The Abendroth-Young Family

Turkey Time

2009-11-10T13:59:00.000-05:00

While Connor was napping this afternoon,
Avery and I made a Thanksgiving craft!

She used the glue all by herself

and followed the directions very well - I was impressed!

The finished products...Avery made hers without any
help from me.

P.S. The belly buttons were her own creative twist.

Pratt's Falls

2009-11-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

We had such nice weather on Sunday that we
went to explore Pratt's Falls. It was a lot of fun!

Avery found a walking stick,

so Connor--not to be outdone by his sister--had to find one too.

We hiked to the bottom of the falls to enjoy the view.
What a beautiful day!

More Pratt's Falls

2009-11-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

After our little hike,
we spent some more time enjoying the
beautiful 70 degree day.

Connor's bracelet obsession

2009-11-10T13:48:00.001-05:00

is getting out of control.

He spends most of his time at home with at least
twenty bracelets/hair ties/rubber bands
on his wrists. We have to wrestle them off of him at bedtime.
Our boy does love his accessories!

Strong Museum of Play

2009-11-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

Our day of play started out with a carousel ride.

Then, after a quick lunch, it was time to explore the museum.

The kids were excited to see the fish tanks on the way in

and took some time to make some donations to the museum fund.

2009-11-03T14:28:00.000-05:00

Can you tell who is peeking at Connor through the glass?

All of the kids had fun dropping these clear glass beads
into the giant rainstick. Everyone except Connor,
who tried to eat them instead.

I'm not exactly sure what's going on here, but I
suspect it involved Katie explaining to Avery that the
race track is for cars, not kids.

Maddie loved the crooked rooms--I can't even go in to them
because they make me so dizzy!

2009-11-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

Connor was clearly a very disgruntled cabbie

and was much happier behind the wheels of a shopping cart.

He picked up some crackers, culinary stock,
chcken, and lots of broccoli and cucumbers.

Maddie brought her bananas home and promptly washed
them off in the sink. Good thinking!

More Fun at Strong Museum

2009-11-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

We went on a train ride,

all of the kids enjoyed working on the
construction site,

Connor found a hungry baby to feed,

and then took a peek in the dollhouse.

The First Stop

2009-11-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

We visited Grandma Jane's house before we
went out Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood.

Cruising for Treats

2009-11-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

No tricks here--these kids were all business!

Connor didn't want to hold our hands and wouldn't let
us carry him. Once he figured out that he got candy
just for ringing the doorbell and saying "dit-doo" (thank you),
he was unstoppable!

Some of our neighbors go all-out.
Avery was a little hesitant to ring this doorbell,
so Ben had to go with her.

2009-11-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

After about a dozen houses, the kids came
home to check out their loot!

Zoo Boo Round Two

2009-11-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

We had so much fun at Zoo Boo last year that we decided to
head back again this year. It was a windy night, but the kids really
enjoyed themselves. The maze was a big hit.

The kids got their faces painted

the poor Bubble Man was having a hard time making bubbles
with all of the wind, but the audience didn't seem to mind.

More Zoo Boo

2009-11-03T09:53:00.000-05:00

There were a bunch of carnival-type games
for the kids to play,

and of course we had to visit the indoor animals!

Maddie, Abe, and Avery all tried hula-hooping

I'm not sure what he's looking at here, but it
appears that wnatever it was was pretty scary!

Pumpkin Carving

2009-11-03T09:46:00.001-05:00

Fortunately, we had two pumpkins that survived the Verbeck
squirrel posse's vicious attacks. Avery wasn't too thrilled about
the fact that her favorite pumpkin had been destroyed,
but she did settle for this one instead.

Connor got a big kick out of scooping the seeds out.

and Avery warmed up to the idea eventually.

The finished product. Avery insisted that hers should look firendly
and she chose the features--googly eyes, an arrow nose and a small mouth.

Haunted House

2009-11-03T09:39:00.000-05:00

Avery and I made a spooky, haunted Halloween
gingerbread house last week.

