Happy Birthday, Zoe!

One year old already! We sure love this little girl. She is very spunky and funny.

Video Game Camper

Zac took a class on how to make video games. He has had the program at home for about a year and uses it quite a bit so he was maybe the most advanced in the class. The teacher had a competition and Zac's game won. Pretty cool

NYC

We just got back from a weekend in NYC. I was presenting a workshop at Bereaved Parents of the USA at a hotel out in Queens.

We went to Coney Island on the way there and rode the Wonder Wheel and ate at Nathan's (hot dogs, corn dogs, and Nick had the frog legs). That Wonder Wheel is NOT just a ferris wheel- the cars slide and move around in the inside of the wheel- it is pretty scary!)

Yesterday on our way out of town we went into Manhattan for a bit. You will see the kids enthusiasm was higher and lower at some points (Nintendo World store and then we double parked while I stayed with the car and Nick made the kids go with him to look at the Statue of Liberty for a few minutes. Glad this sight inspires them to feel such patriotism)

Then we had some authentic french crepes from a street vendor. You can see the sign says they are tres bien.

I debated whether or not to put this graffiti up but I thought it was kind of interesting.

Baby Brawl

Virginia Beach

Stayed at my brother's bed & breakfast on the way down and back from Virginia Beach- lots of yummy meals cooked by our hostess (thanks, Koryn!)and then interesting bedside snacks and reading material for when you get a little hungry in the middle of the night or have trouble sleeping. (just kidding! love you guys!)

We had a blast- Max had been talking about being buried in the sand, and he and Zoe were little celebrities waving at everyone on the front of that bike.

Other highlights not pictured- several weddings we saw at our hotel (Nick almost got to be in one as he was trying to go down to the beach and it was right when the mother of the bride was going down the path), the all you can eat sushi buffet, and our terrible meal at Croakers restaurant- what kind of restaurant doesnt' have highchairs? One frequented by lots of blue hairs (and us) eating at 5:30 pm to get the early bird specials.

Great vacation! We'd go again in a minute.

It's been a big week for Zac- baseball playoffs and 5th grade graduation.

A few weeks ago I bought a unicycle at a yard sale for $3. The kid sold it to me and his mom got really mad! She wanted $20. I went back and gave her $5 more because I didn't want him getting mad at him. Now Nick has been riding it all around our culdesac. No wonder the neighbors don't talk to us much. ha!

DeJa Vu All Over Again

Zoe looks a lot like me as a baby

Brookside Gardens Butterfly Exhibit

Very hot, lots of field trip kids, but lots of fun. Max was scared of the butterflies at first, but then he kind of got into it. I had to laugh my mom had put on insect repellant before we went.

Some of the kids were better workers than others but we went before it got too hot and didn't stay too long. Part 2 tomorrow we are going to try our hand at making freezer jam.