30 June

How to make Strawberry Jam:

Wake up REAL early and get to the field right when it opens at 7 AM (especially if the field had been closed the day before to let more berries ripen).  Tell the kids it's surprise day to get them out of bed quickly and don't tell them where we are going. Pick one quart per person.  Go out to breakfast after.  Come home, eat some and cut about 2 1/2 quarts up and mash them in a bowl with a potato masher.  Get lots of help with the mashing (but make sure you wear an apron).   Add 2/3 cups of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of instant pectin to a bowl, mix them together and sing a little song.  Add 1 2/3 cups of crushed strawberries  to the bowl and mix for three minutes (fight over who gets to mix, then set a timer for one minute each).  Use a Ladle and a funnel to put them into the freezer jars (I use the plastic Ball brand BPA free).  Fight over who gets to ladle.  Have little kids make the labels (correct spelling is optional).  Repeat in batches (each batch makes 2 jars)  until you have made the amount you want to (We made 8 Jars).  Good in the Fridge for 3 weeks or the freezer up to one year.  Enjoy:)

Growing......

Just For Fun:)

28 June

Today.....

Last Day Josh will be working from home.  He turns in all his stuff tomorrow.  I really will miss coming home and seeing him sitting there at our kitchen desk working.  I'll miss him being here to take care of the kids and everything while I'm out working.  He's just the best there is at being there and being a Dad.  It will take a little bit to adjust to the new normal.  I don't think it has hit me yet.   But, it's time, it's the right time to make a change.

Bre's had some extra therapy visits the last few weeks while we're in the interim between summer school starting, we're getting used to going to some new places and meeting some new people.  She's working on shoe tying, handwriting, and saying sp and sk words.  I got my hair cut and highlighted today.  It's always a twice a year treat for me (and I always feel guilty about spending the money on myself).

We ended the day trying to pack in a trip to Aquaboggin and strawberry picking both after 5 PM (Just so much to pack into these short summer months!).  We made it to both, but the time we drove out to the Strawberry field it had closed early., so we opted for a drive by a beautiful ocean spot and a  kiddie dish of our favorite salted caramel pretzel instead.   Yay, summer:)

It's the future!

People......it's the future!  (the dashboard of the Car in Back to the Future)

27 June

Summer Love #6: Cousins!  

there are no words to express how much these times mean to me.....no matter how short or long the visit, I love this bunch more than anything:)  And I can't wait to give Ryan his next ride on the lawn mower ("Mo, Mo")  Cutest.Thing.ever.

26 June

Summer Love #5: Salads.

Loving Right now......Tomato, Mozzarella balls, basil and creamy balsamic
                           .......Cucumber, Italian Cheese, Italian Dressing
                           .........Pasta salad (just one of those things you make like your mom does) Pasta, hard              boiled eggs, mayo, pickles and juice peppers, fresh peas and whatever else you can throw in!
                        .......Fresh and local Spinach and greens, local strawberries,cheese and creamy balsamic

25 June

Summer Love #4: Going to Farm Camp together!

Lucas: Did you know that Pigs like to eat rotten food?

24 June

Summer Love #3- kids shoes, and hanging at our friends pool all day, coming home to my backyard  rock wall finished!

23 June

Today.....
Summer Love #2- making it to Aquaboggin for the first time this year in the late late afternoon (around 4), like we always do, no one is there and we can take 6 rides down in about 5 minutes.  So fun!

22 June

got up at 3:45 AM on Thursday to take the Bus to Boston for a two day Medication Safety Conference. i LOVE this city....especially in the summertime.  I got to meet Mom and Diane for a yummy dinner at P.F. Changs (it was my first time eating there).  It was a LONG two days, but I'm on my way home with tons of inspirations for my work.  It was great!

21 June

This Week Trevor attended The Boston Cannons Lacrosse Camp.  It was three long days (6 hours each day ) of playing lacrosse.  It was great for him to branch out and meet some new friends from different towns.  It was HOT!  In the 90s for the last two days and I was worried.  He did fun and ended up loving it and learned a lot.  Summer is here:)

20 June

Summer Love #1:  Love when they pick up and play games together without any adult prompting:)  Love this.

going to be away

I'm going away for a few days and will need to take a little break from this space.  Kids and work and life is crazy full, in a good way....a good summer way:)   I'm hoping to be caught up and back online sometime this weekend.....Thanks for reading!

19 June

Tonight.....
Our Girl had a Girl Scout award and bridging ceremony to become a Brownie!  I was a little worried about her having to walk up on stage twice, but this smallest little Daisy did great!  The best part, Trevor and Lucas both went in support of their sister.  They sat through a two hour ceremony, while the whole region of girls scouts received their awards.  The clapped and didn't complain even once.  Just awesome.

18 June

This Girl......

all of a sudden.....Can ride her bike forever (she wouldn't even get on it a month ago), takes showers by herself, and came down this morning carrying her second front tooth!  She's a rock star:)

17 June

Fathers Day 2012....

Our Third Annual Father's Day 5K with the grandparents.  Bre and Lucas ran the kids fun run, the whole thing!  Trevor, Gammie and Gampa got just over 30 mins!  It was just super fun and then we hung out in the yard and the back deck for the rest of the day, playing corn-hole, doing a little gardening and lots of Barbequeing.  The weather was perfect and it was just an awesome day!

