First Day of Kindergarten

Owen started Kindergarten on August 27th.  He was so excited to go and start on his educational journey.  We all walked him up to school together and walked him to his classroom with Mrs. Dailey and Ms. Byars.  I got a little choked up when dropping him off but it was a combo of excitement and sadness that he is growing up so fast.  We are excited for the school year and the excitement that it will bring.

Excited Owen

Vacation - Week 2

Week 2 wasn't quite as pretty as week 1 but it was just as much fun.  Our friends the Van Berkels joined us for the weekend.  I think their day 1 was the best day for them.  It was kinda rainy week but we made the most of it.

Vacation - Week 1

Ahhh vacation!  Both Andy and I were so ready for a vacation.  We had both been working a lot on proposals and other work activities - so we were both in need of a break.  We were doing two weeks in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which is fabulous.  We go down to Avon, which is on Hatteras Island.  If you are looking for a quiet place to vacation, this is the place - if Spring Break party is what you want - you may prefer another location.  

Happy 6th Birthday Owen!

I can't believe it has been 6 years since Owen was born.  They say time flies and it really does.  I remember like it was last month that Owen was so teeny tiny and now he is a BIG BOY.  We had is school physical and he was 48 and 1/2 inches tall and weighing in at 59 lbs.  He is one solid boy - I think he will be taller than me by 4th grade (it isn't saying much).  He goes to kindergarten this year and he is beyond excited. for his birthday we celebrated by going to a Nationals game the Sunday before.  He got to bring a friend with him to the game.  Sam and his dad joined us.  

Owen and Sam at the game

Aaron's first haircut

We finally took Aaron to get his first hair cut.  I was really sad because that meant he is moving past being a baby to becoming a little boy.  I know it is a rite of passage but it still is sad.  He really wasn't into the whole thing much like Eli.  He had to sit on my lap in order to have his hair cut.  He was really good and cooperated fairly well. 

Handsome boy!

New Jersey Visit

Since we didn't make it up to New Jersey to visit Andy's family during the Christmas holiday we took a quick trip up at the end of July.  His Aunt lives about 20 minutes from the beach (and it isn't the true Jersey shore).  I saw that earlier in the week when I had to go up to NJ for business and we drove over to the Jersey shore - there are stereotypes for a reason.  Andy's cousin Susan her family met us at the beach.  The boys had a blast with their cousin Gracie - I don't know who wore our who more.  We had a lovely time visiting with his Aunt Barbara and other cousins who came over for dinner that evening.  

Sand gremlin

Football Combine Day

Our Realtor had a family day at Redskins park, which isn't far from us in Ashburn.  Much to Andy's chagrin, it was decided that we should go.  Andy so wanted to wear NY Giants gear, but I shut that down. I felt that it was rude since were guests of friends.  It was a neat experience for the boys (and adults).  They set up the field with various combine activities, the 40 yard dash, shuttle run, push ups, long jump and standing jump.  Owen and Eli had a lot of fun with the activities.  Aaron ran around and got soaking wet because the turf was drenched due to all the rain that had occurred overnight.  

Loving Brothers

On your mark, get set...

Go!!

I am done!

Shuttle run

Standing jump.

Tired boy

Cheese.

Eli doing the shuttle run

Happy Birthday Mom

My birthday was on Tuesday and Andy worked with the boys to make a sweet gift for me.  He took pictures of the boys, interviewed them and then took a picture of the boys and added in mini-pixels of pictures we have take of the boys.  It was really cool and sweet.  The unfortunate thing is Aaron wouldn't cooperate and was wanting to be with me, so we only got pics of O and E.  

Happy Birthday

Mom!

Kerry's Wedding

My cousin Kerry married Paul on June 9th in Chicago.  It was a beautiful wedding and the boys had a wonderful time enjoying Chicago.  We stayed downtown right off Michigan Ave in a beautiful hotel. The boys were the only children at the wedding and for the most part well-behaved.  They had a lot of fun enjoying their cousins.

The view from our room - love love Chicago!!

Visiting the Hershey's Store between the wedding and reception

Cheesing out for the camera's

Owen and Eli with Aunt Gigi

Mimi and Owen

Messy Boy

The lovely couple

Father Daughter dance

Phil being a bad influence on Eli

Owen dancing with Rochelle

Eli cutting a rug

Andrea and Aaron

On the Farm

We went on a whirl wind tour of the Midwest in early June.  I got inducted into my High School Hall of Fame  and my cousin Kerry was getting married the following weekend, so we decided to make it a road trip.  As part of the road trip we went up to see my dear friend Jenny and her family.  Jenny and her family live on a farm north of the Quad Cities in Iowa.  The boys thought it was so much fun!  They got to go on tractor rides, feed the cattle and we took them to the John Deere Pavilion to see the machinery.  It was great time!

Tractor ride with Leo

Eli's work boots

Owen's turn

Sweet Claire

The beautiful farm, it was so peaceful!

Looking at the cattle

Driving the tractor at the John Deere Pavilion

Owen in the combine

Ryan, Claire and Aaron

The McGarry and Cather Children

The boots hurt my feet - that is what happens when  I don't wear socks.

Strawberry Picking

We joined the local farm to get locally grown produce.  As part of that we get into the festivals for free at Great Country Farms, so we took the boys to pick Strawberries.  They had a lot of fun and Aaron enjoyed eating them vs. picking them.  

Look at how tall I am!

Me Too!

Mom and Aaron

Riding out to the Strawberry fields.

Oh Strawberries

Add caption

Is that one good?

Another one!

Can I eat it?

Look at what I found

The yummy strawberries