Night Night

Getting ready for bed has become a source of entertainment for Owen these days. No longer does he simply walk around saying "Night Night" to each of us. Instead, he is full of energy and looks to get one last moment with each of his toys. Tonight, he insisted on wearing a hat for these activities.
Choo choo! Choo Choo!

Ok...so maybe I'm not really helping wind things down for the little guy.

...but adding a glass of milk should surely do the trick.Does this kid, a.ka. Captain Heartbreaker, look like he is ready for a long evening slumber?

Sweet dreams.

Sidewalk Flair

After several weekends of travel, we spent this weekend around home, enjoying more picture perfect July weather. To cap off the weekend, Owen made his way out to the sidewalk for a little chalky artistry.
It's amazing how much attention Owen gets when we go out. During the brief time that we were outside drawing, several people stopped to watch or say hello, including one of our neighbors that took the time to write out Owen's name with him.

While Owen enjoyed switching colors on a regular basis, he left a lot of the coloring activity to Brecken and I. Meanwhile, he entertained himself by dancing / stomping around on the chalk.

Good times for everyone. Hope you had a great weekend as well.
Cheers!

Sun and Fun

Brecken, Owen, and I once again ventured around the south end of the lake to meet up with Brian, Alison, and Alannah K for what has become a fun summer tradition along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Although he was a little apprehensive to venture into the waves, Owen's confidence around the water grew each day.

He still preferred the comfort of being held by one of us out in the water.The sand, however, is still where Owen prefers to make his mark. Armed with pales and shovels, there was no stopping the building, splashing, throwing, and tasting adventure.

Hope you had a great weekend.

FORE!

After a week of using the plastic hammer from his toy toolbox to hit plastic golf balls around the house, Owen finally convinced Brecken and I that it was time to invest in his first set of golf clubs. We entertained ourselves this evening by watching Owen putt his way around the basement, and we took a little time to help him with his swing.

In the middle of his lesson, he took time to talk with Papi C on the phone. Papi called to say that in his own golf league this evening, he had hit in on #9 for an eagle 2. Owen responded by repeatedly saying "golf, golf, golf." In fact, it took him nearly an hour to fall asleep in his crib this evening, as he wouldn't stop saying "Mommy, golf! Daddy, golf! Mommy, golf! Daddy, golf!"

Lots of fun all around.

Anything but lazy days of summer...

For the first time in a long time, we'll be missing the 4th of July festivities in Michigan, but to make up for it, we spent this weekend at the cottage with Papa, Grandma, and Bekah. The summer has been so busy that this was our first trip of the year to the lake. It was also the first trip to stay at the new"guest house." While he may have slept through a lot of days last summer, there was no stopping Owen this weekend. Here is a quick look at some of his activities.

Enjoying a book with grandma in his new room.

Learning how to play the saxophone...

Riding the bike on the driveway...

Driving the boat, or at least trying to beep the horn on the boat.

Swimming and splashing in the lake...which he likes to call...bubbles.

Sneaking a popsicle from the ice cream truck and eating it in "Owee's Chair."

and last but not least, perfecting his skills in the kayak. All the way home from the cottage, Owen waved his arms and made sounds as though he was paddling in the kayak.
Another great weekend on the water for Brecken, Owen, and I. It was also a great way to finish off a fun week and solid two years of respite for me. I start work again on Monday...

A Celebratory Week

In celebration of my b-school graduation and Papa's 60th birthday, the two of us embarked on a little adventure to the Pacific Northwest. Destination: Bandon, Oregon and the amazing trio of golf courses at Bandon Dunes.

Great golf, good food, fun microbrews, and did I mention great golf....all made for a fantastic week along the Pacific coastline in southwest Oregon. The weather cooperated for most of the time, but we were treated to an old school Scottish-like dose of heavy winds and rain on the final day. Some may argue that was a fitting part of a Bandon experience. Highlights for each of us: Papa chipping in from 60 yards on #10 at Bandon Dunes, posting birdie-birdie on #12 at Pacific Dunes, and shooting 77 on Bandon Dunes.

A fantastic father-son memory. Owen needs to keep working on his swing, but someday we'll have to return for another loop.