Whirlwind Trip to MI

I have just returned from another whirlwind trip to Michigan. My little brother was getting married on the farm so I helped my mom with lots of cleaning at her house in preparation for the big day. But, before then, Mom and I spent the weekend in Lansing visiting with Caleb and, of course, his parents, Nick and Julie. We so enjoyed our time.

Caleb had a bad cough and was slightly off course but we enjoyed our time with him anyway. He tried so hard to smile and be happy. The vaporizer helped him sleep at night and he did much better the next day when Julie and Nick went to the movies and out shopping.
Julie found this bouncy swing at a sale and Caleb loved it. Once he got going, look out, you saw him kicking away with smiles galore.
While Julie and Nick were gone, Gram and I got to babysit and enjoy some time with him. He liked this 24"worm and the crackle noise the purple section made.
He just loved hanging out with Gram. He so enjoys her and she him.
He decided that her finger was something he needed to try. He is drooling lots, thus the constant bibs on him. Hoping some teeth will start coming in soon.
He loves his momma. Julie just started a new job as an ER nurse and had six days off in a row. So, there was lots of quality time with Momma.
Just hanging with his Great Gram.
I got down on the floor with him and we played horsey. He loves being bounced.
Just us Grandmas and our little man!!!
Had to get an updated pic of Nick/Julie and Caleb. He is changing so fast that you have to have lots of pics of this handsome little guy.
Nick and Caleb came to Grams the day before the wedding so I could spend more time with him. They had gotten up early, took Julie to work and then came to Carleton around 7:15. When Caleb got tired, both he and daddy took a nap on Gram's couch.
He loves his daddy and really likes him to blow on his belly. Laughs and giggles at this.
He is fascinated now with his feet and toes. Didn't get them to his mouth but he does love to roll around with them in his hands. He is growing way too fast. Thanks, Nick and Julie for sharing him with us so much while I was in MI,.

Labor Day Weekend

This last weekend, Phil and I went to the Doels home in Ocean Park, WA and spent the weekend with them at the beach. I picked Phil up at noon on Friday, and we made our great escape. As you can see, the weather was just beautiful. We spent three hours walking the beach, checking out garage sales and meeting new friends. Enjoy our latest escape.

It was a little cool, so Phil had to keep me warm while posing for pics on the Long Beach Peninsula.
We bought some tuna and Bill and Becky helped us can it. We put a sprig of rosemary and some garlic in the bottom of a half-pint jar and then filled with tuna.
Phil helped by holding the jars while I stuffed them.
We ended up with 12 half-pints and one quart. Going to be good stuff!!!
Becky had gotten a dehydrator at a local garage sale. So we decided to try drying some grapes, a peach, nectarine, apple and orange.
After approximately two days of drying, we got some semi-dried apples and the rest was a bust. This dryer is going to the goodwill.
We had some local friends drop in to see us as well.
This little buck had some mini horns on his head. Do you see them???? Well, they were there.
We decided to have lunch at the new restaurant in Long Beach on Sunday while we did an excursion to the quilt shops looking for a specific brown fabric. It was called the Lost Roo and it had an Australian theme. So, the guys had to visit with the greeter in the lobby.
On the way back to the beach house, we stopped in Tapestry Rose - part ice cream parlor and part knitting shop. Phil found a kindred spirit friend, Kalani. She didn't like ice cream and was just as bored as Phil was while he waited for his. Thanks, Kalani for being a good sport and posing for us. Hope you enjoyed your trip to the beach.
Becky didn't have enough in her waffle cone so she tried to get some of Phil's chocolate ice cream. As you can see, a sunny day at the beach.

