Feet Friday---sandy feet

While at the beach with Pamela and her family, I took a picture of Pam and my feet:

Housesitting Extravaganza!

I'm finally ready to post about my housesitting adventure! It was a great week of fun, fun and more fun! Are you ready? Here we go:

Although we arrived at my parent's house on Friday night, Sunday was when the housesitting really started. We bid goodbye to my parents and Jonathan and began our week of adventuring. I took the boys to the church I grew up going to, which was an amazing blast of nostalgia. After service, we went downtown to Sluy's Bakery, where I bought the boys and I the giant donut men (David and I shared one and Liam had one all to himself). After indulging in the pre-lunch treat, we went for a walk along the downtown pier and walking path. Grabbed McDonalds for lunch and then spent a quiet afternoon at the house.
My parents have a gravel pile that is a main feature for the boys' outdoor play at my parents. I had to keep a close eye on David, who was pretty tricky about chewing on rocks:

Monday started the daily visits with Pamela and her family. Monday afternoon the boys' and I went over to their house for a Memorial Day BBQ. That afternoon, Liam rode a two wheeled bike for the first time! He was a little rickety, but I think he will be ready for a two wheeler of his own around his next birthday!

We all got into the bike riding that afternoon, and I even gave David a ride on the trike!

The kids had so much fun together. One of Pam's neighbor girls gave them all a ride on her family's tractor, and they had so much fun being silly and making faces.

Tuesday afternoon, Pam and her kids came over to my parents and we played, hung out and ate tacos. That was the night Josh somehow found some advil and we got to call poison control, YIKES! (he was fine by the way!)

Wednesday we went to the beach and that was a blast. We had a picnic lunch at the beach and all got a wee bit pink.

The tide was way out, and since where we went is a wildlife preserve as well, we got to see all sorts of birds and other animals.

Pamela took a stick and wrote our names and the date in the sand. I of course, had to take a picture!

Thursday we took the kiddoes and went to the Marine Science Center, where both Pamela and I had volunteered when we were teenagers (although not together) It was fun to see how they've remodeled and all the exhibits they have now.

We got to see the volunteers feeding the animals, and even got to see their octopus, Sam, eating a crab! The kids colored some pictures and we watched a short movie! What fun!

The Science Center had found the beached whale, and went through the process of saving the bones for this skeleton while I was volunteering. How fun to see it still there!

After the Science Center, we took the kids to the park and got a little more pink. We took Natalie to her ballet class and then back home for a visit with Daniel and Faith!

Friday we played at Pam's house, and then Pam and I left the three big boys with Bob and while David along for the ride, took Natalie to dance class and then had a quiet hour at Starbucks, enjoying cold drinks and delicious treats.

On Saturday, Jonathan came back over. We took the dog for a walk in downtown Kingston (even got to wander through the farmers market, how cool!) and then had a nice BBQ with Pam's family and Daniel. Spent the evening visiting and enjoying our last night with friends and then Sunday morning my parents got home and we spent the day with them, looking at their photos and hearing their stories and telling them ours.

Sunday night we came home and have settled back into life here! It was a great week; I so enjoyed getting to see my friend every day and enjoy some leisurely fun time!

ABC Wednesdays---U

U is for Ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are a fun and wonderful invention. I always looked forward to the ultrasounds when I was pregnant with the boys; it was always a treat to “see” them before they were born.

Here are the 20-week ultrasound pictures from each of my boys. Enjoy:

(Liam)

(David)

Now, head on over to the ABC Wednesday home page and check out what the rest of the group have done for the letter U!

The Same, But Different---Basket Boys

I'm still trying to get my pictures from my housesitting trip picniked and ready, and it's taking longer than I had planned.
So, I thought I'd bring you all another installment of "the same, but different." Enjoy:

hot

I'm hot. As in sweating, sticky, uncomfortable, stinky, too close to the sun warmth.

My apartment...well, let's just say I could make ALOT of money renting it out as a sauna right now. Or a "hot yoga" studio. You get the idea.

Nursing David brings a whole new level of ickiness, as our body heat mingles and we both become even warmer and sweatier and stickier than we were before.

Sleeping is difficult, as it is hard to get rest with the warmth. It took incredibly long to get David to settle down and actually sleep this evening!

And, I hear tomorrow's supposed to get even hotter.

Oh my.

I am grateful for the warmth, blue skies and sunshine, really I am. This last winter was too much for me.
At the same time, I am SO UNCOMFORTABLY WARM!

Yikes!

(there is a post about my week of housesitting coming, complete with pictures. I promise. I've just been too darn hot!)

Having A Great Time!

Can I just say that so far, this break has been amazing?!?

We left friday night to try and beat all the crazy traffic due to it being a three day weekend for lots of people. I have to say it was the best idea my husband came up with! Made for me having to rearrange my expectations for saturday, but who could say no to getting to come to my parents a day early (and thus actually getting to see them!).

Saturday, we played around the house, spending time with my folks before they ran off to Seattle for a play.

Sunday morning, my parents headed out on their Alaskan cruise. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't jealous!

After they left, I took the boys and went to the church I grew up in. Haven't been there in about 11 years due to changing churches when I was 16 or so, moving from the country and then taking up residence across the sound. Even when I visit my folks, if I go to church, I usually go to the church they go to now. 

So, long story just to say, I took the boys to my old church for service and it was a morning full of nostalgia. The sanctuary...the hallways...everything so exactly like I remembered. Only the people I recognized were older. I even saw some old friends, which was really fun.

After church, I took the boys to the bakery downtown and got the huge donut men. One for Liam...David and I shared one. We took a walk along the new pier and into the woods and then ran a couple errands before heading home to spend a quiet afternoon/evening playing outside.

The weather has been just beautiful and the boys are outside alot. It is so nice to be able to let them play outside. I've pulled up a chair to their favorite play-spot, a gravel pile that they dig in and stuff and I sit out there and read magazines while they play. It really has been great.

We have a bunch of fun stuff in the mix for the rest of our time here. A visit to the Marine Science Center downtown, a trip to a tea house for just my friend and I (her husband has amazingly and lovingly offered to watch all 5 of our kids), and plenty of time with friends and family around here and everywhere. I have a feeling this week is going to simply fly by but for now, I am so glad to be a part of it!

If I can find a cable to hook up my camera, I'll share some photos in my next post.

***I'm remembering the bravery and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers today. my heart is fully and deeply grateful for what our military does to keep us safe and free, yet saddened by the cost of freedom*** 

Feet Friday---feet in the sand

To go along with yesterdays "fun at the beach" post, here is my feet friday post: David's little toes-ies in the sand! How cute!

Dry sand:
Wet sand, down by the water (he had waves hit his feet too, but I didn't get a picture!):

Fun At The Beach...

ABC Wednesdays---R

For the second week in a row, my mom and I have similar posts. I find this humorous.
Anyhow, R is for Reading. One of my absolute favorite pastimes, although I have had to severely slow down my reading in the last few years due to getting insane migraines if I read too long. Talk about torture for this girl!

Liam reading to David:

My Grandma and I reading at the Lake:

Quotes about reading:

“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, as in all fortunes.” - Barrow

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” - Emilie Buchwald

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” - Mason Cooley

“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.” - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

“A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.” - Robertson Davies

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.” - Walt Disney

now run on over to the ABC Wednesday website and check out everybody else's R posts!

seed update...

We have sprouts!

Yesterday, when we watered the seeds, we found a sprout!!! We were both so excited!
Take a look: