Loving the Outdoors!

We spent a lot of time outside this week, enjoying the gorgeous weather!

One of Belle's favorite activities walking to Wheaton College to feed the ducks (with Goldfish crackers, of course). There's usually just one duck, who has now gotten to know us and will come out of the water and walk toward us when he sees us coming. He got a little too close this time so I held Claire but Belle loved throwing crackers for him to eat. And, we saw a goose family with six little babies who were cute and fuzzy. Talk about a close-up with nature.

Friday was Belle's last day of school so she brought her bathing suit for some sprinkler fun. Unfortunately, Mommy accidently soaked her earlier in the week with the sprinkler and hose when trying to fill up the water table so things didn't go well but the teachers were very patient with her. While she was at school, Claire enjoyed riding the tricycle in peace :-)

Friday afternoon brought a special treat - a visit from the Siegel's: Leah, Ethan and Baby Shayna. Belle is very into babies these days (as long as they aren't her sister) so she insisted on holding Shayna and giving her as many hugs on her lap as she good! Claire, for her part, was taken by Ethan - attracted to older men already...

On Saturday night, we attended a neighborhood cookout to wish a fond farewell to our next door neighbors. It was a hot, sticky evening but we all had a blast. While Belle sat in her stroller eating and taking it all in, Claire insisted on playing Red Light/Green Light, Simon Says and Kickball with the big kids. Unfortunately, she's so little that she got taken out a few times but you should have seen the grin on her face - priceless!