Today via Cell Phone Pictures

I got a new phone (well, actually, one that has been lying around our house for awhile).  But nonetheless, it is a smartphone.  I haven't had a smart phone before so I've been having fun playing with it.  But the best part is the quality of pictures that it takes.  It most definitely does NOT take the place of my regular camera, but I have been using it more when I don't have the camera handy.

So, here are the pictures from today, from my cell phone.

Throwing a bit of a fit.

The Yellow Room in the Guthrie

Awake from a 2 hour 40 minute nap

 Okay, so the video quality is definitely not as good, but oh well.  Here she is showing how she cheered me on during our run.  Please excuse the OBNOXIOUS baby voice.

Go Mom! from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Soaking wet after running to the car from music class tonight...and signing "More!"  This girl LOVES water!

After music class I decided to treat us to a little DQ ice cream.  We don't let her have treats very often, but when we do, Callie gets VERY excited.  She is very patient.  And polite.

YUM! from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Thanks, smartphone, for helping me document our fun day.

Weekend Wrap-Up

ONE WEEK.

One more week of summer.

One more week until my 5th half marathon.

One. Little. Week.

Okay.  I'm not dwelling on it, but I had to get it out.  This summer has been...indescribable, really.  To have had the opportunity to be home for so many weeks, during this time in Callie's development, is priceless.  I'm sure later on in the week I'll do a summer recap, but I'm just so thankful to have had so much special time with my girl.

Anyway, on to the weekend wrap-up.  I've been lazy, so I need to include Wednesday and Thursday in it too.  We went to a BBQ at Josh and Alison's on Wednesday to celebrate the end of summer softball.  Callie had fun playing with Sydney and the myriad dogs that showed up.

Chinese Golf, anyone?

Sydney taking after her daddy

So many dogs to chase!

 On Thursday we went to the zoo with Kylie and Calvin, and then over to see Casey and Ciri!

How to keep toddlers entertained? Kiddie pool! Bathing suit optional!

Friday was pretty low-key.  Then on Saturday we went to the condo for a nice dinner...sadly I was really bad at taking pictures that day.  Uncle Dan and Barb Suurmeyer were even there!  Not sure how the camera got so neglected.

Today (after my pitifully slow 10 mile run) we spent the day with college friends.  Our friends Jake and Ayaka came up from Iowa City with their little 6-month-old Leon.

Leon, Sydney, and Callie in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard

Callie enjoyed showing the babies her toys

Chris, Dave, Nik, Jake

One more week.  Here we go... 

New Blog Look!

How do you like the new blog look?  I love it!  Thanks to Nikki from Blogs for a Cause.

Here are some pics from this week:

On Monday night, Brent (our high school friend) came over with his wife Karen and their almost-15-month-old Kaylee.  They live in Colorado, so we don't get to see them much. 

Callie Joy and Kaylee Grace

It was really fun to see the girls together, because the last time we saw them together they were much littler!

Yesterday we spent some time downtown with MorMor and Uncle Joe.  We had fun running around the Guthrie.

Still being a little shy

I'm less than 2 weeks away from the half marathon, so this is the last week of big running.  In order to get 5 miles in today, I decided to run with Callie to a park that was about 2.5 miles away.  It worked out well...neither of us got too tired/bored, and Callie got to play at a different park than usual!

Weekend Wrap-Up

After we got home on Saturday from Camp du Nord, we still had a busy weekend.  We spent the rest of Saturday at the condo because my Uncle Joe and sister Laura were both in town!  We hung out with them today too, with the Johnsons. 

Callie has been a little stinker with Uncle Joe.  She has been SUPER shy (which has been the case with many people lately), refuses to look at him, won't even give him a bump!  But last night (after we got home), as I was posting the anniversary blog post, she saw our wedding picture with him and immediately said "Joe!"  So she knows who he is, and I'm sure he'll win her over before he leaves on Wednesday.

Here are a few pictures from the rest of the weekend:

Kona and Callie reunited after 4 days apart.  This picture doesn't portray Kona's millions of kisses for Callie.  It was adorable.

Chris and (just up from a nap) Callie with Uncle Joe, Baby Donald, Auntie Laura

Showing Donald her toys

Auntie Laura!

Summer vacation has dwindled to 2 more weeks.  TWO!  Dos.  Speaking of dos, I need to stop procrastinating my Spanish homework.  Adios!

Camp du Nord

I'm going to try and sum up the past several days with pictures and captions as best as I can.

We have been in a seriously fun whirlwind since Wednesday.  Our plan was to leave for Camp du Nord on Wednesday morning by 9:30am at the latest.  We managed to pack up the car, pick Bob up, drop Kona off at the condo and hit the road by 9:20- 10 minutes ahead of schedule!  Anyone who has traveled with a toddler (and all the stuff they require) must be very impressed with us right now.

Anyway, we made it to camp by 3:00 with just 2 stops, but only a 45 minute toddler nap (parents with toddlers must feel very sorry for us right now).  Despite the lack of sleep, we had a wonderful first afternoon in the lake woods.

Testing out the kayak for Grandma

The beautiful lake!

Running around the woods

Having fun with Daddy and Uncle Dan

Since Dan is the program director at camp, he is very well known by all the staff and campers.  So the funny part about camp all week was the confusion all the other campers (and some camp staff) had when Chris showed up.  He was very often mistaken for Dan and didn't do a lot to correct people.  We got accustomed to people staring trying to figure it out.

One thing we learned about camp is that toddlers like to wake up between 5:45 and 6:15am every day, with no intention of falling back asleep.  So we had some very early morning chimpmunk chases.  On Thursday, the first full day, we enjoyed boating, resting, hanging out with the other families that we knew up there, participating in a triathlon, etc...

Paddle Boat!

Canoe Ride to Blueberry Island

Crabby toddler at Blueberry Island...remember what I said about the 5:45am wake-up?

Grandma and Grandpa keeping her busy

Watching the triathlon with Uncle Dan

The second full day was spent doing much of the same wonderful things. 

On the dock

Paddle Boarding Daddy

Girls Canoe Outing!

Swimming with Grandpa

Dancing with other kids (who are apparently wrestling!)

The morning we left, we took a picnic table picture like we took last year.  Here is this year's picture:

And last year's picture, just for fun:

We had an amazing time at camp, and are very thankful that Uncle Dan let us stay with him and take over his cabin!  I (of course) took a million more pictures, so here they are!

Anniversary

8/6/2005- The fanciest we have ever been...and so happy!

8/6/2011- Pretty darn greasy...but just as happy!

 After a wonderful few days up at Camp du Nord (to be blogged about tomorrow), we're back, we're dirty, and we're celebrating 6 years of wedded bliss. 

MOM...DAA...CA-EE...BOX

For months, my toddler enthusiastically pointed to anything Dora-related and said yelled "Doh-wah!  Doh-wah!" At the same time, she would REFUSE to say anything Mommy-or-Daddy-related.

Finally, we have been acknowledged.  Numerous times this past week, out of the blue, she will walk over, point to me, and say yell "MOM!"  She'll do the same thing for Chris ("Daa"), and herself ("CA-EE").  But I still think her favorite family member's name to say is Bops ("BOX!").

"Box" from Baby Goose on Vimeo.