Summer Vacation - Day #23

No pictures today. Our big excitement today was swimming with Uncle Mark, Will and Sarah Jane, watching Dad fight the wasps that had invaded the pool!, and getting a notice from school telling Patrick that his teacher next year is Ms. Buso. I think I was more excited to get the notice than Patrick. He told me he doesn't like her name. I told him that he can't have a teacher with the same name as him every year. Now to find out some of the kids in his class.

Summer Vacation - Day #22

Patrick is all done with his swim lessons. He wanted to see his sister in action, so I picked him up early from playground program and we headed to the park.
I heard Liz's teacher say that she had a late night last night (oh, remember those days in the summer?? To be a teenager again). I am sure she was thrilled that Liz was a kicking maniac today.
I tried to get some good pictures of Patrick on the playground, but Mr. Shy wasn't having it. We also had a fun night. Patrick and Brian went golfing, and Elizabeth and I hit the mall for a while, and then went to a Pampered Chef party. Liz was excited to be invited and hang out with the grown-ups.

Summer Vacation - Day #21

Today was a really fun day. Patrick had his last day of swimming this morning. He passed Early Polliwogs!! We are thrilled because this was his fourth swimming lesson session in his young 6 years and the first that he passed! Liz did great at her swim lesson today also. After we picked up Pat from playground program we had a quick lunch and then got ready for our swim date with Sarah Jane and Will. Megan was with us today too, and the kids were thrilled to play. The three big kids spent a long time in the pool and Elizabeth took advantage of some extra snuggle time with her Godmother.
When Daddy came home he got right to weed wacking the yard, and got attacked by yellow jackets! He got suited up for some revenge - don't you love the can of Off???
Brian borrowed Tom's tractor to mow the lawn quickly, and Liz loved helping Daddy drive.
She's an excellent driver :)

Summer Vacation - Day #20

In between dropping Patrick at his swim lesson and Elizabeth at hers, I was mulching in the front of the house and drawing on the driveway with Liz (she was also "helping" me by carry three flakes of mulch on a shovel and going "Oooohhhh man, this is heavy" every "load"). I drew a giant heart for Liz.....................
and asked her what she loves. She replied, "You! And Barbies! And swimming lessons!" And so off we went.

Summer Vacation - Day #19

If Patrick wont let me take swim pictures than I'll have to take that many more of Elizabeth at her swim lessons :) Today she was SOOOOO excited to go, practically diving into the pool. There was only one other little girl there today so Elizabeth got a lot of special attention.
She wont do the bobs. Zoe worked with her on getting at least her chin in the water.
Lizzie Lou, hamming it up and always having fun.
Practicing kicks.
A needing way too much help to float. Oh well, she loves the attention. This afternoon Daddy got home around 1:00 so the kids were excited to play and I was excited (so sad) to grocery shop by myself. The kids swam with Dad and took a huge hike............ending up at Ciochi and Mark's.

Summer Vacation - Day #18

No Pictures for today. We had a busy, but fun day. Today is Monday, so Megan came to hang with us for the day. We took Patrick to the bus for swim lessons and then followed it out to Skaneateles so we could watch his swim lesson. I think he wanted to show off for his cousin (funny since she is about three classes ahead of him in the swimming lessons world). I was allowed to watch as long as I promised I wouldn't take any pictures. Sniff Sniff, I didn't take pictures. After Patrick's lesson it was off to Elizabeth's swim lesson. She was so excited, until we got to the gate. Then it was tears and stomping. We got her to go. Megan was great a coaxing her, and so was her teacher, Zoe. Zoe is a former student, so I think that sold Liz. After five minutes she was hamming it up and loving the water. She relies on Zoe more than she should but she is cute about it. After swim it was home for lunch and then a long swim in our pool. The weather has been so perfect and BEAUTIFUL that every day includes a long pool session. We were sad that Daddy didn't come home tonight like planned. He stayed another night in New Jersey because his meeting went so late. All in all, another great summer day.

Summer Vacation - Day #17

We had a lazy morning..................kids ate pancakes, we drank coffee and read the paper. Brian had to leave late morning to go to New Jersey for work so he was spending a lot of time with the kids. They got into the photo albums...............
and particularly loved the old fashioned ones, i.e. pictures from when Daddy was little. After Brian left the kids and I went to the Sky Chiefs game, came home and swam, grilled hotdogs for dinner, and watched our favorite Sunday show, America's Funniest Home Videos.

Summer Vacation - Day #16

Today was a great day. There were some errands and house work in the morning. We were supposed to do an early dinner, go to Blues Fest and then to Aunt Pam and Uncle Rich's for fireworks. The fireworks were canceled, so we decided just to have a family day at home. It was a wonderful. The kids swam and we enjoyed the sun. We had a fantastic meal off the grill. In the evening we had a campfire in the new fire pit the Dad and Patrick built today.
The proud boys by their new fire pit. The got the rocks from the stream in the woods behind Tom's. Tom let the boys borrow his 4 wheeler truck thing to bring the rocks up.
Pretty girl enjoying the fire.
First s'more of the season!!
Returning from a sunset deer hunt. None tonight. I am very thankful for nights like tonight. It was a ton of fun.

