How sweet she is

Tonight I saw there was a full moon after a late night trip to Menards. So I asked the girls if they wanted to go see it. Luci and I went outside, but the moon was hiding behind the trees and the rec hall. So I piled the girls in the car to drive to a place where we could see it near the entrance of campus. We sat and looked at it for a while. It was great. As we were walking back into the house Grace said, "Mom, thanks for taking us to see the moon." Isn't she great?

Masterful Mucisian

Daniel loves to play the piano. But, these are pictures of him taking the time to sit on the bench to play for the first time. Isn't he cute? Look at that form! (Probably cuter if his mother had wiped off his face a little better).

Night and Day

Grandpa Sonny and Grandma Lolly brought over bunk beds for the girls today. They used to be Zac, Corinne and Ryan's. The girls were so excited. Luci was talking in extra decibels long after the beds were set up.

I also picked out bedding a week ago with the girls. I successfully talked them out of princess comforters (not because I'm against princesses but because I thought something else might grow with them better...we'll see). Luckily Grace understood and really liked the day/night bedding. She says she feels like she is in space. Luci likes them too, because they are blue.So when we set them up I asked them which side they wanted.

Grace said, "night"...
Luci said "Day"...





So in this case they are as different as night and day. And they asked to go to bed an hour earlier today than normal.

Luci's birthday pics

To veiw a few pics of the Dwight birthday party, go to this link...http://thekreslfamily.blogspot.com/2007/07/happy-birthday-luci.html

The final chapter

The final chapter on Luci's birthday was in West Chicago. We also had a watermelon theme there with green napkins, green and pink boas and a beautiful pink happy birthday hat.

Luci arrived acting more like a 1 year old than a brand new 3 year old. She held tight to me and said no to everything. This was obviously the product of so much partying earlier that day. After Grandpa Sonny pulled out the dog treats, she started to loosen up a little bit.

She enjoyed opening all of her presents. She even let Grace help.

As you can see in the pictures there was also a spotting of a beautiful fairy flying quickly through the yard. After her initial pouting period, Luci had fun sharing her birthday with Grandpa Sonny.

Luci's birthday, Part 2

Upon first glance, you may think this is a picture of scrumptious watermelon. However, you have been fooled, for this is the watermelon CAKE I made for Luci's birthday party.

When I asked Luci who she wanted at her birthday party, she said all her friends and family. I also asked her what kind of birthday she wanted and gave her lots of ideas. She picked watermelon. So we celebrated on Monday during the day with her friends. It was a perfect day and she had lots of fun. Everyone arrived at 11:00, with swimming suits on.

Luci shared her Dora water hopscotch game. Here Luci, Grace and their friends are doing silly dances together.

Luci is running through her Dora hopscotch game.

For a little added adventure, Ken set up the princess tent over the hopscotch sprinkler and the brave kids ran through. Others watched

Keeping in line with the watermelon theme there were watermelon decorations all over. Note the pink and green table clothes, green in a semi-circle shape and the pink in the middle to resemble a watermelon slice. There are black rocks on the pink table for seeds. I used green and pink candle holders to keep the table clothes from flying away. In the wagon are the juice boxes, ice, and a watermelon, all sitting on a green tablecloth. We had pizza and cheesy bread for lunch with, of course, watermelon.

Notice the craft box in the lower part of this picture. The kids decorated pieces of card stock (pink and green) with glitter glue and watermelon seeds.

Part of the Art Gallery.

They also had fun digging and building in the sandbox. Here you can see Luci holding a water balloon. We had expected to have a toss the balloon game, but when Ken started the water balloon fun it was with immediate throwing at the kids, and they thought that was great fun, so they just threw balloons at each other or objects around the yard.

Then came the age old question...presents first cake second? or visa versa? We did presents first. Luci loved them all. She got roller skates, cook out food and play do games.

Here is Luci waiting patiently during that awkward "Happy Birthday" song moment. (What do I do with my hands? Where do I look? How long is this song anyway?)
Then finally the "How old are you?" song. Luci quickly gets her fingers situated into 3. (She holds her thumb and index finger together to form the three instead of her thumb and pinkie.)

Luci also remembered that "we need to pray!" And everyone sang "Thank you Jesus" for the wonderfully creative and beautifully lifelike cake Luci's mom ---ok ok--for the food.

After cake and ice cream the friends played a little more and went home with parting gifts...pink and green boxes filled with pink and green bubbles; a watermelon sucker; green over sized dice for the boys; pink or green mermaid dolls for the girls. Also wanted to add that the jelly beans on this cake were jelly belly watermelon flavored (sorry to the Dwight folks who had to endure half stale, not watermelon flavored jelly beans). The plates, napkins and cups had watermelons on them or were pink and green. Luci liked it all.

Finally here are Luci and Grace making sure Mrs. Warner knows she has to leave Daniel at our house.

Luci's Party

I was so excited when we were leaving for Luci's party for the Kresl side today. I had remembered my camera! However, I forgot to put the card back in it after blogging late into the night last night.

