tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39429807839550166302024-02-06T18:14:57.118-08:00The Ahouse AdventuresThis blog will chronicle the lives and milestones of the Ahouse family - Dave, Michele, Sophia and Theo. We hope you enjoy it!Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-66564019914795319142016-03-06T17:21:00.001-08:002016-03-06T17:21:15.699-08:00Vacation to LA - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IaiPcFYwJuXGxm23UNei9AVnzRGf60lOnPylRyYDcwCrbIOM-mIWZwWEq7cDuMI-twa40rDfxnx2TkfAkozng8GuiTJIJaGf3X5piqsx3LODf1mj4yvvEYQtbfGDYJkLKQD7cHckAN3S/s1600/20160302_091848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IaiPcFYwJuXGxm23UNei9AVnzRGf60lOnPylRyYDcwCrbIOM-mIWZwWEq7cDuMI-twa40rDfxnx2TkfAkozng8GuiTJIJaGf3X5piqsx3LODf1mj4yvvEYQtbfGDYJkLKQD7cHckAN3S/s320/20160302_091848.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltfgSic61VwaxBE7l3TSElRXRdb0lz4fRSTqEoOsaPQaFM581YHOHBC6OCKVcdJ_wiTX4yQFNQt3Tmlh8geqz9BkbYPbgbKSRb-46Hw6augvcHUnc6a5emrWXgQmgvq0h-QW7ph6s-5xh/s1600/20160302_082056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltfgSic61VwaxBE7l3TSElRXRdb0lz4fRSTqEoOsaPQaFM581YHOHBC6OCKVcdJ_wiTX4yQFNQt3Tmlh8geqz9BkbYPbgbKSRb-46Hw6augvcHUnc6a5emrWXgQmgvq0h-QW7ph6s-5xh/s320/20160302_082056.jpg" width="180" /></a>Day 2 of the vacation brought us fog and chilly (for LA) temperatures. But that didn't stop us from dropping the top in our convertible to do some cruising downtown to check out the walk of fame. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiheo9VotPC0ZyERqLAtDzxAwP02pRXcUJNGrvjXqelNYCFyj_XvnsJj0HSMqwgqrC1A47V3akpw1gW71fHm6mT_ct6Q0-2sJB6xKR9Vu3n15xIQOQ9FcHYjMhMEHJXounSs3kcfxkDrt_/s1600/20160302_092532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiheo9VotPC0ZyERqLAtDzxAwP02pRXcUJNGrvjXqelNYCFyj_XvnsJj0HSMqwgqrC1A47V3akpw1gW71fHm6mT_ct6Q0-2sJB6xKR9Vu3n15xIQOQ9FcHYjMhMEHJXounSs3kcfxkDrt_/s200/20160302_092532.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
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After, we got our bikes and headed from Venice Beach to the Santa Monica Pier. They have a ton of rides there and being a random cloudy Wednesday, no one was around! First stop, per Sophia's request, was the Roller Coaster. We went twice in a row - sorry, no pictures, but it was a good, stomach dropping time. We rode all of the rides at least twice, including the bumper cars, which I hadn't been on in years. It was just Sophia and I on them and I haven't laughed that hard in so very long. It was great. <br />
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We got a good long ride on the Ferris Wheel, though unfortunately with the fog, we couldn't see much of anything. But it was still a good time! We had a nice bike ride home, including a long stop at the park so Sophia could have some kid-playtime and then a stop at the skate park on the beach. I think she's inspired to get on a skateboard. <br />
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-23889948791711710982016-03-06T16:50:00.002-08:002016-03-06T16:50:18.602-08:00Mother - Daughter vacation to LA - Part 1It's been quite awhile since I've managed to pull together thoughts (or more appropriately, time) for a blog post. It feels quite fitting to pick up writing again to chronicle Sophia & my trip to Los Angeles - the first of what I hope are many vacations together. <br />
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For over a year now, Sophia has been asking to visit her best friend Avery who lives out here. Given the winter we had last year, I was all for a warm weather vacation. Plans didn't work out for February break for a number of reasons (mostly because I'm adverse to traveling during a week that the 2/3rds of the entire Northeast population is trying to escape to warmer confines), we opted for the first week in March. <br />
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In addition to wanting to see Avery, Sophia wanted to go on an airplane. The last time she had been on one was our ill-fated trip to London 5 years ago - (2 days after she had a concussion and picked up some unpleasant virus while at the hospital). I remember every vivid detail of that plane ride, her - not so much. <br />
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Luckily, we had a ton of jetBlue miles which meant personal TVs, Wi-Fi and unlimited snacks. Really - a win for everyone. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawing while waiting for our flight to board<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Go Time! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unlimited PawPatrol and Adele playlist - Check! <br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The flight was easy-peasy. We made it into LA and picked up our rental and then headed to our AirBnB. We got a fun little place on Venice Beach. We couldn't check in till 3p, so we parked the car and headed over to pick up our rental bikes. Check out Sophia's cruiser!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then it was off to the beach to dip our toes into the Pacific!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not a bad view to end our first day West!</span></b><br />
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-14536856599435073132015-03-25T20:10:00.004-07:002015-03-25T20:10:42.371-07:00First Tooth - Gone!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
February 4, 2015</div>
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Sophia loses her first tooth. It had been wiggly for quite some time (a good 3+ weeks). We survived a dentist appointment (where she got a tooth box from the dentist for when it fell out), numerous meals (for which EVERYTHING had to be cut really really small) and nightly wiggling. </div>
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Finally, the tooth was ready to come out and with a gentle tug, out it came. Sophia was a trooper and was very excited. </div>
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The tooth fairy came and brought 2 half dollars and a $5 bill. 1 down, 20 more to go. </div>
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-42550539406473683902015-03-25T20:04:00.006-07:002015-03-25T20:04:40.578-07:00The Great Winter of 2014-2015Winter 2014-2015 is going down in history. Literally. We got 108"+ of snow - the most ever recorded in the city of Boston. Ever. The trains stopped for days and when they were running, they were so delayed it was crazy. I ended up biking into work because it was more efficient and traffic moved so slowly that it didn't really matter.<br />
