July Installment #2

So here is the next installment of pictures for the month of July. These pictures were taken while Dad Herdoiza and Michele came to stay with us. Unfortunately they were here for only a short time...but we enjoyed every minute of their visit....


The weather had been in the 80-90's the week they came. The Floridians loved it... they felt like they were at home. Dad made his way to the golf course several times and we hung out with Michele trying to stay cool. We sat in the front yard, filled up the kiddie pool, and took out our new slip & slide. Surprisingly.... Gabby loved the freezing cold water from the slip & slide.

She was motivated to stand on her own... as long as she could be in the water. Maybe we are finally going to get there.....

So... I bought a new slip & slide, because inevitably the old one got destroyed. How many times can you slide on a giant sheet of plastic before somethings goes awry? Not very many times.... Anyway.... the old slip & slide was wide enough for 2 kids to slide down together... not the smartest idea as shown on the box.... it was great for one kid at a time. Well.... the new slip & slide was sooooo skinny... it was difficult to make it down to the end of the plastic.... the kids kept falling off in the grass. Michele and I would keep readjusting it... this was a terrible slip & slide. Next time I will have to buy the extra wide again. So finally.... we were cheering on the kids to see who would make it to the end of the slip & slide without a grass burn down their legs or stomach.... (That is a lot of explaining for this picture.) As you can see Nicholas is totally cracking up at one of Amanda's numerous attempts down the plastic.....

There she goes.... not so perfect form... heading to the end of the slip & slide....


When all of a sudden she completely stopped short... We were all laughing....

Gabby and Aunt Michele keeping cool....

.... in the silly crab pool... maybe that is what Nicholas was really laughing about.... I think they look cute!

Nick getting in on the swimming pool action....

One of the nights during their visit, we went to everyone's favorite restaurant.... Benihana... The kids love to watch the smoking volcano and all the other tricks the chefs' perform.....

The sous-chefs......

I love this pictures of Amanda eating rice with her chopsticks... She was starving... It was hard to shovel it in using 2 thin pieces of bamboo..... maybe that is why she is so thin.......

Happy and stuffed on the car ride home.....

Just hanging out........

We went to the Detroit Zoo on a Thursday afternoon... Amanda took this picture complements of my iphone...

Then Steve had a chance to try out my iphone..... Wow.... everyone is looking and smiling..... what are the odds?

And now this has become my new wallpaper for my phone..... A picture with all my favorite people it it surround with a butterfly hug.

The weather was overcast and it wasn't too hot that afternoon. We were very disappointed with the zoo that day. Not many of the animals were out and several of the displays were being renovated. We usually love our zoo experience. Unfortunately this is the only picture I took with a polar bear peeking out behind Amanda. It was a fake polar bear, and there were some fake seals.... but those were the only animals we saw... painted on the restroom wall! Michele and I were cracking up.

And finally.... more proof that we are finally getting there... she can stand up from the floor without holding on to anything... you go girl!

Well... we are off to Carvel for ice cream.... YUMMY! I hope to post installment 3 soon. Until later................

What Happened to July?

So I can't believe the month of July has quickly passed us by. It seems like it was just the fourth, and then I blinked, and now it is nearly the first day of August. The kids are more than halfway through with summer vacation. CRAZY! Anyway.... I thought I had better post before the entire month got away from me. I just uploaded 220 pictures onto my computer so I figured I should post them in installments.

July has been a very busy month. We have had birthday celebrations, the fourth of July holiday, out-of-town family visiting, and poker night at our house. The kids are continuing to play LOTS and LOTS of tennis which they seem to love and have spent a lot of time outdoors. We have played with cousins, gone to the Detroit Zoo, and just returned from a "vacation" to Disney World. While in Florida we had a short visit with Mom and Dad Herdoiza, before attending the Northwestern Tennis 20 year reunion at a resort 5 minutes from Steve's parents. Steve and I were just saying how we need a vacation after that so-called vacation. It has taken me a week to recooperate. This has been the first day I feel like my head is above water again.

