Hello from Chicago!

Thanks, Aunt Stacy for watching the kids so we could have a weekend away! =)

More Lake Pics

We had a fun day yesterday. We woke up and went shopping for a bit and grabbed some lunch out. Then we went back to the condo, and Jeff put up some of the new light fixtures mom and dad bought and mom and I brought the kids to the pool. (Where, I might add, I had to save Julia and pull her out by the leg since she got "brave" and took a step backwards off the second step of the pool! YIKES!! And the girl is FEARLESS...no sooner did I pull her out and wrap her in a towel, she jumped out of my arms and took right back for the water. Her old "hesitation" about the water seems to be gone...I think I will certainly miss that! At least we have until next summer to worry about it! =)

Then Jeff brought Ry down to the lake for a little swim off the dock and he had a BLAST swimming in the "other pool". Ry and Daddy climbing the ladder out of the lake after their big swim!
Ry dares Daddy to jump off the edge...of course, it happens!!! This event has given me a little glimpse into what the future with my boys will look like as Ryan gets bigger!
"Don't swallow the water!" I tell Ry, so he constantly tells Jeff and I not to drink the water, that it is "icky!"
Awwww..the little man in his favorite beach towel (thanks, Grandma!) =)
View of the condos looking up from the dock.

In the evening, Jeff and I went out and left the kids back at the condo with my parents. Always a NICE, but odd feeling not having the little people around! I am constantly catching myself in that "ohmygosh! where did they run off to!" mentality. We were going to catch a movie, but absolutely NOTHING sounded good that was playing so we ended up grabbing a drink and the BEST spinach and artichoke dip I might have ever eaten. Wish I could remember the name of the place! =)

This morning, we woke up and Jeff went out fishing. Ry was contentedly playing trains when he left, but the moment he walked out the door Ry started getting completely whiney that he wanted to go too. Thanks, Dad, for bringing him out to find his Daddy!!

Then it was time to pack up and head home. The last 30 minutes of this drive here and home seemed to be very hairy for the kids (well, Julia anyways!)...I am anxious about how we are ever goign to get the kids up to Chicago next month on an even longer drive! Maybe need to check out the train schedules...

First Ozark Condo Trip

My parents just bought a condo at the Lake of the Ozarks. This weekend we all went down to help "setup" and hang at the new place. Krista, Brian and the kids came on Thursday morning. Mom and I picked up the kids from school at 1 and headed down. The Jeffs drove down in a UHaul and Amy and Mat followed late Friday night. (Beth had to miss the fun weekend for some event at the studio). Thursday night was INTERESTING because we slept on air mattresses since the beds hadn't been delivered yet! Try doing THAT with four little children!!! I might have slept for 2 hours. Needless to say, we were SUPER excited day two when the furniture store arrived and then our guys and the UHaul later that night!

Uncle Jeff and Julia have a BLAST at the pool.

Mat, Lucas (sleeping in his seat), Dad and Brian chill poolside.

Ryan thinks he is super-cool getting to help the guys assemble his new bunk bed!

Looks like glamma is totally wasted and Amy and Krista are holding her up, doesn't it? And this was taken the night BEFORE we went to Uncle Harry's party!

Amy, Jeff, Ty, Krista, Julia and Glamma having fun. The kids were so entertained just putting water back and forth from container to container.

THANK YOU KRISTA, MOM AND DAD!!

This weekend we had our ?th annual Arkansas lake trip. (Geez...Amy, how many years has it been now?) Krista helped out watching the kids for a few hours on Thursday so we could take off, and mom and dad came to our house straight from the Ozarks to take over. (Krista...does 3 kids still sound like a great idea?) =) Thank you SOSO much for helping out so we could get a little weekend away!

Amy took photos, so as soon as I get my hands on some, I will post!Ty and Julia hang out on the couch..
apparently, all is still calm with the childcare situation.

Ty, Lucas and Julia chill for a moment...
I wonder if Aunt Krista snapped this photo
before or after the golf club "situation"? =)

And on our return-
I think Julia was UBER glad we were home. When she woke up from her nap, I went upstairs and got her out of her crib. She normally DEMANDS to go downstairs immediately to check out with big brother is up to, but today she just rested her head on my shoulder and smiled...it was the absolute sweetest. After my back got tired of holding her upstairs, we came down and I sat down with her. Daddy wanted some of the great sweetness too, and I thought in the pass off we would lose the moment, but she did the same thing to him...and continued to lay this way for a LONG time!!! Awwwww....