Assembling the house itself was no small feat, but we managed!

Then it needed three windows and a crooked door

some spiderwebs on the roof, and of course
lots of candy corn!

The finished product. Are you scared?

One Last Trip to Critz Farms

2009-11-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

The weather was gorgeous last Monday, so we decided
to head out to Critz Farms. We had the place to ourselves!

Avery had a blast in the hay bale maze.

They both spent a lot of time checking out the alpaca and llama.

The goats were happy to see us (and our quarters for
the food dispenser!)

Can't wait to go back next year!

Chasing Ducks

2009-10-21T13:57:00.000-04:00

I know it is not the most animal-friendly game,
but the kids can't resist running after the ducks.

They must be used to it. They know exactly how fast they
need to move to stay ahead of the little people.

Uh-oh, the proverbial lone duck

going in for the tag team

This didn't last long. Once the geese started hissing and
honking, Connor was out of there.

Playground with Trevor

2009-10-21T13:51:00.000-04:00

All three kids were fascinated with the digger--
and all Juliet and I could see was pinched fingers.

The boys taking a drive together

the Three Musketeers!

Playing in the Leaves

2009-10-21T13:47:00.000-04:00

It's nice to see...

2009-10-21T13:46:00.000-04:00

...that despite all of the hair-pulling and fighting
over toys, these two really love each other.

(I swear this was spontaneous--we lookd back and saw them like
this on the way home from lunch the other day!)

Apple Picking

2009-10-21T13:42:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we went to O'Neill's Orchard for
some apple picking. It was chilly, but we got the job done.

Avery was great at choosing the most perfect apples.

Connor wanted to go for the ones on the ground.

Apples and fritters--YUM!

Playdate

2009-10-21T13:36:00.004-04:00

Liam came to play on Friday. We had a wonderful time!

He taught us the art of "really fast hockeying"

Connor was up to his usual monkey business.

Avery and Liam had fun building skyscrapers
and playing with ponies and trains.

These two had the sillies during lunch...perhaps it
was the chocolate chip cookies.

Liam, we had a great time. Please come and play again
sometime soon!

Baltimore Marathon

2009-10-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago we went to watch
Aunt Lolo and Uncle Jay run in the Baltimore
Running Festival.

Aunt Lolo finished her 5K while we
rode the light rail into the city, but we got there
in time to check out the Inner Harbor and make our way
to the finish line to wait for Uncle Jay!

We waited (in the rain!) and watched the others run by

how annoying it must be to run 26 miles in a sombrero!

Finally Uncle Jay crossed the finish line. We are so
proud of him, although Grandpa Hap still holds the
Abendroth Family marathon record.

Sick Day

2009-10-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

Last week Avery had what I thought was a stomach bug, so
the kids stayed in and had a movie day. Avery loved all of the tv
time, and Connor thought it was so cool to snuggle with
his sister on the pull-out.

Fortunately whatever bug it was
didn't last long and we were back in action the next day.

Library

2009-10-21T13:23:00.000-04:00

Now that Avery is in school every Tuesday
and Thursday, Connor and I have some 'alone time.'

We've started going to the library. He's not too
thrilled about sitting in his seat to listen,

and can't wait to get outside to enjoy the playground
as soon as story time is over. Such a boy!

Ben's Bucking Bull Bruises

2009-10-21T13:20:00.000-04:00

A Day of Fall Fun...

2009-10-21T13:17:00.002-04:00

...started with a visit to Aunt Lolo's stand at the
Cazenovia farmer's market for a cookie

Then we went out to Critz Farms!

2009-10-21T13:15:00.000-04:00

The highlight of our afternoon at Critz Farms
was the cow train!

after that we went out to choose a pumpkin
from the patch.

After a busy day, it was time to head home.
Connor decided that the mini-pumpkin gourd
would make a nice snack for the road.

Happy Birthday Liam!

2009-09-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

Last Friday we went to Liam's house. He had a really awesome
party to celebrate his third birthday!

