February happenings

My parents came to visit for a week and Karl and I took the opportunity to hike at the Little Grand Canyon near Carbondale, IL.  We saw a barred owl and enjoyed frozen waterfalls and a stream at the bottom of the canyon.  I, of course, forgot my camera (these photos were taken afterwards) and slipped on a rock and fell into the stream (hence the wet jeans) about halfway through our 2 hour hike.  We ended our evening by watching the Blue Jays crush the Salukis before heading back home to St. Louis. 

"World Famous BBQ" on 17th St. in Murphysboro, IL.  Our Valentines Dinner!

First trip to the dentist went without major incident.  Sami cried most of the time, but Audrey took it all in stride.

Inside the climatron at the Botanical Garden.

Stories with Grandma!

Audrey's favorite hiding place for hide n seek. 

Lots of fun with Grandpa!

The giant caterpillar outside the Butterfly House. 

Can you say flexible?!

We spent January and February in swimming lessons 2x/week after school.  Annika and Lauren loved it. 

Grandma's ponchos - knit with love.

Grandpa loves to take the girls "out for coffee."

Missouri History Musuem is hands on!  Yeah!

Early birthday treat for Audrey and Sami. 

Grandma's girls showing off their new clothes. . .Sami was being Sami so she is not in the photo. . .

Let's just say that it may be while before Annika and Lauren get the knitting thing down. . .

Let's just say it may be a while before any of the girls get the tennis thing down. . .

Wayne and JoAnne Tobak, who helped take care of us when we were up in Minnesota with Annika came down for a first ever visit to St. Louis.  The girls loved spending time with them.  Lauren is pretending to be on Lewis and Clark's trip across America in the arch museum. 

JoAnne is using our girls to slowly deplete her beanie baby collection. . .they don't seem to mind at all. 

Why all the cameras you ask?  Great Horned Owls nesting in Forest Park!  There was a mama wol and her 2 owlets hanging out in the next.  Karl and Sami even made the Post Dispatch with a photo of them looking through a camera lens.