Welcome summer!

This past weekend we went to the zoo. Abby LOVES going to the zoo and we always have a good time. However, it was very hot and she was a little crankier than normal. I can't wait until summer is finally here and we can go to the zoo once a week or so.



This is the new Elephant exhibit at the Toledo Zoo. They are now really close and you get to see them do all kinds of fun things like poop!! (that is what the elephant was doing when we walked up).

Abby has discovered swimming this summer, unlike she did before. Abby has always loved baths and asks almost daily is she can take one. For the past couple of days she has been playing in the baby pool outside. She runs from the pool to her sandbox and back for hours playing. I enjoy it because all I have to do is sit and watch (and of course interact with her a little here and there :) Anyway, I can't wait until we have the big pool open to see how much fun she will have with that!



Abby at the zoo. She insisted on wearing her "pretty" dress!


One of Abby's absolute favorite things at the zoo is the carousel. She would ride it over and over again if she could. She smiles and giggles and cries when we have to make her get off. Here she is riding with Dada on the carousel.


Again, riding the carousel with Dada.



This is a video of Abby riding the carousel. You can see she is having such a good time!!

CIrcus Time!!!!!

This past weekend Abby and I went to my sister's house to go to the circus. It was to celebrate my dad's birthday. My 2 neices, nor Abby had ever been to the circus and they were all very excited to go. There was quite a group of us. We were not sure how long the kids would last since the oldest is only 3 years old, but we figured we would stay as long as they lasted. Well, to our surprise, they lasted the entire 2 hours. All 3 of them were fixed to action going on. We could not believe how much they enjoyed it! The adults enjoyed it immensely as well! Here are a few pics from our weekend.

The 3 girls playing outside.

the elephants during the grand finale.

Abby right after a particularly LOUD explosion on stage.

The elephants during their special act.

Some trapeze artists

Abby and Grace kissing during intermission

Some flying ribbon people

THe introduction!

Abby and I before it started

walking to the circus. THe kids look sooooo excited!!

All about me!

Rarely do I write a blog entry that is about me, so today I am going to. Usually I just talk about how wonderful my daughter and my husband are but today is about me (mostly). This past weekend, Eric's Aunt Ellen and Cousin Julie were in town visiting, so Jan, Ellen, Julie and I went to the Toledo Art Museum to take a glass blowing class. This was such a cool experience. You go to make your own glass blown flowers! We all had a good time making our flowers. I really want to get pictures of their flowers, but I have not yet, so I am going to post some picture of my flower. This was a lot harder than those experts made it look , but I think we all did wonderfully for our first time! Obviously the pictures above are of my flower. I am hoping to go take the class again and make another flower or 2 and to eventually put them in a vase as a permanent display!! When I get picture of everyone else's flower I will post those too!

Fun family weekend.

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Abby's "new" bed. We changed her crib to a toddler bed. She is not sure what to think of it yet. She has her Muddy the Mudhen doll on her bed. It's her new favorite stuffed toy.

Abby and Dada at the Mudhens game Friday night.

Eric with a hairless face and Abby doodle.


On Wednesday night, when I came home from work, Eric was home and he had decided to shave his goatee off. It has been a LONG time since I have seen him without his goatee. He looks very different. I had to take a picture because it had been so long.

On Friday night, Eric's cousin Julie came into town to visit. So we all went to the Mudhens game. This is the first game of the season that we had been too and for Abby it was like her first time all over again. She was in awe and kept pointing to the mascots, Muddy and Muddonna. She got to go say hi to Muddonna, but we missed our picture opportunity, so we will have to get the picture next time. Abby LOVES dressed up characters. She always has. She has never been scared of them and I love that! She is so cute running up and hugging them. While at the game, Mimi bought her a Muddy doll. You can see it in the picture above.

On Saturday, Eric's Aunt Ellen came into town also. Since everyone was here, Jan had the wonderful idea of going to a glass blowing class at the art museum. So Jan. Julie, Aunt Ellen and I went and made our own glass flowers at the glass class. It was so neat and we can't wait to pick them up on Tuesday. (they keep them for a couple of days to dry them properly so they are less fragile). Then on Saturday evening, Julie came over to see Abby for a little bit and we spontaneously decided to convert her crib to a toddler bed. This is something I have been wanting to do for a couple of weeks, we just have not gotten around to it. So, it has been a fun and eventful weekend and Abby has had a really good time. And the weekend is not over yet!!