What Color is your Pet?

On the way home from school today, we were stopped at a red light. I was looking over Nate's lesson plan for the week and noticed that they were going to be asking him to tell the color of his pet. The conversation went something like this...

Me: Nate, what color is your pet?

Nate: Um...mine is white.

Me: Oh, well I guess you are right, we do have one white goldfish. What color is our other pet?

(I hear some rustling in the back seat but do not turn around.)

Nate: Mom, it's white.

Me: Well, really we have 3 pets and they are grey, white, and orange (cat & 2 goldfish)

(More rustling in the back seat)

Nate: Mom, mine are white - see?

I turn around to see Nate with his shirt pulled back to show me that his armPIT is white. I laughed til I cried. What a stress reliever.

City Garden

We visited a new St. Louis attraction today with the Griggs, the City Garden downtown. Excellent statue & fountain park and very kid-friendly. Nate & Peter loved playing in the fountains - I'll bring a change of clothes next time.

I love this shot of Peter - he enjoyed jumping when the water shot up from the ground.

They allow kids to climb on the statues - thankfully for us.

This is about the point where we realized the change of clothes would come in handy.

Baby George slept through the garden trip - but what a sweet sleeper he is.

We should have started with this fountain first - it had less chance of drenching them entirely.

Jane Ellis & Nate peeking through the head statue.

What can I say? Nate had lots of fun.

Off to watch more football - oh, how I do love Saturdays in the fall. Since Missouri already beat Furman, I'll only have to give a Go Dawgs!

Labor Day in New York

We spent Labor Day in upstate New York, where Scott's parents grew up. Grandma Boyle has been renting this same cottage outside of Canandaigua for 21 years and the family, extended family, and friends gather to celebrate the end of summer.

It is the perfect location for kids, with a large yard and a lake right out front. Nate & Noah had a wonderful time playing with each other as well as their cousins.

My little golfer - I even dressed him for the part that day. It was a toss up between gold or red on Saturday to represent the start of college football. I joked that since I picked gold, the Missouri Tigers beat Illinois, but the Georgia Bulldogs were not so lucky against OK State. Oh well, there is always next week!

The prep...

The swing...

The follow-through (really just running to get the ball)...

My sweet nephew, Noah, also likes to play golf.

Nate & Noah loved playing in this kayak - endless pretending and bossing by Nate. Wonder where he gets that from??

Feeding the ducks by the lake

Kevin's cousin Peter is a priest and he says mass for the family inside the cottage on the Sunday before Labor Day every year. How special to have your own private service with family! David, Noah, Nate & Scott before mass. We were relegated to the back of the house in the "nursery" but the kids did pretty well.

My adorable nephew, Gavin with Mimi.

Nate playing on the point...

Our attempt at a family photo - great backdrop for a photo session.

The Odoms

Nate and his shades at lunch on Monday.

Aunt Vicki, Gavin & Grandma Boyle. Grandma turned 90 this year and her sister, Aunt Ruth is 95! They continue to amaze me with how they can get around AND play Scrabble!

We had a great time visiting, laughing, and relaxing at the lake. It is so nice for me to know more about Scott's family and for Nate to see what a wonderful network of support he has in New York. Thanks to all for a wonderful weekend!

Apple Picking

Why is it that I am always so ready for summer, but at the first hint of cool morning air, I am dying to get the jeans and sweatshirts back out. And I never grow tired of it - I guess this is a hint that I always need to live somewhere that the seasons change.

We went apple picking this morning at an orchard in Belleville, IL and actually had to wear long sleeve shirts. Amazing. Nate loved the picking part, almost too much - I didn't want to leave there with $50 worth of apples that I will never use. I am planning to make caramel apples with Nate - wish us luck or wish me patience, or something like that.

Riding on an old tractor - this was his favorite part.

Tidbits

A few tidbits from our weekend...I'm trying to embrace the fact that Nate no longer looks at the camera when I'm trying to take a picture. Maybe it is because I still take about a gillion pictures of him on weekly basis. Oh well.

At the zoo on Friday afternoon...great STL weather this weekend. It is this time of year when we start to "get our zoo back" as Nate calls it. When the weather gets cooler through about March, we don't see as many people there. I have to admit, I like it better then too.

Our beautiful goddaughter's birthday is this week. We will miss her party because we will be in New York visiting Scott's family and celebrating Grandma Boyle's 90th birthday. We had a mini party for her this weekend.

Sweet Megan is turning 4!

Opening presents with her sister, Avery.

Proudly sporting her first designer purse - a Vera Bradley. Isn't she sweet?!!

Wednesday in the Park

Our neighborhood park has music once a month in the summer and we walked down for a picnic tonight. For some reason, I thought I needed to make a gourmet picnic, so in Betty Crocker fashion, I made slider hamburgers with bleu cheese, smoked gouda, and cheddar cheese. I have to say they were pretty good and they used up some leftovers in my fridge...a win-win. Scott was impressed! Couldn't get Nate to eat any sliders, but of course his standard PB&J was on hand as backup.

Nate relaxing looking at the clouds...

Groovin out

Oh, he loves his mom...today, or at least that minute.

Chillaxin on Dad, concentrating on the music...

Good night and great weather. We are definitely getting spoiled with this cool weather in August. I hope it sticks around 75 until November.

First Day of Pre-school

Nate's first day of pre-school was today! He was being kind of a pill (what's new) when I tried to take his picture this morning, so they aren't very good - but I had to mark the day nonetheless.

We are very excited about this year - he is really ready for all they are going to teach him, including how to operate a computer by himself. I think he sort of already knows how to - but at least it won't be my computer he is banging on.