In search of a "der-dell"

OK, now we're back in Michigan again for these photos. . .are you getting jetlag yet?

Hannah developed a love for turtles. I am not sure how that came about, but the kid is obsessed with them! And it is one of the words she says clearly :) You'd think with a house full of furry animals both here and at granny's house, that she would be obsessed with dogs and cats. . .but instead she loves turtles :) Sure, she is good friends with her furry friends, but it is a turtle that she longs for.

So anyway, while we were at my parents' house, Hannah overheard her cousin say she saw a TURTLE by the side of the road earlier when she and her mom were driving to the house. So, Hannah and a bunch of her cousins set off on a walk in search of this turtle. The whole time we were walking down the road, Hannah kpt repeating "der-dell" "der-dell" "der-dell". . .she was determined to find one!

Alas, we never did find any "der-dells" but she still had a GREAT time watching her cousins skip, she thought it was HILARIOUS! She tried to skip too, but she is not yet coordinated enough to do it. It was more of a cute run :) But it was a nice try!

Chicago

These photos were taken on our trip to Chicago (piggybacking the Michigan trips). These are out a little out of order, sorry.


Here's Hannah at Gino's East Pizza! A place where it is OK (and slightly encouraged) to write on the walls :) A perfect place for kids! Someone already wrote Hannah Banana on the wall near the entrance, so we just stood her under it and took a photo instead of trying to find our own blank spot to write her name. She can't write yet anyway! hee hee


She LOVES the pizza, by the way! She takes after her mommy and daddy. No pizza compares to Chicago deep dish. YUMMY!





Picking out some bling bling at Tiffany on Michigan Avenue. . .she's so spoiled! She likes shiny things and has VERY expensive taste! Her husband will not know what he's getting himself into. . . I feel sorry for him--whoever he is!

NOT happy that we interrupted her exploration of Michigan Avenue and shopping to stop and take a photo.



She has other plans: "OK, fine, I'll just take Mommy's purse and go shopping by MYSELF then! Sheesh! "

Lovely face, I know. But that's me wrestling her for my purse! She's STRONG! ha ha

Learning how to throw pennies into the fountain to make a wish. . .can you read her mind? I can!

Penny #1: "I wish they would buy me some more pizza, a few more rides on the carousel, and a necklace from Tiffany!"

Penny #2: "I wish I could climb into the fountain and go for a swim!"

Penny #3: "I wish grandpa had more pennies. . ."

What do you mean you are out of change!?!? Hummmpf

Bopbop lets her pick out an American Girl doll, and the one she picked looks like her! I don't know who was more excited about her going to that store to get a doll. . .Hannah or Bopbop! In fact she fell asleep in her stroller on the walk over there, and we had to wake her up to select a doll. She must've thought she was dreaming at first! A store full of dollies! A little girl's dream come true :)

Letting her dolly go for a ride in the stroller--she put the doll in there herself! (with a little help from mommy since the box is almost as big as she is!)


Hannah also had a blast at the Lincoln Park Zoo running all around and looking at all the animals.

Fighting another family photo again. . .she just didn't want to be bothered to stop for photos! She had places to go! What places you ask? Apparently ANY place or general direction opposite of whatever direction we wanted to go. . .Oh well!

That's better :)

Hannah LOVED the carousel at the zoo! It was her first time riding one. . .and she rode it three times :) She enjoyed waving each time we passed daddy and granny/bopbop who were watching from the sidelimes. It was adorable.

Cool chick

"Hmmmm. . .Are these bars here to keep ME from getting in? or to keep the animals from getting OUT? I tried pulling them apart to let me in, but it didn't work. Note to self. . .listen to mom next time she tells me to eat broccoli or whatever stinky veggie she serves at dinner that is supposed to make me stronger. . ."

Trying to figure out how to get closer to the animals. . ."if only these bars were made of cheesies, I could eat my way through!"

And of course, no trip to the zoo (or anywhere Bopbop happens to be, apparently) is complete without some ICE CREAM!

Mama and baby cuddling. It was so cute :)

I still have more Michigan photos to post! I have a ton of stuff in draft. . .

So stay tuned this week for much more!

Apples!

While we were visiting my dad for the second time in Michigan, Hannah got to hang out with all of her cousins! This was the 1st time all of them had met Hannah and they had such a good time together :) My sister Cassandra has 5 kids and my sister Kim has two kids. . .counting Hannah, that's a total of 8 grandkids for my parents!

One of the highlights of the visit was going apple picking at an orchard close to my parents' house. Only six of Hannah's cousins joined us for apple picking. Baby Fulton was at home keeping his mama busy and keeping Pop pop entertained. . .he is a master smiler and drooler (the baby, not my dad! ha ha) :)

The kids picked apples in record time and they were DELICIOUS!!! I wish I could have taken a bushel back with me.


Hannah and her cousins getting ready to go apple picking!
from the top: Ryan, Logan, CJ, Shannon, Nikki, Caroline, and of course Hannah :)

Hmmmm. My bag appears to be empty. . .

Where are the apples?

Caroline found some!!!

My mom found ONE! I guess the kids, who picked apples like a whirlwind and emptied two trees in about 15 minutes, were kind and left one on the tree for her to pick :)


Shannon found a bunch!

Logan, looking adorable and very Little House on the Prarie in this photo :)

Me and my little ankle biter

Posing for a picture to show off the FRUITS of their labor . . .

Ummmm. . .momentary insanity broke out! Apparently Kim and my mom thought my apple was better than theirs but I refused to give it up, no matter how big their mouths are and how scary they looked! :)

OOOOOOOO! Apples!

Hmmmm. I wonder how many of these apples I can smuggle out of here?

This is a pretty one!

Walking back to the farm with ONE apple in the bucket. That was about all she could balance :) Her little legs are too short for her to carry much more weight!

OK, maybe one apple in each hand will do. But that was really her max.

Coming back after a hard days work in the apple orchard.

Uh oh! Not at ALL happy about mommy taking her apple bucket away from her :( We had to give it back and she wanted to keep it :( She eventually settled for the apple bag instead, but it was a tough fight! Bless her little heart. It looks like her whole world came crashing down! Don't you just want to scoop her up and give her a big hug??? :)

Caroline, Nikki, Hannah, and Shannon

Sluuuuurp!

The farm dog thought Hannah was quite tasty! He came back for a second helping later. . .don't worry Hannah is used to it :)

A cute video of Hannah walking back to the farm after apple picking :)