Happy Rosh Hashanah! Isn't life SWEET? If only we could drizzle honey over all of our food every day, it would be that much sweeter...

Mom and I went to the BIG school today: the University. It was a beautiful fall day and the students were all roaming around with their parents--just like me, only taller. We had a snack on the lawn and then went to the Art Museum, as seen below. Now, I nap, allowing my subconsiousness to sort out the meanings and nuances of the images I saw today.

Here are some of my neighborhood friends who come over to play with me.

I was about halfway home from school this afternoon, cruising along peacefully in the bike trailer, when I decided it was as good of a time as any:
"MOM!"
"Yes, hon?"
"I wanna turn into a boy."
There was a silence that I didn't fully expect and then a rather silly question:
"Why is that, Nona?"
"Boys ride bikes!"

duh.

We began lessons in earnest immediately upon our arrival home.



Ok. Deep breath. Girls can do this, too. Sweet.

They said "Don't play with your food." I heard nothing about napkins.

Nothing marks the passage of time quite like the annual parade. Here I am trippin' out on all things crazy

in 2006...

2007...

And 2008!

Mom SAID it was time to go, then putzed around for far too long; so I took things into my own hands. Seatbelt? Check. Sunglasses? Check, such as they are. Garage closed? Check. Let's GO!


Thanks for the overalls, Grammy! This is my Frog Face.

Any vacation that ends with sharing ice cream on the city streets with Papa is a goooooooooood time....



Bu-bye, Lake Michigan. Until next time!

Two RIvers, Wisconsin: Host to FABULOUS kite festival! Thanks for arranging this for the weekend we were in town...



Fairies live here. I saw 'em.


I'm a MERMAID thanks to Aunt Jenny teaching me how.


With my friend Aidan. My mom met his mom when they were our size... and have been friends ever since.

Back from the heartland...and too tired to give much description tonight, so let the pictures speak for themselves. The first few days of our trip are captured in some highlights below... more to come on the rest of our adventure!

Chicago...


Aunt Jenny...!


WHo's having more fun?


Children's Museum wackiness...

Mom and Dad had an "I guess we should go..it's just something you're SUPPOSED to do" sort of attitude about it, but I warmed up to the County Fair thing REAL quick when I was introduced to my two new favorite foods: corn dogs and sno-cones. The rides were okay, but you'll see by my expressions where my heart lies at the County Fair: somewhere in the sugary, purple-y, liquidy depths of the snocone cup. I stop sharing at a time like this. Woe to the person who suggests I do otherwise. Two hours after my bedtime. On a full moon. Let's use a little common sense here, folks, and back away from the sno-cone.

When we weren't figuring out how to stay cool on this muggy hot weekend, we were...

going to the farmer's market,


playing dress up,



bringing in the harvest,


and watering the garden.

Good morning, South Sister (that's the mountain in the distance)


...and goodnight. It was pretty cold at night (we were at about 5000 feet elevation), but the days were hot and sunny.

We took the row boat out for a spin, with momma at the oars. The dogs were pretty good until a chipmunk sighting on the shore--and even then reigned it in pretty well, seemingly aware that they shouldn't rock the boat. I really like boating and asked for many more boatrides after this initial Saturday morning excursion.


There were lots of musicians camping with us, so I got to fall asleep each night to the sounds of guitars, mandolins, banjos and many beautiful voices singing some of my all time favorites.


Reading by the fireside...
Singing songs on what I affectionately referred to as "Pirate's Island."
Painting on the beach...