Milk and Cookies came to perform for Liam's bash.

Everyone danced up a storm,

and the birthday boy even got to play along
on his own guitar. What a fun time!

More Festivities

2009-09-27T21:10:00.000-04:00

The kids worked up quite an appetite with all of
their dancing, and Maura had a delicious lunch
ready for all of the kids (and adults, too!)

Connor thoroughly enjoyed his cupcake.

and then we all headed back downstairs
for some more party fun.

Like father, like son...
Connor headed straight for the tool bench

while Maura helped facilitate the
opening of the pinata.

What a great party.
Happy Birthday Liam! Thanks for having us.

Playground

2009-09-27T20:59:00.001-04:00

We decided to switch things up a little
last week and visited a different school
playground with Abe and Talia.

As usual, Avery went straight to the slide,

and Connor figured out that if you hang
from the highest spot you can climb to,
Mommy runs really quickly in your direction.

Avery, Tali, and Connor sharing the platform swing,
but where's Abe?

Here he is!

Spaghetti Face

2009-09-27T20:54:00.000-04:00

Who needs a fork when you've got two
perfectly good hands?

First Day of Preschool!

2009-09-17T14:50:00.000-04:00

We are so proud of Avery.

She had a wonderful first day of school!

She found her own star on the wall,

and hung up her coat and backpack.
What a big girl!

Home Sweet Classroom

2009-09-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

Avery couldn't wait for Mrs. Doolittle and Mrs. Lenish
to open the classroom door!

She and some of her classmates waited patiently...

and as soon as she got in the door,
she headed straight for the puzzles!

and then sat down to create some artwork
next to her new friend, Anna.

2009-09-17T14:40:00.000-04:00

While Avery was in school, I had a date
with this clown at Panera for coffee and a bagel.

While we were out we picked a special first-day-of-school gift
for Avery to open when she got home--
some new princess school supplies!

Home safe and sound for a grilled cheese sandwich.

New Duds

2009-09-17T14:35:00.000-04:00

Avery showing off her new dress,

backpack,

hair ribbons,

and the Ariel patch on her backpack,
which Connor promptly ripped off...
what are little brothers for?

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Two Kids in the Tub

2009-09-17T14:29:00.000-04:00

It doesn't happen very often, but the other night
Ben gave the kids a bubble bath in our whirlpool tub.

It was a messy affair, but oh so fun!

Harvest Fest

2009-09-17T14:21:00.000-04:00

We went to the Golden Harvest Festival at
Beaver Lake Nature Center last weekend.

What a cool event! The kids had a great time.

The best part about fall are the piping hot donuts. Delicious!

"Midway" Games

2009-09-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

There was a teeny, tiny little midway for the kids
at the Harvest Festival. Avery had fun playing all the games.

Bowling for critters,

the bean bag toss,

and fishing!

She won a beautiful medallion for her efforts.

Wildlife Exhibits

2009-09-17T14:14:00.000-04:00

Avery and Connor both enjoyed the indoor
wildlife exhibits. Very cool!

X-rays of different creatures.

I love how as soon as I ask Avery not to open the tank,

Connor reaches for it!

Petting Zoo

2009-09-17T14:10:00.001-04:00

There was a cute little petting zoo at the Harvest Fest.

Connor was a little freaked out by the bunnies,

but everyone liked the goats!

Muscle Man

2009-09-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

Closed Water Kayaking

2009-09-17T14:06:00.000-04:00

We had dinner at Scott and Chrystal's house the other night,
and for some reason, Scott and Ken decided to put a kayak
in the pool so they could "practice rolls" (read: show off)

Avery got to take a turn

and somehow knew exactly what to do with the paddle.

Connor's smile lasted about ten seconds. He is such a weenie!

Peeping Tom

2009-09-17T14:01:00.000-04:00

One of Connor's favorite pastimes is standing
on the back of the couch, watching the world go by.

Busted!

Happy Birthday Olivia!