In addition, the kids continue to be hyper and crazy. There is no down time here. Nicholas is loud and full of energy like any 5 year old boy. Amanda wants to be with her friends, and has her own agenda which doesn't always mesh with mine. I continue to referee their sibling squabbles all the while taking care of tornado Gabriella. She is full of mayhem and destruction, emptying drawers and cabinets, climbing stairs, dumping the dog's water and the list goes on and on... I think they call this exploring and learning about her environment.... I still think it is destruction and I'm quickly tiring of cleaning up all the messes she leaves behind. Anyway....

I have a lot more to share and say, but that will have to be in the next installment. Here are a few pictures to enjoy in the meantime......

Have I mentioned that Gabby has an affinity for wall sockets.............. Just kidding......I bought Gabriella a brand new pool and blew it up in the living room. She had a great time crawling in and out of it generating lots of static electricity in the process. I just love that SMILE! It lights up her face!


Here are a few pictures I took awhile ago when Emmersyn, Cam, and Mo were visiting. The girls were on a jailbreak....running quickly from their mothers....Gabby is showing Emmersyn how to hurry and make a get away....

Emmersyn begins to have second thoughts, but Gabby continues to make a run for it..... and she is quick!

Here are a few pictures from the Fourth of July celebration at Pine Lake. The kids enjoy this event every year and so do the grown-ups. What a cute picture of Megs and Kaye!

Seth entertaining Gabriella with a patriotic pin wheel....

All the cousins together... if only Gabby would have looked at the camera..... Everyone else was on their best behavior...... What a great bunch of kids!

Anxiously awaiting the fireworks..... Is it ever going to get dark?

Spending time with Grampie..........


Gabby was checking out Anderson's glow-in-the-dark necklace.... where can I get one of those...........

And....as usual....Amanda's favorite part about Fourth of July... the cotton candy... that she gets once a year...but would like to enjoy once a day.... if she ruled the world.....

2 All American Cuties!

As a side note.... Gabby loved the fireworks. She stayed awake through the entire display and never cried.

Amanda snuck a second helping of cotton candy to her mother's dismay and Nicholas loved the grand finale best.

Until later..........

A Quick Update......

I have had these pictures uploaded and ready to post for the last several days, however, I just haven't had time to write anything. Last weekend was busy with the Fourth of July, and Dad Herdoiza and Michele have been staying at our house the last few days. It has been fun taking a break from the normal day-to-day routine. I have taken lots of pictures and have lots to share. We will be heading out to the zoo soon so I have a little time to post these details.............

I love that this picture captures what really happens when I pull out my camera. Gabby is always trying to remove it from my hands. This was a very good attempt..........

Making faces for the camera.........

Trying to get myself in a picture with Gabriella..........

Just looking cute.... sitting there.... not walking...yet......

I have been playing on the piano a little bit lately. Gabby usually pulls herself up and bangs on the keys. She really likes the music. She bops her head, and dances and giggles the entire time I play.

Amanda hanging out with her Dad..... who can do no wrong.... forced to take a picture by her mother.... who does EVERYTHING wrong!

Watch out Gabby.... Now that you are 1 year old.... you are fair game.... Daddy will get you just like he gets the other kids...

The other day Nicholas was asking to ride his bike.... he got a new one for his 4 year old birthday... and couldn't ride it because a nut was missing from the training wheels.... after an exhaustive search Grampie Gerwatowski found a nut and the other training wheel broke... that was last summer... he never rode his new bike. This year I said take off the training wheels and lets just teach Nicholas to ride his bike.

It was amazing..... He figured it out in no time.... A couple passes down the sidewalk and he was riding by himself...

Here he is mad............ because it was time to go inside..... no more bike riding today.......

Now if Gabby could only take a lesson from Nicholas. We wanted Nick to learn how to ride his bike, and he went outside and did it. If I could just take Gabby outside and make her walk after a couple passes down the sidewalk... that would be AWESOME! Maybe if I give her a helmet it will increase her chances!

And Finally Amanda hanging out.......

Well I've gotta go. We are off to the zoo. I hope to post again soon. Until later...........