Happy 2nd Birthday Luke!

Our little stinkers is 2 years old!!!  We love you so much Lukers, you are the light of our lives!

Enjoying his birthday lunch!

Discovery World

Not only is Luke's entire world one of discovery as he learns and grows and explores, but we actually went to Discovery World in Milwaukee last weekend too!  It was our last whole Mackus family day together before Kristin, Cory and PJ move to Arizona.  We were supposed to go to the zoo, but a rainy day caused a change in plans.  Discovery World was really fun, and the kids loved it.  We had a wonderful day soaking up our Carpenter time and enjoying each other!

Mom and the kids powering machines by pushing the pedals.

"Flying" a helicopter

Creating power by walking on a wheel.

Mining equipment exhibit, was originally Bucyrus branded - now Caterpillar

Matt laying on a bed of nails - literally!

Pizza dinner, yum!

Celebrating Cory's birthday!

What a charmer:)

I like popsicles!

Matt's old legos getting a second life with the Lukers!

At the end of this video you'll hear him say "Bubble":)

On Saturday we hit the Taste of Highland Park and Art Fair.  It was a gorgeous night!

Finally, Happy Birthday to our first baby Spumoni!  7 years young!

Pillow Talk

Lukers has had quite a couple weeks.  Just last night, for the first time, he slept with a pillow!  Just like a big boy.  He loved it.  Seeing him snuggled under a blanket with his little head on his Snoopy pillow, it made me a little verklempt!  I used to love that Snoopy pillowcase....it brings back fond memories.  Secondly, the talking is getting even better than ever.  This morning he told Isolene he wanted "egg" and "eese (cheese)".  She said she was so surprised!  We love all this communication.  Finally, in the trifecta of big-boydom - he actually peed on the toilet, a full pee, twice.  Can you believe it?  I told Katie on the phone tonight, what's next?  Facial hair?  Ha!  Speaking of Katie, congratulations to Katie, Joe and Isabelle for successfully moving themselves to their new home of Tucson, Arizona!!!  Won't be long before Kristin, Cory and PJ join them.  (Sniff. Sniff.)

The past couple weekends have been really fun.  Two weekends ago I had my friend Katherine's baby shower, then we had Kristin and PJ at the house on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Cory was in AZ starting his new job, and so we had the ladies to ourselves.  We had a fun afternoon with a little pool and play time, then yummy pasta dinner and a dog walk.  Then on Sunday we had a great brunch out and boat ride.  Later on Sunday we welcomed Gram and Grandpa Baranko home from their 5 week vacation across Canada and the US.  We missed them so much, Luke especially was so happy to see them!  We looked at their photos and they had some really amazing experiences.

Friends Corinne, preggers of honor Katherine, me and Bethany

Magical garden display in downtown Highland Park after brunch

Kristin and the PJers

Presents from Gram and Grandpa!  Note the Canadian flag:)

He does this funny thing now where he sprays himself in the face with the garden hose trying to get a little drink.  Result = soaked clothes and surprised little boy

Then last weekend we spent the day on Saturday catching up more with Donna and Emil.  We took them out on their new boat for the first time (nice of us, wasn't it!).  Ha!  We had a great time.  Then they babysat Luke while he napped so Matt and I could hit the links.  I had a goal to golf at least once this year, and now I have!  It was a perfect day to golf, high 70s and gorgeous blue sky.  Both Matt and I had a decent game considering we haven't golfed in a couple years.  We enjoyed getting out there!  On Sunday just the three of us went to nearby Long Grove's Art and Wine Festival.  It was another gorgeous day in the neighborhood.  

I actually don't mind wearing my sunglasses now!  "Great news!" said his corneas.

Gui came to visit on Thursday night.  He was in town from Miami - it was so fun seeing him!!

Sat morning we had a really fun outing to a little European bakery in downtown LF.  I had alfresco dining with morning sunlight on my face, a delicious cinnamon roll, croissant and latte, and my Lukers and Matty next to me.  It was one of the moments I wish I could have frozen in time!  Plus, Luke had trains going right by us to look at, so he was in heaven too.  

