Summer Fun

Adali's Mommy recently asked what we like about summertime. (okay, it wasn't really recently...but I'm trying my hardest to catch up!) I'm going to say one of my all time favorite things is fresh sweet corn. I think you'll see that Austin agrees!

Bonjour Cousin

A few weeks ago we were able to meet Jay's cousin from France. Jocelyn, and his friend, Lydie, made a stop in Sparta at the end of their long U.S.A. vacation. Jocelyn is Grandpa Kiefer's first cousin. Grandpa Kiefer's Mother (Austin's Great Grandma) and Jocelyn's father were brother and sister. All of Austin's Great Gramdma's siblings moved to France for work after living with their parents, Bonaire and Victor (Austin's Great-Great Grandparents), in North Africa. It's debatable whether Austin has French or Italian blood in him. Apparently there were border issues when his Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Giovanni, was born. I bet you never new a small family from Sparta, IL could have such an exciting past!

Grandma and Grandpa Kiefer made everyone a traditional BBQ dinner. I should have brought Austin French Fries and French Dressing, but once again I wasn't thinking, so it was cheese, ham, grapes and strawberries on his plate. Here he is in his Daddy's high chair....
Austin and Jocelyn
Playing with Grandpa and Uncle Jonathan
Grandpa Kiefer, Lydie, Jocelyn, G'Aunt Sissy, Uncle Jonathan, Florence and G'Grandpa Kiefer looking at old photos...
A picture of the whole gang...We look forward to visiting Jocelyn someday!

Fort de Austin

Grandpa and Grandma Kiefer gave Austin the coolest fort for his 1st birthday. I foresee lots of playtime and make-believe in Fort de Austin. Daddy and Grandpa worked hard to get it together before his birthday party.
Austin went for a wagon ride with Grandma since he figured the men could handle the fort on their own.
Dressed in his Red Neck Best, he enters his fort for the first time...
Watch out, Grandma! Here I come!
You want me to do what?!?
Wait, wait, wait! I'm not sure about this!
Oh, now I get it!
Let's do that again!
This will be the perfect escape route when I'm older!
Thank You Grandma and Grandpa Kiefer!

Farewell Dear Friends...

I packed up Austin's bottles last Sunday. He was only getting one a day -- 6 ounces of whole milk at breakfast. I was tired of washing bottles and looking at that nasty old bottle rack He mastered the cups months ago, so last Sunday I decided it was time to go cold turkey. The bottles were washed for the last time and packed away with all of his outgrown clothes, and that yucky bottle rack was thrown in the trash!

With that we say farewell, good friends. You did your job well. But don't you worry, we'll need you again someday!

Wordless Wednesday - Dad's New Toy