Summer Vacation - Day #15

Patrick made his own pizza for dinner tonight - and helped Dad with the big pizza.
Gymnastics is paying off!
Patrick being a big brother and trying to one up his sister.

Summer Vacation - Day #14

Liz and I hit the Farmer's Market for our fruits and veggies while Patrick was at swim and playground today. Then we packed a lunch to head to the zoo after we picked Patrick up.
Liz and I found GIANT cookies at the market so we grabbed them for dessert. Patrick was not thrilled about having his picture taken - a habit lately. Karma's a b_____ though - he got pooped on by a bird shortly after this picture and was unable to finish his cookie because we weren't sure if it got poop on it or not.
FRANKENSISSY!!!!
One otter was swimming around and so playful. I could have watched for hours...............but the lions are the next exhibit, so we didn't hang with the otters for too long.
The new elephant yard and barn are open. It is a great area. And there is a new animal to "ride". This redeemed me as a Mom, as opposed to a mean Mom who wouldn't let the kids "ride" the tiger for the 100th time because the line was ten families deep. I am just spoiled and used to going to the zoo when it isn't crowded.
As we were getting ready to leave our last stop was the barn, where we found Aunt Peg. She and other zoo keepers were getting ready to try to get a hen at adopt six chicks hatched earlier. Mr. Fox came and placed the chicks under the hen and fed her worms. They were trying to see if she would accept the chicks to raise as her own. It was a treat to see Aunt Peg in action.

Summer Vacation - Day #13

No pictures for today. The day was pretty quiet. Pat went to swim and playground. Liz and I grocery shopped. In the afternoon the kids just played and hung out because I was power cleaning the house - it had been neglected for a while.

Summer Vacation - Day #12

Our summer routine started today. Patrick rode the school bus to swim lessons and then back to playground program. He was nervous, and crying, about it this morning but had fun and realized it wasn't so bad. Playground is all morning and he has met some other kids that will be in 1st grade with him this fall. Elizabeth had an hour of gymnastics this morning with Leah and Davis.
The kids were watching a show for quiet time...............and all the festivities of the weekend and busyness of the morning caught up with them.
I let them sleep for two hours and then woke them. They could have slept a lot longer! Proof of lots of fun.

Summer Vacation Day #11

Our celebration continues.............Happy 235th birthday America!!
Happy 4th of July!! We are ready to party at Aunt Robin and Uncle Bobby's house!
There's lots of fun to have today. Look at those swings. Great for touching the clouds.
And big enough to share with friends.
The kids were excited to hang out with Aunt Di. They haven't seen her in a while.

Liz got lots of hugs and kisses from Aunt Di.
Aunt Robin's pool has lots of space for big jumps.
There were even some totally under water swimming going on today - holding the nose of course.
Patrick was trying hard to keep up with Sarah Jane. She is a great swimmer!
Swimming with Uncle Danny again.
Again, Patrick spent the most time in the water. He loves Aunt Robin's pool because the shallow end is so big.
There were lots of great treats. Mom and Dad were talking a lot so the kids got away with eating lots of chips (or scooping the dip with their fingers! Lizzie Lou :) ) Mommy brought red, white, and blue pudding pops for the kids too!
And then there were burgers and hot dogs too!!
Cousins and buddies!!

Summer Vacation - Day #10

We continued our 4th of July celebrating today. We headed to Otisco Lake to have dinner at Uncle Rich and Aunt Pam's, make s'mores, play with sparklers, and watch all the fireworks people set off around the lake. It was a great show this year.
Liz just loves Uncle Danny and went right for his lap at the dock.
Patrick brought his new fishing pole that he got from Pop Pop to the lake.

I was sort of surprised, but Liz wanted to venture into the water. She had Uncle Dan help her go for a "swim".
Megan hit Uncle Dan up for a "swim" too.
Pat fished away while the girls "swam". Unfortunately, he didn't catch anything. That water was a bit choppy.
Uncle Dan made his way into the water, and of course, his fans were right there too. Thanks for being such a good sport Uncle Dan!
Maybe?? Will Patrick make it into the water now that he's seen Liz and Megan having so much fun??
Nope. Just Dad made it in.
After swimming Liz and Mommy went for a boat ride with Uncle Dan, Kelley, Casey, Sam, Uncle Joe and Megan. Uncle Rich and Aunt Pam's new boat is great! Liz was still all about Uncle Dan. (Don't turn us in for the over sized life vest - it was just a quick ride)
Megan and Elizabeth both got to help Kelley drive. It was a beautiful day for a boat ride.