Baby Snuggles

I love this sweet shot of Catherine and Peter.  Peter was laying on the ground and Catherine climbed on top to give him a hug and a snuggle.  Peter loves Catherine very much and he loves to play with her by giving her lots of hugs....... that often turn into tackles.  More and more, Catherine actually likes the "hugs" and she'll wrestle around with Peter.  Sometimes, Peter can be so sweet and gentle with Catherine, and she looks for those softer moments of love too.

Second and Kindergarten

Lizzy and Peter were very excited to begin school.  We had gotten all our supplies ready and organized.  We had new backpacks, lunch boxes, hair cuts, and uniforms.  We were ready to go.  At six in the morning, on the first day of school, I woke up to Lizzy and Peter standing at the end of my bed, all dressed and ready to go.  Awesome (except we didn't need to leave for two hours)!  Lizzy knew some of her classmates from the end of last year, and I think she was excited and nervous to see everyone again.  Peter hadn't been in school since April!  He was really ready to go, and so excited to be a part of the "big" school and get to do all the things that he's watched Lizzy do.  I love the first day of school!  I love the newness and the excitement.  I love seeing all the kids so excited and ready to go, and to feel the buzz in the air.  I love all the fresh faces, the smiles, and the possibilities.  Lizzy and Peter had a great day, and are ready for a fantastic year!

Zinnia Heaven

Want to feel like you just stepped into a painting?  Visit a zinnia patch.  A local farmer near us grows tons and tons of zinnias, all different kinds and colors, and welcomes anyone to visit and pick as many as they'd like......for free!  As long as you make a couple of bouquets for others in need, you are welcome to bring some flowers home for yourself.  The kids loved this special place.  We had such fun walking through the tall rows of flowers, seeing all the thousands of zinnias in full bloom.  What a gorgeous day!

Special Sleepover!

We had the best time when our very special friends came over for a summertime sleepover.  It was so awesome!  We loved every single minute.  We had a picnic at the arboretum and walked all over and saw the ducks.  We went to Yoloberry and had delicious frozen yogurt.  We swam at our favorite pool and topped it all off with dinner and a movie back at our house and then........everyone slept over!  How super, super fun!  Connor kept Peter company in his room, and Trevor stayed with Lizzy.  Reagan was a little to small to stay with Catherine, but one day!  We had the best time with our wonderful friends, and we wish they could come and sleepover every weekend!

Farmers Market Fun

I know it's well documented how much we love the Farmers' Market, but in case there's any doubt........we do......a lot.  And we've recruited some friends to join our fan club.  Grandma and Papa now are often weekly visitors.  And of course, if Grandma and Papa are involved, there's no messing around.  They like to go early, stake out the perfect seat, lay down they're adorable table cloth, and get to snacking and having fun.  Grandma always gets kettle corn and grapes for snacks, and sometimes she even gets pot stickers- yum.  We love to eat our dinner and listen to the music.  The kids dance, and climb on the railings, and explore the gardens and parks (Grandma doesn't like that part too much.  She likes everyone to stay close!).  We always end the night with an ice cream and walk down to the park to play and climb in the trees (and probably get a face painting, or ride the ponies, or climb the rock wall, or ride the merry-go-round.......remember, I told you we love the farmers market!).  We love these nights enjoying the beautiful weather, the lovely atmosphere, and time together with our family.

Bike Adventures

Since we've moved to a bike-riding town, we've decided to dust off our bikes and explore our neighborhood.  Now that Peter is free of his training wheels, he's really ready to ride.  We've discovered an awesome bike trail not far from our house.  One morning, we set off on an adventure.  We found the trail, and rode all around- neighborhoods, a scenic trail along the creek, discovering little parks along the way.  It was one of those mornings where we felt adventurous and wild and free.  The kids loved playing in this tiny park we discovered.  Peter went "off-roading" along the dirt path that circled the park, riding around and around and feeling very accomplished.  It's so fun riding bikes!  I love seeing all the beauty of nature around me, and feeling the wind in my hair and feeling so free and fast.  It's wonderful exploring with the kids and finding new, fun spots together.  I hope we'll have many bike rides in our future.

Order Up!

One of the best features of our new house is our breakfast bar.  I love seeing my three little cuties eating their breakfast and lunch here.  It's like our own little restaurant.  Every morning when we're getting ready for our day, one by one, they make their way over and put in their order.  It's amazing to see all three of them sitting there.  I imagine, over the years, watching them getting bigger and bigger.  It's a great spot to hear how they're doing, what's new in their days, and how they are feeling.  Three spots for three little darlings.