a little this, a little that...

of our summer days together

i can't believe it's already the end of August. this will be the first fall that i do NOT go back to school. i miss it a little, and i mean just a little. i am loving the time i get to be at home with the kids. elle may start a preschool this fall, which amazes me that she is old enough to do. so i'm cherishing all the time i get with them. our summer has been busy with family get togethers, weekend trips here and there and we love our time at home just the 4 of us too. josh has been working a lot this summer, so our evenings are short and we pack a lot in the 2 hours we get with him {including dinner, baths and bedtime routines..whew!}

practicing putting with daddy

figured out he could crawl onto the deck by himself and check out the backyard. this boy is going to be walking soon, which might be easier for him and me!!

our favorite thing!!!

a new found favorite...wagon rides.

a little photo session with mom one night...

our little man

i can't wait to see what he's like in a few months, walking and talking. he tries so hard to keep up with elle and they already play really well together. lately they've been making each other laugh in the car and it's hilarious. beckett has the best laugh, hard to explain but it just makes you laugh and love him even more.

my favorite!

our little sweet pea

ellington is an amazing big sister, a great helper and loves to be independent. she wants to do it all by herself, and usually can! she asks questions all the time and wants to know about everything...the "why" phase, although i think for her it will not just be a phase. she is just that curious. i'm pretty sure she'll be the teacher's pet! she's learning to write her name and really wants to learn how to read. she'll pick up a book and tell herself the story from the pictures after asking me "what's this one about, mommy?". makes me proud! she will for sure be the book worm. did not get that from either of us, maybe from my sister.

we're loving life and enjoying the last few weeks of summer before fall hits and we all know what that brings...FOOTBALL!!

a week away...

at the end of july we joined josh's family for a week UP NORTH, but first...

we had a little detour to IONIA for the IFF (free fair)

my sister and the cheering crew after the Ionia Free Fair/CC Alumni 5k

this was my first race since having beckett and boy did i feel it! it felt great to get out and race again. hoping to do another race this fall and maybe even get josh to do one!!!

I.F.F. {Ionia Free Fair}

a kid's best week of summer!! at least that's what I remember it as

checking out the baby chicks with grammie

enjoying the barn animals with grammie and grampie at the fair

elle loved seeing all the animals and getting the chance to pet a baby duck. surprisingly beckett reached right out to touch the baby duck as well.

josh took ellington to the fair with her cousins the night before and with 5 adults and 7 kids they closed the park down. {pictures to come}

then we headed UP NORTH...

cruisin' with the cousins

so sweet!

these 2 were best buds all week {at least to elle}

brian, you're going to be an amazing dad come january! we can't wait to meet your little one and enjoy a family vacation next year with 3 kids!!!

practicing fly fishing with papa & cousin john

on our way to Mackinac Island...

riding on top of the ferry boat with papa. elle was so excited to go on our "adventure" as she continues to refere to it to Mackinac Island

the sibs and in-laws heading out to dinner on the island

josh and i celebrated our 7 year anniversary at the start of the vacation and anna & bryan celebrated 3 years earlier in the month. so the grandparents treated us to free babysitting and a night out on the island.

thank you mom & dad

ellington and i touring the governor's mansion on the island

wow...what a view from their porch. it was neat to hear the history behind the house and to think it's built pretty much on a rock cliff.

off to the GRAND HOTEL...

celebrating 85 wonderful years with a ladies' tea at the Grand Hotel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA

4 generations of "whites"

our pretty little tea place setting

champagne

tea

mini sandwiches

mini desserts

helping grammie pour some tea

elle loved being such a big girl and even had her own glass of sparkling juice. and yes it was a really champagne glass and RED juice, oh boy! she did great though and didn't spill a drop. her face was priceless though when she took the first sip. a little pucker and then mmmm..that's good, in for another sip, another pucker face and moved on to something else.

it was my first time in the GRAND HOTEL and it was beautiful. The porch lined with white rocking chairs was my favorite. I absolutely love porches!

josh and i took elle to the butterfly house while beckett was taking a morning nap. this was the best butterfly house i've been to yet. there were tons of butterflies and they were so active. she wanted one to land on her hand and patiently waited with her hand out several times, but no luck.

another family vacation filled with wonderful memories

thank you mom and dad for a great week together, we look forward to many more.