First Day of School and Can't...Keep...Up (Summer edition)

School started today! Summer vacation is officially over and it feels like a blur. Owen and Jacob set off on their half mile journey to kindergarten and 2nd grade (respectively) this morning. Both were so excited to go and still looked happy when I picked them up at the end of the day.

Overall this was one of my favorite summers. The boys are at an age where they are so much fun to go on adventures with, they're learning how to play games I enjoy playing too, they actually liked watching Wimbledon with me, they play well together for the most part, they are really fun to talk to, and they still have yet to complain about any perceived inconvenience having a baby around might create.

We took a couple of road trips which I'll put up at some point, but in the meantime here's a hodgepodge of things we did this summer.

Scotts Run again. Hikes with creeks nearby usually end up like this - soaking wet boys and an unprepared adult.

My cousin Nora got married to Dan!

Leading the annual 4th of July street "parade"

Almost got stuck in a tiny elevator with Laura, Danielle, Shannon and Jean. At least we had enough pizza for a couple days in the event of an emergency.

Quadruple solitaire!! The boys can actually play solitaire now and they play together and with me all the time. Next goals are 1) to get them from being fast to SUPER fast, and 2) to teach their friends too so we can get big games going. I remember Larry teaching me how to play when I was their age and I've been waiting for when they'd finally be old enough. Dreams do come true.

A visit with my friends since forever, Gretchen (who lives far far away in Texas - which is really just a road trip away) and Becky, and all our kids.

Front row: Amelia; Middle Row: Ginger (Gretchen), Owen, Graham (Becky); Back row: Drake (G), Jacob, Ollie (G), Gavin (B), and Jack (B). Got all that?

Nancy and I went to the Taylor Swift concert to celebrate our turning 40 (almost, and a few years late, respectively). Partying like it's 1989 (her album title, fyi), not to be confused with 1999. We'll party like it's 1999 in a few years.

Annapolis Ice-Cream shop with Anne Van (after she played baseball with them in 100 degree heat!)

Gravelly point to watch the airplanes take off.

A visit with Shannon, Brendan and Peter before they moved to Charlottesville. Sniffle.

Checking out Clifton, VA with Becky and her boys Graham and Jack.

Amelia - 8 months

Eight months. Two more teeth coming in (an eye tooth(!) and one of her top front teeth, that should look real cute...); gets up on her knees to crawl but doesn't quite have the coordination to actually do it yet, so she drags herself around laying on her tummy instead; despite my hesitation she's very eager to eat real food and so we've been doing some of that, and she drinks from a sippy cup; she also still kicks and wiggles practically nonstop until I literally shut the door at bedtime with my fingers crossed. And that's about it. Surely there's a lot more going on in that brain of hers that I'll only learn about years from now (like she'll catch on to playing solitaire instantly, state all the stats of the best NBA and MLB players upon request, as well as be able to tie her own shoes without any practice - three things we've been doing A LOT of around her/e this summer).

 

Mom and Dad "Camp"

Mike took a week off a couple weeks ago so we decided to take the kids on adventures around town. We visited the Baltimore Aquarium, went to a Nationals day baseball game and Yards park, and we changed things up this year with a visit to Six Flags America (instead of Dutch Wonderland). After that we headed to NY for a long weekend spent at the beach and celebrating Uncle David's 35th birthday. It was a very easy, fun week together. Loved it.

Good thing there's that thick sheet of glass between these kids and that shark (especially this year).

It can be difficult to take an in-focus picture of Amelia.

There we go.

Who are those kids who suckered their parents into picking the totally subtle and extremely heavy DRAGON paddleboat...oh wait.

I've been at baseball games in the past where I saw people with babies and thought, "WHY!?" Now I know - because neither parent wants to volunteer to stay home. Fortunately Aunt Nancy, Sam and Anderson were also there to keep the group entertained. In her defense, Amelia did really well. She got in for free, lasted the whole 9 innings and even napped through a couple.

After the game we walked around over to Yards park, essentially a 1-foot-deep public pool with a waterfall at one end and pretty views of the Anacostia River on the other. That was a big hit.

Then off to Six Flags, which has been in Maryland all this time...just an hour away! Who knew?

  

For the record, I happen to have always HATED these dress up character/mascot thingy's, so this makes no sense to me, but I played along. "It's for the kids" I always say...dramatically. 

And finally off to New York where the beach and visits with cousins awaited.

All eight NY cousins together (plus cousins-in-law Alexa and Remi (not pictured)), from ages 6 (almost 7) to 7 months.  What a great time spent with family!!