camping in Maine

this was the third and last camping trip of the season with my parents and sisters... it was the coldest weekend we have camped by far... we hung around the fire all bundled up and drink hot cocoa... ate pudgie pies for lunch... we played lots of settler of catan... and I knitted... we went to the Old Orchard Beach boardwalk on Saturday evening and Carter rode on a ride!...YES! a big boy ride!!!... I was almost brought to tears as I put him on the ride and he took off without either Kevin or I, a grammy or grampy, grandma or grandpa, or an auntie... doesn't he look too grown up?... my heart breaks when I think of him doing more things like this but I know he is just fulfilling his own little life with memories and lots of fun!

vacation...

so sorry about the delay.... all i can say is "life with kids!"

so vacation was most wonderful... the basic thing was the four of us together for such a long amount of time was so nice and refreshing... the drive to Grandma's was so much better than I thought even though I was trying to have positive expectations (since your kids usually live up to your expectations of them or so I have heard)... carter was wonderful and stayed busy with all the little "activities" and gifts we had wrapped up for him... we kept things light and casual the whole time, nothing fancy or elaborate... a bbq at my Aunt Barb's, corn from the garden, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Carter's church, blueberry pancakes for breakfast, ice cream at Aunt Carol and Uncle Brian's, Carter beating up his second cousin Bob, dinner on Grandma's porch, a trip to the park, playing in Grandma's big driveway, watering the flowers, me digging through vintage fabric scraps to make a quilt for Carter, watching food netwoork and LAink late at night while the babes sleep, taking Roxie on walks and trying to get her to calm down (she minded me better than grandma by the end of the week), Kevin watching baseball, long talks in the car on the way home, visiting Kathleen and Rick Ellis on the way home, and getting home to sleep in our own bed... oh how I love that place and the memories it bring back to me... I hope my children will remember it too! if not at least I have pictures of them there... then off to camping (will be continued tomorrow)

takin' it easy....

vacation is in full swing... we enjoyed a picnic last night with the Corso family at Institute Park to see Over the Hedge... the twins are so cute and getting so big... I think Carter doesn't know what to think of the two of them... he has always been en mesmerized by them... and look who is starting to sit up!... our little D is getting big and strong!... we ate good food, a little wine , lots of baby play and bottle/eating with mommy time... we only stayed about half way through the movie (which was very cute) so we could get home and pack for our trip to Grandma's... we leave in a couple hours and I actually feel good about getting out of here on time... only a couple more things to pack then I just have to clean the house so we can come home to a fresh house... till Thursday... take it easy!

Carter's 2yr photo session

this wasn't all fun and games... it started out rough but got better... I feel like I didn't get a good head shot but captured his true spirit right now... it was hard work maybe better pics another day

25 things before I turn 26 (only 1 month to go)

a challenge from Elsie's blogparty...
1}loose a pound
2}survive trip to Ohio
3}finishing knitting Daisy's 6 month dress
4}get my massage
5}save for trip to Mexico
6}finish the quilt squares
7}loose two pounds
8}feel pretty at least one day a week
9}kick my dunkin' habit (me no wanna "run on dunkins" any mo)
10}save money
11}paint my bedroom
12}have friends over for dinner
13}take kids to Walden pond
14} go on Rick and Wendy's sail boat
15} hug my grandma
16}return library books on time once
17}loose two more pounds
18}start running
19}pray with Kevin at least twice a week
20}teach carter how to count to 5
21}potty train Carter
22}continue to nurse Daisy
23}read a book
24}start knitting winter hats for kids
25}watch a good movie or two

Vaca....

at 0730 my summer vacation(13days off) officially started (well I did have to sleep today)... I have been working a lot... not sure why but felt the need to make some extra $ and save it in case we go through our nightmare again... and we are really praying about new housing options! (I don't know why I put an exclamation mark there- we are just praying) and praying together... I love that!... it was Kevin's idea from church this past week which he loved (I was working/sleeping)... Aunt B was babysitting today and the kids seemed to have a good day with her... and the bath time graffiti was fun thanks Marissa!

they said "I do!"

more fun times this summer... last night Kevin's little brother Keith got married to Alyson!... we are so excited to have her as a part of our family... she loves the kids sooooooooo much!... she will be a great Auntie!... the wedding was beautiful! we had a wonderful time... no kids, lots of pictures, some dancing, feeling pretty and in love again!... although I do admit that I did think of how Carter would have loved all the dancing and would have thought it interesting that we adults as well can move a little!... prior to the wedding Kevin had an injury racing to the mailbox with Keith... oh what a fun wedding memory this will be...

home grown tomaters!

