Sometimes...

Sometimes it's hot and humid, and your parents haven't installed the air conditioners yet, and you woke up from your nap maybe a little before you should have, and you just want to crawl onto your dad's lap with your silkie and relax.  Sometimes...

For the Record...

...Ellie still doesn't approve of my cooking.

Camper-Girl

Ellie on her first day of summer camp.  She LOVED it.  I may have teared up a little when I dropped her off, but I survived.  

Summer

Well, summer is finally here...with barbecues and kiddie pools, and even sometimes a bouncy house.  We went to a friend's birthday party on Saturday and it was totally tricked out.  The kids had a ridiculously good time and I had a ton of fun with my camera.

Today Ellie starts summer camp, and I've been up since four in the morning having a total anxiety attack.  I know it's an epic over-reaction, but I just can't help myself.  Change is hard (even such a silly, positive change as Ellie starting camp) and I'm going to miss her.  

Third Friday

Our town does this lovely thing where every third Friday of the month there's a little festival on Main Street. Nothing huge, but a band is always playing, and there are kid crafts and cupcakes and the like.  I guess the bars and restaurants run specials but we're always home to bed too early to take advantage.  And apparently if you loiter around the fire house long enough they'll let you go on the trucks.  So, you know, just another day driving a firetruck.

Chief!  And at such a young age!

There was a pirate at the fair promoting an upcoming festival, and he asked Ellie if he could have her cupcake.  He's lucky he didn't lose a limb.

Adorable photobomb by Penn.

Rainbow cupcakes rock.

Ellie doing some hippy sand art project.  Now we have a bottle of multicolored sand on our mantel that says "LOVE."  How groovy.

Perched

Our dear friend Rob wrote a hilarious book called "My Unofficial (2nd to Last) Will & Testament" (it's available on Amazon, seriously, check it out!) and this is where I found Ellie when I got out of the shower the other day.   It actually looks like she's courting death perched there on top of all those suitcases.  Plus, I'm pretty sure some of the jokes in that book are, um, inappropriate.  

Awwww

I'm going to forget about all the screaming, bickering, not-eating, hollering, toy-grabbing, screaming, pushing, door-slamming, testing, snack-demanding, and screaming (did I mention the screaming?), and just focus on this.

My Big Kid

Last week Brian noticed that Ellie was hunching over her tricycle, so he adjusted the seat and lengthened the distance to the pedals.  He also removed the pole that we used to push her around Brooklyn before her feet could reach the pedals.  Yesterday she begged me to push the seat back again because she's "still growing" and is a "big kid" now.  And it's true, next week she starts summer camp and then school in the fall.  She really is a big kid.  But slow down, darling!  You didn't grow that much in a week!  Let me take a deep breath and try to catch up.

Father's Day

We're only half way through Father's Day, but so far it's a keeper.  To start with, Brian returned yesterday from a 5-night business trip in California...So really we were all just so darned happy to see him it was bound to be a good day.

We let him sleep in (as one should on Father's Day) but then he made the pancakes because I totally fail at making breakfast.  It's true.  I make some pretty amazing oatmeal, but other than that it's cold cereal and bananas.  Want something warm, comforting, and drowning in maple syrup?  Talk to Brian.

After breakfast we explored a local park, and now Bri and Ellie are off visiting animals at the Nature Center while Gabe naps and I put my feet up after a long week of single parenting.  Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.  You're doing great.

Time Flies

Just a boy and an inchworm...Gabe was totally fascinated by this little guy crawling across our blanket at Croton Point Park.

And I'm amused by these two shots of Gabe...taken two days shy of exactly a year apart, at the same park and with the same friends.  How much has changed in a year...But Gabe still enjoys his snacks, and has the most rockingest hair ever.

A Little Light Reading

This went up on Facebook earlier, but I just can't help myself. Don't worry, Gabe...I've never quite finished it either.

Something's Lurking in My Pantry

Scenes from a Random Sunday

Right after my Dad and Kathy headed home following their weekend visit, and a couple hours before our sewer line backed up and flooded the basement (#ohthejoysofhomeownership, #whygodwhy) we enjoyed a couple peaceful hours in the backyard...

Street Fair!

Brian and I are huge street fair people.  Every year in Brooklyn we'd invite a slew of people to take in the Fifth Avenue Fair and then barbecue in our teeny tiny yard.  It was awesome.  While nowhere near the size, the our local Street Fair is still super fun.  Really, anytime the streets are blocked off and you can buy a spiked lemonade curbside should be a national holiday.

The best part of this year is that we convinced my Bklyn-Sister-Wife to come stay with us Saturday night and hit the street fair on Sunday.  Ellie was thrilled to have Paul here, and Gabe even shared his trains.

We started the weekend at the Boat Club.  Brian and Kiowa spent the whole time fantasizing about buying boats while the kids threw their hotdog buns in the water for the geese.  I really, really love the Boat Club, but need to remember to check their live music schedule before heading down.  It's a much calmer scene for the kids when a band isn't rocking the joint.

Gabe was absolutely beside himself that he could actually GO ON A FIRETRUCK at the street fair.  Thanks, Firemen.  You really know how to make a kid's day.

And last, but not least, there were pony rides!According to Ellie, she had the fastest horse.  Yeah, he really looks like a speed-demon.