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It was truly historic. The kids loved it for the most part. Mom & Dad got to be home a lot more (attempting to work and trading off coverage.) Dave took the kids sledding a lot. We did family walks around the neighborhood in most all of the storms, pulling the kids on the sled.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ApM-W5VbGu4PHblq8UDopxdStLg8VOQIRZwL9t3u49pjZEIS2xrejzjiK8ATCIy_LnUiYB_pjXNVc_6G05MIYfAXMICDIACJ2u4PlvbAhASJVq4r3QUCIOO5UCWzxAikV9UZo-ilO3ni/s1600/20150215_165421+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ApM-W5VbGu4PHblq8UDopxdStLg8VOQIRZwL9t3u49pjZEIS2xrejzjiK8ATCIy_LnUiYB_pjXNVc_6G05MIYfAXMICDIACJ2u4PlvbAhASJVq4r3QUCIOO5UCWzxAikV9UZo-ilO3ni/s1600/20150215_165421+(1).jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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We also launched them down a few epic hills, some that ended with faces full of snow and tears. But everyone had fun.<br />
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We had 2 official blizzards and any storm under 8" became a non-storm. School was closed a ton, but luckily we got heartier as the winter went on. We met a lot of neighbors, helped people shovel out and got to see the awesome "Snow Eater" come up the street and shoot tons of snow into dump truck after dump truck.<br />
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By March, though, Sophia was ready for summer, and kept telling me repeatedly we had to go find it. I told her that "Spring was around the corner." To which she promptly responded, "Mama, can we go around the corner tomorrow and find it?"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the basement door</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prospect Hill Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backyard after the President's Day storm</td></tr>
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-81619406642814239892015-03-25T19:49:00.003-07:002015-03-25T19:49:41.800-07:00Theo's First day of Nursery SchoolTheo has been ready to start "school" for some time now, but between his EI Speech sessions and EI playgroup, he had enough going on.<br />
When he turned 3, he aged out of EI services, which was perfectly timed with the late winter session of Tot-Time at the rec center down the street.<br />
<br />He was so excited his first day - new backpack and all! He went right in, played with the train table and didn't look back as Sophia & I left.<br />
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Day two was a bit tougher on everyone. What I hadn't realized is that his routine, since he was 2 weeks old, was having Nonni & Milla show up every day to play, talk, read and take care of him. And this was an epic change for his routine.<br />
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When I dropped him off on the second day, he dissolved into tears and wouldn't let go of me. I had to do the handoff after we read books, went the bathroom and found more trains. The teachers said he settled down pretty quickly, but still, it broke my heart to leave him.<br />
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The 3rd day was more of the same - but then, Nonni brought Milla with her to pick him up. And he got to show her off to all his new friends.<br />
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From that point on, whenever I drop him off, after we say goodbye he says "Nonni come? Milla come?" Yes buddy, they'll be there.<br />
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#ittakesavillageMama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-54474984920299684242015-03-25T19:29:00.000-07:002015-03-25T19:29:10.667-07:00What I want to be when I grow up!Sophia and I read one of my favorite books tonight - Rosie Revere, Engineer. That prompted the discussion of what she wanted to be when she grew up.<br />
A scientist? An engineer? I asked.<br />
Maybe Mama. But first...<br />
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I want to be a policeman. And an artist. And what was that other thing, with animals?<br />
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A veterinarian?<br />
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Yes, that's it.<br />
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For the life of me, I had no idea why she wanted to be a policeman. Nothing wrong with it, but she never has had (thankfully?) a meaningful experience with a policeman or law enforcement in general. So I asked her.<br />
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Sophia, why do you want to be a policeman.<br />
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"Well Mama, when I grow up to be an adult, I want to be a policeman....so I can drive REALLY REALLY FAST. "<br />
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Yup. She's got the need for speed. At 5.Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-77186189770183063762015-01-19T20:02:00.003-08:002015-01-19T20:02:44.822-08:00Wow - it's been awhile - 6month update on SophiaSomehow, 6 months has passed since I last posted. Vacation, summer, beach and fun - it was such a relaxing time.<br />
Life just goes - there isn't a pause button, or even a slow-mo. And definitely, no mute button!<br />
Most of the time, though, it's exhilarating to experience it all in full speed.<br />
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So much has happened - Sophia has just grown leaps and bounds. For her, this summer was all about friends - finding new ones, nurturing the friendships and settling into an easy way with her little buddies. Newport became (as it is ours) her happy place. Every weekend spent with Avery or Ainsley or Addison or Katherine, or any combination of them. Endless hours on the beach, working on swimming and paddling on the boogie board.<br />
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But soon, as it always does, summer drew to an end and it was back to school time. Sophia would be back at Agassiz, in the oldest group again. With friends from last year and new friends for this year. What never ceases to amaze me is her empathy and caring. Welcoming of the new kids and finding an immediate kinship. She also made sure to be the protector and buddy to her long time neighborhood friend who joined the class this year. It made my heart soar when she told me stories of defending her and making sure that everyone included her friend in the games.<br />
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Weekends brought us to soccer games, where I coached her team again this year - but it was different. We had a practice on Wednesdays and games on Saturdays. Coaching 4 & 5 year olds is like herding cats. But harder. Looking back, we got progressively better each week, all the kids managed to make it onto the field under their own interest for at least a part of one game. And they all had fun at some point or the other. Even me. Theo was the consummate little brother and ball boy - anything he could do to play with the big kids. I think their favorite were the pig piles after the games and practices.<br />
