Beach getaway

Don has been preparing around the clock for a big presentation at VMworld in vegas. so the kids and I have been hunkering down at home a lot- but in the past few weeks everyone seemed to disappear to the beach.

Well, as luck would have it, my dear friend, Sue, offered for us to join her and her 8 year old son Tucker, on a trip to the beaches in Delaware this week! SO of course, despite the hurricane- we went!

We had an incredible time. Cut short by a day (no thanks to the emergency evacuation that WOULD have had us leave on Friday) and we got home quickly and safely on saturday long before she hit our area.

The kids had pure fun. and I must admit. there was plenty of that for the moms too!

In the pool at the beachouse.  Yep, that’s a POOL! (and yes, perhaps those are hurricane clouds

scootin around the neighborhood

the kid’s first time to an East coast beach and as we arrived, dolphins were jumping out in the bay! (we were in Lewes)

quality time and belly laughs with bennett as madeline and tucker collect shells and have water fights

a long days work for three happily tired kids.

‘I don’t want to leave!’

Back ‘home’ for ice pops- makes everything better

the moms ate gelato (and checked the evacuation details- deciding that we’d have another day at least before irene would arrive. let the fools duke it out on the roads tonight- we have dark n stormies to drink!)

and sunsets in a stormy sky.

What a way to end a summer.

summer in review

So… we did not schedule anything for this summer. No camp, no classes, no travel. Aside from 5 mornings of soccer this month, the kids and I have been more or less just Playing for months.  And it has been awesome. Just what we needed in our very overscheduled life.

So here is proof of our mellow yellow summer :

Bennett has become a big-kid on a swing. no more baby swing.

Madeline is flipping up her training wheels and learning to balance. check out the knee and elbow pads!

she is really trying!

After this she spent the afternoon on the skut (bike with no pedals for balance practice) and was doing great but I had to put the camera down

We spend lots of time in pjs or shirtless, painting at the kitchen window.

The kids have found ways to entertain me every day. Plays, songs, costumes, recitals. they have really learned to work together on these little shows.

I have done a LOT of home cooking. Here are this week’s Mahi tacos with citrus slaw in process…

Lots of unstructured time with friends

hanging out..

camping at the lake

with friends

in the rain…

and the list goes on and on…

its been awesome. I am so grateful for this time with them.

exhausted. but in an excellent way.

so proud

they are so proud of the things they’ve been growing in our garden this summer.

Madeline was broken hearted when I cut one of her zinnias to bring a bouquet inside. She insisted I leave them and let them grow instead of killing them by bringing them inside. So there is just the one in her room now

Our pumpkins are thriving and im optimistic that we’ll keep them growing till late october.  we’ll see…

End of Soccer camp!

big smiles

Soccer camp is over. Madeline loved her coach. He called her jeremy- and she called him lila. it was so funny to see her with the long running joke every day.

Her certificate today was written out to Madeline ‘Jeremy’ Mann…

runningh

coach pow-wow

chompers

our family pet

SOCCER

first day of soccer for madeline. and bennett cant wait to go too!

getting ready:

UK Soccer Elite: Amazing coaches!

bennett find a way to stay busy too…