Teamwork

Farewell Beach

Sunshine, a cool breeze, friends, Cape Cod Kettle chips, lots of hermit crabs, polar bear plunge, sand between your toes, hole digging, kites flying...

...the perfect way to bid adieu to the mighty Atlantic for the season.

Suspension Bridges

It is great to be a kid!

I am praying our Cubmaster stays Cubmaster for years.

I have three boys coming up through the ranks.

I am so grateful to all the people who make my kids' lives so rich and colorful.

Caleb Meets the Great Atlantic

“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

-Isaac Newton                         

Two Wheels

 She's off...

  

...and she is not looking back.

Watch out world!

Seriously, watch out.

Green Thumbs...And Dirty Faces

 

The Lost Boys

Just another day in paradise.

Happy Birthday Cabub

 

Dear Little Cabub,

How are you already 1?  Oh how I love you!  I love to squeeze you, and hold you when you fall asleep in my arms.  You never sit still long enough for me to hold you otherwise.  But when you do fall asleep in my arms, your cute little face melts my heart...I want to gobble up your cheeks and your nose and muzzle my face right in to your neck.  I never want to let you go, I just want to hold you.

 

Your little giggle is contagious.  I love to chase and then catch you when you try and get away from me.  You laugh and then tense up your little body when I do.  And then you growl at me, and I growl back at you, and it becomes a game.  Your other favorite game to play is climbing on to the dishwasher.  When you get up on the downed door, you stand there looking so proud of yourself.  Then I come whisk you away and you growl at me, and then I growl back at you.

 After you ate your cake, I had to bathe you.  You love water...when it is warm.

 

And then after you were all clean, a snuggled you, and smelled you, and held you close until you fell asleep.   Then I just looked at you in my arms and said a little prayer of thanks for you.  Then I quietly tip toed to your room and tucked you in your bed.  I gave you your blankie and made sure the tags were close to your mouth, just the way you like it.  You laid there, holding your blankie, but really, you are holding my heart.

I love you little Cabub.

love,

Mom

Caleb Goes Camping

 

This is where Caleb camped for the first time.

He's only going to be disappointed after this.

How can you top bonfires on the beach?

His favorite part though...

...waking up a tent full of family by climbing across them.

 I guess we can deliver a tent full of family again.

Happy Birthday Anna

Dear Anna,

I feel like I have known you for more than three years.  Your soul is strong.  Your zest is beyond your years.  Your determination is unconquerable.   Your hunger for adventure is insatiable.  But you are just three, and I have to remember that.  I want to help guide you so you can use all your talents for good.  You will conquer life victoriously.

One of my favorite things about you is your bravery.  I hope you always find strength in your bravery.

 I can't imagine my world without Anna!  I love you little girl.  I am so grateful to be your mom.  You hold my heart in your little hands.  I want to give you the world.  I hope all your wishes come true.

love,

Mom

Back to School 2013

 

This year our theme is

"Be thou and example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

 

 

These are my little believers.

I am amazed by their faith.

Funny how much they teach me, while I'm trying to teach them.

 

The evenings' menu:

mixed greens and beet salad with blush wine viniagrette

sourdough boule with fresh herbs and olive oil

gorgonzola spinach fettuccine with balsamic glazed beef medallions

and 

garden fresh tomatoes

fresh peach shortcake

 

The evening is one of my favorites of the year.

It is a feast of food and family.

And after the festivities,

we wrote down the things we believe.

We'll see how much our faith an knowledge increases this year.

Cub Scouter

Monday evening I told Daniel

"Tomorrow you get to go to Scouts."

Tuesday morning, Daniel didn't come up from his room in his pajamas as usual.

He came up fully dressed in his blue and gold, ready to go, happy and excited.

He had that twinkle in his eye.

Christian said

"Scouts is later tonight."

Daniel responded

"Like when?"

Christian

"After I get back from work."

Daniel walks away without saying a word and obviously disappointed.

He comes back a couple minutes later and says

"But Dad, like what TIME is it at?"

He just couldn't wait.

And now James is DYING to start Scouts.

And he has to wait more than a day to go.

Summer Love

 

On your marks.

 

 Get set,

 Go!