Park with Grandpa

While we were in Cleveland the girls had a great time at the park with Grandpa. I don't know why they make parks the way they do but you can't go to them in the middle of the day as the slides and most equipment is to hot from the sun that you would get burned if you went on them. We almost learned this the hard way. New parents!

We managed to get to the park right after it rained, and no sun was out. Lucky for us, I brought a towel and Grandpa was more than willing to dry everything his little ladies asked him to dry!

Milwaukee Review in mostly pics

Here is a review of Milwaukee through the eye of our camera.....

We stayed at a nice Hotel but not child friendly, unless they really put those lions in the lobby for kids to ride on, as they scream in request every time they pass them.

They had a pool on the 23rd floor of the hotel. So cool and we were the only ones there. I think maybe most people were at the trendy martini bar that was on the same floor as the pool.

Too much swimming, now it is time to sleep on the inflatable beds.

**Simon kept talking about how this was camping. Yeah, camping Team Bisson style. Exactly my kind of camping, one with room service, a concierge and a bellman. (ever since I got the chiggers at camp and ended up with elephantitus of the face, not so much a fan of a tent)

Took the car to a dealer in Milwaukee because the tire pressure light kept coming on. Heck, new toys, who cares that we had to wait for over an hour.

Zoo! Who can resist a Zoo? Not us.

What luck the elephants name was Ruth!

Ruth the Elephant

Love the Sea lion show, can't wait to take the girls to Sea World some day.

Children's Museum was super cool. Here are the girls brushing up on their car repair skills!

Yeah, had to pose this picture of Lulu driving Ruthie to the hospital.

All in all a great trip, despite the 8 hour drive home!

Ruthie times 2

My Grammy.....
is an amazing woman and one of my best friends.

So many, many memories if not all of my memories as a child include her and My Papa. One of my most special memories is my Freshman year in college when all my sorority sisters were going off to exotic places and partying my Grammy and I took a roadtrip to Chicago. Hands down one of the most fun and special times of my life. We danced, we sang, we cried and we laughed until our stomach's hurt.

Even in my early twenties she and I would meet at Herb's for Happy Hour or when Simon and I lived nearby he too got hooked onto happy hour at her house.

Another thing that is so special to me is that Ruthie is named after her.....Ruth Catherine and her Mother Ruth Catherine. Ruthie absolutely loves her Grammy Ruthie. She thinks it is great they have the same name and she loves to give her hugs.

I wish I could see her more often than I do but she makes me smile every day.

Last thing she said to me as I hugged her so tight and told her I love her so much was...... I love you more blahblahblah so I couldn't respond. She is too funny.

So glad we got to see her on our way to Milwaukee.

This 2 day trip was sponsored by.......

This is the best I could do with these pictures as most to all of them were taken while I was driving and not even realizing what was around us until I would have to circle back for the shot. And Simon thought we went to the zoo.........

Guess the city we just spent 2 days in..... Yep that is right folks the home of Laverne and Shirley. Totally last minute Simon had a meeting in Milwaukee and since we hadn't seen him in 2 weeks we decided to tag along. And while Simon and I have been married for 9 years, together fora million....feels like it today (smiley face, really...) he never ceases to catch me off guard. For example while we were driving down the streets of Milwaukee I told him that I wanted to find a street that looked like Laverne and Shirley's and make the girls get out and pose a picture while skipping and he is all...... Who is Laverne and Shirley? Seriously!?! What? I mean, how can I be married to a guy that doesn't have a clue who Laverne and Shirley are. I mean.... I was even Laverne for Halloween in college. Do I have to rethink this over a million times?

So, tons happened in the 2 days we were gone..... Got to visit with some great family, stay at a completely not child appropriate swanky place (while we had the kids), went to yet another zoo, and children's museum and swam on the 23rd floor of the hotel overlooking the lake. Tons of pictures to go through great footage promises of more posts......

Let me leave you with this thought, the drive home that should have taken 4.5 hours........TOOK US 8 HOURS! 8 HOURS!

The girls handled it so much better than we did, and therefore I am off to drink a Miller in honor of Laverne.

Swimming with Jack

Today we went to Kelly's house to play with Jack and Isabelle. Ruthie really got into the slip and slide as Kelly has a good hill in her backyard. Also she let the kids get in the back of the dump truck and ride down the hill. I managed to throw Lulu down the slip and slide once but didn't get any pics.