2009-09-17T13:25:00.001-04:00

Olivia's first birthday party was at one of our
favorite places - Syracuse Tents and Events!

Connor held his own with the big kids,

and Avery has gotten pretty good at scrambling
up the climbing wall.

Connor taking a break from all the action...

and Avery never seems to need a break!

Eating Cupcakes

2009-09-17T13:21:00.000-04:00

Olivia had the most adorable 'Olivia' cupcakes,
which Avery and Connor really enjoyed.

Avery chose a more traditional approach to eating hers,

but Connor had to do it his own way, which apparently
doesn't involve using his hands.

What a delicious mess!

Rockin' Out at Mara's Party!

2009-09-16T21:34:00.000-04:00

We were invited to celebrate Mara's first birthday
with the Gloo Family. It was a great party--the kids had
a blast playing in Mara and Trent's playroom

and Connor rocked out on the guitar!
Unfortunately I misplaced my camera shortly after I
took this picture of Connor, so I have no pictures of the
birthday girl. Thanks for inviting us, Mara. Happy Birthday!

S'Mores

2009-09-16T21:29:00.000-04:00

On one of our chillier night at Camp we built a fire
in the fireplace so we could toast marshmallows!

We went out to find our sticks,

Avery got hers loaded up and ready to go

Yum!

Beach Days

2009-09-16T21:16:00.001-04:00

We had a week of the most perfect weather when
we were at Camp in the end of August--80's and sunny every day.

We spent several days on the beach, and the afternoons
were so warm and sunny that we literally sat in the lake
until 6 or 7 in the evening. It was fantastic!

Avery really made some serious progress towards

becoming a 'real' swimmer. She's wearing a life jacket here,

but by the end of the week she could swim for a bit
without it. She loves the water!

Step Falls

2009-09-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

One of our day trips was to Step Falls. I hadn't been there
in about twenty years, but my parents brought us a lot
when we were younger and Jay and I decided to bring our kids.

What we didn't remember was that it was a mile-plus
hike into the woods, which would have been fine had I
brought Connor's backpack and worn sneakers instead of flip flops.

Everyone had a good time once we got there!

Avery was a little nervous to slide down the rocks herself,
so I had to go with her. It's so much fun!

Connor sat in the little pools while the big girls swam.

The water was so cold, but they didn't seem to mind.

What a gorgeous spot!

Boat Ride

2009-09-13T21:32:00.001-04:00

We spent lots of time on the boat while
we were in Maine.

Connor's favorite spot was next to the ski pylon--
he'd scream bloody murder any time you tried to
pull him away from it.

It was so hot that we had to stop to cool off
in the middle of the lake. As you can see, Avery
loved it. Connor, not so much.

True to form, Trevor goes for the wheel and Connor
for the buttons and switches. These two are
going to be trouble in a few years!

2009-09-13T21:24:00.001-04:00

Avery was perfectly happy to swim by herself
all day long, and I literally had to
drag her out of the lake to feed her.

Connor and Trevor patrolled the beach au naturel
(no tan lines for these boys...but lots of sunscreen).

Splash Wars with Uncle Jay

2009-09-13T21:20:00.000-04:00

If you know how big the Ticawa sign is...

2009-09-13T21:18:00.001-04:00

...then you know how ginormous this wolf spider was.
I say 'was' because this was taken just before we called
Ben over from the cabin (in the middle of a work day)
to kill it. He did. Best husband ever.

2009-09-13T21:14:00.000-04:00

Rare shot of Connor in a swim diaper.

Why is it that they eat sand again and again?
You'd think they would learn after a few mouthfuls.

Ice Cream in Naples

2009-09-13T21:03:00.000-04:00

While we were docking in Naples, the Songo River Queen
went by. Avery can't wait to go for a cruise next summer.

We had some delicious ice cream at Rick's

and even had time for a ride or two before we
headed back down the lake to camp.

The Long Ride Home

2009-09-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

Trevor was burned out and ready to go home
after a fun-filled day (and it was only noon!)

