Showerin'

Looks like you had fun outside, Lucy.

Chef Lucy

Lucy likes to collect the pots and food and cook on the step stool.

 Then she says "right back! right back!" and gets more food. (She loves to run off saying "right back." She checks over her shoulder repeatedly to make sure I'm not coming.)

 She knocks it off pretty easily and it has to be reorganized and stirred.

 She also prepares plates ready for eating.

Exercise

Everybody stretched their arms and legs with Grandpa and Grandma Junkel

"I pick'er up!"

Lucy has also mastered the art of cat-holding. She is very proud. "I pick'er up!" she exclaims.

Here I believe effectively demonstrates why Owen is the World's Largest Pomeranian. He is willing to deal with the consequences if only they can't carry him around like this.

 Lucy, unlike her brothers, deposits the kitty in his favorite chair. He of course runs out of it, but she tried to give him a rest.

Wink

I just found Jamie winking at himself and kissing his mirror image. Lock up your daughters and your purses, this is trouble.

Puzzle

Lucy  had a good time with this puzzle. It makes vehicle noises and the girl loves her car sounds.

Professional Pictures

Here are the pictures the talented Brandi Strickler took of us last month in Iowa.

Lucy's expression in these pictures is priceless.

Dog v Cat

I know this doesn't feature the kids, but for the fans of our animals:

Glasses

She got them on herself :)

Dirt

The kids love them some dirt. So much that they piled it all over the concrete, and now get to sweep it up.

 Lucy pours dirt, but she prefers moving rocks to different cups.

 Yes, the broom is quite a bit bigger than Jamie.

 Here the "water" table is filled with dirt, and next to it is the digging site, also called their campground.

 Charlie is showing his fire at the campground.

 Jamie also has a fire, and slides to it sometimes.

 Lucy likes to close the door.

 Sweeping may have devolved a bit here.

Conversations with Lucy

I've really wanted to get some of Lucy (21 mo) talking but she generally gets weird around the camera. She had so much to say this morning that she kept talking! I think I repeat most of what she says, if you can't understand. (Watching it, I see that at 48 sec she says "toe no banana" and at 1:10 she says "changed mind" which I didn't get the first time.) You can see that about halfway through she's "all done" but I had her talking so we powered through.

Picnic

When one brother is absent, Lucy gets to play! Charlie set them up with a "picnic" of rocks and water.

"Rocka! Rocka!"

 They're enjoying some quality brother/sister time.

They even decided to sit together to finish their rock snack.

Grandma Pat

My Grandma Pat went to be with Jesus and her husband early this morning, and while we are glad her suffering is at an end we will miss her. I thought I'd look over a few pictures of her in our lives.

She and Chuck at our wedding reception, 2007.

Meeting baby Charlie, named for my late grandpa, 2008.

Christmas in Iowa, 2008

She met baby Jamie. Why can't I find a picture? But here she is with baby Lucy, 2012.

Iowa, Lucy's first birthday, 2012.

 Iowa, last month

 We love you and we'll miss you.