Mom’s in Pittsburg for three days for a conference. The breakfast club: morning 1.
Lunch baggie art, Dad (guest artist)
Cal joining for dinner, cousins scope the tunnel
Goofing around with dad
The sea is deep. They rock and rock and rock to sleep.
What dad found as he was going upstairs to bed
Watching the poor victims of little bunny foo-foo scurry about
Chasing penguins, trying get a mouth on one
Fishy glee
Still trying to figure out why she can’t touch anything
Finger-to-eel
Skyfari- the fastest way to see the new south end of the zoo. Saw the elephants running around below on the return trip
Driving the rover
The boys getting brave and petting the snake
Trying for the extra-long nap with dad for…
Ella’s nine-month photos, con cousins
After a long weekend and a good effort with photos, it was time for a treat
Wishing pa happy 60th on his birthday proper, Des demonstrates the prototypical toddler phone call. A patient pa, “I’m not sure what that conversation was about, but it sure was long.”
Des shortly after getting both hands stuck in Sydney’s cage, if there was any doubt, mom suggests why he may not want to do that again
Des, a first time visitor, giving great-aunt Molly a tour of mom’s new backyard 🙂
Eleanor is content to exploring the grass immediately adjacent to the back deck
Flowers all around!
Giggly girl(s)
Ella pondering how much more food could be tossed around the floor
Sleepy, cuddly, shy Ella
Low-fives with Cal
Fastest escape crawler
A successful first gathering at grandma’s new house!
After deep-cleaning the bedrooms, dad organized Des’ books. Photographic evidence of this temporary order:
Despite the holiday, it was a good morning to go check out the new Adventure Trails children’s area at the zoo. The budgies got a new home-
Ever dubious of rope bridges
…and rafts, apparently.
At this end of the exhibit, there’s a raft that guest can help pull across the water by pulling along a large rope.
Don’t think his surroundings here really dawned on him?
“Honey, we shrunk the kid”
Eleanor happy to be inside cooling off
Desmond running with the penguins
Certainly the most animated trip to the aquarium for her
“Wait, why can’t I touch these?”
He kept insisting this was Dory and Nemo’s dad
Stingrays smiling at Eleanor
The two newest giraffes born at the zoo
Butterfly (flap flap flap)
Cave break.
It’s almost as if she doesn’t realize there’s monkeys behind her.
Flirting with, and escaping, the splash pad water spouts
Sister getting in on the mist action
Fireworks crew
Desmond’s first sparkler, think he’s a fan
Last morning hike
With all the kids in good morning spirits, it was good opportunity for a couple family photos
Great-grandpa Irv and the boys
The original grandchildren crew
The morning adventure was to the Decorah Fish Hatchery
There were indeed tons of fish, eager to eat the pellets tossed their way
Waterfall at nearby Siewers Spring state park
When leaning over a stream, always hold grandma’s hand
After naps, another trip to the pool
Drying off and snuggling with mom
Back at grandpa’s for dinner, the boys read Des’ dinosaur book with great-aunt Molly
The cousins discover the piano
Coloring ensues while the grownups are at the table looking at old photos
With everyone sleeping in the same hotel, mom is kind enough to take the earliest wakers out for a morning hike
It took a while to finally fall asleep the night before, so Des slept in with dad
After American Hot Breakfast at the hotel, everyone makes their way over to grandpa’s house
Des is just happy since Cal brought even more cars and ninja turtles to play with
Grandma reads an opera “adopted for children”
…which puts Eleanor to sleep, so it’s time for naps back at the hotel
After a good rest, everyone is ready for the pool!
Despite the apparent face of apprehension, Ella was all too happy go splashing
Back at grandpa’s house, the boys rediscover the pool table (a prominent fixture in aunt Kellie and dad’s childhood memories of Decorah)
Gathering around the end table for hors d’oeuvre, like the generations before
Des patiently observing as Cal plays with his new car trailer
Eleanor not sure of what to make with dad plinking on the piano and signing
Time for PJs
and some standing with grandma
Des and great-aunt Molly reading Dragon’s Fat Cat
Cousins being silly
Daredevil in the making.
“Whee!”
Brother playing peekaboo with sister
Not sure what to think of her first taste of peanut butter
Grandma and Eleanor have a tongue-sticking-out contest
Nothing wrong with grandma’s lips, just sputtering back to Ella
“Watch out for bridges and hop-ons. You’re going to get some hop-ons.”
Perfect spring morning to plant seeds in the garden- lettuces, squash, kohlrabi , spaghetti squash and cucumbers. Next up, tomatoes, basil and all the peppers.
Happiest in the dirt
Desmond showing off his dirt pile for Calvin
“I got worms!” is what Des would say if he knew better
All the grandkids looking mostly in the same direction
Ella cuddling with aunt Kellie