Apparently Grandma Jane still had a sugar high
from the ice cream, which made for a great Facebook
profile pic, until she figured out how to change it.
Hey, John Cross was a fan, and he's somewhat of a conosseiur.

Avery had seen it all before and looked like
she was ready for a nap when we got home...NOT!
Those days, sadly, are long gone.

As soon as we got underway, Connorman was out.

Playdate at Jake and Katie's House

2009-09-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

Jake and Katie Sue have the best house for playdates,
both indoors and out.

We always have a wonderful time there!

Dwyer Park

2009-09-13T20:53:00.000-04:00

Our friends Lisa, Shannon, and Molly invited us to
meet them at Dwyer Park, which is on Little York Lake.

It was awesome! We had the playground to ourselves.

Avery loved this HUGE slide, and so did
Connor, but you'll have to take my word for it since
I was too busy chasing him up the ladder to get a picture.

The girls enjoyed the see-saw,

and there was lots of 'open road' for biking.

Dwyer Park (continued)

2009-09-13T20:47:00.000-04:00

After lunch the kids all went in the wading pool.

It was great. We had the place pretty much
to ourselves. Avery had a blast with my friend
Michelle's daughter, Iris.

When Connor wasn't flopping around on his belly,

he was filling the bucket and dumping it
on his head--over, and over, and over....

I couldn't have said it better...from a friend's blog

2009-09-09T08:42:00.005-04:00

Bilateral Mastectomy is not cosmetic. It is not fun. It hurts a whole lot, until you heal that is, and then it is just numb. I mean physically numb. You have no feeling where your breasts once were. Sure, you can have reconstruction. But the last time I checked, you can’t FEEL silicone or saline, or whatever you choose. Having a bilateral mastectomy means that they REMOVE your breasts and nipples, not enhance your breasts. They cut them off and leave you with scars that mean more than your breasts ever did.

Being a Previvor, means that you are trying to avoid the cancer that has plagued the generations before you. It means that you will willingly accept help with your children, life, and self for a SHORT period, in order to heal. It means that you don’t want to get cancer that is so savage, that you are willing to butcher your body in order to defeat it, head on.

It means that you are strong, though terrified. It means that you are brave, despite pain. It means that you can overcome an 87% chance of cancer. It means that you are more in touch with who you are as a person, than who you are as a body. It means that you may not like the result aesthetically, but you like to know that you did everything within your power to live a long life and not orphan your children.

Facing a salpingo-oophorectomy is not exactly a walk in the park either. It is difficult to be young and vibrant, while at the same time dealing with menopause, and small children. But you know what the trade off is? The feeling that you did all you could to rip out the organs that develop cancer so aggressive, that it is not usually detected until it has spread to your other organs.

Being BRCA positive is a blessing and a curse. You have to live with the knowledge that you might go down the same path your aunts, mom and cousins did. It is also the blessing of knowledge! You can do everything medically proven to better your odds! Not CHOOSE to have a “cosmetic procedure”. The plastic surgeon, that tries to give you back resemblance of breasts, is called a PLASTIC and RECONSTRUCTIVE surgeon. Not a cosmetic surgeon.

Snuggle Time With Daddy

2009-07-28T14:28:00.000-04:00

Bike Rodeo in Nightgowns

2009-07-28T14:26:00.000-04:00

Our cousins from California came to camp this
weekend and Avery was so excited to see Ryan!

Avery brought her a special princess nightgown,
which of course Ryan put on right away (who cares
if it was 3:00 in the afternoon?!) and they all had
fun riding around in the lodge.

Connor got a little upset when the big girls wouldn't
hand over their vehicles.

Twins!

Love having a living room that's big enough to
ride bikes in!

New House for Aunt Lolo and Uncle Andy

2009-07-28T14:14:00.000-04:00

Lauren and Andy are in the process of buying a house!
We went to take a look at it on Friday. Unfortunately, their
realtor was out of town so we couldn't get in (we tried)
but we got some shots of the outside and peeked in
the windows. It has a lot of potential!

