Rachel's birthday morning party!

We had a lovely morning at Lake Michie last Sunday - a birthday party for Rachel with a bit of early-Father's Day mixed in. Presents and huge salad bar lunch and a quick canoe in the lake. (...before we all zipped home in time for kids' naps. And our own.)

Yes, would you like a bite of Grandpa's lunch?

Gemma and Asher both very excitedly and bravely experienced their first canoe rides! Gemma hunkered down in the center of the canoe and held on to the cross bar.
 

A relaxing afternoon

Sunday afternoon spent at Grandpa and Jaja's house, that is! Starting it off with lunch on the deck (delicious chicken fajitas and black beans & rice. Even Timo enjoyed the beans!).

smiling at Jaja across the table

Gemma was so excited to be around 1406 for the afternoon that she took a very short nap and then awoke yelling, "Jaja! Jaja!" So, on to a coloring session with Grandpa it was.

Later in the afternoon we went down to Oval Park to check out the "Neighborhood Olympics" (Watts Hillandale versus Trinity Park neighborhoods) and their Kid's Decathlon. We were a little Gemma joined up for a couple of events: discus (e.g. frisbee), javelin (e.g. bamboo 'spear'), shot put (e.g. small ball), and a running race.

Kids crossing the field to go line up for the running race

Gemma was in the 'under 5' category, and didn't quite understand how to stand in line and how to start racing off around the track with everyone. But she was very brave and quite focused, and got lots of applause at the finish!

Meanwhile, Timo sat at Grandpa's feet and enjoyed a few bites of grass. (Check out those lovely chubby arms!)
 

Weekend highlights

Memorial Day Weekend highlights: being outside! and homemade food! (yes, we're a week behind here...)

A walk through the neighborhood and down the trail to Northgate Park (in which Gemma insisted on taking 'baby' in her stroller, as well). We love that we are within walking distance of 3 different parks - more actually, but so far we've only been to these three. And right now the weather has been lovely, not too hot yet to prevent us from being out during the day.

And the next day was homemade pizza (with homemade dough and sauce). Gemma spent a very happy 30 minutes playing with a ball of dough (see pic below) while I was making the pizza and forming rolls from the leftover dough. She poked it and pounded it and rolled it and snuck little bites and spilled flour on the floor and had a grand time.

Oh, and the pizza tasted pretty good, too.

And another...

...the paw-crushing hold!

2 points for a pin!

Timo has been working on his wrestling moves (and I'm serious, this kid loves to be tackled and rough-housed). I had placed him seated on the blanket near Gemma's doll, and then I turned away. A moment later I heard him grunting and snuffling - and this is what I found. If only great-grandpa Jack could have seen this!

Don't worry, the doll was fine. And so was Gemma (she was still napping, so she couldn't protest).