Back to the Beach

Pam & Jeff invited us to their beach house in LBI for a few days and we couldn't wait to go! The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time playing at the beach & the bay and especially hanging out with their cousin, Natalie! Ryan was extra attentive and loved sitting with Natalie and playing with her. Emma was her usual self - loving Natalie until it came time to share something and then the ugliness came out, lol! Typical 2 year old! I'm also quite impressed that at 4mo, Natalie sleeps much better than my kids, including sleeping through the night! What a good baby!

What a beautiful smile! Loving her little bikini - such a bathing beauty!

Cousins!

Sisters!!

Smiling for daddy!

Aunt Pammy took Ryan on the big Pirate Ship! I am not sure who was more scared - Mommy or Ryan! I know who was more nauseous... Aunt Pammy! She is a braver soul (and a lot nicer) than I am!

Emmy gets a trim

Daddy thought it was time for Emma to visit the salon with Mama so off we went. Emma LOVES going there to get her haircut. This is her 3rd time and it was really only a trim b/c I want it to grow long and for her bangs to grow in. So Cathy just trimmed off the back to shape it up and make it healthier. Emma walked into the salon, marched back towards Cathy and declared 'I get my haircut' to anyone who would listen to her. She sat perfectly and was very interested in being a big girl. Afterwards, she walked around the salon and told everyone 'I got haircut' and was as proud as could be! Here she is during and posing with Cathy afterwards.

P is for.... POTTY!

It's potty time! Emma is a slow study compared to Ryan, who just decided one day that he was not a baby and nearly trained himself at age 2 1/2. Don't get me wrong - she's doing ok. But it's more of a fluke that she goes on the potty then her actually realizing she has to go and then making the effort. But I'll take what I can get and I will admit that while Ryan was terrified of going 'stinky' on the potty, Emma seems to delight in it. I guess I can't complain :)

Portraits

So I finally got around to getting the kids 2 & 4 yr old pictures done. Professional portraits stress me out. First you have to get the kid ready (which means bathing, hair combing and, heaven forbid, nice clothes). Then you have to keep them that way all the way there and while they race around the waiting room like a lunatic while you wait 40 minutes for your appointment (isn't that why you make an appt?). Or, if you are Ryan, you wipe out 3 feet from the door wearing white linen pants. And then you have to get them to cooperate, smile and look the correct way all at once! And the worst part for me... selecting the pictures while they run amuck through the waiting room once again. So I have no idea what possessed me to take them both at the same time. I mean, Ryan turned 4 in November - not like his pictures couldn't have waited another week, right? But after all the blood (just a little on the knees but thankfully did not seep through the pants), sweat and tears (mine, not theirs), I think we got some good ones. Here's 3 of my favorites....

A Facelift for us!

Well, I've been surfing some other blogs and ours was seriously suffering in comparison! I am so not a technical person and just getting this far was a huge accomplishment for me! All you hot shots out there with music and video, allow me this moment! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new layout.

Trip to the Beach

Aunt Janet invited us to the beach for a few days, and after hours of packing for what looked like a week's stay, we were on our way! For two hours Ryan snored, Emma talked loudly to herself and anyone she felt might listen, and Grizzly (Janet & Adam's dog) wondered 'who the hell are these people'! The first day we skipped the beach since it was late afternoon and headed for the boardwalk for some dinner and a few rides. The next day we awoke eager to soak up the sun but all we got was wet! Ryan was crushed and wanted to know why God made it rain and ruined the day. My response 'because the animals were thirsty' did not go over well. But it cleared late in the day and we did unlimited rides on the boardwalk that night. Both kids had a blast! Our last day was perfect and we spent 5 hours on the beach playing in the sand, jumping the waves and having fun - thanks Aunt Janet!

Whatever this ride is, you couldn't pay me to ride it. I wanted to throw up just looking at it!

Aunt Janet spent a serious amount of time building Ryan a sand airplane. I have never seen a sand airplane before and I have to admit I was mighty impressed! There was even a seat way down so it looked as if he was flying. Daddy has some major competition the next time we go to the beach!

