Pumpkin Patch

We've had so much going on recently, and I never had a chance to take the kids to a pumpkin patch. Luckily, a neighboring church creates their own patch for lazy people. So Danza and I gathered the kids and picked out a few pumpkins for our porch. Max and Harrison were excited to pick out their own pumpkins, and then we let them ride their bikes in the empty parking lot. Bet you can't do that at a real pumpkin patch.

A Weekend at Grandma Barnes

Sometimes, a little R&R is in order, and a weekend at Grandma Barnes Cabin in Brown County recently fit the bill. The cabin was quiet and comfortable, with a rustic charm. We spent the first night playing Yahtzee and drinking red wine in rocking chairs on the screened-in porch. Danza, Matt, Drew and Christa joined us on the second night for a bonfire and games. The weather was perfect, and we are ready to book next year's getaway!

Pool Time

One of the reasons I'm so behind on the blog is because we spend so much time in the pool at Don's house! We are there most weekends and sometimes through the week for a quick dip. The kids -- especially Max -- love being in the water. I highly recommend the Puddle Jumper floatation device for toddlers. Max can "swim" on his own with it, which gives me a little more peace of mind.

Round and Round

Max also learned how to sing "Ring Around the Rosie," which he now calls "Round and Round." It only took a few takes to learn the ropes.

Tuckered Out

We All Scream for Ice Cream

Max devoured his first ice cream cone at my mom's house this weekend. By "devoured," I mean "savor every bit until you are covered in stickiness and the cone disintegrates into your hand" -- which took about 20 minutes.

A Day at the Farm

We kicked off our weekend in Carmel at Andy's house, where Max got to play with toy tractors and ... real chickens. My brother and sister-in-law have a bunch of chickens at their house in the 'burbs so they can enjoy fresh eggs. The chickens are all different, and it was so cool to see them running around the yard.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Meet June

June Frances was born at 4:28 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011, tipping the scale at 8 lbs., 11 oz., and 19.5 inches. We had a wonderful labor and delivery experience, and she has been a delightful baby since we brought her home.

Max is very excited to be a big brother, and he has been very helpful around the house. (Of course, my mom has been even more helpful, so we are feeling pretty lucky these days.)

Oh -- and June was born on her Grandma Diane's 60th birthday, which was really special. Happy Birthday, Bubbe!

Nine Pounds Lighter

Before

After

More Elmo

I couldn't resist posting this pic, despite my attire. Max kept resting his hand on my belly. He's going to be such a sweet big brother.

Brown County Getaway

My parents rented a cabin in Brown County for my mom's birthday, and they invited Max and I to spend the day with them. We had lunch and played at the cabin, and I caught up on several magazines during Max's nap. They stayed at the Eagle's Nest Vacation Lodge, which is amazing -- but way too big for two people! (My mom stays there every year with her girlfriends and wanted my dad to see it.) We'll have to tag along again next year.

Harrison Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with Justin's family on New Year's Eve. Lauren, Jeff and Leo were able to make it, so we had five grandkids there this year (all under the age of 2.5!!). It was actually a weekend-long celebration, with a ping pong tournament and shuffleboard games at Don's, breakfast at our house and lots of lounging/snacking at Danza's. I only took a few photos, but will be sure to steal some from other family blogs soon. We also had a weigh-in for the boys, and, while they were all within a couple of pounds of each other, Max took home the medal. (He's the middle grandchild right now -- both in age and in the picture.)

Love the Radio Flyers!

Max loved finding a new tricycle under the tree, but he was also quick to notice an antique scooter we found for Grandpa Don. We kept telling him it was for Grandpa, so when he stopped by later that day, Max was excited to show him the ropes.

A Very Burkle Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family on Christmas Eve. My mom made a wonderful dinner, and all of the adults actually managed to sit at the same table and enjoy it! With six grandkids, it can get a little hectic, and I didn't get very good pictures of our gift exchange. Note to self: get all of the kids together for at least one photo each year.

My mom made this beautiful quilt for the baby. I love it!!