At art class we are learning body parts - last week it was feet. Just like Michael didn't like to finger paint - he really wasn't loving foot/toe painting. He didn't mind having his feet traced with the marker but the whole paint thing was not fun!!

Grandma is home safe and sound. Michael got a haircut and is still enjoying Grandma's eggplant parm - YUM!!!

Grandma's last night in town -

Michael's last night with long hair.

Here is Michael showing Grandma all the things he can do since the last time Grandma saw him at Gymboree.

Backwards is almost as much fun as forwards!!

Having fun at Gymboree

Grandma arrived safe and sound and is having lots of fun playing with Michael

I was so excited I even took video!!!

Mommy was very excited - today was the first day Michael dunked a cookie in milk!!! I was so proud!!!

More art work - the lesson this month is body parts - today was HANDS. The top picture is Michael's version of finger painting - mostly marker with just a little spot of paint. This is better then his first try at finger painting when he would not touch the paint at all. The picture below is more fun with tracing his hand with marker - less messy!

Michael was inspecting the bushes while we were outside today. He is a very busy boy!!

More art from art class - last week of beach stuff - Michael likes to use stickers. I finally have way to get rid of the 1 billion address labels!!!

Hey - great news! Nancy (my sister) finished her 12th and last chemo!!! Just some radiation treatments to go through and then she is all done!!!!

Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers from everyone - just a few more weeks and then she will be done visiting the hospital as a patient and just go there as a professional!!

For more info please check out her blog - http://leavingshore.blogspot.com/

I thought since the recent pictures are on her blog I would get out a picture from the past.

Here is another video - Michael blowing bubbles

Future Houdini??- putting himself into a box.

Michael can now blow bubbles himself!! We both voted the gymboree bubble thing the BEST!!!

LET'S GO METS!!!

Thanks Aunt Debbie and Uncle Richie - Dad always has a big smile when I wear this shirt!! Mom and I have been watching the games on TV before bed - then we both fall asleep - good times!!!

Look - no straw!!

One day Michael decided he didn't need a straw anymore.

Here is Michael - the serious student. Today (9-14) was his first day of school - ok, just going to the nursery with the Homeschool group at the Church - but still a big step!! Actually last week was the first official day of the school year, starting with Mass on first Friday, but since I didn't take a picture that day we will just count today as the first day!! Michael seemed to have fun - and he cried when we left...a good sign I think!

Here is a first attempt at loading a video - this is when Michael was helping up fill up the hot tub - or small pool since we lowered the temp.

Art - still at the beach. We put water on the marker and saw how it changed. Then we put stickers on our boat.

New semester = beach. Today we put sand in the paint, then we sprinkled sand on the glue. Again Michael LOVED to shake the sand (just like glitter and sprinkles).

Funny - we got some cookies with sprinkles and Michael just wanted the sprinkles, not the cookie. Guess we will have to make our own so we know the cookies are good too!!!

Art = contrast lesson - would the paint show up better on the white paper or black paper?

Art = shapes = triangles.

Michael's favorite part was the sparkles. As soon as it cools off we will try baking cookies with sprinkles, or jimmies to some folks.

Arby had an operation - thought she had cancer but the good news is that it was just an infection. She also had her teeth cleaned and 1 small tooth removed. She took a while to recover from the anesthesia - she was still falling over when she got home - but now she is back to her usual self.

See what happens when you don't keep up on the blog - Michael already got another haircut!! And this time there was no crying and almost no wiggling at all so we got a really good haircut!! No more comb-over hair!!

Look Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tim - Michael finally fits into this shirt!!

Since we are inside because of the heat we had to create new games. Here Michael is playing the scientist...

It has been SO HOT that Michael's new favorite place to sit is in the refrigerator!!

One day we came home and guess what was on the driveway? This turtle!!! After taking a picture Michael and I looked at it but Michael was a very good explorer and didn't touch it.

I went out later to see if it wanted water but it was already gone. Not sure if the pictures scared it or if it was just passing through....

Art = shapes. This week was circles. Michael is great at drawing circles - better than Mom!!!

Art work to match the nursery rhyme Ring around the rosie. The sticks are flowers and there is an envelop on the paper.

Now that Michael is an expert at doorknobs he can get his own snacks and a straw for his milk. He can also hide from us in any closet he wants.

Michael gets a haircut - and after gets lots of milk. We were happy there was almost no crying!!!

Michael didn't like the vegetable garden as much as the animals (just like Mom) but it was fun to help stuff the scarecrow - or maybe he was just supervising!!

Not sure if Michael really liked the chickens or just liked walking around.

We went to a real working farm with the playgroup. Who knew goats liked watermelon??