Fun Around the House

We have had lots of fun this week- here are a few of the highlights....

We went with our friends the Hunts and Symon's to OC (the first time for the S family and the 2nd time to the beach for the H's!). The weather was perfect for the first hour and then it started to get overcast the 2nd hour- and as we were ready to leave, the beach closed because of the upcoming storm. We literally had finished loading the cars when the heavens opened! Perfect timing!! And the storm was over by the time we got home!!


I had a Dr's appointment- and the kids both thought the little skeleton was the best toy ever!! They played with It the entire time- and even requested pictures be taken with It!! So cute!!

I bought ice cream cones during my last grocery shop- and the kids LOVED them!! Alden needs a bit of coaching on the proper way to eat one- he decided to attack (yes, attack, that's how he views eating...) from all angles- lick the top of the ice cream, chop a hole in the cone to get at the ice cream from the side and bottom!! I guess it did the job because there was very little ice cream actually on him or the table when it was all said and done....

Addie was a bit neater-except her face which just says Summer Happiness to me!!

Lisa's Twenty-Thirteenth Birthday

Finally!! Here are some pics and brief (I'll try to be brief) updates on us!!

While my sister was here, we celebrated our birthdays- our birthdays are 1 day apart (and a few years... but who's counting?). It was SO much fun and very sweet to be able to celebrate together- we haven't been able to do that in ages!!

For breakfast, I made this yummy Monkey Bread- we usually have Dunkin' Donuts, but decided to save them for the next morning when we would be driving to NY.

We had this yummy ice cream cake for dessert that night

Ready to open gifts- with my 2 best gifts!!

This was one of my gifts- a contraption that I can plug Al's iPod into and play music for all my travels instead of being at the mercy of the radio or having to change CD's!!

And this was my favorite gift- a tile backsplash that Al did while I was in NY before Ian and Annie's wedding!! Isn't it amazing?!?

Sadly, I had to drop Rebecca, Thomas and Jorgen off at JFK (that was another adventure....). Then the rest of the weekend was spent being spoiled at MarMar and PopPop's! Al had to work, so we had to settle for talking on the phone with him. The day dawned beautifully- Alden went out in the yard and picked me some flowers (has his Daddy trained him well or what?!?)

Singing to me over special pancakes!

Playing with Kierke outside- it was perfect weather! After this, they all napped and I was able to sit by the pool and read in QUIET!! It was perfect!!

Relaxing and playing Wii- hilarious to watch them try to bowl...

Helping me blow out all my candles as I turned twenty-thirteen....

It was a wonderful birthday- thank you to my wonderful husband and amazing in-laws that helped make it so special!! And thank you to all my other wonderfully generous and kind family that called and were still a part of my special day even if we were miles apart!!

Explantion

Dear Friends,

I apologize for not blogging lately. Life and my Google picture space are both very full.... Once I save some of my Google pictures, then I can delete them. Once I make room, and my very sweet sister sends me some of her pics from her visit, I will be able to properly and pictorially update you all on our going ons.

In short- my sister Rebecca, her husband Thomas, and their friend Jorgen, ended their stay in the States with us. We played at the beach several days, the boys took Al's pick-up truck to DC, outlets were shopped at, and plenty of yummy food was consumed. Addie keeps asking for them to come back and finding things that they didn't get to do and NEED to do (such as take her on the kiddy roller coaster at Ocean City's Park).

Alden is about to turn 2- gulp! A slideshow of his 2nd year will be revealed soon.... In the meantime, he keeps us on our toes by working on his vocabulary (he says Fire Truck VERY clearly, calls Al Dadden, yet struggles with cup....), dragging his blanket everywhere (guess who HE's going to be for Halloween?), and building airplanes with anything (he is obsessed with airplanes- screeching "air-pain!" and pointing to it whenever he hears an engine). He's amazing and 110% boy!

Addie is becoming quiet the artist- her art of choice, photography. She has filled-up the memory of her little kiddy camera and the shots are all rather impressive considering she's only 3. Anything Disney she LOVES- Special Agent Oso, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, ALL Princesses, Lady and the Tramp- she adores them all! We watch them on TV, watch them on video and DVD, we read the books, we play with the dolls of them, she can't wait to go to Disney and meet them all! When she isn't playing with her princesses, she loves swimming- you put a pair of water wings on her and she will happily spend the next 2 hours swimming, jumping into and climbing out of, a pool. Even with 30 SPF being applied every hour, she is turning rather tan- thank goodness for Al's genes!! She is excited about preschool starting in September.

I am trying to gear-up for the upcoming school year... How do you do that? By attempting to read the entire "Twilight" series in about 6 weeks.... Once the school year starts, there just won't be much time for recreational reading. Thanks, Allison, for getting me hooked and now I can't stop until I reach the end....

Al is busy with keeping the flooring department running smoothly and the residents at Kings Creek happy (Kings Creek is a country club a friend works at and needed some extra help during the summer). He rides his motorcycle every chance he gets- which during the summer near the beach, sadly, isn't very often. While I was gone for a few days before my brother's wedding, he gave me an early birthday gift- a beautiful tile backsplash in my kitchen!! He is always greeted with screams of "Daddy!!!!!" when he comes home for lunch or at the end of his shift- so sweet! Both kids get a thrill of wrestling with him- and he is pinned quiet often by them. He seems to know how to perfectly balance work, family and friends! We are all so blessed that he is the head of our home!

There you have what we have been up to, in a nutshell. I have some great pics to post- but I need the time to create the space.... Stay tuned- that is if anyone actually reads this....

Sincerely,
Lisa

Ian & Annie's Wedding

My baby brother got married- gulp- that makes me feel SO old! Addie was the Flower Girl and actually WAS the Flower Girl ALL by herself! We had a great time with family and are so excited to have a new sister in Annie!

Being silly at the rehearsal



The happy couple!



Addie and Annie sharing a joke


Siblings- we go in opposite order of age and height- oldest=shortest

Melting in the heat outside...

The kids and I are in NY, spending a few days with Jen, Frank, and Nate. It's been a fun and crazy few days! It all started Sunday, when the G's picked up Addie from MarMar and PopPop's and brought her to their house, where Alden and I met them. The kids played on the trampoline, drove Nate's truck, and ate watermelon. Monday morning, everyone got up and dined on Dunkin Donuts (and healthy eggs and banana's, too). Once ready, we all headed to the famous Bronx Zoo!


Driving Miss Addie


VERY excited about his donut


Enjoying her donut!

Nate enjoying his donut!

At the Zoo- in time for the Sea Lion feeding!

Addie "up high" to see over the heads of the other people!

Turtle Addie

Turtle Alden

My, what BIG ears you have!

Addie feeding a goat- Alden wanted NOTHING to do with this...

Addie's favorite- the Bug Carousel

Alden's first time on a carousal- and he clutched Jen the entire time!

Addie watching a butterfly in the butterfly garden

Truer words were never said....

Alden LOVED being this close to the gorilla and would have gladly stayed there all day if we had let him! (the gorilla is the black blob in the bottom left- he is laying right next to Alden!)

On the monorail

The kids were enthralled- we saw some great animals up super close!

The polar bear is Nate's favorite- and Addie and Alden loved him, too!

Yes, the tiger was that close!

July 4th Part 2

After our "parade", Alden came home and took a fantastic nap! He woke-up as Al arrived home from work, and we headed to Chincoteague Island to hang out with some friends who were staying there. It was so good to meet up with the P family- their son, Liam is 1 year older than Addie and their daughter Merris, is 1 month younger than Alden. Alden had a blast with both of them! Since the traffic was crazy we just hung out at their rental house, ate some amazing burgers, and then stopped at our favorite- Pony Tails- where Alden had his first taste of the BEST salt water taffy. He didn't make it for fireworks- since they started at 10pm, we headed home around 7:30pm. Al and I watched the DC fireworks- on TV. It was a fantastic day!

Hanging out on the porch

Stuffing his face with his favorite- watermelon

Liam "catching" Alden- they LOVED this game!

Merris keeping an eye on Alden playing with the kitchen

One of our favorite places on Chincoteague Island- the old owners had kids in the youth group that Al worked with the summer he lived there. They sell the BEST salt water taffy you have ever eaten!

Alden showing us his first taste- he is a huge fan!

5 seconds after we started our hour drive home- it was wonderful!

July 4th "Parade"

July 4th dawned beautifully- a cool breeze and a sunny sky- perfect conditions for the Millsboro Town July 4th Parade! A group of friends arranged to meet at a specific street corner "in town" so our kids could play and enjoy the parade together. The Christmas Parade had been pretty good, so we were all excited to hear some patriotic music, see some fire trucks, possibly some boats on trailers all decorated, such typical parade "stuff."

The kids had a blast together- 7 kids under the age of 3- playing in a little grassy area- the parents had fun chatting together. We took pictures and had a nice time waiting for the parade to start. 30 min late, the parade finally started! We were all excited!!

The "parade" started out well- a group of JROTC cadets carrying flags and 3 kids dressed like colonials. Then the rest of it consisted of about 5 families, all decked out in red, white and blue, pulling wagons, all decked out in red, white, and blue crepe paper, balloons and bows. That's it. No music. Nothing motorized. No flag twirlers. No old men riding their Harley's! It lasted a grand total of possibly 2 min. Thank goodness the kids liked seeing the balloons and the BIG dog that was walking with his family. It was so lame, I can't even call it a parade- it needs to be renamed, "Patriotic Walk Down Main Street." At least I know I can see good fireworks on TV tonight....

Alden VERY excited about the motorcycle that drove by as we waited.


The kids playing on the steps of the building where we waited



Me and my boy! Poor Al had to work....


The parade- it just about ALL fits in this 1 shot....

The boys, watching the wagons go by- can you tell they are not impressed?