Warning! Huge Catch up vacation Post- shield your eyes, these kids are cute!

   
Baby Blessing Day. August 14th.
We had Leo’s blessing at home on a Saturday afternoon, when everyone could be there from our family. Leo looked so dang handsome in his white suit. The grandpas thought the hat was ridiculous. I thought it was hilarious. We forgot to take pictures with everyone after the blessing. The story of my life. 500 pictures from my parents visit- but not one for the momentous event.

While they visited we went to the Indiana State Fair and Children’s Museum, and below are pics from a new exhibit, 100 acres, at the Indiana Museum of Art. Come visit in the spring time, we’ll go,  it will be fun. The tall curly headed boy that looks like Michael Cera is my sisters boy toy Keaton. Shout out to Keaton, he’s cool.



Last weekend we went to a local apple Orchard, Anderson Orchard. It’s becoming a tradition, once you’ve done it twice, it’s a tradition, right?
While picking apples I tried to get a pic of Leo lounging in the tree. Picture Fail.
See Natalie’s cowgirl hat? Well, it’s not a cowgirl hat. Don’t call it that. She’ll correct you. It’s an “Apple Orchard Girl Hat.”
Tried the apple cider slushie for the first time- even better than spiced cider. I might have had three. Right up there on my list of the greatest summer treats along side frozen lemonade and orange julius.



Yesterday we explored McCloud Park, a county park out in the boondocks of North Salem. McCloud is simply nature- miles of trails through the woods and around plateau meadows, wildflowers taller than me, a prairie grass maze for the kids, fly fishing demonstrations, bird watching kits.
We went with our neighbors from down the street, the Francises. How do you spell plural of Francis? Fransiss? Francisiss, Franci? Anywho, John and the kids walked around the woods with them while I ran some of the trails.
One of the reasons why I love running so much is I feel so ALIVE. Taking deep breaths, moving every part of your body, having your heart beat out of your chest. Adding to the adrenaline rush was all the living things around me- huge trees, buzzing insects, running alongside butterflies, hitting bent over prairie grass with your legs with every step, the sun beating down on you, wind gusts as you turn a corner, and everything is Technicolor green. My senses were overloaded. Felt good. Really good. It couldn’t hurt that I got lost so by the time I made it back to everyone else I’d only run 2.5 miles.


Yesterday after we arrived home from the park, I found something to eat for dinner, and the girls wanted to play outside.  It was a perfect 70 degrees, I couldn’t begrudge it.  So outside we went with Leo and my camera, ready to take some cute shots.
Well, here was another Minute to win it moment- how to take a picture of a child with one hand, while supporting with the other. I finally resorted to laying on my back, Leo leaning against my bent legs, and shooting blind with the camera up in the air. The first few dozen shots were slightly off course, most with my tree in perfect clarity but a fuzzy blur attacking the camera.


Somehow I came out with a few money shots.
I mean seriously, those cheeks, that huge smile. Don’t you just want to gobble him up? Making him laugh is my new favorite hobby.