Hope and her friend Beth.  We saw a lot of baseball, visited the Farmers' Museum, the beach, played mini-golf, ate a lot and much more.  We all had a great week.  I was also pleasantly surprised that Lily was a VERY good girl on the 11 hour drive!

Only one week of summer left--where does the time go??

The Hydes Came to Visit!

Over the last weekend of July our friends from Michigan came to stay with us: Rich and Angela, and their daughters, Julia and Anna.  On Friday night, the girls enjoyed playing in the kiddie pool on our deck while the adults enjoyed a delicious steak dinner and tried to stay cool!

On Saturday morning we packed things up and headed to the zoo!  It was very HOT, but we all had a lot of fun.  We especially enjoyed cooling off during the Dora 4-D movie!

We were sad to see them go on Sunday...we hope to make this a new summer tradition!  Lily especially had a blast with the girls--we can't wait to see the Hydes again soon!

First Haircut

Lily's hair has gotten so long, and I've been wanting to get it trimmed for quite a while.  However, every time I would mention getting a hair cut to Lily, she would tell me she was scared because it would hurt.  We happened to be out and about the other night in the tri-county area and Lily randomly said "Mommy, my hair is SO LONG.  I need it cut right now!"  Jay and I couldn't believe our ears...we pulled into the nearest Great Clips and Lily got her first hair cut.  It was just a trim and she still has her curls, but she was very excited and was a very good girl the entire time.

Summer So Far...

I can't believe we're nearing the end of July already--summer is flying by, as usual.  After school let out in early June, we headed straight for Michigan.  Although the weather was a bit cold and dreary, we still had a great time.  Because of the extremely rainy spring, we were able to see the beautiful blooms at Jay's parents' house (which are usually already finished blooming by the time we make it up).  The pictures are pretty, but it's even more unbelievable in person!

Lily also watched "The Sound of Music" for the first time with Mamaw and Papaw, which she loved.  She now frequently sings "Do Re Mi" :)  Here she is snuggling with Papaw...

A week after returning from Michigan, we made it into Chicago for Ellie's and Anthony's graduation party.  We got to see a bunch of the Printz clan and Lily got to play with her cousins, especially her buddy, Drew.

To keep cool, we've taken trips to the Childrens' Museum with Lily's cousin, Kate.  We've also frequented the Winton Woods waterpark and Lily still loves to splash around in her kiddie pool on our deck (and so does her daddy!).

During the first week of July, we took a trip to Stricker's Grove with Mamaw and Papaw Stehlin for the St. John's parish picnic.  Lily had a BLAST on the rides, including some of the big ones like the Scrambler!

Last week we took another trip to Michigan, this time with our friends Damon and Jessica.  The weather was beautiful while the boys golfed every day and the girls went to the pool...the perfect trip!

Summer is rapidly coming to an end, but we still have another trip to Cooperstown with Jay's parents and some more of the Printz crew.  Can't wait!

Spring

Wow...apparently I decided not to post anything for an entire season!  Since February was my last post, I'll do my best to briefly recap the entire spring season...

Over spring break we visited Mamaw and Papaw Printz in Michigan.  We happened to overlap a few days with Tracy, Brian, Hope and Beth, which was great!

We visited Meijer Gardens to see the butterflies and let Lily play in the children's area.

At the end of spring break we also found out that Lily will soon be a big sister (and we have since learned it will be another little girl)!  Lily is ecstatic to meet her new little sister this December and Lily has recently informed me that she knows when the baby comes she will "pop out and say SURPRISE" ;)  Lily is such a funny, smart little girl and I am amazed by how much she has grown this year.  It's hard to believe my baby will be three in October!  She is constantly saying things that make me laugh.  She loves to sing and be silly!

For Easter, Lily had a great time coloring eggs (and eating them!).  She was very excited for the Easter Bunny to bring her a basket of treats and she enjoyed an egg hunt in Grandma Binzer's house (since it was too rainy to hunt outside).

We also took a trip to the zoo and Lily was able to see her FAVORITE purple dinosaur in person!

