IL trip: Belvidere

Saturday and Sunday
July 2nd and 3rd, 2011:

   After our trip to Pirate's Cove and Panera for lunch we all hit the road for our hotel in Rockford.  Alex, Lana, and I picked up Grandma from the Clocktower, it was just on the other side of 90 from our hotel.  Lana was so excited when she saw Grandma and immediately started shouting, "Grandma! Grandma!" from her car seat.  We all went back to the hotel and took the girls swimming.

Juliana and Lana are ready to go swimming in their cute bathing suits!

Lana playing on the steps with Aunt Jill.

 

Lana getting ready to jump in.

What a jump Juliana!

    After enjoying our much needed pool time we all got ready for Tim and Shannon's wedding reception at The Machine Shed.  We were in a great location, the restaurant was just across the street from our hotel.  It was great seeing everyone and we all enjoyed a great meal. Tons of food and it was all delicious.  I wish I had gotten more pictures of everyone there, but I was a little busy chasing Lana around.  There was a store attached like Cracker Barrel and Lana was going nuts with the sock monkeys, tractors, and farm toys.  Lana's best friend Dillon loves tractors! 

Alex, Sarah, and wiggle worm Lana.

Lana with Zoe and Maya.

Mmmm....chocolate covered pretzel.

Mmmm....bread.

   Sunday morning we all went over to Grandma Hart's house for a yummy pancake breakfast.  Lana was so excited because pancakes are her favorite! 

Lana with Great Grandma Hart.

Everyone at the table, ah memories!

   After breakfast the girls got to open a few gifts from Grandma.  They really enjoyed opening their gifts.  Lana found a different toy to play with, Grandpa Hart's beagle.  She carried that dog around with her almost the whole time we were there.

Is this button how I turn it on?

Unwrapping

Ohhh, a new ribbon necklace, thanks Dad!

IL trip: Pirate's Cove

Saturday July 2, 2011:

   This morning we all met at Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house for breakfast.  The girls had their own kiddie table and enjoyed breakfast together.  Roger had the crazy clock game all put together and Lana enjoyed watching the marble roll through all the apparatuses.  We tried to get some pictures of the girls with their Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa, but that proved challenging.

Playing the crazy clock game with Uncle Roger.

Two cute cousins and the kiddie table.

Drinking their orange juice.

Lana is dipping her toast into imaginary sauce, lol!

Juliana and Lana hugging Aunt Jill.

Cousins hug!

Uh oh, someone found Juliana's Dora backpack.  She had to try it on.  Juliana was not too happy.

Juliana and Lana with their Great Grandmuzz.

Lana, Juliana, Great Grandmuzz and Great Grandpa. 

   After our morning picture fun and a great breakfast we took the girls to Pirate's Cove.  We use to go there all the time when we were kids.  A lot has changed, I think only the carousel and the hand pump trains are left from our generation.  Lana had a great time trying all the different rides, she just didn't want to get off.  It was a really hot day too, mid 90's and humid.  We weren't able to stay too long, but I got some great pics and videos.

Walking into Pirate's Cove.

Lana on the carousel, she said, "Yee, haw!"

Sliding down the dragon slide.

"Chooo-chooo!"

Paddle Boat!

Juliana and Lana are making a pirate flag.

  This first video shows Lana on a hand pump train that is too big, she can't turn it by herself, but you can see the old wooden jail we use to play on, it's now a backdrop.  In the second video Lana can just about turn the hand pump by herself, but she quickly looses momentum.

IL trip: Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa

Friday July 1, 2011:

  After driving all night Alex, Lana, and I made it to Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house about 4:30.  We had an easy drive from Colorado and left our house at 8:30 p.m.  We were surprised that Lana was up a lot of the night, but she was content to look out the window while Mommy tried to sleep on the sleeping pad beside her.  We made plenty of stops in the morning for breakfast, gas, restrooms, and even made a point to go to Ollie's Frozen Custard stand in Sycamore, IL, just north of DeKalb.  One of Alex's friends online grew up in DeKalb and said we had to stop there.  Before we met up with Uncle Roger, Aunt Jill, and Juliana at Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house we stopped by our hotel to nap and freshen up.
     

Lana resting at the hotel.

   Once at Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house we all decided to go out for dinner at Russel's.  It looks exactly the same and everyone enjoyed their food.  The girls helped Uncle Roger carry Lana's high chair to the table and had a lot of fun using their tokens to get a prize.

Two big helpers.

Aaaahhhhh

Lana had a blast playing with her sticky hand and Juliana was glad to get a Penguin.  I think his name was Rocko.

   Leaving dinner the girls were so cute and wanted to hold hands as they walked down the sidewalk together. 

   When we got back to Great Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house the girls wanted to play upstairs before we celebrated the girl's recent birthdays together.  They had a great time opening and playing with their gifts before enjoying some ice cream cake.  I love how Lana dances when people sing the Happy Birthday song.

Playing ball with Great Grandmuzz.

Playing the organ.

Juliana and Lana play the organ together.

Laying down with PJ and a bear in the bed Mommy use to sleep in.

Time to open birthday presents!

I love how Lana is reading her card, precious!

Playing with her lion piano in the box.

Opening Dora's house.

Testing out the buttons.

Princess Juliana!  So excited.

Check out my princess purse.

Lana wearing the princess dress up shoes.  They are even small for her little chubby feet, lol!

Princess Lana!  Thanks for sharing cousin Juliana.

Mmmmm, birthday cake!

Devouring her entire piece of ice cream cake.

Before heading back to the hotel for the evening Lana got to see the coo-coo-clock in action.  This is a favorite and often missed activity for any child visiting.  We would all hear the song and come running right before the fox ran around.  So glad Lana got to hear the entire song and see all the moving parts.

Lana's Dora Birthday Party

Saturday June 25, 2011:

   With Gigi and Grandpa in town we threw Lana a Dora Birthday Party.  It was a small get together with Lana's friend Dillon, his parents Melissa and Jim, Gigi, Grandpa, Mom, and Dad.  The first hour we let the kids play at the sand and water table.  Then Alex grilled some hamburgers and hotdogs and we had a great lunch. I made Dora cupcakes and they were a hit.

The spread (I even made a cheese ball).

MMmmmm  Dora and Boots cupcakes

Ice cream

ooohhhh

Big bite!

We ended the party with presents, Lana did a great job opening them this year.  Dillon enjoyed watching Lana open her gifts.

I love how Gigi and Grandpa are modeling Lana's new PJ's in the background.

 We tried to get some family shots, Lana was being silly and these were the best we got.

Sarah