OUR TIME IN MICHIGAN

We had a great time this year in Michigan....the only downfall was that we had to leave so early. One more day would have been nice, but with the new baby on the way, I couldn't afford to take too much time off from work. Jason and I both felt it was a shame though, cuz Cale was having a BLAST! Everything was so new and exciting to him, plus he got to eat all the sweets and drink all the juice that he wanted....we were on vacation after all! The first day up there was, in my book, FREEZING!!!! The next two days warmed up to probably mid 70s and sunny, so that was a nice treat. But it never got nice enough to pull out the tank tops or shorts--at least they had an indoor pool that Cale was able to take advantage of one night with his Daddy and Grandpa!

Here's Cale next to the "digger" we ran across while going on one of our many walks. It didn't hold his attention for as long as Jason and I would have guessed, seeing as all he talks about and plays with these days is trucks. My theory ----it's no fun if you can't touch or climb on it and since it was old, dirty, and rusty, Jason told Cale it was off limits! (Does that really surprise any of you???? )
Me and my hubby--we rarely get pictures together anymore!

Cale's very first boat ride in Chief's boat! He loved his life jacket, but it took him a few minutes to like the boat ride. Once we got going though, he kept saying "faster!"

Looking for the fishies...sadly, there were none....anywhere.....seriously

Still lookin' for the fish.....still nowhere to be found

Uncle Garry's (AKA "Mista Mista") boat got top prize for having a Captain's seat.

Second boat ride, in Mista Mista's boat....much more relaxed this time around.

Grandpa and Cale taking advantage of the pool--Cale didn't last too long in his little airplane, but as soon as Jason offered it to another little boy in the pool for a bit, it suddenly got a WHOLE lot cooler! Funny how that is, huh?

Relaxing after a long, hard day's work of eating, drinking, and playing!!!

We found the world's biggest sandbox next to the cabin....and Cale loved it. We brought all his sand toys from home and he was just in heaven, making sand castle after sand castle, filling and dumping sand from his dump truck and making "poop" from sand and water! He certainly is a BOY!

Cale and Mommy's masterpiece....

...including a moat.....

Me and my lovebug being silly!!!!!!!!!!

Wherever we go, Cale will find an anthill....This has got to be the mother load of anthills

Last, but certainly not least, picking rocks and wading in the water at the boat launch

This past weekend Cale got to enjoy his pool for the second time this summer! It was a much more worthwhile experience for me than last time, I'll tell you that! Last time, it took me an hour and a half to get the dang thing blown up and filled with multiple buckets of warm water from the house, only for Cale to play in it for about 20 minutes. I about died! This weekend however, Cale played in that pool for a couple hours throughout the day! Not that's more like it!

What a busy day we had today! And quite productive too! It was my day off with my little man so we started our day at Uncle D's and enjoyed his playground for about 2 hours before heading to "Donald's" (McDonald's) for "my happy meal." Not surprisingly, at least for the past few weeks, Cale decided that a nap was not in the cards for today. So that left me scrounging for some new and exiciting ideas or games to pass our time....not that I don't LOVE my days with Cale, but I could use a little reprieve every now and again---I'm really not liking the infrequent naps!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, we made do with our afternoon of activities...1)going for a walk, 2)sweeping up ant hills, 3) playing basketball, 4)watering my flowers (I know, I'm becoming more domestic!) and daddy's shrubs, 5)washing Cale's motorcycle, and 6)making (and eating) brownies! All this in one day, you ask? Oh no, all this before 4pm!!!!!!!!! Finally, Cale agreed to settle down and watch a little Thomas. Now, I'm exhausted and my hubby just called asking "what's for dinner?" I'm thinking.....brownies!!!!!!!!!!

WINDING DOWN THE WEEKEND

Heading over to Uncle D's to say Hi! And to play on his swingset....Uncle D and Auntie Andrea put up two new swings on their swingset, just for Cale. Since daddy won't put up a swingset, we have to go over there to play! So Cale now his pick, the horsie swing or the "high" swing. Today he preferred the high swing......

....but we still couldn't get him high enough!
Cale trying to copy Uncle D

Cale loves his Uncle D....BUDDIES FOREVER!!!!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!

We celebrated the 4th with both my parents and Jason's parents. We headed over to Chanhassen for their parade and carnival. It was especially fun this year to watch Cale at the parade, he got so much more out of it! He loved the fire trucks, horses, clowns, dancing girls, and of course, all the candy!!!!!!!!

He really got into the waving thing. Picked up on that one right away! Here he is waving at the firemen....."Hi Mister!"
One of many candy runs for Cale....although who would have guessed he'd be so delicate about the situation...only picking up one piece of candy at a time, running to put it in his box EACH time. Not the most efficient, but loved watchin it!

Cale called his candy box his "treasure chest." Looks like he struck gold!

Showing off his American Flag beads....

....and making a trade with the boy sitting next to us. This little boy was so sweet, he kept pushing candy over Cale's way so he could get more. So since Cale already had some beads, he made a swap....the beads for more candy!

After the parade ended, we walked up the street to the little carnival so Cale could go on some rides. Of course there was a merry-go-round.....of course Cale rode on it twice.....but then we also talked him into a few other rides and I think he was surprised that there was actually another ride out there that could still be fun, even if it didn't have horsies!!!

This was the first time we couldn't go on a ride with him, so I was a bit nervous that he was gonna get scared and start to cry and try to climb out, etc,etc,etc.....well, no need for me to worry, he did just fine and was actually telling the ride operator to "go faster!" So here he is in his "dune buggy"--we can't figure out why all of a sudden he's calling jeeps "dune buggies", but whatever..it works!

And taking a spin in his new race car.......never seen a race car driver look so relaxed behind the wheel!

Cale was so excited to see the fireworks again but he had had such a long day with NO nap and he just could not keep his little eyes open any longer. Slept thru all the fireworks, loud bangs and all...even the finale, which I was sure he was gonna wake up from. This just proved to me however that I can no longer tell Jason to "quit being so loud!" when Cale is taking a nap, cuz it just won't have any merit!

Day # 2 of our long weekend

July 3rd

We headed to Bloomington fireworks on Friday night with our neighbors and their little boy, Peyton. He is just a few months younger than Cale and Peggy (Peyton's mom) and I have finally gotten them to be friends! Not that we made them be friends, but they are finally both at the age where they will now acknowledge one another and play together, versus side-by-side! So this was a "first" for both our little guys--and it was a HUGE success! They both loved the fireworks, and Cale actually had no trouble at all staying up so late! As soon as we set up camp, Cale and Peyton got cozied in to their lawn chairs and started eating their snacks....Don't they look like two little old men?!!?

Good thing Peyton brought some trucks to play with, it takes a long time for it to be dark enough for those fireworks to start!
Cale and daddy enjoying some quality time

Day #1 of our long 4th of July weekend!!!!

Our original plan was to go to the zoo today to feed the giraffes.....both Cale and I have only been looking forward to this since the giraffes came to the zoo about a month or so ago now. Unfortunately, the giraffes were not hungry when we got there so we weren't able to feed them...hopefully next time.

We still made the most of our zoo trip today!

Cale was "one" with the mama pig!

Soon afterwards, mommy was "one" with the mama pig!!!

And Cale was right at home with the tractor!

"BEEP BEEP!!!"

On our way to the tiger's lair.......

Cale axiously awaiting the shark....

Happy that Mr Shark finally came by!

And Mr Dolphin with the frisbee (talented)

Walking thru the coyote den....what a brave soul!

Giddy Up Wolf!!!!