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More and more, Sophia has become a little person - her teacher told me a few weeks ago that she was truly becoming a little girl. Her mannerisms, opinions and her established position as "management" when it comes to the sibling pecking order leave no doubt about how much she has grown.<br />
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The stats for her 5 year check up (December '14) - 44", 43lbs, 1 6 year molar and, as of 1/19, her first wiggly tooth!!<br />
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More to come.Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-13491024579445099722014-07-13T12:22:00.000-07:002014-07-13T12:22:06.220-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 13Thursday left us with not much planned. After feeling well-sunned at the beach the past few days, I decided to take Theo for a meander through town and up to the library. Unlike Sophia, he is a rock star walker. I brought the stroller along but it turned out to be more fun for him to push it and run after it than to sit in it - which was fine with me. We walked down Thames Street and popped into <a href="http://frazzleberries.com/" target="_blank">Frazzleberries</a> to check out some home decor. Specifically, we're looking for Fifth Ward (our area of town) stuff: Flags and stickers. No luck, but found lots of cool stuff and Theo befriended the owner's daughter.<br />
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We moved on to the Newport Library and stumbled on a great live music player. They have fantastic <a href="http://www.newportlibraryri.org/npl/" target="_blank">Kids Programming</a> throughout the summer. After listening and heading up to the kids reading section for some truck books, we headed home to meet Dave for lunch. Nothing better than lunch with my two men!<br />
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After Sophia got home from camp, we headed out to the <a href="http://www.middletowneducationcollaborative.org/2013-third-beach-duck-race/" target="_blank">3rd beach Duck Races</a>, which has become a yearly tradition. A fundraiser to support MEC, we buy our duckies and watch them float to the finish line. First ones across win prizes. We don't win, but the kids have a blast swimming, getting face painting and of course, for Sophia, dance time with the duck!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">(Sophia loves him- <br />Theo won't go anywhere near the duck!) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuggly after a late afternoon swim!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> Face painting success!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Duckers!</td></tr>
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-57523746018693012432014-07-12T11:52:00.003-07:002014-07-12T11:52:50.679-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 12Wednesday brought more of the same: Camp for Sophia, working for Dave and the beach for Theo and I! No complaints, it's a good life to be leading.<br />
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Friends were already at the beach, so Theo (for as much "playing" as he does with others) had his built in buddies there. Though not having Sophia there meant most of the toys were all his!<br />
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Afternoon meant I got some QT with Sophia after camp. The wind has been honking lately, so we busted out the kite and headed to Fort Adams to test it out. Sophia got pretty bored with it last year, but this year she was hooked. She launched it herself and ran all over. We even took "Froggy" for a pretty long walk around the Fort, making it up into the Navy housing playground (where the allure of the playground won out over kite flying!)<br />
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After dinner (and before my yummy dinner out at TSK) we went to <a href="http://www.ballardpark.org/" target="_blank">Ballard Park</a> - an old quarry that has events in the field. We had been wanting to go for awhile and this great little swingband was playing. The kids were into it, though Sophia hit the wall after a very long day and we heading out after about 45 minutes. They do all types of concerts and movies throughout the summer. They have a big kids show, but it's mid-week in the morning. Oh well!<br />
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-24776821343463209672014-07-12T11:46:00.003-07:002014-07-12T11:46:37.757-07:0016 Days of Summer: Day 11Well, I've made it to Day 11 - not the actual partaking in vacation, that's been the easy part. Blogging about it and remembering what we've done. I forgot how tiring vacation can be. (Sorry to those not on vacation...)<br />
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Tuesday morning was my morning to hang out solo and time for Dave & Theo to have some father - son time. After I dropped Sophia at camp, I got to try out paddleboarding at 3rd beach. It was windy as heck, which was great for heading out, but at the turnaround past the buoys, I had flashbacks of learning to turn while skiing. It wasn't pretty and thank god I was out there alone so no one could hear me singing my turning song. :) I made it back in with just one dip in the ocean and some weary muscles. All in all a great success.<br />
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Dave and Theo hit storytime at The Redwood Library again this week and some shopping: an Olaf cup for Theo and an Elsa and Anna for Sophia. The kids were psyched.<br />
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I got to do pickup from camp and got this fun shot of the two happy campers!<br />
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-34283210830530406622014-07-09T11:04:00.004-07:002014-07-09T11:04:58.709-07:0016 Days of Summer: Day 10Monday kicked up the start of our second week. But for Theo, it signified "Life as an Only Child" - at least during the day.<br />
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Sophia started at <a href="http://normanbirdsanctuary.org/" target="_blank">Norman Bird Sanctuary</a> summer camp for the week. She was going with buddy Ainsley and new buddy Avery. The girls couldn't have been more excited. After dropping her off, Theo and I celebrated by doing exciting things like grocery shopping and visiting T.J. Maxx. The TJ Maxx visit was actually to buy him big boy underwear. He's been attempting to potty train himself over the past 3 months (despite our apathy). With all of the beach and outdoor time here, he's actually been pretty successful (except for the time he came to tell me he had to go and I scooted him out in the yard by the bushes and he proceeded to drop the deuce. Though I guess that can be considered success too!)<br />