The front has a ton of perennials and just needs a little lovin',

it has a seperate two-car garage with a loft

and a really nice deck with a stone fireplace.

Liz Lovely Bakery Tour

2009-07-28T14:09:00.000-04:00

While we were in Vermont on Friday, Lauren and
Andy took us on a tour of th Liz Lovely bakery.

Everything was HUGE, just like their cookies!

The mixer,

the oven,

the chocolate heater.

2009-07-28T14:04:00.000-04:00

we saw their huge rolls of packaging

and the packaging area.

The kids thought running in and out of the freezer
was a lot of fun. Connor kept saying "Brrrrrrrr!"

The shipping warehouse

Concert at Ryder Park

2009-07-28T13:52:00.000-04:00

Thanks to our friend Courtney for telling us about the
kids' summer concert series at Ryder Park!

We went last week to check out Bart and Kevin's performance.

The concert was pretty cool,

but of course, the kids were all about hitting the playground.

Trevor and Avery had fun by the river (or is it the canal?)
climbing trees and throwing rocks.

and all of the kids were interested in looking for fish and frogs.

New Sprinkler

2009-07-28T13:44:00.000-04:00

The kids got a ton of cool new water toys
at their birthday party this year. We tried out
one of the new sprinklers the other day. It's
called the "Waterpillar" and it's awesome!

Ben took a hit to the face while trying
to adjust the hoses,

Connor and Avery contemplating their
path through the crazy streams of water

Avery discovered that it also makes a good bidet

but Connor preferred to use it as a car wash!

Baby Vegetables

2009-07-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

Our little garden is doing pretty well!

Peas and beans,

scallions,

three types of tomatoes,

and lots of cucumbers, which Avery and I think
are hilarious because they are so tiny. We are going to
have enough cukes to feed the whole neighborhood, I think!

At the Playground

2009-07-28T13:31:00.000-04:00

There is lots to do at the playground near our house
and we try to get there every day now that the
weather is warm and school is out.

Connor loves to spin

Avery is a big fan of the twisty slide.
Look at that static!

Father-son secret time

Peekaboo!

Fun With Friends

2009-07-28T13:26:00.000-04:00

Our friends Trevor and Reagan got a cool new
swingset, so we had to go over and check it out!

Avery loved that the swings were a little lower and
"just right for kids."

Connor was really proud of himself for
climbing up the ladder all alone

Reagan knows how to smile for the camera--
I wish she'd teach Avery how to do it!

Everyone had fun cooling off in the sprinkler, too.
Thanks for having us!

A Trip to the Zoo

2009-07-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

We've taken several trips to the zoo this summer.
Here are some shots from a few weeks ago...

Avery got up close and personal with the lioness

We got to see a bear taking a swim with his ball

Connor really enjoyed watching the elephants
in their new pavilion

and of course, Avery had to have her picture taken
in the penguin photo background!

Fourth of July

2009-07-19T21:30:00.001-04:00

It took a while for the parade to get started, so
Ben and the kids found a shady spot in which to wait.

Madison, Avery, and Isabelle...still waiting...

until, finally, it started!

The parade was cut short by a thunderstorm and
flash flooding, but we still managed to amass quite the candy stash!

Gray Animal Farm

2009-07-19T21:22:00.000-04:00

On one of our (many) rainy days, we went
with Grandma Jane to visit the Gray Animal Farm.
Thankfully, we had a lot of cover from the trees, so we
stayed pretty dry even though it rained off and on.

There was wildlife everywhere. Connor found it
hilarious when the geese started honking and hissing
at his sister.

At each habitat they had a cool display of animal skulls,
skins, pelts, teeth, etc. It was very interesting to read
about all of the different animals.

2009-07-19T21:10:00.000-04:00

We spent quite a while at the fish and reptile habitat.

There were baby turtles all over the place, probably
no bigger than a half dollar.

