Weekend Recap...

We had a great weekend here in Mt. Zion.  Sometimes it is so nice to just hang out at home.  We had our neighbors over for a cookout Saturday night.  We always have a great time when we get together.  Heather, the boys and I finished the night off with a bike ride till dark! 

Braden and Ethan being tickled by Miss Ruth

Doing what little boys do...wrestle.

Then on Sunday afternoon, we went to cheer Braden on in the Mt. Zion Pony Express Days, Precious Baby Contest.  Last year Ethan took home the 3rd place prize and Braden got his own trophy this year!  He took 3rd on Sunday in the 13-18 month group.

Go Braden!!  and  Heather & Braden with the other trophy winners

Then on Sunday evening after dinner Ethan was in rare form...He was hilarious!  He was all sweaty and wet from pouring water on himself at the fair so I took his clothes off and he had a great time.  He has found out that one of our ottomans opens, and loves to climb inside.  Here are a few pictures from his wild time :)!

Happy Boy!

Look at that ornery face...

And I'll leave you with the sweetest smile I've ever seen!  He's is really cheesing here (and actually saying cheese)!

We love this kid!!

Yummy Blueberries!

Ethan hasn't been too thrilled with my breakfast offerings lately, so this morning I decided to make some whole wheat blueberry pancakes!  He loves them! 

Enjoying some breakfast

Try them sometime:

Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 C Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Eggs
2 C Buttermilk (I use 1 1/2 C Whole Milk)
1/4 C Butter (melted)

Mix dry and wet ingredients, then add them together.
I usually add blueberries (fresh or frozen), or you could add a couple smashed ripe bananas.  Jared likes peanut butter or chocolate chips added...go figure.  Hope you enjoy!

Beautiful Weather

The past couple days have been B-E-A-utiful!  Ethan loves to be outside and since it has been so hot, we haven't been able spend too much time at the park or in the yard.  Last night we ate dinner on the patio so Ethan could run around in the back yard happily.

Ethan and Jared enjoying a nice evening

Loving the outside!

And...this morning, Ethan and I went out for a bike ride to the park.  It was so nice!!  Here are a few picture from our adventure.

Biking!

Weeee! Sliding all by himself!

Really wanting to climb up!

Just a couple cute pics to leave you with...

Daddy reading to Ethan

Chilaxing on the couch, before bedtime

Go Cards!!

Thanks to our wonderful Edward Jones agent, we had amazing seats at Sunday's Cardinal vs. Cubs game.  Although the score didn't turn out the way we had hoped, it was a great day.  We went with my dad, Abby and Alex while my mom graciously gave up her seat to babysit Ethan. 

The view from our seats

Jared and I

Alex and Abby

Illinois State Fair Fun!

This morning we decided to brave the heat and head west to Springfield to go to the fair.  We have never been to the State Fair and we are only 45 minutes from the fairgrounds.  We enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the livestock area.  What's that saying?? "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day"...yeah, I did, wearing flip flops (gross!)  Ethan had a wonderful time in the petting zoo with the goats.  And we all enjoyed some classic fair food, including a deep fried snickers (yum!).  Here are a few pictures from our morning.

Main Street at the State Fair!

Waking with the goats

Ethan watching the donkeys

Ethan and Jared have their drivers licenses!

Ethan with the piglets that were born last night!

Tired boy on our way home

Celebrate Good Times!!

This past weekend was the Decatur Celebration (check it out here).  This is 'the largest free street festival in Illinois.'  It's basically a fair that covers the whole downtown part of Decatur with stages on every corner.  This year the main band was The Charlie Daniels Band and on the Christian stage we saw Francesca Battistelli (she's awesome)!  It was hot but Ethan did great.  Some pictures...

Ethan and Daddy matching!

A crowd watching 90's rapper, Young MC (Busta Move)...Yes, we heard the song!

Jared and Ethan in front of a Decatur landmark, the Transfer House

Our view of Francesca...she's 7 mo pregnant and performing in 90+ degree heat, Brave!

Fire Station, Swimming and Salem...

This past week Ethan and I headed south to Salem for a few days.  My cousin Steve and his lovely wife Beth are getting ready to go even further south, back to Haiti for the school year.  They are starting their 2nd year teaching at a Christian school (you can catch their blog here).  Anyway, they were in Salem for a few days seeing everyone before they leave.  Some of my other cousins and kids were there and we packed the week full of activities for them!
First, we went to the Fire Station with Uncle Mike for a tour.  He showed us all the trucks and the kids even got to sit inside a couple. 

Mike showing Finely and Ethan around & Finely and Haley driving the big truck!

Haley, Ethan and Finley sitting on the Fire Truck

Ethan driving the 1/2 Engine!

Yes...Mike is trying to pose him for a 'peeing on the hydrant' picture.

The Salem Aquatic Center is always a great time.  Thursday after naptime we took the kids to swim, slide and play in the pool.  Ethan is walking better and better so he didn't think me holding his hand in the water was necessary.  He is definitely not afraid of the water.  He kept trying to get my hand off him and then would fall, face first, into the water.  Enjoy a few pictures from our afternoon.

 

Ethan being a big boy at the pool

Ethan and Haley having some fun!

Finley after a trip down the slide

After the swimming pool trip we had a family dinner at the Puricelli house and settled the kids down for bedtime.  What a great week!

Dinner!

Finley and Ethan watching some Elmo before bed

Here Fishy Fishy...

Last night we had a somewhat neighborhood fishing party.  After a wonderful dinner at our friends, Eric and Heather's, house we all decided to go out to my coworker's (Judy) pond for some fishing.  Braden and Ethan had a great time and Judy helped them splash their feet in the water.  A thanks to Judy for letting us come out to the pond and for entertaining the boys!

Judy with Ethan and Heather with Braden & Ethan splashing in the water

Watching Daddy Fish & Jared's Big Catch

IKEA!!

Yes...we went to Ikea.  Ethan, Abby, my Dad, my Mom and I headed up north Friday for an overnight, fun-filled trip to Ikea.  For those of you who haven't been, you don't know what you're missing and for those of you have have been, you know what you're missing (and probably aren't sad to miss it).  This place is huge and overwhelming!  You almost have to 'preshop' the catalog before you head into the store if you want to have any sort of focus and order to your trip.  We did have a great time though, albeit, exhausting.  Ethan did great with pretty much no nap Friday or Saturday.  Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Ethan in action, picking out some toys

Ethan and Abby having fun while everything is being loaded

Pop and Ethan & Ethan with 1/2 our haul!

Splashing Around!

It has been ridiculously hot and today is no exception.  Since Ethan always wants to be outside, we put together a makeshift water table/tiny pool.  It wasn't meant to be a baby pool, but Ethan decided to climb on in (which didn't surprise us).  Here are some pictures of our morning!

Splashy Splashy

"I'm going to throw these really hard!!"

Now it's a pool? (We're not really that cheap...)

...And now we've lost the diaper

Ethan and the Ranch Dressing...

This week, we introduced Ethan to ranch dressing.  He wasn't so sure what to do with it at first...but he figured it out.  It was hilarious!  Be sure to have your sound on when you watch this...he talks to the dressing for quite sometime.  Enjoy!