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We acquired some spiffy new boy undies with Turbo on them. I guess he's a fast snail? We essentially picked them as they were the only 2t undies there.<br />
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Monday evening took us to family night at the club where the kids partook in some giant hill sliding. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152554791552767&set=vb.698372766&type=2&theater" target="_blank">Here's a link</a> to the Facebook video, which friends will be able to see. The still shot is her and Avery dragging the huge piece of cardboard up the hill. Last year, Sophia wouldn't really go near the top of the hill but this summer has been a huge change. She clearly has the need for speed!<br />
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And a quick shot of cool little man. </div>
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-22818794376107684932014-07-08T13:27:00.001-07:002014-07-08T13:27:31.491-07:0016 Days of Summer: Day 9After all of the hustle and bustle of the past week, Sunday was definitely a day of rest for us.<br />
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We had a nice low-key morning at the beach, although the storm had kicked up so much red tide it made swimming pretty unappealing. The kids didn't seem to mind though. Apparently the piled up seaweed (EW!) made great playing grounds for "baby dragons and dinosaurs." I'll take it.<br />
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I got out on a great bike ride with my local riding buddy Rob, who has whipped himself into biking shape since last year (or is it just the new tires...who knows?!) It was good to be back on the bike, especially because I haven't been on much since my accident. The racing bike has a whole different feel and handle, but it was good just the same.<br />
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After the ride, Sophia and I meandered into town to check things out and she was fascinated with the concept of "trying on" clothes in the dressing room. So, we tried on a t-shirt. And promptly put it back. :)<br />
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Dave and I were able to get a date night in with friends at <a href="http://www.revolvingdoorri.com/" target="_blank">Revolving Door</a>. It was fantastic - great food and drinks and love the concept. A great end to a fantastic first week. </div>
Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-86064694489047021252014-07-07T13:16:00.001-07:002014-07-07T13:16:02.800-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 8 (part 2)It indeed was a celebration of the fourth on the fifth, as we headed up to NYYC for the annual celebration. Town fireworks, a giant BBQ with a bunch of our friends and just an all around good time. The kids were looking forward to the adventure!<br />
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Friends Katherine & Sophia</div>
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Katherine has my favorite poses of all time!</div>
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Selfie!</div>
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Taking a break for some coloring - but clearly plotting something...</div>
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Sunset shot - doesn't even do it justice!</div>
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Mmmm - ice cream truck rolled in and Sophia was the big fudgy winner. Theo didn't make out too badly either!</div>
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My little man and his snuggles!</div>
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Front row seats for the show with friends - this was the first year Sophia wasn't fazed by the "booms" of the fireworks. </div>
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Clearly enamored</div>
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And Theo couldn't be happier/more exhausted. </div>
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After the fireworks were over, Sophia & her buddy Avery took a trip up the hill (which they had been sliding down all night with friends, though not at the slickened life-jacket stage yet, thank god!) and ventured by themselves into the Club bathroom. No shoes, fancy dresses, amongst all the adults. The girls politely informed everyone they had to go potty and proceeded to be escorted to the front of the line. Avery's mom & I found them washing their hands and getting heaps of praise on their outfits from the big girls. Clearly, a fun night for all. </div>
Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-80689127443084645822014-07-07T11:37:00.000-07:002014-07-07T12:59:31.443-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 8 (part 1)Happy Fourth of July...on the Fifth!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85Ej8-J9q91zcyIzd5uXt7pBphvz0pRJX-f7OJLObRvHzl6tgfS9codBWqmY0yllz01HAp-nfflJJ841YnaJh_oTmokGqP99s-0RN2IRG2E6K9lZ6s-LVeViCe3vX29IQ0cxhCi5LGPTc/s1600/DSC03503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85Ej8-J9q91zcyIzd5uXt7pBphvz0pRJX-f7OJLObRvHzl6tgfS9codBWqmY0yllz01HAp-nfflJJ841YnaJh_oTmokGqP99s-0RN2IRG2E6K9lZ6s-LVeViCe3vX29IQ0cxhCi5LGPTc/s1600/DSC03503.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
After yesterday's washout, we were greeted with a humidity-free, sunshiney day. The kids slept in, Theo and I got a run in to the hardware & grocery stores, and geared up for the evening's activities.<br />
But first, it was a day of goodbyes. After 4 days, Lori, Sammy & Dillon were heading back to Seattle by way of Boston. We had to hit the park to run out some of the energy before their voyage - and also get a coveted "Cousins" shot - though sadly, Scout was not in the mood. Luckily, Sammy helped her out:<br />
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It was so great for the kids to get to hang with their cousins, who they see, on average, 1x a year. Despite the inundation of boys, I think Sophia really enjoyed. And I know for a fact Theo is enamored with big cousin Dillon.<br />
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After some time at the park and a quick lunch, they loaded up the car and headed back to catch their flight. A few of the great goodbye shots:<br />
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The other goodbye was to our dear neighbor Danielle, who had been next door for the month. She and Sophia had become fast friends, but it was time for her to return home. Luckily, she'll be Sophia's first penpal! What a great summer friend. Hope she's back next summer. </div>
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-16304394617736966382014-07-07T11:25:00.001-07:002014-07-07T11:25:42.496-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Day 7 brought the Fourth of July. And also - tropical storm Arthur. Not exactly a recipe for outdoor adventure. </div>