Connor just looks like such a big boy here.

Checking out the flowers.

Gray Animal Farm

2009-07-19T21:05:00.000-04:00

The fawn looks possessed--I didn't even think
to edit the animal photos for redeye.

There was a huge turkey just roaming around

I climbed over a fence to get this shot of the moose.
(There was still another fence seperating us.)

There were three newborn moose in a seperate area.
They were only a few days old and were so cute!

Brookside

2009-07-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

While we were in Maine we made a few trips to
our favorite ice cream spot, despite the crummy weather.

Who doesn't love ice cream?!

Connor insisted that he eat his cone by himself--
he wouldn't let Ben or I help him. The result?
One messy, sticky boy.

Extreme Close-Up

2009-07-19T20:55:00.000-04:00

I know the image quality stinks, but I
just love these shots when they get right
up into the lens. Cheese!

Happy Birthday Talbot!

2009-07-19T20:53:00.000-04:00

Grandma Jane, Aunt Juliet, and I took
Aunt Talbot out to celebrate her 22nd birthday
at Lemon Grass during Syracuse's Dining Week.

Dinner was delicious, but dessert was even better.
Thanks for giving us a reason to celebrate, Tal!

CJ's House of Bounce

2009-07-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

We took a trip up to Camillus to visit
CJ's House of Bounce with Abe and Tali.

It was a lot of fun, until someone peed from
the top of the giant climbing wall. In Avery's defense,
it was a busy morning and I forgot to remind her to
visit the ladies' room when we got there. The cup
full of water she had for the car trip there probably
didn't help either. Anyway...

Connor climbed all the way up by himself,
slid down the slide, and went back around over
and over again. He was a little slower than
the older kids, but he definitely held his own.

AAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!

Abe and Avery had a blast!

and Tali got in on the action. too.

Happy Birthday Talia!

2009-06-15T15:14:00.001-04:00

Sunday was Birthday Party Day!

We started by celebrating Talia's first birthday.

Who needs a pony when you've got a toad?

The girls in their party dresses

Fat man in a little wagon...thanks for the ride, Chloe!

Hamming it up for passers-by....

I am so embarrassed to say this, but I
didn't get a single shot of the birthday girl!

We had a wonderful time, thanks for the
great party, Talia. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Trevor!

2009-06-15T15:08:00.000-04:00

We had a wet and wild time at Trevor's
first birthday party. What a great day for it!

Happy Birthday Trev!

Avery got a little thirsty from all of that playing,

and Connor found a new favorite snack--
breadsticks!

Birthday Cupcakes

2009-06-15T15:05:00.000-04:00

Trevor had a Baby Einstein-themed party.

Wait--who's that peeking out from behind the cupcakes?

The birthday boy and Uncle Jay

Avery made sure she had a front-row seat for the cupcakes

Delicious!

Fun Dinner With Friends

2009-06-15T15:01:00.000-04:00

We are so lucky to have great friends to
spend our afternoons with now that Ben is
traveling more for work.

Last week Hannah had us all over for a delicious dinner.

The kids sat nicely for all of 30 seconds but I did
manage to get this one shot.

Taking a break in the shade

Happy Birthday Talia!

Connor was one satisfied diner. Thanks guys!

Sunny Days

2009-06-15T14:57:00.000-04:00

We didn't fully appreciate the deck in front of our
house before this year. It's the best!

Connor loves splashing at the water table,

and hanging out in his playhouse.

Avery's more of a pool girl,

and Connor is all about the hose!

We Love Grandma's House!

2009-06-15T14:52:00.000-04:00

We are going to be spending a lot of time
at Grandma's house this summer.

The kids LOVE the pool, and they didn't even
seem to notice that it is a little chilly
at the beginning of the season.

Connor and Trevor hard at work, doing
whatever it is that babies do....

Taking a break to warm up in the hot tub with Grandma!

Tainy, this one's for you.