We brought back a toy for each of the kids. There was some debate on if we should give them to them upon our arrival, or add them to the Christmas stash, but apparently, in a weak moment, Jeff caved. =)

Ry plays with his new Seaport Town where there was a storm coming, and all the cars had to hurry and head to garages, or any other cover they could find. Hehe..he has quite the imagination!

Swimming in NY

Today was our last day in NY, and we decided to relax and head to the pool before dinner at Applebee's and a Coldstone Creamery treat -- Aunt Stacy's first time! Ryan loves the cotton candy flavor ice cream, Julia will eat whatever, Jeff seems to try something new each time we go (although the chocolate peanut butter shake was a hit), and I love both the chocolate and vanilla cake batter flavor! =)

Ry and Daddy swimming.

Aunt Stacy and Julia playing with the beach ball.

Ry and Aunt Stacy, Daddy and Julia chillin' in the pool!

Daddy gives Julia a ride around the pool.

Daddy found this baby frog by the pool! I was surprised at how
fearless Ry was about getting up close to get a better look!

Oh...and you know the whole saying about how you can get more of a
sunburn on a cloudy day than a sunny one? TRUE!!!

Happy 4th!

We spent the 4th of July bumming around with Stacy in the morning. She and Ryan played a bit of Wii together. When the game is over, he says "Let's do it again!"
Then we drove to an outlet mall about 45 minutes from her house..a VERY good one! But, both the kids had meltdowns, so it was the FASTEST outlet mall trip the Harriss household has ever experienced. Ry apparently beat up some kids in the MacDonald's playland. Jeff was there with the kids while Stacy and I were hitting the JCrew, Gymboree and Gap. Those were all the stores we made it to! Stacy did make a quick trip a little ways down to the Banana, too, but that was it!

After that, we drove out to the Long Island campground (another 40 minutes further drive) away where Jeff's parents are working this summer. Papa takes Ry, Stacy and Julia for a ride on the golf cart to see the park.

Ry walked SLOWLY up to this fake deer, thinking it was real.

Jim, Stacy and Linda pose while me munch on appetizers.

Ry was UBER excited about the firework display!

Aunt Stacy, Ry and Grandma by the ocean.

Our little guy does not like to keep his pants on anymore, and today wasn't an exception. As soon as we walked down to the water he started stripping down!

Julia was TOO cranky to hang out by the water, so we ended up walking her back to camp and trying to put her down to bed (unsuccessful!). She did get in a MUCH better mood, however. Maybe our girl just doesn't like the ocean!?

The Big Apple!

Aunt Stacy hung out in Long Island today with the kids and gave Jeff and I a break to go into the city. (THANK YOU, Aunt Stacy!!!)Jeff had me pose like this "holding" up the Statue of Liberty. Other people saw this shot and started copying, too. =) This was taken from Battery Park.

This sculpture is called "The Sphere" and was located in the plaza at the World Trade Center towers. We were shocked at how much it held up despite the massive weight that fell on and around it!

Here she is...

A view into the rebuilding at Ground Zero.

One of the breathtaking views from the top of the Empire State Building.

Jeff stocking up on a hard to find cherry flavored M&M...and excited about it! =)

The famous Central Park...

Jeff and I at Serendipity 3 where I had to stop for some of the famous Frozen Hot Chocolate!

Grand Central Station...this place is MASSIVE, and we were TOTAL tourists, trying to get on the subway, but instead standing in line for a bus, and something else we aren't even sure what before someone told us that we were NOT in the line for the subway!

Here is one of Jeff's "artsy" photos...notice I am not blurry amidst the chaos and blur of Grand Central Station. (And CHAOS was an understatement! hehe)

Splish Splash

We spent the day at Splish Splash waterpark today. Right when we pulled in the parking lot a storm came in, but by the time we ate our lunch it turned out to be a beautiful day! Julia and Grandma watch as Ry hitches a tall ride on Papa's shoulders.

Aunt Stacy braves a slide with Julia.

Aunt Stacy and Ry hanging out --
one of the few times Ry actually will LOOK at the camera anymore!

Hanging out in the kiddie area. Ry and Aunt Stacy pose and Julia swings.

Ry and Grandma race down a slide!

Papa holds Julia, Aunt Stacy, Grandma and Daddy sit on the side
and watch for Ry to come out the pirate ship.

If you look closely, you will see Stacy (left) and Jeff (right) ready to plummet out of here!

Aunt Stacy, Ry, Papa and Grandma stop and pose for a pic.