Is Owen too young for a girlfriend? Not if it is his best friend! And believe me, they are monitored very closely! :-)
These two little munchkins spend all day together at daycare. They play pretend and chase and giggle and talk and fight and run so hard. On Friday Owen burst into tears when I picked him up from daycare...wait a sec! Is that how you show your love, Owen? Actually, he was so sad to leave his little friend that the only way I could get him to leave was to say i would call her mom when we got in the car to see if she could come to our house over the weekend. I didn't know this would start so young. Over the weekend then, these two got together, barely ate lunch, made cookies, played with every toy in the yard, the play room off the kitchen and then destroyed his room...as we see in this picture:

I took them for a ride around the block and they yelled and cheered me on as I took them over as many bumps as I could find.

I can't say this was their first "date" because Carrie has "chaperoned" them on a "date" to the movies with daycare. They even sat in the same chair (it takes two to hold down the fold-down seats anyway) and held hands (perhaps because they were sharing snacks...). It's just too sad if they never know each other in school...one of us just may have to move...or open enroll! :-)

What makes Owen so entertaining?

We know why, but perhaps Gabby will tell us her version someday.

Monkey see Monkey do...Grampa was fixing his lawnmower last time they were up...guess that is one way to learn!

Another way to learn is by doing...copying daddy's handiwork...

Okay...not the way daddy did it exactly but pretty darn close!

A few weeks ago we attended a beautiful outdoor wedding at an apple orchard. There were animals, a swing set, and a buffet...perfect first wedding for the kids to attend!

hmmm...do all weddings have a swing set?

Hmmm, cool shades, huh?

Family!

The LuLu girls smiled for the camera as well! #4 was elsewhere for the photo but was also wearing an adorable dress to match her 3 older sisters!

Back to "Camp Grampa" but this time "mom" didn't leave me!

The weekend before Labor Day we took a car ride to Wisconsin to see Julie, Elodie, Lori, and Gramma & Grampa! Owen wanted to drive this car back to MN, but we had to convince him that it would take a really long time! Owen loved having his own "little-man cave"...if you can call it that. The third garage space was all his with shelves of toys, sandbox, easel, and all the balls you can imagine.

Elodie, being 6 weeks older, takes it upon herself to teach Gabby how it's done...or at least push her off and show her! :-) Just kidding, they played very nice together...

My pretty little girl wearing my pretty little dress that I wore when I was a little one. What memories are preserved in a dress! (well, not my memories, but I'm sure my own mother had a thought or two!)

This seems like ages ago when Gabby was still trying to pull herself up without tipping over. She is now pulling, climbing, and even walking along the couch. What will be next?

Even though it was 1.5 miles and Owen couldn't walk the entire way (thank you Auntie Lori for carrying Owen down a few hills...) it was one of my favorite parts of our time there. What a beautiful place! No wonder it is called a "wonderland"!

Yes, Elodie showing Gabby how it's done...again!

Julie and I enjoyed some girl time. Our little girls had fun just crawling around as we talked and laughed and just enjoyed the moment.

I've got a little lover on my hands!

And then there's my little boy...he loves animals so much! He was so excited that I found a little rhino for him to play with after our trip to the zoo, but now he is asking for a hippo and a tiger because, " I don't have one and I need one." So simply put by a three year old: he needs a hippo and a tiger. Both but he would be happy with just one ifI could find one at a garage sale or at the store or whatever. Okay owen...

THANK YOU JULIE AND ELODIE FOR MAKING THE TRIP!
THANK YOU LORI JO FOR SUGGESTING THE TRIP AND MAKING THE TRIP AS WELL!
THANK YOU, MOM AND DAD, FOR HAVING US SUCH A GREAT HOME FOR US TO COME BACK TO!

This year's pictures were taken by Amber Rishavy...we had a good time at the park and got a few good shots too! :-) Have fun taking a look at a few chosen ones! Know this, Owen did have a different shirt on, but he spilled the bubbles on it! Boys!

Can you fake innocence?