2009-06-15T14:47:00.000-04:00

Afternoon Playdate

2009-06-15T14:45:00.000-04:00

We are loving the warm weather and take
every opportunity to spend time outside in
our backyard playing!

These photos are a few weeks old,
but too cute not to post.

Bubble Bath

2009-06-15T14:41:00.000-04:00

I think Avery spends more time in my new bath
tub than I do. She sure loves her bubble baths!

Another Day, Another Birthday Celebration

2009-06-05T15:32:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, Ben's family came out to celebrate
Avery's birthday with her.

The highlight of the afternoon...
a chocolate turtle ice cream cake.

Delicious!

Fit Family

2009-06-05T15:29:00.000-04:00

Ben and Avery have started using the Wii Fit together
every morning. It's pretty cute, although I don't know
who's less coordinated. I say give Avery a couple of
weeks and she'll blow Ben away!

Birthday Celebration

2009-06-05T15:18:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we celebrated Avery's birthday
at home, just the four of us.
It was a princess celebration!

She finally got to open some gifts.

Ben got Avery her own iPod!

The one she's been waiting for--a new Princess bike!
(I do feel compelled to add that she chose her own
outfit. Stripes match with stripes, I guess.)

Rollin'

2009-06-05T15:17:00.001-04:00

As soon as we were finished opening Avery's
birthday gifts, we headed outside so she could
take her new bike for a spin.

She did pretty well for her first time.
And yes, we got her a helmet, but I should've known
that the 3+ size would be too small.
Me and my melon-headed babies!

Taking a break to watch the clouds.

No breaks for Connor, he just wanted to MOVE!

Road Trip!

2009-06-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

We love our place in Maine enough to make the 8+
hour drive to get there. For some reason, there's less
enthusiasm on thr trip home than there was on
the way there. We'll try anything to pass the time!

Guess who?

Connor officially gets the award for
"Best Performance in the Car." He's just along
for the ride and (almost) never complains!

Trevor was a good sport too, especially
considering the fact that he had a cold and
was cutting some new teeth.

We made it home eventually, several hours
(and outfit changes, bathroom breaks, etc.)
later. Can't wait to do it again in three weeks!

Let the Games Begin

2009-06-02T20:25:00.000-04:00

After a hard day's work and a surf and turf dinner,
the kids were so ready for bed...

...and their parents kicked off the 2009 Ticawa season
with a bang! First is was Quarters,

then Finger Bang
(where I undeniably demonstrated
my intellectual prowess)

and some sort of crazy Jay-game with these cards that
ended with Katie doing a dance called the 'Merry Monkey'

We also had an egg toss.
No pictures from that because I was busy WINNING!

Will We Ever Outgrow This?

2009-06-02T20:20:00.000-04:00

Concoction

2009-06-02T20:18:00.000-04:00

Poor Mike. It doesn't happen too often, but
sometimes losing a drinking game at Ticawa means you'll
have to drink a Concoction from the spice cabinet.

This one had five ingredients and Mike took it like a champ.
I know it had apple cider vinegar, some sort of
hot sauce called "Devil Drops", and clearly some mustard seed.

Avery's First SeaDoo Ride

2009-06-02T20:13:00.000-04:00

Avery and Katie took the jetski out for a spin
last weekend. Avery wasn't so sure at first,

but by the time she got back she had a huge grin
on her face. She and Katie did some donuts!

Breakwater Day!

2009-06-02T20:10:00.000-04:00

Don't let the swimming kids and the sunny skies fool you--
the water is COLD in Maine on Memorial
Day weekend. That didn't keep Avery out, however...

She couldn't get enough!

Connor preferred to stay on shore and practice
his noodle-riding technique.

It was a little chilly and the beach still needs some cleaning,
but what a great day in Maine. Summer, here we come!

Beach Bum

2009-06-02T20:06:00.000-04:00

On Staurday we finally had a beach-worthy day.

Happy hour started around 3 p.m., and of course
Connor went straight for the wine. That's my boy!

Got crack?