Take me out to the ballgame...

The boys went to their first baseball game today compliments of the Galesburg Public Library reading program!  It was a beautiful day, high in the low 80's with a breeze!

Parker's Friends were there using their summer reading program prizes too!  We are sure this alone allowed us to make it all 9 innings! :)

  After the game the kids were allowed to run the bases...I love this photo...look close...

Daddy Bruns is telling Daddy Stecher how it works....Little Bruns is telling Little Stecher how it works!

the wind up... 

And he's off! 

And he realizes Travis is not following him and his buddies have left him in the wind! 

Fear Not! The relief runner is there to save the day... 

She ran all the bases with him, most likely to make sure he didn't get on the well manicured grass...but we were thankful none the less! 

And he scores! :)

The best news is the team we went to see...the Peoria Chiefs (a cubs affiliate), Lost...so it's a loss for the Cubs! :)

4 happy Cardinal fans after a great day at the ball park!

Stay-cation

 With the boys being too little, and going to bed/waking up too early, to really go anywhere far on a vacation this year we did a last minute "stay-cation" for our end of summer hurrah!

First we hit up the Putnam museum that extended it's dinosaur exhibit through September.  Parker has begun to show interest in dinosaurs...however upon arriving we found life size dinosaurs with teeth as big as him is a little intimidating..he would have rather run out into the parking lot with on coming cars than be in this photo near that T-Rex!  Carson, aka the man with no fear, thought it was great!

We went with a general admission vs. the extra dinosaur exhibit ;) 

This had better not be a sign of the future!

 After a dinner break we headed to Whitewater Junction for an evening swim.  A lot less people after 6PM

Parker was tall enough to go down the slides!  He hates water in his face/eyes/head.  Parker giggled the whole way down and Travis lifted him at the end of the slide to make for a successful 1st trip!

The 2nd trip down (with mom) wasn't so successful!  We both went under!  Parker was not happy, but was willing to try again...with Travis!  The 3rd time down...with Travis both boys went under water...he wasn't very happy about it...ask him sometime about his water slide, he'll let you know ;)

Everyone had a GREAT time and we look forward to making a repeat appearance sooner than later!

The next morning we headed to the Family Museum in Bettendorf.

We are still resting up from our big adventure!

Balloon Glow

Last Friday we got an evening of relief from the ever present heat that has engulfed our summer. We took advantage and took a picnic to the park where the balloon glow/lift off was supposed to happen at 5:30 PM...

We enjoyed KFC as balloons and people arrived. 

We waited with eager anticipation... 

We played with the wagon, ate homemade ice cream from a local vendor, we played, enjoyed the breeze and waited. 

We watched the little caution rope and flags and waited.

We pretended we were a giraffe...(Parker's giraffe face)..and waited 

We pretended we were a hippo...(Parker's hippo face)...and waited

Finally at 7PM we decided it must be too windy for the balloons to be blown up and headed for home.

Parker was bummed at first, but then on Saturday morning Travis and Parker got to go Balloon Chasing!  We saw several balloons flying out our front window so the big boys took off in the RAV and followed them through the corn fields and bean fields.  Trav said they wouldn't be able to see anything because of the corn, they would turn a corner and *poof* there would be several.  This would send Parker squealing in delight.  Maybe next year we will get to see the balloons launch, or the boys will be old enough/up late enough to go back to the balloon glow at dusk!

Growing up

The boys are growing leaps and bounds this summer.  Parker is very much more expressive and articulate about what he wants and when...usually it's RIGHT NOW!  He is beginning to show interest in things outside his immediate world and is willing to try new things.  He will verbally tell you his feelings, I'm sad, I'm mad, that's scary, that's cool, and our new favorite....that's not proper...:)

Here he is getting ready to hang a new bird feeder he got from Grandma Vancil.  He loved helping with her bird feeders when he spent the night at her house earlier this summer!

Carson, as much as it pains me, is becoming less of a "baby" daily and turning into a toddler.  He is also becoming verbal, not specific words so to say, but lots of noises and he makes sure to let us know when he wants or doesn't want something.  He is beginning to take a liking to table food and is close to his first steps independently   He has learned that everything big brother has, does, or wants is much better than what he has.  He is growing like a weed and is closing in on his brother in both height and weight!  He is a snuggle bug, when he wants to be, and has the best chuckle!

Here he is on our bed one night after waking up with "growing pains" in his legs.  After some leg rubs he fell asleep on top of a few pillows and bamboo sheets...not so fast buddy!

Somebody tell me how to slow these baby to toddler days down!