Sunday, July 17, 2011


Andrew is 18 months!
For his half birthday we celebrated with sparkling cider. He enjoyed clinking his champagne flute and saying Cheers! He loves to climb and keeps up pretty well with his big brother and sister. He is stringing four and five words together now. Andrew follows directions very well. He usually brings his siblings their clothes and shoes in the morning. He loves being my little helper.






Parish Festival


Michael was crazy about this giant slide.


Elizabeth on the lady bug.
She quickly figured out that her tickets would last longer if she went on the little rides.

Michael and Elizabeth on the Dizzy Dino.
Last year I went with them and was dizzy for hours.
They were really brave this year.


Elizabeth's favorite was the carousel.


Michael's first big ride.
If you look closely you can see him in the far car.


Michael is in between our neighbors on the Zero Gravity ride.


My mom was in town for a short visit and she joined us a couple of nights too. She played with Andrew since he wasn't too interested in the rides.



Everyone enjoying treats on the last night.








Last weekend we went to the zoo.
The rhino is rarely so close and the kids were excited.


Elizabeth loves to have her picture taken on this elephant.


Meeting a shark at the aquarium.






On a recent trip to the Children's Museum

Elizabeth raised her hand to be part of this Dora the Explorer show.








This week Michael and Elizabeth attended the first Vacation Bible School of the summer. She has been walking around the house belting out these songs but as soon as I take a video she gets quiet.






Monday, July 04, 2011




Happy Independence Day!


We had the Hale family visiting for the long weekend.
Their twin boys weren't too interested in the sparklers. Michael and Elizabeth insisted on doing them after every three big ones.


Everyone watching James set of the big ones a safe distance away.
After the fun day we couldn't wait until dark to set off the firecrackers, but no one seemed to mind.


We took the Hales to one of the inclines.



Looking out at the skyline as we ascend.


Admiring the three rivers converging


We went blueberry and raspberry picking.
Elizabeth stayed with me while the boys headed off to play. It was a lot harder to fill up our buckets - because all the kids LOVED the fruit.



Our patriotic candy cottage




We did a 4th of July 5K race


Michael and Elizabeth ran the fun run. Michael said it was really short but they were happy to go play.

They even went a couple of feet off the ground in a hot air balloon.



The following pictures were taken by Katie Hale.

The gorgeous Hale family


The old high school buddies with their kiddos.





It's not very often that we get a picture of the five of us.
Thank you!!