Cool in the Pool

We've been spending the first part of summer at the pool and the kids are having a blast! We waited nearly 5 years to get in and I am so thankful we are there - it's a great place and the kids really love it. You can't see the fins in the pictures below, but I swear that Emma has them. She walks right into the deep part of the kids pool, which is up to her armpits, and insists that I put her down in the big pool. Silly girl. Ryan has really come a long way since last summer and loves to go in the big pool and splashes throughout the kiddie one. Tho he is too cool to smile for his camera crazy mother!

Father's Day

We celebrated Father's Day with Grandmom and Pop for lunch on Saturday, and with my family on Sunday. Daddy came home early from being at the US Open and we all hung out, eating lots! Aunt Marianne & Uncle Bob were dog-sitting and they brought him along - that was all Ryan & Emma needed to make their day! I didn't get many pictures but here's a few of Ryan playing with Poncho - he walked him and played with him and loved him lots!

The First Trophy

Saturday was Ryan's final tee-ball game - the Trophy Game! He was very excited to play Andrew's team again - what a great way to end the season! Here he is waiting to be next at bat...


Ryan was playing first base and Andrew was up at bat - here's a picture of them together on first.

Ryan with his first trophy - he was so excited, he carried it around all weekend!

Ryan & Andrew with their trophies.

A group shot with Emma, Ryan, Brendan and Andrew.

Running of the Monk

This weekend, Ryan's pre-school parish held the 7th Annual Running of the Monk. It's a challenging 5K as most of the course is a hill! I debated on running but seeing as how I hadn't run in a while (& when I do it's on my treadmill, on flat ground, in a climate controlled room with a TV to watch) and the temperature was in the 90's, I chickened out! But the kids ran the 'Little Monk' and had a great time. There was face painting, a moon bounce, plus lots of food & refreshing beverages to keep us all entertained. The sponsors gave the kids t-shirts and helmets. My kids love a good gift, no matter what the item, so they insisted on wearing them. Lucking, I was able to convince them it was too hot to race in helmets - could you imagine seeing this running towards you...


Here is the Monk! He actually runs the 5K too!

Ally & Ryan at the starting line for the Little Monk!

Emma and Jack were the last ones and they made their own course, lol!

Emma getting a hug from her boyfriend, Jack-Jack!

Vacation at the Outer Banks

We just returned from vacation - a week in Nags Head, NC. We went down with Grandmom & Pop, Adam & Janet and Eric. We all left at 4am and silly me for thinking the kids would actually fall asleep in the car. Both kids stayed awake until we were an hour outside of Nags Head and then only slept for 45 minutes. Uncle Eric was lucky enough to ride with us :)! We had a great time and the weather was fantastic - in the 80's all week with a good breeze. The beach was clean but the water was too cold for us. We spent a lot of time at the house in the pool and the hot tub. Here's a picture of the house, all decked out with a Pirate Flag we bought for Ryan.

We arrived much earlier than our check-in so we walked around a pier, did some shopping and ate lunch, and then took a rest at Nags Head Hammocks - we probably over-stayed our welcome by sprawling out on their display hammocks for quite a while!

Ryan loved playing in the sand in the back yard... here's a picture of his dinosaur excavation and another of him digging a pit.

Emma was all ready for the beach - all she needed was the water! Surf's Up!!!

Aunt Janet turned 25 on the trip - Happy Birthday to You!!!

Trying to get a family picture and Ryan just kept getting goofy. We went out to eat at Dirty Dick's Crab House and it was yummy! Below is a picture of Janet with two of the 'Dancing Shrimp'. They were a bit scary to eat!

Beaches and Hot Tubs and Pools, Oh My!

If you ask Ryan what his favorite part of the trip was, he will be quick to tell you... the pool and the hot tub. Two things we could have found a lot closer to home, go figure! He lists the beach as the 3rd best thing. Funny kid! Here's some pictures from Ryan's favorites...


Ryan tending to his sand crabs...


Emma posing as a bathing beauty and wondering where all the water went.

The kids had a great time at the pool and it was much more relaxing (and a lot warmer) than the beach/ocean.

Eric kept us all amused with his silly pool tricks. He perfected the poolside round-off and the 'off the fence' cannonball!

Much time was spent in the hot tub. At 106 degrees, Emma barely flinched. Tho the first couple of times she did make a funny fishy face (see below) and we are not sure why. Ryan took some time to get used to it but he was jumping in by mid-week.