To spread sad news...

Manoj already typed it out better than I could, so I want to direct you all to the link to his blog about his mom. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns and for always asking, "how's Manoj's mom doing?" They will continue to need your prayers now for comfort. Thank you all for being a part of the blessing that was her life.

www.susiesrecovery.blogspot.com

We just had a good visit from Dada's parents. They headed home first thing this morning after spending a few days with us. Pap helped Dada work on his poker table and Grandma Barb supervised Care Bear putting together a 100 piece puzzle- only took her a day to finish it! Amazing. Liam tickled both of them by how many words he really does understand and how well he can communicate with his limited vocabulary =)

Last night we went to the All Saints festival like we did last summer. Best pierogies around, since Carrie Allio isn't close by to make them for us ;) Carrie rode a tilt-a-whirl-ish thing w/ Grandma Barb and Liam tackled his way through those foam jungle gym things w/ the climbing section, the slide, the holes you climb through and the posts you push around. He loved it. Carrie would not go in this year because you had to take off your shoes to go in and she'd have nothing to do with that. Weird kid. Didn't see anyone we knew, but had a great time anyway in the 110% humidity.

Going over to Rita's tonight for a "feast" and to play. Keeping one eye on Christine next door since she's going to have that baby any time now. There is a wave of little brothers being born, but hers is a little girl and I can't wait. Weeee!

Have a great weekend, everyone. Be sure to click the link above!

What the thunder?

I used Gramps's quote to sum up what some of you may have been thinking as you scroll through this real quickly. Yes, the computer is back up after the lightning strike. Yes, the camera came out of hiding. And here's what we've been up to in the past month and a half.

Picture one of those cartoony maps where the plane flying around leaves little red dashes along behind it. Start in Toledo and fly to western PA and then home. Now fly from Toledo to Illinois and then home. Then fly to western PA and back again. Then fly to Cleveland and back. Now you have the past 4 weekends for our family!

Congrats go out to some folks I didn't get to write about earlier. My cousin Lizi finished high school in Arizona. Yay for her! Dada's cousin's daughter Katelyn finished high school in the Cleveland area. Yippie for her too! And Mary Alice got proposed to. Hip hip hooray for her! Manoj's mom, if you've been keeping up with his website, has been moved from the hospital to a care facility. Wahoo for her! Hmmm, anything good happening to any GUYS we know? Hmmmmmm...

Oh! I know! Hin and Muggin got a doggie! Yay for them! =D Hehee.

There's no way the kids can still be sleeping now that I've written this and done everything with the pictures. So I'm going to hush and let you peruse. Tonight we're going to watch Dada play in the work volleyball tournament and then we're going to enjoy a weekend in our own house, for a change! Have a wonderful weekend, all, and special thanks to Pa Pa for coming out to play with us this week. The dates were nice! =) xoxooxox

You sure you don't have anything you want fixed, Mama?

My sweet little man. =)

Another shot with Cookie Monster. I taught him to push his tummy with his fist to make Cookie giggle. Here's him pushing with all his might, and sometimes even a grunt to show just how hard he's working on it too!

Not even sure when this was taken... early June? Liam wants to be sure that Grandma Barb knows that Triskal says "woof woof". He's pointing right at her and wants her to know that's what dogs say, as though there was any question about it ;)

Liam with my Pap Pap on one of our June PA visits. That's the famous "peeking thing" (closeable magnifying glass) in Liam's hands. Pap Pap taught him how to push the buttons on both sides of it at the same time to open it. I'm not sure who was more proud when he did it- Liam, Pap Pap, or me!

In June we went to camp to help the FSAC NAVY clean up before the staff got there. The kids' favorite part of camp? The gravel pile, of course.

More often than not, Carrie is still taking naps. She usually conks out with books, just like this. She is so busy when she's up that she is an incredible crab if she doesn't sleep at break time. I got three pictures of her like this and she didn't even peep, she was that out of it!

They love to read books =)

The last weekend in June we went to Shawn & Chris's wedding. This is Shawn with her dad, waiting in the back of the church for her cue. Liam had to be taken out by Dada, but Carrie at least managed to squirm through the entire thing in the sanctuary. It was lovely!

Beautiful Shawn on the way down the aisle in her last few moments as a free woman. I mean, uh... oh... you know what I mean!

The new Mr. and Mrs!

Reading more books. One of my favorite things to catch them doing!

Liam, giving a shout-out to Manoj, thanking him for the snazzy suit that he wore to my grandparents' memorial service. Thanks to Grandma Barb and Pap who chased the kids so the rest of us could cry and laugh during the service with out having to chase them too much. ;)

Could it be naptime for the Kurth men? They look pretty sleepy!

Care Bear, pouting, and Liam on the playground bee today.

He was rocking that bee with all his considerable might =)

Higher, PaPa, higher!

Sa-wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Look what I found under a rock! I mean, on the playground. Was that out loud?

To give you some scope on playground size...

Liam is peeking at PaPa

She wasn't real sure about being up so high. She's almost as tall as the trees!

Care Bear up high in the sky...

Bzzzzt

Boo. Lightning hit our house in June and fried the TV, computers, garage door opener, and a lamp. And some other stuff. So no blogging for me, at least w/ pictures, for an indefinite amount of time. Sorry, all! Please keep checking Manoj's mom's site and the rest of these ones for updates and other fun stuff. Having a great, busy summer... we've been traveling every single weekend. Miss you all and love you! Kids are fine. Busy, into everything, and loud. LOUD. My stars. Stay well!