The story of the summer of 2013 will be one for the Esker family history books. We officially survived 7 weeks in a studio apartment in a different city and we had a blast. Our trip ended with a visit from Nana and Pa. I know I say this all of the time, but Brenden and Jackson are so fortunate to have such awesome grandparents! We were sure to scratch all of those last minute items off the bucket list... Heinz chapel... check, PNC park... check, chicken and waffles... check. There was even a vintage car race that took place in Schenley park on our last weekend. Pa helped me pack every square inch of the suv and we did our best to fill theirs as well. One of Mom's voice teachers sent us home with a bunk bed and a crate full of toys... as if we needed more. Pittsburgh was very kind to the Eskers, but we wouldn't have been able to do it without all of the great people who helped us along the way!
Brenden and Jackson did awesome on the way back to Elmhurst. We only stopped once! It was good to be home but not for long. We spent two days in Elmhurst and decided to make the drive down state for a little rest and relaxation. I guess we just love to be in the car... haha. This trip seemed easy compared to the long drive we just made. We started at Nana and Pa's. We could hear the pool calling our name the entire way down I 57. We visited with some old friends and saw a whole mess of Beavers. Brenden and Jackson enjoyed the water and even chewed on a few sticks... I guess thats the part Beaver in em.
During our time at Nana and Pa's house we also discovered a new favorite food... corn on the cob! Words cannot describe the joy this vegetable brings to Brenden and Jackson.
Then, it was off to Grandma and Grandpa Esker's house. All of the aunts and uncles made a special trip home just to see Brenden and Jackson. They couldn't believe how much they had changed. It was really cool to see them interact with the family. Since a number of us were out of town for the fourth of July croquet tourney this year, Grandma and Grandpa decided to host the first official annual Esker croquet tournament. Aunt Michelle pulled off the upset if you couldn't tell from this perfectly timed photo of the winning shot (side note: Michelle will be very angry that I used the word "upset" when describing her victory).
Its crazy to see how much the family continues to grow. We had to push two tables together on the deck just to fit everyone for dinner. We were still able to fit everyone in two rounds of the tournament, but something tells me this won't be much longer. Brenden and Jackson both have a sweet stroke that could contend in years to come.
Since our return to Elmhurst, we've done our best to take advantage of the beautiful weather. We made a trip up to Cary, IL for a cookout with the Flachs. They have a daughter thats only a month older than Brenden and Jackson. The boys had fun sharing their new language with someone more their size. Plus, she had all kinds of toys that they hadn't seen before. It also didn't hurt that Papa Flach fixed corn on the cob.
This week, we made a trip over to the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier. It was a little crazy since the tall ships were docked but we managed to navigate the city in style. The train, boat, and taxi provided plenty of entertainment for Brenden and Jackson. It was a fun trip, but the boys were exhausting. It felt good to put them to bed that night.
Today is the dreaded final day of summer vacation for Dad. Tomorrow starts a new chapter of our story. I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all of our family and friends that made this summer possible! Much love!
Brenden and Jackson having a little fun before bed