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Luckily, Arthur held off so we could get out into town for the first half of the day before the torrential rains hit. So we headed off to the <a href="http://www.ryanfamily.com/" target="_blank">Arcade</a>! Head to head matches of Skee Ball & Air Hockey, as well as tons of games for the kids.<br />
And a quick spin on the indoor tea-cups for Sophia, Mikey & Sammy and we headed back home for lunch and to say goodbye to Grandpa, Ivonne and Mikey.<br />
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And goodbyes were had:<br />
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All the fourth of July festivities were cancelled, so instead, we ordered pizza and got the kids to bed at a decent hour. But not before some time for rest and snuggles. Because nothing beats snuggling on the couch with Dad!</div>
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-69934048919184678112014-07-03T19:25:00.002-07:002014-07-03T19:25:58.094-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Day 6 was an action packed day full of outdoors, family activity and kids being summer kids. </div>
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Theo was up early and in an attempt to let the rest of the house sleep in, he & I headed out for breakfast and some truck hunting at our new favorite corner. We hit the jackpot with 3 garbage trucks, 2 tractor trailers, numerous box trucks and untold numbers of landscape trucks. </div>
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After returning home, a movement was made for Strawberry picking at <a href="http://www.sweetberryfarmri.com/" target="_blank">Sweet Berry Farms</a>. The pickings were slim, but a good time was had by all. </div>
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And Dave and Theo are not color coordinated Dutch fans. Honest!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpHwRRIUOX8RI4CePNZNL7PhmZhiFQBj0N8-KGH-TiGLi4Ytii7UM3kNckKL6W9kj_jG2zkQJasug1cKlO71GKnfpT_8yNCgIiQunSOzs5i_7TUChGClrf84NjpMIjzwv49hnwEW3-goz/s1600/20140703_115157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpHwRRIUOX8RI4CePNZNL7PhmZhiFQBj0N8-KGH-TiGLi4Ytii7UM3kNckKL6W9kj_jG2zkQJasug1cKlO71GKnfpT_8yNCgIiQunSOzs5i_7TUChGClrf84NjpMIjzwv49hnwEW3-goz/s1600/20140703_115157.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The night brought a great cookout with the family (Joined by Grandpa & Ivonne and Mikey, who arrived late on Day 5) and a massive game of Kick the Can, led by Dave the biggest kid of all. All the neighborhood kids joined in and played for about 2 hours. The only pause was to make, eat and obliterate strawberry shortcakes - including an entire can of whipped cream. </div>
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Meanwhile, in the backyard, some touching big cousin, little cousin moments. (Sadly, the flash wasn't working well to capture this as clearly and tenderly as it actually was). </div>
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-39862104908302823982014-07-03T12:10:00.001-07:002014-07-03T12:10:09.939-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Day 6 brought our first full family day - 4 cousins, two siblings and me! Add in some good beach friends and it had all the makings for a great summer day.<br />
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After the west coast/late night time adjustment, everyone was up and ready to beach by 10:30. The boys (and Addie - our friends Katie & Rob's daughter) starting sandcastle building. And when I say castles, I really mean a compound. There was some pretty intricate stuff going on, complete with reinforced walls against the tide.<br />
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The day went on with a lot of time and on rocks. Sophia & I ate our lunches on the big rock and just hung out. Dave then took Sophia & her buddy Avery out to the big in the middle of the water by pulling them on boogie boards. Dillion wanted to go out, but Sammy wanted to hang with Lori, so Dillon and I kicked out and climbed all over. Dillon also helped me get over my fear of the slimy stuff, both in the water and on the rocks! Good bonding time.<br />
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Theo was having so much fun he didn't want to go home. He did, however, feel like a little rest. While I don't think he ever actually slept, he did get some good snuggle quiet time. The women behind us were amazed that he would just climb on and lie down.<br />
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In the meantime, the three beach musketeers got together for some good summer shots. (and proceeded to lay in the sand like little sugar cookies.)<br />
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After his quiet time, Theo was up and ready to go again! Though not too long after this, we did bring him home for a good, late nap. Everyone was sandy and exhausted, but happy to spend the day enjoying the beach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxP-HPR25Fab7pU5uFpAtXdXYq71oQRhlau5xxRNryhvHf5ikXpC9qj73_7WqqxVeNs9eYv4ACzQ4RhuixIg4ByPOi87Xf9iRYw96dEpGuUS3GaaFgQUauth2ruM43P1YIYrUb4MlfArtR/s1600/20140702_152406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxP-HPR25Fab7pU5uFpAtXdXYq71oQRhlau5xxRNryhvHf5ikXpC9qj73_7WqqxVeNs9eYv4ACzQ4RhuixIg4ByPOi87Xf9iRYw96dEpGuUS3GaaFgQUauth2ruM43P1YIYrUb4MlfArtR/s1600/20140702_152406.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-18551880985071445992014-07-02T20:27:00.001-07:002014-07-02T20:27:31.374-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 4Every summer we're down in Newport, we pick up on new activities and events happening around town. One place we've wanted to visit is the <a href="http://www.redwoodlibrary.org/" target="_blank">Redwood Library</a>. While the library itself isn't child friendly, they have a wonderful annex that is a specific <a href="http://www.redwoodlibrary.org/childrens-library-0" target="_blank">Children's library</a> with storytime each Tuesday at 10:30am.<br />
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I took the gaggle (Sophia, Theo & Danielle) over after a slow moving morning of muffins from Ocean Breeze and coffee for the moms. Liz & Katherine joined us. While the whole experience was more geared towards Theo's age set rather than our older ones, everyone enjoyed the animal crackers at the end. And Sophia was thrilled to discovered a Little Mermaid book (her newest thrill).<br />
