The end of summer

Well, I guess it's not OFFICIALLY the end yet, but there is definitely a nip in the air today! We packed a lot into the last few weekends, so I wanted to be sure to share some photos and stories before too much time had passed...

This one is from more than 2 weeks ago - yikes! Abby June turned 1! I don't know what it is about babies younger than Annie, but it always seems like their lives are moving way quicker than mine and they should stay tiny little babies longer. Can't believe this little one is one already!

Annie definitely enjoyed the party, the toys, and the buckets and bubbles she got to take home :)

Last weekend, we went to Como Zoo with Chelsea and her 2 nieces, Mindy and Abby, and Rebekah and Adelaide. This was Annie's first time at the zoo - she's been to the conservatory before a few times - and I think she really liked it! Of course the biggest hit was a huge puddle from the rain the night before.

I just love this one of Adelaide (2.5), Annie (1.5) and Abby (1) all lined up!

All the girls watching the polar bear

The next day we took a trip to Sweets Bakeshop for cupcakes and macarons, then to Coffee News Cafe to enjoy them and walked around the Macalaster campus marveling at the "Class of 2015" shirts. Ben also made and canned salsa with our abundance of tomatoes. Very low key but fun day!

Loving her cupcake

This is when Annie decided to walk away from us to go sit on her own bench to watch the frisbee game going on

The highlight of Labor Day was definitely the Bluegrass Festival we went to - Ben had invited his whole family, and they all actually were able to come. We'd also told a few friends about it and they all came too - it was a blast! Annie seemed so excited to see each person she recognized - it was cute to watch.

Ben was pretty excited when he realized the cooler could be balanced on the stroller instead of carried

Simon and Scott paid us a visit!

Big crowd! Ben's family take 2 pics to get in :)

Ben's mom made Grace and Sam special PKU friendly cookies - everyone loved them!

Including Annie!

I love when babies get to the age where they randomly like to just grab faces :)

I love seeing Annie now actually PLAY with other kids - so cute! Ring around the rosie is always a favorite.

She also loves pulling out her changing pad and laying down... anywhere.

Thanks to twitter, we also realized Brian and family were there - Annie enjoyed "playing" with Dean for a bit!

This is Annie's way of "playing" with boys. Ha.

This weekend was also similarly packed....

Started off by visiting Kate and Kyle for a delicious dinner - Annie got to meet some real live chickens! Surprisingly she wasn't afraid of them.

Saturday, we went to Heimatfest in Jordan (where my mom is from) to visit my Grandma - Annie got to see her first parade - BIG FAN.

What's not to love about free icies??

She also loved the little seat on the picnic table at the park after the parade

Later that day, we went to visit Maggie, Pat and Milo and the kids had fun at the water table

Annie had fun carrying this chair around everywhere and hiding from the group

Sunday, we didn't do much more than our date night. That review is up on We Got Served - besides dinner, we got cold drinks and a cake pop, checked out cute shops and walked around. At one point, some random woman offered to take our photo by the river. Seriously, she appeared out of NOWHERE. She explained how she'd take several shots, at various angles. We were both like... uh... okay. I rarely even give my DSLR to anyone in public, but she seemed normal and no one else was in a getaway car. Ben was sure he could take her anyway. The best was that she informed us that she likes to take pics a little off center too... Wonderful.

I really, really cannot stand photos like this. Makes me dizzy just looking at it.

Me with my cake pop from Mara Mi - remember when I made those?!?!?

Last night was maybe one of the last hot nights of the year, so we played in the pool (or Annie did) with the neighbors. Annie had her first milestone of pooping in the pool, of course the one time we let her go naked because she NEVER poops at night! And has NEVER pooped while in the bath, or the pool! Of course! Honestly, I haven't actually... seen that act... since she was a newborn. Prep for potty training I guess. Ugh. Anyway, they had fun anyway!

Annie "shutting her eyes" for a game that she was playing with Mia and Nate :)

Ring around the rosie in the pool from afar :)

Birthday popsicles for MJ!