Summer 2011

We had an amazing summer.  After our trip to Utah my sister, Melissa, came into town with Justin and her two boys.  It was so fun to have the four grandkids together.  Mark loved hanging this is cousins!

grampy took his grandkids to Naper Nuts and Sweets and treated them to their choice of candy.  The saying "like a kid in a candy store" had a whole new meaning to me. :)

story time

grammy and grampy kept a continual supply of M&Ms for their grandsons this summer

Michigan City Beach

Mark as Isaac LOVED wrestling! Go figure...they're boys through and through

Swimming in grampy's pool

Natalie came out this summer too.  We had all my sisters in town.  It was so much fun!

while Natalie was in town, we had a "tickled pink" baby shower...any guesses the gender of Natalie's baby? :)

four boys in a bathtub...

my boys......

              

I've learned no one is too old to be a super hero!

My park...

    

The two pictures above were taken at the park that I grew up going to.  It's changed so it wasn't the exact same park, but wow.  It's been YEARS since I've been to that park.  It was fun being in my old neighborhood, seeing my house, and taking my boys to the park that I have so many memories from as a kid.

Summer box office events

Divergent!  Veronica Roth! If you don't know what I'm talking about...you're missing out!  Seriously, one of my favorite books from this summer was Divergent.  The fun fact about Divergent and its author Veronica Roth is that she's from Northern Chicago and came out to Naperville for a book signing.  Sadly, we couldn't get her signature because the bookstore had a LAME requirement that the author only sign books that were purchased at the store and we had bought our books else where.  But we could see Veronica, which was cool.  When the third and final book comes out I'm TOTALLY getting her signature.

"Dark Knight Rises" came out this summer.  My parents, Dave and I went opening night because my dad and Dave LOVE Batman.

Shannon Hale...another amazing author: Goose Girl, Austenland, Princess Academy.  Anyways, she's from Utah and came to Naperville for a book signing.  Somehow, while she was signing my book I invited her to Le Chocolate and she decided to come!  We sat and talked books for almost two hours.  It was amazing.  It was fun hearing her opinions and getting the inside scoop to her novels.  

Jet skiing--Best Summer Activity Ever!!!  Michigan City, IN

the ladies: Stacy Kirkham, Stacey Frost (holding Delaney), me, Ginni Salaby, and Rebecca Jones

the men: Jeff Kirkham, Joe Salaby, Evan Jones, and Dave

Summer of Seals

This summer we took on a challenge, to train for 12 weeks and at the end of 12 weeks take the Navy Seal PT test.  Here's what it entails: swim 1/4 mile under 15 minutes, rest 10 minutes, do as many pushups in 2 minutes, rest 2 minutes, sit-ups in two minutes, rest 2 minutes, as many pull-ups in 2 minutes, rest 10 minutes, and the last event...run 1.5 miles in less than 15 minutes.

all the Seals 

the Summer of Seals was set up as a team competition and individual competition.  Rebecca and I were a team and we took first out of all the girls teams.

The last fling

every Labor Day Naperville hosts the Last Fling canival.  I'm not sure what Dave and I were thinking when we put our 17 month old on the spinning-airplane ride...as you can tell Mark loved it....Caleb didn't.

my BFF, Angela had a business trip to Naperville!  She stayed two days.  So fun.  I took her out for a night on the town in Down Town Naperville.  Here we are at Naper Nuts and Treats.