We live across the street from two golf courses and never get to play!  This time though it was US out on the fairway for the other people to envy as they drove by.  

Dog walk in Open Lands.  

At the Long Grove Cafe.

Land 'O Lakes

The first weekend in August was reserved for some great times up north, and it sure delivered!  On Friday night we headed up to Rome, WI for a weekend at the Koble cottage.   My Dad's Uncle Mike and Aunt Kathy Koble had built the cabin when he was just a kid, and both his childhood and mine were spent visiting the cottage and creating wonderful memories with our extended family.  Framed in several of our family's homes is actually a picture of Kristin and I with our cousins as little girls, all holding armfuls or wild flowers and grinning from ear to ear, a picture taken at the cottage one year.  In short, it is a beautiful, magical, fun place that I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to share with Luke and PJ.  We have my Dad to thank, as he received the time at the cabin as a retirement gift from his cousins Joann & Dan, and Jim & Cheri, who now own the cottage.  I'm not sure who had more fun, the adults, the kids or the dogs (who hardly stopped swimming all weekend!).  

Joann, our hostess, Dad, Matt and Lukers

Gorgeous!!

Swimming time!  Luke is getting so good at swimming.  He kicks and  scoops and blows bubbles to the fish!

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PJ and Luke played all weekend long.  Luke is offering to catch PJ when she jumps off the leg rest.

Come this way!  

Pretty sunset

Luke's first canoe trip, he did great!

Carpenter's out for a paddle boat ride.

Chatting by the water.  Dan, our other host, is next to Dad.

Playing in the sand

and on the row boat

We had to try and catch some fish!  No luck though:)

As soon as we got him dried off, he wanted back in!

Trucks made the trip, don't you worry!

Joann and Dan's son Nick coaches HS football, he taught me how to throw a football!

Matt kayaking with Spumoni following. Spumoni must have swum across the lake a dozen times!

In Luke news, he is starting to talk a little bit more.  The whole time we were on staycation, I swear the child only said "No."  All day it was "No, no, no, no, no!".  Do you want breakfast?  No.  Do you want to watch Thomas?  No. (while nodding yes).  So he for sure has that word down pat.  But recently he will try and say the word you ask him to versus just ignoring the request.  He says "ball", "ice", "I don't know", "elmo" - you know, all the important words you need to get through life.  By the way, he loves ice.  He gestures frantically at the ice dispenser  you try to give him water in his sippy cup without ice in it.  What other little idiosyncrasies can I report?  More often than not he refuses to sit on his booster chair, and wants to sit in a regular chair with like the adults, and then makes a huge mess.  As part of our disciplining routine, we are just trying to get him to actually be seated at dinner instead of running around with food in his hands.   Getting him to actually sit in his booster seat while doing so seems impossible, but we're still trying.  We have to give him about 2-3 time outs a night for various naughty antics, but I think maybe it is starting to work.  If we could  get him to take his time outs seriously!  His time outs are in the hallway, and he peeks around the corner of the door to the kitchen and starts laughing.  It is so hard to keep a straight face!  What else....he has gotten so good at the iPad, it is really amazing.  He has a folder with his games in it, and he knows how to turn it on, get to his games, play all of them and switch from game to game.  He can drag and drop puzzle pieces like you wouldn't believe.  He is addicted to fruit, he loves it.  I think he would eat fruit for 3 meals a day if we let him.  Finally, he actually peed in the toilet tonight!  It was only a little bit, but I am still excited that he is "showing interest" in the toilet which I read is the first step for potty training.  Stay tuned!

Dare devil - he now climbs DOWN the rock wall

L-O-V-E my trucks!

Watching the Olympics!

We went down to the Lake Forest Day carnival - Luke loved all the bright lights and action.

A couple of the activities Luke was not big enough for.

Down the big slide!   Matt almost got stuck.

Ice cream stop after the carnival - Luke wanted both of our cones!  Greedy monkey.