Great Times, But We're Kaput.

Spent Day 4 of "camp" week with Anne Van on her boat.  Nancy and her boys came along too and we had the best time tubing and swimming in the river.  We're free all this month and next if you're reading this, Anne.  :) 

 Captain Anne Van

 

Then for the last day of the week we were off to the ultimate spray ground of all the spray grounds around.  Where were these places when I was growing up?     

Summer Camp

Months ago, when there was still a chill in the air and summer seemed far away, some friends and I decided we would declare one of the early weeks of summer a "camp" week and do really fun stuff with the kids every day as a group.  Then suddenly it was actually camp week, and we had a very ambitious schedule, and it was 99-ish degrees outside.  So, at the end of the day Monday I was real tired.  Tuesday I was fatigued (already!).  Wednesday, exhausted.  Thursday (though we veered from the group this day), wilting. Tomorrow is Friday and I'm sure I'll have to check the thesaurus for another word for tired.  Perhaps we went a little overboard.  Perhaps I've pushed them too far - Exhibit A: most days we arrive home looking like the this (well, not me, I just close the storm door, watch the show, and pretend I can't hear anything):   

Despite all that, it has mostly been so much fun! Been to lots of new places and on new adventures with the boys.  Next week we'll be sleeping and watching TV all day.  I kid, I kid.  Here are some pics:

Day 1: Baltimore Aquarium - This place is set up for you to lose your children. Dark rooms, hundreds of people milling about, killer fish.  I deserve a pat on the back all three of us made it to Day 2.

  Day 2: National Arboretum - Where are these kids' parents? Security!

Day 3: Breezy Point Beach on the Chesapeake Bay - I'm glad we had 10 eyeballs watching all 10 children.

 

 

Day 4: Deserves its own post - boating with Anne Van!  She never disappoints.  Tomorrow's a Friday night so chances are good I'll be able to put up a new post then.  To be continued... 

Like an Onion

During rest time, if it's not tape, it's excessive layering of clothes.  In this case a base pajama jumper layer with two pajama pants and three pajama tops.  Not the most I've witnessed (THAT would be 6 pairs of underwear and a pair of shorts, followed shortly thereafter by a "test" to see if going #1 in them would go through them all). But I was pretty impressed at how he was able to squeeze two somewhat tight fitting bottoms on over that jumper. I'll chalk it up to practicing getting dressed, makes perfect.

(I am accepting ideas for more "practical" rest time activities should anyone want to share them...please)

Magic!
(at least watch around the 20 second mark, wha?) 

Happy Father's Day

Owen is TWO!

Lots of celebrating going on at our house recently.  Owen is officially a TWO year old!  At two years old he's talking up a storm and lets you know just what he wants, thank you very much.  He is amazingly adept at all things playground-ish - jumping, climbing, hanging like a monkey, etc.  He's an escape artist, gotta watch him like a hawk - I swear he senses it and takes advantage of it when you're not.  He loves to play games (hide and seek anyone?), tell jokes (why's 6 afraid of 7?), can kinda count to 10 (definitely to three - "OWEN...sit down in your car seat now!  One...two.." - ha ha), can kinda say the alphabet, and spends about 50% of his time creating his own mischief and 30% of his time copying his mischievous brother.  Definitely keeps us on our toes; we love him so.

Nana, Papa & Memaw all visited earlier this month for a fun birthday dinner.

The birthday boy with Sam, Anderson, Uncle Steve & Aunt Nancy.

Owen's new castle.

More celebrating (and making cupcakes)

Cheers

I think we startled Owen as his natural reaction was to play dead shortly after our entrance.  Also, if you listen very closely you'll hear Jacob negotiating a switcheroo between Owen's new castle and Jacob's "old" batcave.  Will Owen fall for this wily ploy?  You'll have to watch the video to find out.

Memorial Day

 Memorial Day barbecue & popsicles with some favorite buddies 

(and cousins, not pictured)

 

May the force be with you

***

 
 

Funny faces during a Memorial weekend visit to the zoo.

School's Out for Summer!

See how all the girls have on their pretty dresses and how the boys (all three or four of them) have on their "best" casual wear?  Just a little observation I had today.  Sigh.  Jacob & I had a clothing discussion just this morning - I told him he needed to wear "real" shorts (any that don't have stripes down the sides) and a button down shirt.  We compromised with "real" shorts and a giant smiling Elmo t-shirt. He told me button down shirts just aren't "pretty".

Anyhoo, today was Jacob's "graduation" from his 3 year old preschool class.  I remember last fall dropping him off not knowing how he was going to react to going to a new school and watched him walk right in and give his teachers big hugs. Didn't even look back.  Phew.

So today we celebrate School's Out for Summer! 

Every morning when we dropped Jacob off Owen would run in, quickly find some toy or project to work on hoping he'd blend in and I'd forget he was supposed to go home with me.  So, this was his dream come true, a spot at the big kid table!  Next fall Owen gets to go to school too.

Jacob's teacher, Mrs. Rickerby