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While the kids anxiously awaited the cousins' arrival, we took a quick spin around the block on bikes. Sophia had a complete and utter meltdown on her new two wheeler (note to self- bike riding for Scout needs to happen in the morning to avoid exhaustion/frustration meltdowns). Theo, on the other hand, is putting it all together on his balance bike! The boy who barely made it a block on Sunday managed an 8 block ride, complete with scooting and a bit of gliding!<br />
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Lori, Sammy & Dillon arrived hot, tired and ready for some fresh ocean air and food. We headed out for dinner into town. Let's just say after 2 hours of waiting for food to arrive (they lost the order and hunger/exhaustion was over taking everyone) the highlight was Sammy having his first ever lobster! (With a little oversight/sampling from big brother).<br />
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-3746524381993753292014-07-02T20:11:00.000-07:002014-07-02T20:11:13.626-07:00Celebrating my BirthdayFor me, celebrating my birthday is a huge deal. It has been since I was a little girl. Each year was more amazing and special than the next. As I've gotten older, and especially as a parent, my expectations of birthday have clearly shifted. Presents become more functional (A vacuum cleaner), celebrations a little tamer (in bed by 11 because I know I have to get up the next day for kids or work).<br />
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The kids, though, did a fantastic job (with a little help from our amazing nanny) of kicking off my birthday in a special way! It started off with cupcakes made by the 3 of them and a love note brought up to me at my lunch break from work (it was a work from home day) by Theo:<br />
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Clearly, the kids enjoyed the festivities too: </div>
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The weekend brought more celebrating in Newport with friends, my parents and a whole lot of quality beach time. </div>
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Before heading home Sunday, we managed some low-key park time and Dave caught a few of these great shots. What a way to end a weekend of celebration. </div>
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-27376708348291419582014-07-01T12:23:00.001-07:002014-07-01T12:23:41.763-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 3Day 3 was what summer vacations are made of: lazy mornings, PB&Js at the beach, swimming in the ocean and dinner with friends. Sprinkle in a short run, sandy baths and a snuggly sleepover and you couldn't ask for more!<br />
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The morning got a late start when Sophia slept in until 10:30 (A result of being up till 10pm the night before playing with her little buddy during the BBQ). I was just thankful for her sleeping in to try to reenergize for a long, fun 2 weeks.<br />
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Luckily, Theo was up earlier so he and I got some special mommy-son time going into town for some Truck Hunting! It's exactly as it sounds: we walk down the street waiting for trucks to drive by. When one does, he turns to me a goes "More! More!" Rinse. Repeat. We saw a whole array, including box trucks, garbage trucks, electrical trucks and the piece de resistance - the backhoe loader! We had to circle a delivery truck that was unloading in a lot about 3 times so Theo could admire from every angle. It was so much fun hanging with my little man.<br />
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When we finally made it to the beach around 11am, we were quickly joined by friend Liz and daughter Katherine. Danielle, Sophia & Katherine bounded around in the water (more Katherine & Danielle) and in building sand castles.<br />
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A quick lunch break for Theo before he headed home to nap: </div>
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The afternoon brought just the 2 girls and two moms hanging out: Climbing the big rock, making sand sleeping bags: </div>
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And taking in the views (while playing Elsa & Anna): </div>
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After a quick run and dinner for the kids, Liz & I enjoyed some kid-free time, courtesy of my fantastic husband watching all 3 kids. Dinner at Perro Salado and live music at Fastnet rounded out the adult night. The kids had a full on sleepover, including a bath that left more sand in the tub then at the beach! </div>
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Another fantastic vacation day. </div>
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Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-43932675877765459342014-07-01T12:10:00.002-07:002014-07-01T12:11:17.265-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation: Day 2Day 2 was a little quieter day. The morning got off to an easy start and there was a thick fog over the beach - though not in town, one of the great paradoxes of being in a beach town on an island.<br />
We took the opportunity to head down to 1st Beach and hit the Carousel. A treat for the three kids - including Danielle, who's become a part of the family, much to the delight of both Theo & Sophia.<br />
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No trip to the carousel is complete without playing at the beach park and a nice sweaty walk back up first beach hill. Good times had by all. </div>
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The evening brought what felt like the actual first part of vacation - Sunday night dinner. Instead of doing the normal scramble home, we had friends over for a BBQ. Their daughter Katherine and Sophia got to know each other last summer and have rekindled their friendship already. It turned into a late night of playing in the backyard and a few rounds of dark and stormies. Fun times had by all!Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-84903371627024506022014-06-29T13:24:00.001-07:002014-06-29T13:24:42.361-07:0016 Days of Summer Vacation - Day 1I have been looking forward to our annual summer vacation since February 1 (give or take a few days). Each year, we take about 2 weeks in Newport just to recharge, energize, get to know our kids and ourselves a little better.<br />
I'd love to say that we just wing it and go with the flow. But who are we kidding - I'm a planner and end up putting some good thinking into each day's activities. That's not to say we don't wing it based on weather or temperament. And there are givens that happen each day - reading, napping, running or biking of some sort. We're also looking forward to great family and friend visits throughout the time we're here.<br />
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Each year, we've discovered new things on island and near by to do and have incorporated them in to the plan. I also try to do some special things - 1:1 with each of the kids as well as some time for Dave & I and some (a tiny bit!) just for me.<br />
