Annual Summer Trip to Lake Chelan

We count down the days to our Summer tradition of spending time in Lake Chelan. The boys bounce back and fourth between the hot tub and crystal clean water.

Levi became quite good at ping pan.

We do lots of cooking!

Mama water skies and the boys go tubing!

Messie and Rudi swim about when the hot sun is out.

Levi gives his brothers rides in the kyak

We always take a boat ride to Manson for their snow cones

Spend time with Aunt Karin at her cabin

We're all addicted to stand up paddle

Spending time with Rudi is a real blessing

Hydroplane Boats....

The boys experienced a Seattle MUST with the Baker Family. They watched the Hydroplanes race. Levi and Felix loved it, but Gussy got a little scared.

Santa Barbara Quick Getaway

Messie and Pop Pop spoiled us with a night in Santa Barbara, and it was heavenly -- even with all the boys! We stayed in a very cool, kid-friendly hotel along the beach, played at the big park, caught the trolley to dinner, and hung out at the pool. Even though it was only 24 hours, it was super fun and relaxing.

I could have stayed a whole week! Levi checked out the skate board park on his scooter. Nothing phases him.  

Home sweet home...London

After my weekend in Paris, I headed to London to visit dear friends, check out my old neighborhood, and enjoy a truly cosmopolitian city.

Dinner w/ Kristi and Maureen was a definite highlight

Kristi's and Ben treated us girls to an amazing dinner out in Central London, which was both scrumptious and ridiculously fun.

I stayed w/ Kristi in our old neighborhood, Marylebone ,and had the pleasure of walking Harry to precshool w/ little sister Emily. It was just fun to be back in my old hood w/ a dear friend.

I loved spending time w/ Kristi's children. Sweet Emily could not be cuter!

I even squeezed in a visit w/ Rufus, who lives in my old neighborhood. Rufus rides the tube into the city every morning w/ his owner and man's the local art gallery. He walks from the tube through Regents Park to work every morning, so by the time he arrives, he's tired (it's about a 1/2 mile walk).

I enjoyed so many scrumptious dinners w/ friends, including Helen and Liz my old colleagues from MySpace!

I even got to spend a day w/ Courtney. I got a tour of the new house, and we gabbed about Babyccino, children, London, marriage...you name it, we covered it. We ate at my favorite Greek restaurant in Primrose Hill; time went way to fast.

Kristi and I spent a day visiting my favorite sites in London, including the National Portrait Gallery and the Tate Gallery.

It was just heavenly and incredible to have an entire week to just enjoy the city and my friends

I even managed to walk my loop through Regents Park, despite the unbearable cold weather

I finally met Maureen's son Theo!

Big brother Nicolaj is still as cute as can be. It made me wish Levi could have joined me; the boys would have loved to play together!

Christy and I closed out the week w/ lunch at Petersham Nurseries, which was incredible. I had always wanted to go, but never made it when we lived there so it was a special treat!

I missed my boys terribly, but it was such a gift to be able to spend an entire week in a city that still feels like home and be surrounded by dear friends!

Levi makes the Austin Chronicle!

We just discovered that Levi was featured in the Austin Chronicle (July 23rd 2010 issue). We were in Austin for a family wedding, and because it was 100+ degrees, we spent as much time as we could at the new water park!

Blauvac Provence with the Fugmanns!

After nearly 20 hrs of traveling: Chicago -> London -> Marseilles -> and then a 2-hr drive to Blauvac, we finally arrived just in time to enjoy dinner prepared by our lovely friends Ulrik and Maureen from London, who arrived earlier in the day with their son Nikolaj. They joined us in the Alps of Provence for 1 week...it was heavenly.

Our dear friends, Simon and Serena, from London let us use their villa for the week, so we indulged ourselves in home-cooked French cousine, pool time, and the hot summer sun.

Nicolaj and Levi picked up right where they left off in Jan, exploring every nook and cranny, rarely leaving each others sides.

The villa sits on a large piece of property, so the boys spent many hours exploring the grounds, chasing grasshoppers, and just being boys!

Where one would go, the other would follow...

...sometimes dragging parents along for their adventures

Finger painting by the pool

Despite the water being a little chilly, the boys took daily swims

Levi swam multiple times a day, until we fished him out due to blue lips and goosebumps

It finally occurred to us, that the boys are just starting to get to an age where they can help with chores...like cleaning the pool!

The weather was amazing...low 80's during the day (zero humidity) and warm summer evenings

We just did a lot of relaxing...

even Levi took time out to hang

And when he was tired, he would retreat with his babies to his favorite chair

We would spend quite a bit time on these steps...they became an essential part of home base in the evenings

At the end of the days, the boys would take long baths and then the oh-so-wonderful-kids-are-in-bed time of the holiday would begin...

A bit of French cheese, accompanied by cold Rose under the Mulberry tree, Cheri FM, and gorgeous sunsets