Road Trip!

Last Thursday the 16th through Saturday the 18th, Emma, my friend Beth and I went to visit Mom and Dad and to take some short sight-seeing trips in northern Ohio. On Thursday evening, we went to the carrousel in downtown Mansfield and visited the library there, which has a beautiful kids' section. On Friday, we drove to Lakeside, a resort town on Lake Erie. The weather was beautiful, sunny and 75-80 degrees. Our first stop was their "Central Park," where Emma played on the playground and we ate a picnic lunch. We also had fun on the beach (the lake was too cold, even for Emma's taste) and at the kiddie pool. Finally, we browsed the shops and ate ice cream. Friday night, Jason and Kristen joined us at Mom and Dad's. On Saturday, we drove over to a nearby state park lodge and purchased day passes for their pool. The water was chilly (although thankfully not as chilly as Lake Erie), but we enjoyed helping Emma swim back and forth between us (and yes, she really can swim now; I'll blog about it soon). We also spent some time in the warmer indoor pool. Again, the weather was beautiful, just like it was on Friday. Our last hurrah was a cookout at Mom and Dad's, followed by a campfire complete with s'mores and ghost stories, and finally, an early celebration of Father's Day with cake and gifts for Dad. Of course, Emma received a lot of attention throughout this trip, and she didn't want to leave!

Get Well, Grandma!

Last Monday, June 13, we visited Great Grandma Coe and GAL (Great Aunt Linda) at Grandma's apartment. Ever since she hurt her back several weeks ago, Grandma has been confined to her apartment most of the time. She's on the mend, and was happy to have some visitors. Emma read some books to her, and Grandma read one of my favorites to her that she'd had since I was little (or maybe even when Mom and Aunt Linda were growing up?), Mimi the Kitten! Emma put her socks and my sandals on Grandma's feet in one picture, while Emma wore Grandma's slippers! We also looked at a lot of pictures and "caught up" on what's been going on lately. Grandma Karen was still staying at our house from a weekend visit, so she went with us down there. A nice visit!

Backyard Water Play

The weather over the past week or so has been extremely hot and humid, with temperatures close to (or above) 90 degrees every day...very unusual for Ohio in June. But hanging out in the air conditioning all day isn't a three-year-old's way of handling it! Instead, we've had several sessions of backyard water play, both in our own backyard and that of Emma's friend Madelynn. We've enjoyed the sprinkler, pool, and our newest addition, the slip-and-slide!

The Strawberry Festival

Last Saturday, June 4, Todd, Emma and I went to the Strawberry Festival in a nearby town. As you can see, Emma enjoyed the Ferris Wheel, kiddie rides, and a pony ride. We also ate chocolate covered strawberries and bananas. However, Emma was more interested in the kettle corn than the strawberry shortcake (complete with ice cream)! I guess I should be happy...the kettle corn was probably the healthier option. Of course, think of all those "Mom calories" I consumed...I couldn't let Emma's portion go to waste!

Boat Ride!

On my last day of school (Thurs. the 2nd), Emma and I attended a retirement party for 3 staff members at a restaurant on our local lake. We enjoyed the outdoor setting, where Emma got to visit with one teacher's new puppy (why, oh, why didn't I get a picture of that?!), play with the music teacher's son, and eat cake (well, icing). But the highlight of our evening was that one of our third grade teachers (soon to be 5th), Erin, invited us to ride on her boat! She even stopped by her house to make sure Emma had a life jacket that fit. It was a sunset cruise fit for the occasion...the end of the school year and the beginning of Mom and Emma's summer adventures together!!!

Toledo in Three!

Our last visit to Toledo in February was just a two-day visit. This time, we went over Memorial Day weekend, so we had three days, but they were just as packed! First, Courtney brought over Baby David, who is 3 months old and adorable, but Emma was not interested in holding him! We also enjoyed dinner with Papa Norm and Grandma Sheila, stayed with Grandma Karen, and got to see Aunt Sarah and Uncle Tommy's new house. Finally, we enjoyed Toledo itself with a trip to the Imagination Station museum, a doubleheader Mud Hens game, and a visit to the Toledo Zoo (all of the pictures where Emma's acting like an animal are hands-on exhibits at the zoo)!

Lily's Party!

Todd's stepbrother's daughter, Lily (aka Emma's cousin), turned 3 in May. She had a nice birthday party with a Dora theme. Aunt Aranne made a beautiful, tasty cake, and we enjoyed our first visit to their new home. Finally, the kids, including cousin Bobby and 3 of Lily's other friends, enjoyed some water play in the backyard!

Aunt Linda's "Race"

Each year, Aunt Linda helps to run the Relay for Life for her county. This year and last, we have visited her at the Relay to show our support and remember our loved ones we've lost to cancer. But, how do you explain all of this to a three-year-old? We just started calling it "Aunt Linda's Race" when I talked about what we were going to do. As it turns out, the weather was iffy, and the event was held inside a high school rather than on the track, which required further explanation. But, as you can see, Emma mostly just enjoyed time with our family!