Laurel Elisabeth Stevens

Some ducks joined us for a swim at West Bay on Monday. It was a cool day, but when the sun shone, it was lovely. Tuesday was rainy, so we headed to the Children's Museum. Elisabeth caught a big one! Waiting for the train. Note Henry's new crocs. Can you believe it? The steam and whistle made Henry a little nervous, but soon he was waving to the onlookers and signing "truck" or "car" (same sign for both) that he saw as we went. This was Elisabeth's second trip. The first one was 3 years ago. See--getting more excited. The turtles. This whole area used to be the Clinch Park Zoo, but now it has gone the way of the dodo. Rumor is the train will go the same way. Here's Henry at Grandma Marva's house, eating his lunch like a big boy. But there was jelly all over the chair when he was done. We had a nice visit. Believe it or not, at one point both kids were sitting on armchairs and looking at books. They are in good company, because Grandma Marv...

I'm writing from Traverse City. John is already back in The Woodlands, after driving up here in 2 days, resting for a day, then flying back. He'll rejoin us at the end of next week as we head up to the UP. The kids did pretty well on the drive. Neither of them slept much the first day, Saturday, which started at 4 AM and ended at 10:30 PM in Cincinnati, OH, at the home of good friends Zach and Renee. We enjoyed Sunday morning with them, and Elisabeth loved walking their dog McKenzie, despite a small accident which resulted in Elisabeth having a fat lip. We arrived here Sunday night at about 9:00 PM. So far we've been to Old Mission Penninsula and the lighthouse (at the 45th parallel), (Elisabeth and I went up to the very top of the lighthouse. She climbed steep stairs to get there, but as soon as she saw how she had come, she got nervous and was ready to go down, so it was hard to enjoy the view!) swam at the beach (East Bay of Lake Michigan), visited Uncle Jack's f...

Early in June Henry, Elisabeth and I went to Jones State Forest first thing in the morning. This was my favorite visit yet. It was so quiet and peaceful (and not too hot). As we walked down the trail just behind Henry, we scared a Blue Heron less than 20 feet from us. We didn't see it until it was flying away. It was an amazing feeling. Elisabeth found this cypress branch and wanted her picture taken with it. One Saturday Elisabeth and I made her a little fort, and she wanted to have her rest time in it. So despite the 90 degree weather, she was out there from 1 to 1:30. With water and shade of course. Gotta teach them while they're young to endure this heat! Henry is crying in his crib as I write this. Just not into napping today. Elisabeth is playing in her room, or listening to Mrs. Piggle Wiggle on her tape player. After lunch Henry started carrying around my grocery bags, with much determination and purpose, so it seemed. He kept placing himself between a short w...

DSC_0012 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . I can ride this tractor too. But why isn't it moving when I'm sitting on it?

DSC_0051 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . (note the tongue in cheek again)

DSC_0042 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens .

DSC_0040 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . Note the pursed lips. This is from her father! She's concentrating seriously!