Summer Splash!

We are an entourage arriving at the lake! Boats, jet skis, several tubes, knee boards, wake boards, skis, coolers and a lot of kids! Justin got a new boat adding to the toy chest and so did Jay ... it's a bit over the top but no excuse to be bored or idle!
I didn't get pictures of the boat, but here's the wake size - great for boarders!
These are at the private lake. Haley Mae has the no fear blood and is a little fish in the water game to try anything. She has knee boarded before but this was her first time to take off by herself w/o daddy in the water. Andy and Chris are awesome on the slalom course. Those buoys just come too fast for dad and I as we are happy to be at the little lake for smooth water! That may be on my summer goal list to sync the timing. Chris is a great multi-tasker!

Arghh...... matey Braxten's bday!

A bunch of fired up pirates ready to walk the plank!

Oops ... gwamma caught me!

Tanner scoots in the walker and look where I found him ... snooping through the cupboards looking for some pool toys to bang around with. He inherited the drummer gene and was happy to find this broken in old pot!

Missing Daisy!

I still find myself in a puddle at times missing Daisy. Especially on mow day - she was such a buddy and guard of the castle. I'm truly grateful for the plan of salvation and pray she will always be a part of our family and will be there wagging her tail to greet us. Besides the welcome home from a toddler, you can't beat that of a dog's, one of many lessons they teach.




Roxy is trying to step up to be a mow dog, but really she is a house dog. We're improving on the frisbee but, frankly, not her passion. Frog hunting has become her obsession and I am not happy to witness the food chain in the back yard. The house is much more quiet and the void is felt as we all miss our buddy.
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY DOG!

• When loved ones come home run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity of a joy ride.
• Allow the wind and fresh air in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• If what you want lies buried, dig till you find it.
• Never pretend to be something you are not.
• No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
• Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
• Run, romp and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop and lie on your back in the grass.
• On hot days drink lots of water and lie in the shade of a tree.
• Be loyal.
• When your happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• When it's in your best interests, practice obedience.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm, but stop when you've had enough.
• And most of all...when someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

4th of July

Flags, family and fun! We truly missed you, Heather, but happy you are discovering treasures and memories in our beautiful lands from sea to shining sea! You are becoming such the world traveler, but know, it is not the same without you here!

Here are a few pics from Texas holiday madness!

Katie brought her camera w/ a close up lens and took some great baby pics

Canton with a crowd

We proved the whole fam can have fun at Canton! Scooters are the trick!

Whew! What a day!

Be a Pepper!

I love 4th of July with the patiotism, fireworks and fanfare, so was excited to see we had tickets to the Rangers game with fireworks. Who better to share with than the big eyes and excitement of Haley Mae! We were so excited and determined to not be deterred by ferocious storms all around us and hoped the fireworks would still go off. Haley Mae was so giggly cute and chatted the entire way to the ballpark. Since rain looked eminent, we decided to sit up under the balcony (thank you Andy) to protect our little precious.

I made the mistake of telling Haley early on in the night to watch for the horse mascot, Captain. For several innings it was countless questions - where does he sleep? what does he eat? where is he now? where's his house .... We talked about how he was really a daddy w/ a fake head and lives at home with his family, but somehow that didn't transition because the questions kept coming.

The Rangerettes were hanging around by where we were so Haley and I went to ask them if the horse would be out tonight. They said they'd bring him over to us when he got out. Haley was now over the top! 15 minutes later - no horse! Where is he????
Then all of a sudden he popped up and was on his way over to us! Finally ... how fun!
Typical toddler reaction - she freaked! That was the end of that! She wailed for a good ten minutes w/ her hands over her eyes... no reasoning. Until we found the magic ... Dr. Pepper. Wow! What a miracle cure! All of a sudden we were able to talk this out and redeem the night. The chatter went back to the "fake" horse who had "fake" hair and a "fake" tail coming out of his jeans! She drank the entire DP and had a pretty good sugar buzz going that got us all through fireworks! They were spectacular and finished off a perfect date night.

christmas miracle

after welcomed news from the greatest allergist ever, i ate a snickers, butterfinger and chex muddy buddies and did not die.  tomorrow i think i will take on strawberries.  

thanks to my strong will for avoiding, and my hard working little body for building immunity - peanut butter, strawberries and I can resume our love affair after years of separation.  

best day ever! 

summer at the cape

got back yesterday from a week at the cape with alexia and her family.  my nose is starting to peel, so it must have been a successful trip!

we stayed right on the beach, which was beautiful, though the water was VERY cold.  luckily, only the lower half of my calves felt it, as i choose to be more of a beach lounger than actual swimmer!

one day, alexia and i took a ferry from hyannis to nantucket, and i fell in love.  nantucket is gorgeous, with pretty houses, lush gardens and cobble roads.  as you come into port in nantucket, you pass this charming little light house, which is everything you would imagine new england to be.  hopefully when i am rich and famous, i will have a summer house on nantucket and you can all come visit!

through a series of confusion and calamities, we missed 4th of july fireworks (much to my disappointment).  luckily, i heard fireworks cracking outside the night before, and scampered onto the deck.  from our house, you could see groups shooting off fireworks and enjoying bonfires up and down the beach.  it was beautiful to see, and reminded me of the fight to found this country. (this was less random than this sounds - 1. it was dark, 2. in the distance there was a strip of land, and fireworks were being shot behind it so i really only saw flashes of light and residual smoke, hearing the occasional boom, 3. i had a lot of time on my hands.)  i envisioned a revolutionary battle being fought (fireworks = cannons), and was reminded of how much i love america, and look forward to celebrating it every july.  

only took a few pictures - here are some of hyannis and nantucket... (sorry, you will just have to imagine the firework scene)

(you can read alexia's trip report here.)

and... HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATELYN!  wish we had been watching fireworks together and watching the clock to appropriately ring in your b-day (but avoiding all roman candle wars).  adore you.

Cash is ONE!

Since Cash is such a smiley guy, Chris made a smiley face cake for bday #1! The eyes are oreo's which lit up Haley's eyes (Andy too)!

Happy Birthday little man!

Watch Cash try to blow out his candle after Haley Mae does ... a little spitty!

The next second, he does stick his finger in the hot wax and cries for a bit. Eventually he gets into eating and squeezing his piece of cake through his fingers - pure joy! That video is too long to post on the blog, but this picture shows how he was clearly NOT done with his tactile experience! Happy ONE!