Winding Up Summer

Summer is starting to come to an end as the nights are starting to get cooler and children in the neighborhood are back to school. We've enjoyed our busy August.

On August 4th, Elise and I spent a day at the Wood County fair with our good friends the Hebekas. We loved going through the animal barns and made friends with a friendly sheep who should have won a blue ribbon just on personality! Daddy met us over his lunch break for pork-a-lean sandwiches and 4H milkshakes. Elise showed off by learning to drink with a straw.















































We also took yet another trip to the zoo- that's why we have a membership! This time we discovered the large fan in the goat area that mists water on the animals... or people who choose to stand there. Elise loved it on our hot visit and now thinks that zoos have the coolest fans- and the animals come second! After all, she is a fan connoisseur. We even saw our friends the Brujics (who also are excited to be expecting another daughter this December).

Just this past Monday, we enjoyed daddy's day off with a trip to the Imagination Station (formally Cosi) where we played in the hands-on childrens section. Before leaving, Jeff impressed us with riding a bicycle on a tightrope... something about reliving his days in the circus. Afterward, we had lunch at a nearby pizza shop before heading home for nap time.




Our August also included a visit to Nana and Poppa's house, a visit from Aunt Dawn and cousin Stephen (from Maryland), and multiple trips to the park to play on the swings and slide.

Since Elise is getting bigger, she's been picking up more housework chores. Besides emptying the dishwasher, doing laundry and vacuuming, we have her mowing the yard, Swiffering the kitchen, and picking up Crab apples in the front yard (she filled an entire bucket on her own- no joke!).

Another new thing: Elise knows who she is! We ask Elise 'Where is Daddy? Where is Mommy?' and she can point to us. But, when we asked 'Where is Elise?', she'd shrug her shoulders as if to say 'Beats me!'. Now, she smiles and points to herself!

But best of all, the school buses are back! We make sure to be outside in our driveway as they parade their way down our street each afternoon!!! Winding up the summer isn't that bad!