On the waterfront

Our staycation odyssey continues. (Perhaps I should get a part-time job at the QC visitors center??)


Last night we saw an excellent water ski show across state lines in Illinois: The Backwater Gamblers. They perform twice a week - for free!

Today, Tot McSmithley and I took the water taxi across the Mississippi to John Deere Commons and Lagomarcino's with Becky and James.

Here's a new favorite thing: "walking Paco."

What are you doing for fun this summer?

Wee knits

For the past 6 months my knitting has been in miniature - lots o' baby sweaters. And lots of teal/turquoise. Don't know what that's about -I guess I like the color. And to think I used to say I hated blue! Here's what I've been up to:

The beginning of a zip-up hoodie for Tot McSmithley

A little cardi (minus button) for a special PacNW baby who is yet to be born.

Luke's vest.

Adahlia's cardigan.

Devlin's pullover.

Flower Power

Tot McSmithley and I spent the morning at Miss Effie's Country Flowers and Garden Stuff with Cha Cha and Hannah. If you live in the Quad Cities or surrounding area and haven't been here you are missing out! We picked flowers and met lots of cute critters.

Snack time in the "Corn-zebo".

Chasing ducks.

Meeting the chickens that produce our delicious eggs.

Mama Cat and 1 kitten exiting from beneath our car. Two more were hiding under the hood! Silly kitties.

McSmithleys go spelunking

After 4 years in the state of Iowa we are finally getting around to visiting some of it's natural wonders. Today we explored Maquoketa Caves State Park which is less than an hour from our home and a place we have passed numerous times on our trips to Wisconsin. If you're in the area, I highly recommend making a trip. In a few years we'd like to go back with headlamps and appropriate gear for checking out some of the smaller caves. Perhaps Tot McSmithley will have perfected crawling by then!
Entrance to Dancehall Cave.

Natural Bridge.

Reconnected!

Finally! The Internet is working on our home computer thanks to the handiness of the Professor who was able to install replacement components for those fried in the storm 10 days ago.

We've been enjoying the summer and spending lots of time outside. Tot McSmithley is enamored of the Professor's skateboard. I'm wondering how long until he inevitably gets his own board? Not before he can say "skateboard" at least.

Today's new word was "book." Other new things include sticking out his tongue and finally crawling. He's only crawled a few times through the tunnel, but it has been done. I hope to have video footage soon. In the meantime, here's a video of father and son.

Home again, home again, hippity hop

The Professor and I are home from a mini-vacation to Portland, OR. A vacation that did not include Tot McSmithley. That's right - 4 days and 3 nights on our own. I'm sure there were some under the table bets about how long I would last, but I didn't cry at all. (Alright, there may have been a few moist eyes, but that's all.) Part of my ease in taking this trip was knowing that our little peanut was in good hands - Granny Candee's and Grandpa Steve's. If you'd like to see how they spent the weekend, check out their grand adventure here.

We went to PDX for the wedding of our good friends Sheila & Alicia. The fab event was held at McMenamins Edgefield, a real fun spot just outside the city. The grounds were gorgeous and they had a lovely heated saltwater soaking pool.

We had a great time playing tourists. I think the highlight for the Professor was getting to skate at Burnside Skatepark. I shot a bunch of videos of him, and once our internet connection is restored I hope to post them here.

Some of the other fun things we did include:

Getting lost in the stacks at Powell's Books.

Lunch and cocktails at Doug Fir.

Enjoying the grandeur of Multnomah Falls.

Refueling at the Farmers Market on yellow thai curry and ice cream sandwich cookies.

Strolling the grounds of the Portland Japanese Garden.

Catching a movie and enjoying pizza and beers at the Laurelhurst Theater.

Chatting with good friends.

Happy Birthday Grandma Fran

This post is especially for Grandma Fran who sent Tot McSmithley the adorable romper he's wearing here. She also sent the very special race car that the Professor made as a child, perhaps in Boy Scouts? The real question is, who took a bite out of the car? The Professor doesn't recall Daisy, their childhood dog, doing it. If anyone knows the story, we'd love to hear it.