Somewhat overkill with the swimming but really..... In 95* heat and 100% humidity what else is ther to do.

**Also, couldn't help but start to call Jack.... Jack-Jack as Leslie calls her friends son whom I don't even know. Scary how we know so much about all our friends lives through these updates!

Ruthie the daredevil

Lulu not so sure

Crazy picture.... Jack, check out the dog. I didn't even know the dog jumped over the slide until I downloaded the pictures.

Swimming

Here are some quick pics of the girls for Simon to see of them swimming.

The girls can hardly wait to see their Daddy soon!

Lulu - "Dude" - One step at a time.

One of the many things that I love about my little Lulu is how cautious she is about everything. Whenever in a new situation she is very quiet and takes it all in. She takes a while to warm up and she wants everything on her own time. No matter how much you coax, encourage or whatever, she is going to do it is Lulu terms.

Swimming with Grandpa and Uncle Kevin (my brother) was no exception. Initailly she doesn't even talk, she hides behind my legs. The more you just let her do things by herself the easier it is for everyone..... I don't even think I need to tell you but I will, that while all of this is going on, I look over and little miss gymnast is hanging upside down by a rope and swinging like tarzan, playing like she owns the pool.

While everyone was talking and doing their thing I look over and Lulu has climbed the slide and went down by herself. All the celebratory "Way To GO's" and high fives would normally encourage any other little one. No, she takes that as a cue to not do it again. She manages to play for a little while longer until they turned on all the sprinklers and waterfall's, at which point I had to scrape her off the wall, help her out of cardiac arrest and then go to the locker room and change our clothes and head home. Too much excitement for one day.

The swimmer's with Unlce Kevin.

Swimming with a Duck

We went swimming the other night at my mom's pool and Ruthie had the fabulous opportunity to swim with a duck. First of all it was 92* so not quite sure why no one was swimming except a 3 year old and a duck.

Lulu would not swim and hung out on the side of the pool.

Elephant Shower

While the girls and I are staying in Cleveland for a while since Simon is away at school we had to hit our second favorite zoo. The Cleveland zoo is great, tons, tons, tons, more animals than our zoo. They have our Favorite animals there.....ELEPHANTS! Lulu sleeps with an elephant and we have been known to spend so much time in the pachyderm building that I become immune to the horrible smell. This time we totally lucked out. Not only did we get to see them 1o feet away from us but we made it in time for their daily shower! SO MUCH FUN!




We went around the zoo and counted all the many painted frogs, (It is the year of the frog and similar to many cities they have sponsored painted frogs all over the zoo.... Ruthie's favorite) Then on our way out the elephants were outside so we were able to watch them again.









* One of the many awesome parts of being a mom is getting to do such fun stuff all the time. Thank you Simon for all that you do to make this possible, while we know you are so busy with work, school, internship, and travel for work, know that we are so very proud of you, and thankful for all that you do for us to make our Team awesome.


* You are our favorite Wentent.

What girl doesn't want a pink Escalade?

My cousin was so unbelievably awesome when she decided to pay it forward.

When I arrived home with the car, Lulu was so excited that she actually got in the car while it was still in the back of the my car.

Not only does the car have room for 2.... It has a radio with a few pre-programmed songs on it. The girls already have picked out their favorite and if you could only see there heads bee-bopping while they drive down the street. Their is also a radio that you can speak into and your voice is projected through the loud radio, so if they weren't making enough of a commotion as they drive down the street, they can now announce to everyone they are coming.

We don't have sidewalks in our neighborhood so the either have to drive on the driveway or drive on the street (which they do most of the time). We live on a corner that is on a cul-de-sac so there is only a few houses of traffic ever so there is no real concern and everyone knows to look out for the girls. (Note to all the people wanting to comment.....I don't let them in the street unless I am with them. Unless of course, I have had a really bad day, then I let them in the street unattended with our sharpest knives!) My only wish is that when they do get pulled over by the real police for driving a motorized vehicle in the street without an official licence is that I have my camera with me!

Love, love, love the car. Totally always wanted one of these when I was little.

This is Lulu who usually doesn't even use the steering wheel....giving Ruthie whiplash.

Also, totally room for a naked baby in the back.