Since the Holidays...

We've been enjoying the downtime after the holidays, including all our snow days--we're up to six!  Unless the law changes, we'll be making up three of those...but I have to admit that it's always nice to get that early morning call, turn off the alarm  and roll back over to fall asleep under the electric blanket!  Although, I definitely have to say that I have had enough of winter.  I hope that the groundhog is right and spring will be here soon!

Jay's parents, Mamaw and Papaw Printz as Lily calls them, were in town this past weekend to celebrate Jay's birthday this week.  We had a delicious dinner at the White House Inn on Saturday night.  My parents came, as well as Tracy and Brian, so luckily we got a private room and Lily had space to wander around when she got tired of sitting still :)  Sunday was the Super Bowl, and we watched the game at Tracy and Brian's house with lots of great snacks and a HUGE, extremely delicious chocolate cake from Costco--yum!!!  I didn't care who won the game, the commercials weren't too funny this year, Christina Aguilera botched the words to the national anthem and the Black Eyed Peas gave a terrible half-time show performance...but we had a great time, anyway!  Lily spent the time, eating, eating, playing with dolls, and eating.  Over the last few months, she has really turned into a little girl (with tons of energy, as usual)--check her out reading and singing:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

 

 

Jingle Bells

The Holiday Season

Wow...a LOT has happened since my last post--basically the entire holiday season!  I can't believe it's January already!  I'll do my best to recap all that's happened...

November:
The biggest event of November was, of course, Thanksgiving!  We always spend Thanksgiving week in Michigan with the Printz family.  It's the only time of year that the whole family is together, and I always enjoy it, with all of our traditions.  In years past, Jay and I have always had the entire week off--not the case anymore.  We headed up right after school on Tuesday and were greeted by Danny, Nancy and the boys and the Bertke trio :)  Wednesday morning I was busy making pies for the big day while Brian read quietly in the living room and everyone else went shopping around Saugatuck.  In the early afternoon we were joined by the Alvizus and the Hornaceks.  As soon as everyone arrived, Tracy kept us on schedule with her itinerary :)  Turkey Day was fantastic, as usual--thanks, Mom!  Throughout the weekend, we fit in all the usual traditions (and a few new ones!) including lunch at 8th Street and visiting Santa on Friday (and Lily wanted nothing to do with Santa for the second year in a row), decorating the Christmas tree at the condo and a boys vs. girls gingerbread house competition.  I'd say it was a perfect weekend, except for Saturday when Lily was sick with the stomach flu and then I was sick on the ride home Sunday!  We ended up taking Monday off to get well!

                                                          The family decorating the tree

                                                                      The boys' house

                                                                     The girls' house

December:

The month of December seems like a whirlwind.  Somehow, through it all, I ended up finished with my shopping, wrapped and ready with a week to go before Christmas--don't ask me how! 

We had two snow days in December and we enjoyed them outside :)

                                                                          Snow Angel!

We spent the weekend before Christmas in Chicago with the Printz family (most of them!) at Danny and Nancy's house and had a great time!  Lily was extremely excited because she got two pillow pets ;)

                                        The kids--after singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas"!

                                             Lily resting with her new "Pillow Pets, Mommy!"

Christmas was very busy.  I was so lucky to spend an evening with my good friends, Meghan (from Texas!) and Krista (from Columbus!) with her cutie son, Joe.  We spent Christmas Eve with the Stehlin family, Christmas Day at Grandma Binzer's house, and then spent the week after Christmas in Michigan.  We were lucky to spend a night with the Bertkes and then had lots of fun with Mom and Dad Printz, including a trip to "Uncle Lou's" farm--Lily loved all the animals.  We were home to spend a second year at Tracy and Brian's for New Year's Eve--so fun!  I love our new tradition, complete with Jay's delicious steak dinner!  As usual, the break went by way too quickly, but it was tons of fun :)

                                         Uncle Lou's farm--the horse kept trying to get her hat!



What a great holiday season...can't wait til next year and looking forward to a great 2011!  Happy New Year!