Family time

Before I start this post, I want to let you all know about a great new organization called "Signs for Life" (check it out!) that some friends of ours started. A couple Saturdays ago, Greg and I were driving in Peoria and saw one of their new signs...here it is:

Anyway, the reason we were driving through Peoria is that we took Max and Nora to Wildlife Prairie State Park one Saturday morning. For an extra fee, you could buy a 'Shroom Sack' and the right to pick any mushrooms you found along the paths. Greg got it for himself and we took the kids out hiking. It was (kind of) early morning so the animals were out and about. We saw the buffalo, four or five gray wolves, several mountain lions, and some others. After seeing the animals, we hiked. The trailhead said that it was 4 miles and stressed that there were no facilities, it wasn't a super easy hike, etc. I told Greg I didn't want to do 4 miles with both kids and naptime approaching. His response was, "Well, let's go partway down and we can always turn back." As we started down the trail, I found a mushroom! I must say, it's the first one I've found by myself (I've gone mushroom hunting a total of 3 times in my life). Anyway, as you can probably guess, we didn't turn around. Nora ended up falling asleep in the sling and Max was pretty good, all things considered. It was fun, albeit tiring, and the weather was great. Just a little buggy. :P

Max thought he was hot stuff, climbing on top of this stump

Snack break #1, not very far down the trail

Mmm, cookie!

I should have cropped this one; I have a weird look on my face.

Snack break #2: halfway down the trail? I'm not even sure. Note the sleeping Nora; she did great! And those white spots on my forehead are bugs. The picture after this one on the camera has my arms over my face, trying to shoo them away. Max was a trooper with them!

Almost at the end! Yes, my face is very pink/red. It's normal when I'm hiking, trust me. That lake behind me looked really cool. It was perfectly still and the trees' reflections made for a neat picture.

Here's a little better picture of it.

Max riding a dog statue

Max climbing a frog!


Of course, no visit to WPSP is complete without riding the slide! Max's first go was better, but I didn't have the camera out in time.


Lunch at Chili's. Max was jiving to the music. :)

Earlier this month, U. Dennis and A. Diane were home so we got as many of the Rassi fam together as possible. I didn't get many pictures, but we had a great time and loved getting to see them!

Great-Grandma Rassi and Nora cuddling

Little Thadd...he was very alert that night! You can read more about him on Janelle's blog.

The next day after church, we ate at Woody's with U. Dennis, A. Diane, Destini, Dad and Mom, Caleb, and Gma Rassi. Here is Caleb with his MASSIVE tenderloin!

I didn't get any pictures of Mother's Day gatherings, but here is what Greg made me for breakfast that morning: Strawberry Cream Cheese stuffed French Toast and scrambled eggs. Deeeeelish!

Max deciding the revert back to his baby days

Last thing for today: Proof that Max dances to any music he hears! This was at Beutel's Mother's Day at U. Roger and A. JoAnn's: