Summer Night Strolls

Now that the warm weather is here we get to go for our after dinner strolls!!  It may not be summer yet officially, but the past few days certainly have felt like it!  So easy it is to forget about all the rain!  Cora got her baby doll all set up for a walk.. then opted to leaver her behind and take the wagon instead.

She is very motivated!

Cole can make a sand box out of anything

Back home the kids wanted to hang from the tree

Cheese!

Two kids!

Three!

We got these beauties last spring, but they never blossomed... We were excited to see them this summer.. except that we thought we got 4 of the same color.. turns out this one was mislabeled.. the other 3 are a pale pink!  oops!  This one bloomed first and I wondered why the others weren't right along with it.. once they caught up I figured out why.

Apple Blossom Time

This month is a good month to live in town... driving by the orchards with your windows down your car is filled with the perfume of apple blossoms.  The big rain streak began right around peak, but luckily different types of apples must blossom differently so when we went before peak we were lucky to find a few rows in full bloom. I brought the kids while Rob mowed the lawn and I told them if they cooperated we'd go out for ice cream... I'd give them a B+

Where we went there is a restored barn and another interesting building which made for good backdrops to get a picture of the three of them.  Not a total success in the smile department, but at least they are all looking!  Maybe we'll try again sometime and dress them up a bit more!

I told them to love each other :)

Cole... losing his ice cream because he went running off by himself before listening to my instructions!

They were supposed to walk back the same way, but after I walked down to break up a fight, by the time I got back to my position they were already booking it back dragging Cora along behind them.  Maybe next year.

In the end they earned their ice creams, so after two kids visited the porta-potty, we met Daddy at the ice cream stand for a slightly warmer trip than last time.

Mom's Day 2011

What would the world be without our kids?! 

I had grand ideas of taking the kids to the rail trail for a Mother's Day Rail family bike ride, and then we went out on the screen porch and saw ducks having a fine time in our pool.  Upon investigation we found they were making a royal mess.. so change of plans we donned our work boots and hit the pool area to remove the leaf net so we could begin the grueling process of opening the pool.. grueling because our cover failed so we will have a lot of  pool vacuuming and scrubbing to do this spring.

Our lovely duck friends.. we also have a giant frog, who no matter how far away we bring him from the pool.. instantly hops back in.  Clearly he believes he is in a pond.  But let's be honest.. it really does look pond-like.

Work is done!  Off to Babci's house for a big Mother's Day visit.. after all I wouldn't be here having kids if my Mom or Babci weren't Mom's!

How is it that cemetery's are always beautiful?!

A walk over to the cemetery is always required when visiting Babci. Not only to visit my Grandfather but also to throw sticks and dandelions off the bridge and watch them come out on the other side.

Back to Babci's, the walk tired Cora out.. such a little lady isn't she?  sitting on Babci's lap!  Guess we'll have to work on the proper way to sit while wearing a dress :) 

Seriously?  Can't we get just one picture of everyone looking happy?!

We thought a pig-pile might help, but they fought over who would be first on top.. Caden is sulking in the background

Four generations!

Cora's Godfather Aaron is Mr. Polo... if it weren't for him I never would've thought to check out the clearance section on-line where I found lots of good deals for the kids!  They are far more stylish than their parents!!  Here they pose together with their horsies!

It certainly was  Happy Mom's Day!  It is especially fun now that the kids are in school and I get fun home made gifts that they bring home! 

Opening Day Parade 2011

I am way behind and failing miserably at cathing up!  But a couple weeks ago, Caden marched in the rescheduled Opening Day parade.  Leading them off was the faithful LFD.

While we were waiting for Caden I spotted these fiddleheads!  So neat how they unfurl, can you believe people eat these?  That and dandelion greens, I just don't get it!

And here is Caden's team!  Caden was so excited for the parade this year.. can you tell by his crazy smile?! 

Cole and Sammy, Caden's friend from soccer and Kindergarten.  This year we don't know a single person on Caden's team, but each game he knows people on the opposing teams so it is always a surprise who we will see in the stands.

At the end of the parade the teams all circle around the diamond where the varsity captains of the highschool baseball and softball teams give the kids inspiring words to start off the season.  Then they each throw out the first pitch.  Rob and I missed his game that day, we drove to New Jersey for a wedding... here is us!

Spring play...

The arrival of warm weather means playtime outside before and after dinner every night that we are able.  A lot of times we get to spend time with our friends the Sevin's, but with baseball and swimming for both families our schedules are often opposite, and we miss them many nights.

Cole thinks he wants to learn how to play golf.. really we would like Cole to stay far far away from golf clubs, knowing his tendency to flail and throw things.. a golf club is a weapon!  But with constant supervision we decided to give it a try.  Thankfully he has a short attention span and lost interest shortly after getting started.

  

A few fun flowers sprouting up around the yard!  This time of year is always fun to remember what exactly we have growing around here.

  

Caden loves chasing and popping bubbles, and Cora loves "blowing" bubbles.. a.k.a. dripping bubble solution all over herself and then spilling it all over the ground... I guess we all learn this skill at some point!

  

Our master bubble blower of the evening

And then we moved on to rolling down the hill..  we pack a whole lot into these evenings!

Cora generally goes side to side.. going straight for the entire length of the hill is very difficult for kids... but it is no less fun!