Grandma M...

This past June Michele's grandmother passed away. Michele and Sammy flew back to New York state for the funeral (we had family in town at the time so Paul could not go). It was sad to see Grandma go, but comforting to know she is now with Grandpa.

Sammy with his Great Grandma M and Grandma R...

A drawing of Sammy's great-grandparents by Michele's very talented cousin Mary...

Sometimes getting a group to cooperate in a group photo is a herculean task...

Sammy's godfather...Uncle Andy with Aunt Diane...

Sammy with his cousins Noah and Ana in the pool...

Sammy is a big Yankee's fan...
...and he certainly enjoyed being in New York state...

After posting this on the blog...
...we doubt Michele's sister Sharon will pose like this again for our camera...

Michele resists Justin's peer pressure...

Sammy and his cousin Ana sharing brunch...
...and a chair...

Noah is all smiles...

Sammy and Ana navigate a tunnel...

From front to rear...
...most of them in big floppy hats...
Ana, Grandma R, Michele, Jaime, Stephanie, Sharon, and Sammy...

From Left to Right:
Grandpa R, Stephanie, Sharon, Anna, Jason, Jaime, Gradma R

Three cousins sleeping in a car...
...hmmm...
...sounds like it should be in a nursery rhyme...

Sammy and Grandpa R...

Sammy with his Uncle Andy...
...the gusty wind in their faces...
...across the green grass field...
...their trusty tractor races...

Guitar Hero...

While up in the Twin Cities this past Friday, Chris pulled out his "Guitar Hero" game after we celebrated Michele's [redacted] birthday. Apparently while rock music plays on the screen you are supposed to click colored buttons which apparently have nothing to do with guitar strings...let alone music. No matter, they were still guitars and you could see the look on Sammy's face, "When will my time come to be a guitar hero?"

Sammy wonders...when...when will it be his time...

Relaxing in Grant's arms, Sammy daydreams...

Sammy's time has come...

Meanwhile...Vanessa, Michele, and Anne chat...

Sammy's 2nd Year Birthday Tour: Arriving in NY

After going to Massachusetts first, Sammy's next stop was in New York state to see his grandparents and the rest of his family there.

Sammy's Grandma & Grandpa R. ...

Sammy tells a joke...

Sammy with his Grandma R, Michele, and aunt Jaime....

What could they all be looking at?

Sammy "flies through the skies" to the Wiggles song..
...or perhaps he is demonstrating how we got from Minnesota to NY...

Sammy sleeps...

Sammy's 2nd Year Birthday Tour: Massachusetts

For Sammy's second birthday, he and Michele traveled back east to visit with relatives. First they went to Massachusetts to visit his aunt Jaime. Michele's cousin Justin drove up from New Jersey to go to the New England Aquarium with them. Michele and Sammy stayed there a few days before heading to New York State.

Michele, Sammy, his aunt Jaimie, and Justin at the New England Aquarium...
...is that little mermaid stalking Sammy?

Inspired by the Wiggles, aunt Jaime and Christopher "do the Tiger..."

Sammy finds room behind aunt Jaimie's sofa...

A master of onomatopoeia in his own right, Justin reads to Sammy
"Mr Brown Can Moo, Can you? (Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises)"

An impressed Sammy realizes Justin can truly make noises like Mr. Brown...

Sammy, Michele, and aunt Jaime...

Sammy on the move...

This week Michele and Sammy took advantage of our credit card rewards to fly back home (since Sammy is just a hair short of being 2 years old, this is his last free flight as a lap child). They first went to Massechusetts to visit Sammy's aunt Jaime. Always the ambassador of tolerance, Sammy wore a Yankees cap in the heart of Red Sox territory.

Notice the "fries" in Sammy's hand...
...yes, he recognizes what the Golden Arches are....