We walked about three 1/2 miles on the beach. Bill and Phil stomped occasionally at the water's edge to see if there were any clam "shows".
Phil says" I found one. I found one!!!"
Yep, that is what we look for. So, we took this pic to remind ourselves of what to look for when clamming starts in a month. Look out clams, we will be licensed and armed !!!
Later in the day, Bill went out to surf fish and Phil tried to see more clam shows. This little pesty fish was on the hook and wouldn't let go.
Don't know what kind he was, but he had horns, not much meat to him and kinda vicious looking. Well, if he was bigger, maybe vicious looking. :-)
We were also able to get some quilting in. Bill put up the rack and we rehung Becky's beach quilt in the great room.
I worked on Village Kids quilt tops. This was a "fire teddy bear" quilt, some little boy will love.
A little Mary Englebright for a little girl.
We found this panel at the Boardwalk Quilt shop in Long Beach. Becky put hers together for a baby shower, and mine will go to Caleb who has a book with these characters in it. Let's see, there is Eleanor the Elephant, Geri the Giraffe, Timmy the Tiger, Larry the Lion and Mary the Monkey. Do you think I read the book to Caleb very much??? He will love it either on the wall or playing on it on the floor.

Hope you enjoyed our recent journey. I do have lots more pics that I need to put on of my summer trip back to MI - two months worth. But they will have to wait until I can get a little more time. Between computer troubles and a busy schedule, well....look forward to the future for more from us northwest LaVoys. Have a great week.

Update

So, I have been in Michigan helping Nick and Julie with Caleb while Julie works and Nick attends OCS. As you can see, there are no pictures. I don't know how to load my pics from the cd to the computer and Julie is too busy to help. Besides, her sister came to town from Florida and she is meeting her new niece and showing off Caleb. So, you will have to do with my visit in words only and use your imagination.

I arrived on July 4 at my Moms and many family members came over to see Caleb. Nick would be attending OCS in VA and I arrived early to help with Caleb and to sew some items for him to take with him. So, on Friday, July 9, I went on Caleb duty at 6am. Whew...that is 3am Oregon time and I was not yet used to EDT. But after Julie went to work and Caleb was ready for his nap, this Mimi took a nap with him....actually for two weeks, every day until I got used to the time difference.

He is a joy. I don't know how else to put it. He is so adorable, cute, handsome, precious, etc., etc., etc. Night times are Julies although I have offered enough that if she needs me, I can take care of him. Weekends we sleep in. When Momma comes home from work, Caleb is hers, I fix dinner, clean up, prepare bottles, fix Julie's lunch, etc. Yes, I am trying to spoil her as well as Caleb. I think she likes it. :-)

Caleb is 4 months old tomorrow (Aug. 5), and a schedule is starting to happen. There are a few habits that are starting to change as well - like sleeping in his crib. He has outgrown the bassinet and is starting to take good naps in the crib during the day. He is sleeping through the night, a bit restless sometimes, but no feedings after 9 pm and before 6 am. Makes for good rest.

He has not begun to roll over but is trying. That darn left arm just gets in the way though. He sits up well in his bumbo seat (will share pictures of this later - when I figure it out), smiles and giggles alot. He is such a happy boy, changing before my eyes. He has a bouncer seat and gets going to town in that thing. That right hand makes a fist and those feet just kick and kick. A few weeks ago he made a noise and scared himself. Now that noise is just habit and he doesn't even flinch.

Phil was able to come to MI a few weeks ago for five days. We went to Paradise, MI - past the Soo Locks in the Upper Peninsula. An eventful trip to MI via Minneapolis - not a good eating schedule, but all turned out well. We left on Friday and stayed at the Paradise Inn - no outdoor camping for us. Had a great visit with his brother Lou from CA; sister Susan from Florida; sister-in-law Dianne, her granddaughter Stephanie and nephew Aaron from Wisconsin; sister Ann and her granddaughters from Ohio; plus brother Chuck, wife Ruth; brother Gil, wife Nancy; brother Tim, his daughter Jan & her fiance, Steve; nephew Luc, wife Kadren & Amelia, Cora, Suzanne and Emmit, all from Mi along with his nephew Chris whose house we were at. It was great visiting, sharing memories and making new ones. Phil also went to my Moms and helped clear out her garage with Mary Ann and Jerome. Having a big party in September so we are starting early to get things ready.

