Choo Choo! A Father's Day Recap

What did you do for Father's Day?

If you're anything like our family, you did the typical...backyard bbq, maybe go out to dinner, open some gifts, eat some dessert. 

Well this year our family was feeling adventurous, and we set out on a Great Train Adventure.

(Ok, not every person in this picture is in our family, but hey, we love to be inclusive and share the love with our dear friends, boarders and exchange students ;)

This adventure was inspired by the fact that this little trolley museum encouraged the family festivities by allowing fathers and grandfathers to ride free. 

That, combined with the fact that we have a 2.5 year old boy who has never ridden a train (a travesty!), sealed the deal, and come June 15th, we were off on a mini road trip to the Fox River Valley.

The interior of the train car was charmingly vintage, complete with green-velvet upholstered benches, wood floors and red overhead luggage racks (you know, like the kind after which Pottery Barn models towel racks and sells for exorbitant fees). 

The conductors were dressed to fit the part, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy explaining train trivia as we chugged along (with windows open!) down the tracks next to the Fox River.

This guy was a tad bit excited

He got to feel the fresh air through the open window and his face lit up with excitement (which later turned to fear) each time the authentic 'choo-choo' blasted.

He even got to hand his ticket to the conductor

and to take a turn pulling the train whistle!

Even little Link got in on the action, staring out the window and trying to decide whether or not he was scared of the train whistle. (It was loud!)

The trolley dropped us off at a beautiful picnic area along the Fox River.

Due to our lack of advance planning, our time there was short, but it was still fun to walk around and enjoy the beautiful trees along the river's edge.

  

(Isn't my little brother adorable as a father?)

After we booked it back to the train, just as it was about to depart from the station, (how did we not hear the loud "All Aboooaard!" wafting over the breeze!), we had a lovely ride back, with, of course, more obligatory photos of daddy with sons

Then we got to explore some of the other historical trollies at the museum

It was a fun little Father's Day adventure.

This little guy was (understandably) quite wiped out at the end of the day.

And I think the fathers and grandfather enjoyed it as well

I'm not sure how many male readers frequent my blog, but to any that do, I'd like to wish you a happy belated Father's Day. I'd also like to wish God's comfort to those who have the as-of-yet unmet desire to be fathers. I am so grateful to the Lord for giving us two children who have allowed me to see what a wonderful father my own husband has become, and also for my own wonderful father who truly is (all cliche's aside) the greatest dad in the world. 

Happy Father's Day!!!

Half and Two and a Half!

So.
Here we are.

My tiny little newborn has turned into a rolly polly, chubbly wubbly six month old with eager grabbing hands and a gummy grin.

Did you know he plays piano now?

And uses silverware. (Yes Auntie R-R, I know, he's so advanced!)

He is also trying his darndest to crawl.
Brow furrows. Tongue comes out in concentration. Gasps and grunts, toes digging into carpet.

Usually culminating in one milli-inch move forward and then a tuck and roll with exhaustion and frustration.

Yes folks, we have officially entered my favorite baby stage. That 6-9 month stage of innocenct exuberance (no tantrums? no whining? no time-outs? no potty-training? I must be in heaven!), exploring, reaching, grabbing, mouthing, and drooling with abandon.

So, you ask, what has this guy been up to for the past three months?

Oh, you know...
just hanging around

Blowing spit bubbles.

Gazing out windows.

Reflecting.

Contentedly gnawing on chubby hands...

as thighs get larger, fat creases multiply, and finger knuckle dimples deepen.

This may be my favorite part of him.

Nope. I take it back. It has to be that smile.

He also celebrated his first Easter

and has been spending quality time with aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, you name it

Lots of playing with mommy and daddy

Enjoying the outdoors

 Outgrowing his cradle

Looks like this will be his new home until his mother faces her fears (of losing more sleep) and puts him in the same room as big brother.

(still such a sucker for sleeping-baby gazing)

He also spends a lot of time adoring his brother, laughing at his brother, having toys handed him by his brother (and then usually promptly taken away)

And of course lots of brother cuddles (and a fair share of adoration on big brother's part as well)

And speaking of big brother, the little Levi-man is now 2.5 years old!

We've reached quite a few milestone transitions with this guy in the past couple of months (more posts to come on that later) and he is now officially my little big boy.

How has he been spending time?

Why of course he's doing what most little 2 year old boys spend their days doing...
Play. Play. Play.

Lots of imagination and pretend play coming out now, which is so fun to watch.

Dino watering hole

Tower-building with Opa

Little bro always looking on

Fort-building

Bath-time Hulk impersonation

Putting Obi-wan to sleep in the bed of his truck

Adventuring with little bro

Charming the ladies

Bath-time art-work

Celebrating Daddy's birthday

It's been fun to compare how these two little guys resemble (or don't resemble) eachother

I know, they look nothing alike.
Same father.
I promise.

Well, this little guy has come a long way...

from this

to this

And this guy's gone from this

 to this

It's been a fun six months (and two and a half years)!!

Oh, in case you are curious and concerned about the well-being (or existence) of my garden these days, I can assure you, it is thriving fully. I now have (drum-roll) carrots, golden beets, asparagus, green beans, sweet peas, cherry, regular and heirloom variety tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb growing in my garden. I'm just way too busy with two littles and garden maintenance (oh and that thing called a job) to actually do any posts about gardening. However, here's a bouqet I just picked from my yard. Believe me, it smells umpteen-thousand times better than it looks.