Love Pirate's Cove

This place is just perfect. Too bad Finn will be too big soon while. For Wylie it was so new he barely knew what to make of it. 

Great America!

I love amusement parks!  And it was sweet to take Finn, for the first time, to Great America where I spent time roller coasting and spinning and eating junk food every summer. Especially spending the day with Sarah and Hayden and running into Zach!

Finn's First Crush

Finn met Alex at soccer this week. And now he's obsessed. 

Striped-Yellow Belt

Today Finn passed his belt testing at Tae Kwan Do and moved from the white belt to a striped-yellow belt.  And, the highlight, he got to break a board!  Even better, at first, he was skeptical, not believing it was a real board.

Practicing with Zach!

Soccer Camp

And, of course, Wylie and I, the spectators.

Yard Sale for the Animals

Finn and I held a yard sale this weekend in order to raise money for the Oak Park Animal Rescue League.  OK, really I held a yard sale and Finn humored me.  With Grandma's help, Finn sold lemon-aide to raise some money, too.  The best part, we raised $368.55 for the animals!  What fun to bring the check to the animal shelter and visit the dogs and kittens!

One cool side effect of this service project.  Finn tapped into a bit of self-awareness, realizing he's an animal lover.

Dragon Boat Races

A perfect day with Sarah, Lyla, Kimberly, Lauren, Madelyn, and the boys!  Brave of us to wrangle the five kiddos through a new neighborhood and a sit-down Chinese lunch.  We discovered that Finn was born in the year of the Pig and Wylie and I are the rabbit.

The funny things they say.

Finn
It is 10:00 at night and Finn has been out of his room way more than normal, not able to fall asleep.  He's standing on the landing and I ask him what is wrong.  "My blanket is on the floor."  I laughed and laughed and laughed.  He barely even tried to back pedal and explain why this required parental assistance.  He seemed to get how ridiculous it was.

Jason was reading the last of pages of Doggies, a very simple counting book, with Wylie and me when Finn joined us while brushing his teeth.  The book is funny and we were all laughing, but then it was over.  Finn says, "Wait, I don't get it.  Read it again."

Wy
Wylie left the kitchen this morning saying, "I have an idea."  Then, in the playroom, "Finn, I have an idea.  Finn, I have an idea."  So darn sweet.  Too bad Finn barely acknowledged him.

Finn--Serving Cornbread

I wish I had a picture of this moment.  July 5th in our backyard.  The entire Harlan crew is chowing down on Boston Market.  Finn goes into the kitchen to get himself more cornbread.  He is gone a little longer than I would've expected.  When he reappears on the stairs, he is carefully balancing two paper plates full of cornbread, one for each table.  I was completely shocked that he had thought to bring cornbread for everyone else.  My sweet boy.

Thanking the Firemen

This week we set out to say thank you to Oak Park's police officers and fire fighters.   Finn and Wylie made thank you notes, we baked cookies, and set off on our bikes to to the police station--disappointing-- and the fire station--hurray!

Biking

I love that we are biking every which where this summer.  To swimming lessons, to the pool with Jason, to deliver cookies, to the park.  I even biked to yoga.  If it were up to Finn we would give up the car altogether.  He just about articulated that he likes the freedom of moving by his own power, not being stuck passively in the car, buckled into his booster seat.  Poor Wylie (which I've been saying a lo this summer) seems to being stuck in the trailer does not offer the same high!

Winnie the Pooh

It was a perfect way to celebrate Zachy's 6th birthday.  Watching Alex as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh and doing lunch at the train restaurant.