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For me, one hope is that I can log each of our days - not so much for everyone else's benefit, but more for our family and family history.<br />
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<b>Day 1: </b><br />
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Saturday June 28 - Beach Babies!<br />
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What's a better start to vacation than hitting the beach. We loaded Sophia, our neighbor Danielle (our new 8 year old friend who's up for the month visiting her aunt next door) and I into the car with the beach stuff. Dave & Theo trucked off in the stroller for the beach by way of a run.<br />
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We met up with new summer friends Alex and her kids Avery & Crosby. The girls met a few weeks ago and hit it off swimmingly. It actually feels like it gets easier the more kids around!<br />
Danielle is virtually a mother's helper, playing with Sophia and the other girls and engaging Theo too.<br />
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Here's a shot of the girls in action doing a sanding of Sophia!<br />
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And posing for a little snuggle time:<br />
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It was a great day full of building, playing in the water, eel hunting and rock climbing. We had lunch on the big rock (no pictures yet - maybe on another day) and headed home with some tired, sunbaked kiddos and parents.<br />
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After some recharge time, we headed out to St. Barnabas for <a href="http://portsmouth.patch.com/groups/volunteering/p/st-barnabas-church-releases-schedule-of-weekend-festi70d47a2d38" target="_blank">their annual carnival</a>. We've driven past it every year, but this year decided the kids were just the right age for it! They rode all the rides - Danielle & I rode the 2 "adult rides" - one of which brought me back to the Gravitron that I used to love in high school.<br />
We wrapped the night with a little photo booth action!<br />
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-73810247115694117382014-06-14T13:18:00.001-07:002014-06-14T13:18:33.015-07:00Theo's Getting Some WordsIt's been a long time coming - maybe because he's the second child, maybe because the first child doesn't let anyone get a word in edgewise. Maybe because he's a boy, or maybe because he just hasn't felt the need to. Or maybe we don't give him the same attention that we gave Sophia. Who knows?<br />
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Slowly but surely, he's getting some words. Theo has never had problems communicating - he picked up signs easily and uses them often. He also is a determined little cuss, and will do anything he sets his mind to. We've had a speech therapist working with him for the past 6 months and she's been great. If nothing more, the hour we spend together each week is simply time just for him to practice and learn without his "spokesperson" Sophia.<br />
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Here's his recent word list:<br />
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Hi<br />
Bye<br />
Mama<br />
Dada<br />
Moo<br />
Who<br />
Two<br />
One<br />
Fee-A (Sophia) - this was new this week and so exciting!<br />
Blue<br />
Me<br />
Milk<br />
Ma Bun<br />
Boat<br />
No<br />
Yeah<br />
Big<br />
Small<br />
Block<br />
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I'm sure there are a few more, and he learns and practices more each day. We're getting there day by day, sound by sound. And we couldn't be prouder!<br />
<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-51490427027009287132014-06-14T13:05:00.001-07:002014-06-14T13:05:48.384-07:00Teachable MomentsThey say that with children, everything can be a teachable moment - to help mold and shape the people they will become. And some believe everything should be a teachable moment. As a parent, I am coming to realize that I have influence and guidance to offer, a responsibility to keep them safe, the opportunity to teach, but that they need the ability to learn. Their amazing personalities, capacities and free will inevitably shine through and guide them. <br />
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What I was a little slower to realize is that the teachable moments are just as much for me as they are my children. As in, they teach me how to be a parent. In every day, every moment at their tender young ages, they embody the best characteristic one could ever ask for: Forgiveness. <br />
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You see, I'm just as new at being a parent as they are at being a child. I'm learning just as much every day as they are. They may make a mistakes: not share with each other, tip the cup up too far and dump water everywhere, stay awake later out of sheer excitement of what today held or tomorrow may hold. And often, I make mistakes: force them to share as opposed to letting them work it out, get exasperated about another mess to clean up or frustrated that she won't go to sleep because I know she'll be a zombie the next day and fragile like china. <br />
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And those mistakes often make me yell, be crabby or just downright annoyed. And I work, day after day, time after time, to hold it together. But I'm human. I'm not perfect - no matter how many blog posts, articles or tips I read on how to be a zen like parent - it doesn't always happen. And I feel badly, when I yell, when I'm short, impatient or just frustrated. Because (most of the time) I know nothing is being done intentionally.<br />
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After some tears, some cooling off walks, or some deep breaths, I learn my lesson. The best lesson of all: Forgiveness. It comes in different forms: Snuggles. Kisses. Or an offer of a bunny snack. What ever it is, I'll take it, appreciate it and learn from it.<br />
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<br />Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942980783955016630.post-42571168109837576122014-05-26T11:44:00.000-07:002014-05-26T11:44:16.900-07:00Storyland: The ExperienceI got it my head during late winter that this was to be the year we did <a href="https://www.storylandnh.com/" target="_blank">Storyland</a>. For those unfamiliar with Storyland (i.e. living outside the Northeast/New England) it's a fantastic amusement park of the old-fashioned variety - and perfect for the 2-10 age group. You can read more about the history <a href="https://www.storylandnh.com/plan-a-visit/story-land" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Located in Glen, New Hampshire, it's just about a 3 hour drive from Boston. We chose to make it a full weekend family trip. We are lucky enough to have friends with a home in close by, but there are a ton of hotels, motels and B&Bs in the area. <br />
