Fun, busy week

It has been a great week that was full of activity. This sort of week is better summed up in pictures than in words, so without any further ado, here they are...

We went to the zoo on Monday and saw a lot of cool animals. Evelyn loved the monkeys as they ran around the cages, and would giggle out loud when one came close to her. We took a lot of really good pictures, but then I accidentally erased them (hint: don't press the "delete all" button on the camera).

I worked a lot for Habitat. It has been fun so far, and I am learning a lot. Up until now I have done every stage of construction on a house from the digging of the foundation to the completion of the framing to the plumbing and finish work. Here are pictures of houses I have worked on in various stages.

This is the Lake Erie Nature and Science center. It is a free place to go to, and features a Zoo, several fun exhibits, and learning activities for kids (and adults). There is also a great beach right next to it, which makes it easy to hit both in one trip.

This is Rachel's imitation of a Vulture.

...and here is Me and Ev in a giant garden pail!

Speaking of beaches, it has become one of our favorite activities to go to the beach and read Kelly's book. We have scoped out all of the beaches around here, and our favorites are:

• Edgewater State Park: There is a big area for frisbee and stuff, and a pretty big (but dirty) beach swimming area. There are also a lot of sailboats to watch as they come in and out of the marina.
• Cleveland Lakefront State Park: This is right at the top of MLK Blvd. While it doesn't have a swimming area, it is a great place for a picnic and is the closest to our home. It also has a cement fishing pier that is usually a nice private place to sit and watch the waves of Lake Erie.
• Headlands Beach State Park: Easily the best for swimming. The beaches and water are cleaner since it is away from the city, and there is more swimming area than anywhere else. The downside is that it takes time to get there.
• Cleveland Metro Park and Nature Center: This is the one by the Nature Center. It has a decent swim area, and beautiful views from the top of the "seaside" cliffs where there is a picnic area.
  

This is the West Side Market. It is a like a permanent farmer's market (apparently one of the best in the country) with a lot of cheap food and things that you can't buy elsewhere. We got some really good dried fruit and some awesome mangoes. Dried strawberries are so so good!


Our home stays very cool in the summer, but last night it became pretty hot. We found that standing in a bath of cold water while brushing our teeth really helps cool us off. Are we weird? I think that is undeniable. The point is, however, that we are not hot anymore.

Here's Evelyn helping with the laundry. She is as cute as ever. She has actually started a new game that she plays with herself. When we are in any public place she will select a "target" and stare at them until they look her way, at which time she flashes them the biggest Sesame Street smile ever. It never fails to get a smile back, and sometimes even a laugh. It is obvious that she makes a lot of people happy with her smiles. The things we can learn from a 4 month old child!