Botanic Gardens

While visiting with the O'Malleys in Evanston this weekend we took an outing to the amazing Chicago Botanic Gardens. In addition to spectacular seasonal exhibits and the Japanese garden, we saw the train exhibit, with its models of well-known U.S. monuments accompanied by trains amid garden landscapes. There was also a remote-controlled sailboat race at the pond.

Yellowjackets

This past weekend Grandma Pat and Grandpa Rick attended Henry's second soccer game. His team, the Yellowjackets, took on the Green Dragons in a 4-on-4 contest of four and five year olds. Here Henry and teammate Tommy control the ball for an attempt at goal. Cathy and James cheer from the sidelines, while Tim coaches on the field.

Les voyageurs

Late in August, Rick, Pat and Susie took to their canoes in one of Nathan's favorite places, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area on the Canadian border. Big winds on Duncan Lake meant restricting our search for the perfect campsite, but also NO mosquitoes. Rose Lake is as beautiful as ever, although the stairway portage has practically no waterfall. Here Rick and Susie show off their portaging skills.

Butterfly in the making

For my debut post here is a caterpillar who made his home in my dill patch. He will turn into an Eastern Black Swallowtail butterly. I'm not sure what will happen in the winter, but apparently they overwinter and hatch in the spring.

Grandma Pat

Sophie 1st day at school

now that we got internet access, we are back onto blogging updates!!!

Today was Sophie 1st day at school....Hard for everybody, and especially for me I have to say, which reminds me of something Magali (the person responsible for Max at the daycare) said to me about Maxime : it is hard for Maxime to let me leave in the morning and then after a little bit of time he is fine. However, each time they are changing location, indoors versus outdoors, it is a little bit hard on him and he needs some time to adjust. This morning I realize that I am exactly feeling like him. It is very hard emotionnally to adjust to something new right now.

For the first time yesterday, Sophie cried for her Papa to be there with her.

shrimp fishing

on the atlantic, we have high and low tide. Low tide this week is in the middle of the afternoon which allows us to go shrimp fishing....The teacher was Mamie Christine!Sophie was wearing some special shoes to allow her to walk on the rocks without hurting her feet....but falling still hurts!

We got 10 shrimps, 2 crabs and a lot of seaweeds. All of them were back into the sea at the end of the afternoon...don't know how well they were unfortunately since Max were adding sand on the top of their head over and over again...

B-DAY#3 , #4 etc

Last week end, we spent the saturday with my brother and we celebrate Sophie's birthday with everybody 2 days in advance. Sophie had her first birthday cake and first candles to blow...thanks Maeva and Auxanne for the help


She got a set of dishes and a basket of fruits...
Then the next day (B-day#4), Sophie got a package from Aunt Susie : a Barbie Doll on a bike!
That totally made her day. She 's taking her everywhere, plays with her while she should nap....
Barbie has a nice set of clothes but spend most of her time naked....Easier to take the clothes off than to put them back.....!!!

Finally, came june 28, last monday and we celebrate her birthday at La Baule. She got a kitchen (pictures to come), a blackboard/white board, and some books

next B-DAY in Paris with tata Laure....