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First stop was to pre-puchase <a href="https://www.storylandnh.com/plan-a-visit/tickets-and-passes" target="_blank">our tickets online. </a> Benefits:<br />
1) You're not buying them for a particular day, so if plans/weather changes, you're not locked in.<br />
2) While there isn't a discount for doing so (they rarely run discounts - there was one around black Friday for a limited amount of tickets) you save a ton of time in the lines.<br />
(Note - we went opening weekend, so they were just getting the online scanner for non-printed tickets figured out, but it was still quicker than the lines!)<br />
3) Their policies (in general) are super family/real-life friendly, including their "Final Three, Next Day Free" where you come in the final three hours of one day and get to come back the whole next day on the same ticket. Truly a godsend with small children who still nap and can't power through 8 hours (or for parents who don't want to.)<br />
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We came up on a Friday and made our way up through <a href="http://www.settlersgreen.com/" target="_blank">North Conway outlets</a>, stopping at the Orvis, LL Bean and EMS Outlet stores. For dinner, we hit <a href="http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/" target="_blank">Flatbread Pizza</a> which is just like the one we go to at home (minus the bowling.) But being kid friendly place with great pizza and excellent local brews made it a huge win. They often have a sizeable wait, but if you call ahead as you're leaving (or even a bit before) they'll put you on the list and it cuts down dramatically on the standing around time.<br />
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On Saturday, the weather was hit or miss. Initially, we were going to hit the Indoor Water Park at the <a href="http://www.redjacketresorts.com/kahuna-laguna-waterpark.php" target="_blank">Red Jacket Inn</a>. Upon further review, we found it opened at noon and was $40pp over the age of 3. Not quite what we were looking for.<br />
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The weather ended up working out in our favor for what we ended up calling the "Outdoor Water Park" - <a href="http://www.nhtourguide.com/waterfalls/dianas_baths.htm" target="_blank">a.k.a Diana's Bath and Waterfall in North Conway</a>. It was a great 1/2 mile hike up gentle terrain that all kiddos (age 2+) can do. At the first break, there was a little sandy spot to throw rocks and watch the water come down. A bit higher up in the falls, you could walk onto a big rock and have the water go around the rock. There were kids swimming (brrr..!!) and families just lazing around. The price was right ($3 for parking in the national park) and great scenery. Just make sure to bring your bug spray - it had just rained and the mozzies were out in force!<br />
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After our hike, we headed down into town for one of my favorite sandwiches of all time from <a href="http://www.chefsmarketnorthconway.com/" target="_blank">Chef's Market </a>in North Conway. Yummy adult-friendly sandwiches and great kids sandwich menu too.<br />
We meandered through town - so many different options - from the <a href="http://www.northconwayhouseofjerky.com/" target="_blank">North Conway House of Jerky</a> (and yes, they even have a vegan option!) to the <a href="http://www.wmcupcakery.com/White_Mountain_Cupcakery/White_Mountain_Cupcakery_-_Welcome.html" target="_blank">Cupcakery</a> to the tons of outdoor sports stores with great summer and winter deals.<br />
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After a quick nap for the kiddos (and time off for us parents) we took advantage of the "Last 3 Free" at Storyland and toured the park for an hour. Because it had been raining off and on all day, the park wasn't crowded at all and we got on 3 or 4 rides and got a great lay of the land for the next day! We also cashed in our tickets and got our "return" tickets for the next day. There would still be a line, but far shorter than the one to purchase. We also got our map to game plan.<br />
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Dinner took us to the best burgers and beers in town at <a href="http://www.moatmountain.com/" target="_blank">Moat Mountain</a>. Again, kid friendly, but definitely the right adult atmosphere. We lucked out and got a table straight away, but there was a serious line as we were leaving at 6:30. They brew their own beers (the Stout and Pilsner were our beers of choice!) and the burgers were good, beefy and homemade. (Not a pattie in sight).<br />
You can even get a growler or 4-pack as part of your take away. <br />
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Sunday led us to Storyalnd - we pulled into the lot by 9:05am (park opens at 9:30) and it was half full already. The line for re-enters was about 30 people deep, but it moved quickly and we were in the park in less than 10 minutes. The need-ticket line was double the length. We headed right to the antique cars, which we had been advised filled up quickest in the morning. There was already a line but it was fair better than navigating it with young children anywhere near lunch time!<br />
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We rode the train to the backside of the park (a great way to get around and assess the situation) and worked our way forward. I'd definitely recommend packing lunches if that's an option for your crew - (the park allows coolers/bags to be brought in). The lines, as expected, were long and the food was, well, amusement park food. 'nough said.<br />
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We rode almost all the rides for our age range (10-15?) saw animals, and had an all in all fantastic time experiencing Storyland in about 5-6 hours. We hung out back at our place for naps and clean up and ended up hitting (oops!) Storyland traffic on the way home at 5:30. If you're trying to hit dinner on the way back, I highly suggest doing it in North Conway or Conway, because there isn't much till you get to Rochester/Portsmouth, about 1.5+ hours away.<br />
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I would definitely head back, probably in 2-3 years, so there is a bigger jump in the rides the kids are interested in/willing to ride.Mama Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116838407701020071noreply@blogger.com0