Memorial Day Weekend 2013

We spent a fun and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend in Southern IL this year.  Frank left work a few hours early on Friday, so we actually made it a 3.5 day weekend!

On Saturday, we went to Brett's baseball game.  I was really hoping that Jacob would watch Brett and get excited about baseball, but there were other things to do, like hang out with Jenna (who has candy in her mouth in the picture below, by the way) and play with Jenna's phone.

(I think this might be the first picture I've put on the blog of my pup-niece Gabby.  Meet Gabby, my pup-niece...)

Later that evening, we went to a cookout at Garett and Rachael's.  Their house and yard are so nice, and there are so many things for the kids to do.  

What, you don't have a caboose in your yard?  Rachael's parents, who just live a few hundred yards away, are restoring a caboose for their grandkids to use as a clubhouse.

We took a quick peek at the inside, too.

I've never seen the inside of a caboose, but I can definitely see how it can be turned into a really cool hang-out space for the kids.

What, you don't have an airplane in your yard, either?!

After playing in the clubhouse, and on the swings, trampoline, scooters, and playing football, I was pretty sure Jacob was never coming home.

The icing on the cake-- pun intended-- was celebrating Frank's birthday with a delicious ice cream cake!

(I spy a cake-shark lurking in the background...!)

Sidenote:  Grandma may or may not have given my 9 month old his first taste of ice cream... :) :) 

The next day we went to Herrinfesta Italiana, which is a festival held every year in the neighboring town.  Of course, my little dudes were decked out in their Italia shirts!

Grandpa J and Brett wore their shirts, too.  (Frank forgot his shirt, but he and Jenna kind of look like they planned to match in this picture as they're both in light blue!)

The rides were a hit!  Jacob is a daredevil and honestly prefers the "older kid" rides to the ones made for kids his age.  Jenna was his riding buddy, since Brett isn't big on rides, and the two of them had a blast.

 Brett won a little stuffed turtle for Carter at this fishing game.

Frank even got in on the action and took Jenna on a ride!

The weekend always goes too quickly, but we will remember Memorial Day Weekend 2013 for great weather, good food, and lots of fun!