15 June

Summer Vacation First Day.

Just so much going on around here as we settle in, transitioning to new routines.  We're hitting the beach, going out for some celebratory dinners and ice cream.  We're picking up our First Vegetable share of the year (so exciting!).  Our Girl FINALLY learned how to pedal her bike and now we are all taking bike rides together (so.so.happy!).  We're also playing games, reading books, making summer fun lists and summer rules lists.  We're going to bed too late.  We're making plans.  Emotions are running high as some things are ending and changing and beginning.   With Everyone home, the Highs are so High and the lows are REALLY low my friends.  SO we're changing, adjusting and letting go.  It's going to be the best summer ever.

14 June

Last Day of 4th Grade and 1st Grade:).  

13 June

Practicing.   wearing my new backpack and walking to the bus stop.  We'll find out who his teacher is for next year in a few weeks....can't wait!

Funny stuff.

12 June

Just so many awesome things going on right now.  Our days are filled to the brim (in a good way).  It's the last week of school and If you asked Trevor he probably would tell you how many hours he has left until he's a fifth grader (the big kid at school).  Today, all the first graders gave a presentation  for the parents with songs and poems at the end of the day.  We went back to the classroom and saw all the work the kids had done throughout the year.  Bre has been into making cards for all her teachers (on her own) and made one for the bus driver today.  It is just so awesome to see the love everyone has for her.  Tonight......The parent vs Child Lacrosse game.  The parents kicked butt, but I don't think a lot of them realized the amount of running involved.  The kids had to do push ups at the end for losing.  Kudos to these kids and their coaches.  It was a great season. this time of year always leaves me with a little anxiety, I hate to admit.  Things coming to an end, changes and transitions, making sure everyone is all set (they always are).  One five year old's behavior who is used to having the house to himself.  Summer.     1.5 days to go....phew:)

11 June

Changes.......

Well, the announcement has been made.  Josh is officially leaving his Anthem work at home job after 14 years at the end of the month.  He has known for a while that he needed to make a change and it has been a hard road getting to that place.  We thought we might move......which would have been OK, but neither of us wanted to.  We've put down roots here, deep ones.  The school, our friends, my job......all would have been hard to leave.  After 12 years, there is no where else that I would rather be raising my children (although I would trade in this backyard for one that required a little less work....but we will get there.....patience).  But, we are staying put right here, we waited and we were patient and the right thing did come along.  A great thing.  The somewhat cushy work at home life will be over, however.  He'll be going to an office and we will be getting a babysitter 2 days a week (who we already have and we are excited about).  On the other hand......it will be nice to have a separate work and home life again (sometimes when you are work at home, your work kind of takes over your home life).  So, changes are in store, but I'm determined to just take it one day at a time and figure out things as we go along.  Exciting and scary all at the same time.  I'll keep you posted:)

graduation speech

10 June

Seriously.  (and he even said it was fun!)

9 June

Last games of the season and The weather couldn't have been any better.  We're so proud of you my boy, not because you scored the most goals of the season (you didn't), or because you played the most (you didn't).....but because you worked hard, and you listened to your coaches and you were a team player.  That my boy is what is going to get you real far in whatever you choose to do in life.  Love you:)

8 June

In the blink of an eye.......We'll be doing this for real, in High School.  Oh, my.....

7 June

90 Days until my first Day of Kindergarten....but who's counting?

6 June

Happy 5th Birthday Pretty Girl!  We are so glad we got to celebrate and eat some green frosting cake with you!

Down Syndrome Daily: Teacher’s report card shines

Down Syndrome Daily: Teacher’s report card shines: from the Boston Herald by  Margery Eagan: T onight at the Shubert Theatre, the Boston Public Schools will recognize 11 extraordinary tea...

5 June

Cousins:)

4 June

5 times 12 June:)

3 June

Today.....Trevor had his very First Piano Recital.  I can't believe that he only started just a few short months ago.  (I even got him to wear Khaki pants!)  I overheard his teacher telling another teacher one day after the lesson "He just plays anything I give him...."  I REALLY hope  Trevor  sticks with this music thing.  I love going to these things.  When you have been there, you can appreciate how hard it is and how much work goes into it.  There is just awesome talent out there.  We were so Thankful that Gammie and Grampa and Kevin and cousins could attend, it made for a REALLY fun family day (even in the rainy dreary weather).  Below is a video of Trevor's performance and another small clip of one of the piano teachers who played (not Trevor's teacher). AMAZING:) (Pause the Music below first)

2 June

Today.....
in the morning we finished moving a pile of rocks (really).  In the afternoon, we had a lacrosse tournament at Cape in a monsoon (I mean really, these kids are nine and ten years old and it's not the state championship, just cancel it, seriously!).  We luckily got a great spot to watch from inside the car.  Two kids got hurt, Trevor played Defense pretty much the whole game (just stood there) and his teeth were chattering when it was over.  Thank God they cancelled the last game.  No one felt like cooking so we went out to Pizza cave. :) and that's our Rainy Saturday.  Good Times.

1 June

Hello June.....And cool temps and lots and lots of rain, UGH!  But the story of today is our new backyard drainage system being installed by two very hardworking guys, one machine and one very helpful little 5 year old boy who has his own "tractor".  Yep, there's a lot of mud and dirt to look at right now, but with time, patience,  and a lot of work, it's going to be great.