Alas, I did get pictures using my mother's camera, but I don't know how to download them yet. So pics to come. We had a wonderful day. The best part for me was seeing Grace and Luci give Great-Grandma Kruse a ride in the electric chair! I'm not sure who was having more fun! All the kids had fun playing outside as well. Luci's favorite part was eating the birthday cake.

The rewards

Last year Ken did lots of heavy labor, and I have worked hard to develop a butterfly garden. Although I think butterflies are so cool, the main idea was for the kids to enjoy them. On Friday I finally got that satisfaction. Grace came running in from outside yelling, "Mom, you have to come outside to the Butterfly Garden! There are SO MANY butterflies flying around!" So that was great and now all the hard work was worth it. I still want to add more, and expand.

Which leads me to the link to my Garden Blog. It's purpose is to track the progress of the garden and our whole yard from month to month, year to year. This was recommended in a book on perennials that I read. Look for the link at the top left of the juli, ken and then some blog. It should be a real snoozer to most, but if your interested check it out.

Ken, Grace and Sue

Ken invited Grace on a field trip to the Field Museum. She was thrilled since she has lately been his shadow and so into him. She was excited to ride on the bus, but even though she thinks Ken is the BEST, here is what she thinks of him when he says she has to enjoy the bus ride with him, not her friends....

Luckily there's a reason he's the best...

Until he says she has to walk with him at the Museum and not her friends, again...

But this time he holds firm and she gets over it quickly...

She really enjoyed it. She said her favorite part was going in the pyramid (contrary to my prediction it was not riding with her friends). She also enjoyed seeing the skunk and pointed out that there was a grizzly bear in the picture. And of course she was excited about the dinosaur bones.

Ken's group also traveled across the way to Soldier Field. He really wanted to buy a jersey that could be shared though all three children, but all they had was #8. He's still holding a grudge with #8.

The end.

He made the girls first

Grace said, "Mommy, I think Jesus made the girls first."
"Why Grace?"
"Because all the boys are crazy."

I think she's got something there.

Take it or Leave it anyone?

Tuesday night I had a great Mommies night out; shopping and dinner with good friend Nikki. While looking around at Kirklands we saw a sign that said, "The menu for today is Take it or Leave it." I thought this was cute and hilarious, but would it really work?

I want to report that yesterday morning I served "take it or leave it" for breakfast!! I had origionally made oatmeal, but when Grace said she didn't feel like oatmeal I changed the menu for her and she said, "ok," and ate all of hers and some of Luci's. I think I will have it on the menu more often.

Singular for Cheese

I can't help but reporting this because I think it's so cute.

Last night Ken asked Luci to get him some cheese and get some for herself. She saw there was no cheese and said, "Mom, there's no cheese. And Daddy wants a chee!" (singular for cheese)

She started calling a piece of cheese, chee around Christmas time, but I had thought it went away. I'm so glad I got to hear it again. It's one of those things that you don't correct because it's fun to hear her say it.

The Stud-finder

I'm a stud finder! We have had a huge blank wall in our living room for half of 5 years now. Lately we have decided we really need to fill it and I fell in love with the "mirror" look. Ken wasn't excited about the idea until he saw his sister's mirror. It looked great in the "red room". So little did I know, he has secretly been on the hunt for a mirror to put in the living room. Over the weekend he found it! He saw it at a yard sale on the way to his golf game and decided if it was there when he was done, he would buy it and pay up to $60. This is what he told me, but the seller was only asking $25. So you would think "great a $25 mirror", but the bargain pro talked it down to a mere $10!!! How happy am I! He hung it today and it looks great.

Grace and Ken (not pictured: The Stud Finder--that's me)

The birthday boys

Summer birthdays are aplenty in our household. Daniel, Ken and Luci all have them. Of course they are not documented well because I always forget the camera and when I remember it, I forget to take it out of my purse. For example, I made 3 cakes for Daniel's three birthday parties, but only got one picture... and the cake had melted by the time I got the picture.

If you look closely (and sideways) you can tell that the "theme" for Daniel's birthday was "Daniel's #1" with a foam finger cake. All the Kresl grandkids got a foam finger to wave proclaiming, of course, "Daniel's #1". He shared his party with Sammy this year (give a V for victory 'cause Sammy's turning 2!) On Daniel's birthday he enjoyed a 6 foot long blow up pool for the whole family, followed by a hot tub in the blow up pool. It fits perfectly in the boy's shower! For his last party he enjoyed brunch with the Mahorney side of the family. DANIEL'S #1!!!

For Ken's birthday we enjoyed a family day with lunch at Portillo's. The next day we ventured to West Chicago for a lovely day at the Bohnenkamp's and dinner at Rooster's Barn and Grill where the Bartlett Mahorney's joined us http://roostersbarnandgrill.com/index.html. Here's the birthday boy and then some:

Ken and Grandma Bohnenkamp

Daniel

Daniel laughing histerically.

Grace and Aunt Susie.

Grandpa Sonny cooling Luci off with a rag.

The birthday boy with a surprise birthday cake and singing compliments of the waitress, and thanks to his wife's big mouth. (One day I'll figure out how to rotate pics.)

So, I know you're waiting in anticipation of the theme to Luci's birthday. I can't give it all away, but here's a hint...big green fruit.