School

This month has brought school! J is now in the 1 st grade, at school all day and rides the bus both ways! He loves it and is doing great.



j, first day of school





E started preschool this week. She goes 2x a week for 2 1/2 hours. Today was her second day and I'm sure it will go as well as the first.


e, first day of preschool


e & cousin ella are in preschool together




e was giving kisses to cousin ava, she's going to be a great big sis!

CA Part 2

We finished up the trip at my parents house. We had plenty of pool time, and it was great to see the kids grow in their swimming skills. We also made sure that we loaded up on Mexican food and hit my favorite local ice cream spot. We fly back tomorrow!

CA part 1

ok, you'll just have to trust me... I did not put up all of my pics of the beach and wedding....but there were so many good ones that it was very hard to choose. Enjoy.

4th of July

I know the 4th is quite past but I had to share these just the same. We spent the actual 4th with D's parents and some friends. The following saturday we went to fireworks.





"mommy, take a picture of me with all my stuff"


E with cousins Ava & Elliot


E preparing for the fireworks

Colorado

One of my dearest friends was married a couple of weeks ago and I was able to go to CO and celebrate at the reception. It was a lovely evening in her parents back yard, fabulous food and a bit of dancing. It was wonderful to see her so happy.

We had a girls night where we went to dinner. I decided that she needed a veil and clipped a napkin to her hair. Just because she had a small intimate ceremony doesn't get her out of a few embarrassing bride moments. We also made her go into a bar called The Drunken Monkey where in place of bar stools there are swings. She got her picture on a swing and then we left. Aren't we the best friends ever?


This trip was also in place of an annual get together that four of us from Ravencrest attempt and have succeeded thus far. Although we were missing one this year and she was soooo missed! Out first year however I had E with me and this year there was a new baby. Suzanne had Maggie along for the fun. She was incredible and hardly fussed for all the driving around and car naps she had to endure.


Suz & I in front of our Ravencrest abode, right cottage!!


We were able to see a couple other Rc'ers while we were there. The blond in the yellow shirt was also a roommate of Suz and myself, she is newly engaged. Congratulations RT! And Leanna is behind me and she is also pregnant with her 3rd just like me. We had fun reminiscing and catching up on the now. L also had friends with her that we fell in love with mut I have no pics of her... was great to meet you Stacie!

Mountains '07

I feel funny typing "mountains" as part of the title as I have just returned from the Rocky Mountains (more details to follow), but these are PA mts. We went on the annual family trip to the mts, where there is a lake nearby which is the highlighted location for my kids. I left this trip a little early this year to go to Colorado so I missed a few things. For one Uncle Dwayne has a boat, and he graciously gives all the kids and adults rides, pulls them on the tube or ski's or whatever. Thanks Dwayne! But this year there was a mini inflatable boat that two people could ride in and be pulled behind the big boat. So Wed., the day after I left, E rode in it w/ her Aunt Abby! I was sad to miss her bravery but I am told that there are pics on another camera. I'll share when I get them. The other major event I missed is J losing his first tooth! It's been loose for a while and the new tooth had already come in part of the way. The story, I am told, goes like this: They are around the table eating dinner. J is eating corn on the cob (or sweet corn as referred to here) and he says, "What's all this red stuff?" Of course it is blood and they realize his tooth is gone. Everyone is excited and J starts to look for is everywhere and it is nowhere to be found. D thinks he swallowed it. So hopefully I can be there for the next one so I can lie to him about the tooth fairy....we don't do any other holiday lies like Santa or the Easter bunny, so maybe a non holiday one is okay? ha ha.

Standard shot of J hurling himself into the water.


J & E in the hole...E is boycotting this picture.


J & cousin Ethan...buddies.





The different moods of my daughter...this one she wants the pic...


this one she doesn't.

Summer Fun

Although we are well into summer now, I wanted to share some of the things that we did at the beginning.

Father's day started out with breakfast for D; baked oatmeal w/ peaches, sausage and eggs. The kids had made cards and helped me with the banner that is hanging behind them.



After church we headed down to D's parents with the kids and some friends for church. We took quads back to the waterfalls, let their dog Abby play, ate lunch overlooking the river and the weather was perfect!



When we got back we discovered mom mom had let the kids wade in her pond (supervised of course).




Some old friend's of D have a pool that they let nearly anyone use. So one day sister Denise and I took the kids to cool off. You can see that J loves to jump in and I promise that he is not attacking his sister. I didn't even realize that she was in the picture until I posted this.


E with her cousin Ella, they are peas in a pod. I watch ella and her brothers a couple times a week and these two already act like sisters in the best and worst ways.