A Fun Visit

Two weekends ago Meredith and the boys came to visit us in Milwaukee - it was such a fun weekend.   Those two boys are so cute and Griffin and I were excited to finally have a good chunk of time with them.   We went to the Betty Brinn Children's Museum and could have played there for hours!  The boys loved it all and we were so impressed with the different activities they could play.  We also got to play lots of "tennis" in the driveway with Jack and go to the park on Sunday.   Saturday night was great too - after the boys went to bed Griffin made the three of us margaritas and we watched a movie.  The perfect way to end a hectic day with two active boys at a children's museum.   :)

I wish they could have stayed longer - it was hard to say goodbye - but I am sure they'll come back soon for another visit.

Meredith has some good pictures from the weekend on her blog too:

http://mcguffage.blogspot.com/2009/08/road-trip-with-boys.html

Griffin spinning Jack in a tube at the museum

Jack fixing a tire at the museum

Jack checking under the hood now - he even added window washer fluid!

Matt working as a teller at the bank

Matt picking apples at the museum

We took the boys to Cranky Al's for donuts (and coffee for Meredith!) - Matt enjoying his big, glazed donut.   It took him awhile but he eventually finished it.

Jack always wanted to hold Griffin's hand when he crossed the street.    (I didn't get to hold his hand, but I did get to read him a couple books before bed time!)

Trying to take a picture with the boys - Matt didn't want to though

Matt jumping in front of the second picture - love that scrunchy face!

Finally a nice picture - but sadly no Matt.  Next time we'll get the 4 of us.

IrishFest!

This weekend was also IrishFest - and I am pretty sure someone told me it was the largest IrishFest in the world (including Ireland)!   It spanned the entire SummerFest Fairgrounds and had tons of food, music, shops and cultural stations.   It was amazing.   

It was funny how many people I spotted that looked like one of my uncles, cousins or distant relative.   I could easily spot who was Irish by that measure.

Griffin and me in front of the IrishFest entrance

Me taking a picture with an Irishman wearing a shirt that read "I (shamrock) Kathleen".   The woman on the left is his wife - Kathleen.   :)

Wisconsin State Fair

This past Saturday my parents came to visit.  It was their first time to see our new house and it was their first time to go to the State Fair.   We had a great day!    We saw horses, huge cows, huge pigs and ate lots of great Fair food.   My favorite was the kettle corn popcorn but Griffin and my Dad loved the State Fair Cream Puffs.  They are legendary at the State Fair.  We waited in a LONG line to get them but it was completely worth it.   

We ended the day with pizza at our favorite pizza place - Balistreri's.    It was a great day and I was sad that my parents didn't stay longer, but I am sure they will be up sometime soon again for a visit.

Griffin and my Dad with their enormous Cream Puffs

The Cream Puffs got messy quick

Me enjoying the hammock swing for sale - State Fair hosted a huge expo of all sorts of items for purchase.  The big seller seemed to be the wonder Mop.  I liked my hammock swing

Griffin's Ankle

Unbeknownst to Griffin - he was injured pretty badly at his soccer game last week.  He isn't really sure how it happened, but there is a purple and blue ankle to show for it.    He has a hematoma (blood tumor) about 3 inches above his ankle where he must have gotten kicked.  Then he has a badly bruised inside ankle.    This picture is about 2 days after the injury.   Sadly, over a week later the ankle stills looks as bad (just a little less purple).

Hopefully he'll be able to play soccer again soon.

Jack's 4th Birthday Party

Two weekends ago Griffin and I drove to Chicago to celebrate my nephew Jack's 4th birthday.  It was a great party!    There was good food, friends and family, and lots of kiddos running around everywhere.  I can't believe Jack is already 4 years old - he is growing up so fast!  This year was fun to watch him enjoy his birthday.  He understood more what the day meant and he definitely understood the presents.  :)

Instead of cake Meredith made cupcakes for Jack's birthday.   They were delicious and a big hit with the kids.

Jack listening to everyone sing "Happy Birthday"

Jack and his friend Hayden

Matt enjoying the frosting on his cupcake

me and Grandpa

The kids running around, screaming and attacking Terry

Matt playing some T-Ball

Matt making a mess in the wet sand box

Jack and Lauren wearing their White Sox shirts (the theme for the party).

Great Weekend!

The weekend of July 25th was a great one!   I am just sad that I don't have any pictures to show for it.   Saturday we went to the Air & Water Show downtown Milwaukee.   It was a beautiful day outside and watching those Thunderbirds fly by was absolutely incredible.

Saturday night we went to the Coldplay concert.   Griffin and I both agreed that it was the best concert we had ever been to!   We've seen Coldplay in concert before - but this show was the best!  At first we were disappointed to see that our seats were so far off to the side of the stage, but we quickly realized that our seats would turn out to be phenomenal later on in the show.   Coldplay had set up a small side stage just 5 seats to our right and they perform a couple songs right in front of us!   It was incredible!  

Then on Sunday we had the chance to spend time with some dear friends of ours and their 11-week old little girl.  We wish we had more time with them but we are definitely grateful for the time that we did get to spend together.   Hopefully we'll be able to make it out to Boston for a visit with them some time soon. 

Ewald Family Vacation in Door County

Last week we had an Ewald family vacation up in Sister Bay, Door County.    It was a beautiful week with great weather.   We never made it in the water (except for brave Sydney) but there was shopping, golfing, bike riding, board games and lots of playing with Sydney.   We also enjoyed some great food and saw many breath-taking sunsets from our front porch.   It was a wonderful trip!

There were a couple of morning on the trip when Sydney woke Griffin and I up by jumping in our bed.   She was wide awake and ready to play with her Aunt and Uncle.   We created a game called "wind tunnel" where she sat in the middle of the bed and Griffin and I waived the bed sheet up and down leaving Sydney surrounded by wind.   She loved it!   Here is a picture of her emerging from the "wind tunnel" laughing with Griffin.

   

Sydney and Grandma in the cold water....but still enjoying every bit of it.   Eventually Sydney ended up only in diapers and t-shirt as she started getting her sweater and shorts soaking wet.

Meredith and Terry recommended a great restaurant - PC Junction.   It is a little restaurant in Bailey's Harbor that serves food on a train that drives along the large circular bar.  Sydney was enamored with this train and it's loud whistle.   Everyday after that day was followed by the question of "train?" from Sydney - wanting to go back to PC Junction for lunch.

Rudy enjoying the pedal carts & track outside of PC Junction.

Griffin and Sydney on the pedal cart

Sydney laughing at Uncle Griffin's goofiness at the Mexican restaurant.  (He was feeding her stuffed bear food and water).

Sydney and her Mommy enjoying a good hug at pebble beach.

Griffin and Sydney playing with the pebble tower they made together.

Griffin and I convinced Sydney to look through her ice cream cone like a telescope (Marcus and Kathy were not at this dinner....which is how we got away with it).   :)

Enjoying the sunset