I have not been doing as much sewing as I thought I would. I have finished a table runner, binding a Redwork Quilt for my niece and have material for an apron but that is about it. I am also meeting up with the Home of the Brave Coordinator for Michigan tomorrow so we will see how much more sewing I will be able to do. Also going to see friends, Sue, Sandy and Kris for dinner. I am also going to my second Livingston Lakes Chapter EGA meeting next week and plan to see my nieces the following before I return home on the 25th.

Nick is doing well at school and has had a few phone calls to Julie and Caleb. Caleb lights up when he hears his daddy's voice. He sounds good and is accomplishing what he has set out for well. We are all anxious to see him on the 21st.

All in all, it has been a wonderful trip. Yes, I do miss Phil very much and I know he has been whining and fussing but he is actually doing well in OR. Just a few more weeks and I will return to my sewing, quilting friends and my household. I can't believe it is coming to an end soon. But, ,I would not change it for anything. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Julie and Caleb and am so grateful to Our Lord for being in a position to be able to help as well as for having a very understanding hubby.

Gotta run. I have much to do before the little guy gets home. I will try and get pics up soon...just haven't had the time I thought I would. I know...you told me so. :-)

Wooly Wednesday

Last week was our Wooly Wednesday class. We never know in advance what we are going to make and teacher, Debbie Busby, of Wooden Spoons Designs, comes up with more ideas than we can think of. So this month we did doing flags for the upcoming July 4th Holiday.
They are all so nicely done and we had a great time picking out buttons, trying to do stars, getting the word "Liberty" straight. These are Debbie's examples from the class.

Here we are with our finished designs - as you can see, Marilyn, Donna and I have one finished, but we had fun doing it. Thanks again, Debbie, for a fun wooly day.

Caleb and his Baptism

On Monday, Memorial Day, Mary Ann and Jerome took me for my visit with Caleb. BUT...somehow, when doing all the pictures below, this one got deleted, so I had to repost it and now it is out of order. Oh, well.....a great way to start the blog.
While at Nick and Julie's for Caleb's Baptism, Great Gram was able to hold Caleb and did some serious talking to him. Those were precious times that we got to share with them. He did enjoy his Great-Gram.

This "Cutie on Duty" wasn't to sure who these people were, but he was happy to have them visit him.
They were able to visit with us in between storms.

We don't think Nick likes Caleb too much. :-) He seems really comfortable in his daddy's arms as you can see by these two pictures.

He is starting to smile and make great faces as you can see by these next few pictures. Weighing about 11 pounds, he has filled out nicely and is a happy baby...unless you wait too long to feed him, then he gives you the dickens.

An almost smile in the making. :-)

One of his favorite positions to get that burp out. Great Gram had the touch. Do you think you can fold in half like this??? See his toes near his head just below Gram's arm??

His cute fishy outfit.

He was trying to talk to me - well at least he wasn't crying.

Trying to figure out what this Pipi was doing to him.

Waiting with Mom and Dad to be baptized at St. Gerard Catholic Church in Lansing.

With the Deacon after the ceremony.

Mom and I waiting for our turn to get photographed with the little one.

Parents and God-Parents after the ceremony.

Nick, Pipi Phil, Mimi Teri, Great Gram, Julie, Grandma Rita and Grandpa Mike.

Doing what grandfathers do best.....sit back, watch the happenings and guard the desserts. He liked Erin and Uncle Greg.

With his little friend, who was born abut 10 days after he was...just enjoying all the attention.

Caleb received his own teddy bear from Uncle Greg.

Gram and Greg discussing......... well whatever it was, they had a great afternoon talking together.

Ah,..... another comfortable person to be with for a nap.

Ok, everyone take a nap now. The only one really sleeping is Caleb. :-)

Monday afternoon, we went back to the house to take care of Caleb while Nick did some more Marine Corp stuff. So, Caleb decided to take a nap with his favorite Pipi.

So, while everyone was taking a nap or enjoying Caleb, I was hemming Nick's uniform pants for his trip to VA for Officer Candidate School. My sewing machine made the flight just fine. More pics to come soon. Hope you enjoyed our visit with Caleb as much as we did.