I love them so!.... we had our first crop of home grown tomatoes!... Carter loves them so much he wants to pick the green ones too!

camping at the beach

this past weekend we went camping with friends: the Gentlemens, Ed and Shiloh and Kristen and Jeremiah... we had a wonderful time and all of our friends helped us a lot!... we camped near Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester... we loved it but it just wasn't long enough for us... our new tent was awesome!... it is huge and plenty of room for us and more... so nice to know we aren't limited in numbers when we camp (due to the fact that our house can't possibly hold another person and neither can either of our cars)... we had a wonderful time exploring the beach on Saturday... our group found multiple hermit crabs, sand dollars (Kevin found the only dead one we could take home), a sea snail and a cohoag (spelling?) that we watched dig it self back into the sand... really cool!... Carter just ran around like a nut... that is the best thing he does right now... (and say "NO!") ... Sunday we checked out the quarry in Gloucester which was really cool but the kids were pooped and we had to get going early because I had to work =( ... feel like we have been on the road a lot but it's summer time and we are having so much fun!

I just love this picture from visiting the Rutland pool a couple days ago with Isabella, Noah and Jennifer... blonde babes!

lives of the rich and the famous....

we so will not fit in this crowd anytime soon... not like we were the only ones with kids (this is a family weekend but) we went away this weekend with Kevin's company to the White Mountains... it was a wonderful break from the daily grind but dinner at the Mount Washington Resort was just so not us... these things are so hard to do with kids... Daisy didn't nap most of the day and was very fussy by dinner time... I had to feed her on the Veranda (no biggie but a little awkward) and Carter had perfected the temper tantrum (and performed this everywhere we went- at Panera, the train station, the car multiple times, the weather museum) this weekend so we were on edge trying to avoid this the whole time we were there... we missed the bus returning at 7:20 (which would have been perfect timing for bedtime) and the next one didn't leave till 8:45... so we went to the playground and Carter ran around like a nut with the other kids and held up the line trying to decide if he wanted to go down the "big" slide or not (he never did despite my coaching)... he ended up settling into the sandbox in his nice outfit =(... oh well no tantrums there... the bus ride back to our condo was nice but both kids were wide-eyed and bushy tailed when we got home... a quick change into jammies and thrown (lovingly) into the pack in plays and then Kevin and I enjoyed the hot tub!... they were fast asleep by the time we were done... and the drive home sucked!!!!... I thought I wasn't going to get home in time for work (which was an awful night!)... lots of traffic and thunderstorms... not a good ending to the interesting weekend but Kevin's calmness eased me enough so i didn't have a breakdown!... when momma's not happy, nobody's happy! This is so true for us right now so I must stay cool calm and collected more and enjoy these babes while I can!

potty on!

so last week we tried to do the potty training thing... by the end of the week this was Carter's face!... the whole thing really stressed him out!... he was so unmotivated and even fought with me to go on the potty by the last day... and it was a lot of hard work for everyone (Kevin, Grampy and Auntie B)!... even Daisy hated it!... so for now he is back and diapers and we are going to enjoy vacation with no potty training in mind but come the end of August.... we'll be back at it!

the chef is in!

we finally had Carter's birthday party with family and a few friends... we bought him this awesome kitchen from Target!... he loves it and it keeps him so busy!... his party theme was red, white and blue... since the 4th is in a couple days and I have to work =(... I decided it was best to celebrate our country too!... it was such a beautiful little party!... BBQ, brauts, potato chips, Root Beer, and birthday cake (that star is supposed to be red- I ran out of food coloring!)