Okay, so we have had a lot of stuff going on!!!!!!! We have had such a good time the last two weeks, so there is a lot to catch up on! Nixon and Maddy have been having a great time with their Montana cousins (above is Marren) and especially love eating the batter!
We have enjoyed going to the wildlife refuge near our house. We went with our other cousins, now living down the road from us. We actually saw a pelican this day. We went on a couple of walks near ponds. Kymry, Nixon's cousin below, really liked it too!
We can not forget Maddy's birthday. She turned two years old. I made her a white butter cake with orange zest cream cheese frosting and her favorite berries on top. I don't like to brag (ya right!) but it was delicious!!!!
Cheslie, her aunt, as well as her Nonna, Aunt Rachael, and cousins from Montana celebrated with us. It was really fun to see her open presents. This is really the first time she has kind of understood the whole present thing. She really enjoyed opening them!
Now for our beach vacation that we just got back from!!! We met up with my cousin and his family for one of the funnest vacations ever (or at least we think so). They did the majority of the driving and met us on my birthday.We did so many things, all documented with pictures, of course!
Jack, is their youngest of three. He was such a cutie and sure loved to play (and eat) in the sand!
Maddy and Nixon really had a blast on the beach. We spent 7 hours out in the sand the first day, starting around 9:30 a.m. You can't tell by the pictures but the weather was absolutely beautiful. Perfect amount of sun and breeze. Loved it!
Maddy and Jack playing in the sand together.
Everyone having fun burying Isaac up to his neck!!!
Maddy was a pretty good sport about napping on the beach. Unfortunately, I could only get her to fall asleep one day out there on the beach. The other days we brought her back to the rental or one day completely skipped the nap (not such a good thing).
Nixon and Max enjoying the seagulls and water.
We also spent a morning at some tide pools (below: Ken & Suzie). We saw lots of starfish, see urchins, anemones, fish, etc. The kids climbed a lot of the rocks and got really wet and sandy!
Nixon and Max exploring
Nixon with his short new do (it took us forever to convince him to get his haircut and he refused to let them use the razor).
The beautiful beach we spent one of our mornings on!
Maddy, Nixon, and Max (in the very back)
Another fun escapade - we rented a nine person bike/rickshaw thingy. This was a pit stop at our rental because the kids were hungry. We made quite a scene in town with 5 kids and 4 adults riding this thing around. It was tons of fun, but it was quite a workout!!!!
On the bike - Chris and Ken
Okay, the bumper/squirt boats were not such a good idea for Maddy and me. I was the only dumb adult who decided it would be fun and I wouldn't get that wet. Isaac happened to get the only boat that had short range shooting capabilities. So he would corner us and soak us. Maddy and I were completely drenched by the end of the ride. We had to go home and change both of our clothes!!!
Below: Max who also got soaked and Isaac, the little devil!:)
I was surprised Nixon didn't scream and cry more. He did not want to get wet at all and he also was pretty wet by the end of the ride. He wasn't too good at avoiding Isaac.
We also rode go-carts. Maddy hated it! She wanted to get out almost as soon as we started, so I had to go really slow. Suzie was a champion racer. I think she lapped everyone like 4 times!
Chris and Nixon caused some problems in the go-cart track. Chris forgot he was on a go-cart and not a bumper car a few times. I am surprised he didn't get kicked off the track!!!
We spent one morning visiting a bunch of caves at low tide. It was pretty fun to walk back in them. The kids had a lot of fun running around and exploring.
Below: Ken & Suzie
Below: Maddy and me!
We did so many things in just 5 days! We also went on the carousel. Suzie and I went a couple of times with our youngest while the guys did bumper cars.
Maddy
Nixon & Maddy
We flew a kite. Nixon really got it quite high as you can see!
Maddy and me
Nixon got really interested in collecting crab parts. I would just help in the location efforts. I am kind of a girly mom. I really don't like touching slimy, smelly, gross things. And crabs, especially dead crabs and their various body parts, fit into that category. He collected a whole grocery sack full of smelly parts. He would only pick up the claws that still could move if you tried to open and shut them. He broke off parts he didn't want so much. We finally talked him out of wanting to bring them home. Thank goodness!!
Ken and Suzie left a day before us, and it just wasn't quite the same without them!:) Weather started turning bad!! We spent our last day there going to a maritime museum (see below). We also were able to watch the coast guard come in on a big ship which Nixon and Maddy thought was pretty cool. That afternoon after Maddy's nap we spent our last moments on the beach!
Our vacation was so relaxing and fun. Our rental was really nice and we had fun with my cousin and his family. Couldn't ask for a better vacation!!!!
Okay, so we have had a lot of stuff going on!!!!!!! We have had such a good time the last two weeks, so there is a lot to catch up on! Nixon and Maddy have been having a great time with their Montana cousins (above is Marren) and especially love eating the batter!
We have enjoyed going to the wildlife refuge near our house. We went with our other cousins, now living down the road from us. We actually saw a pelican this day. We went on a couple of walks near ponds. Kymry, Nixon's cousin below, really liked it too!
We can not forget Maddy's birthday. She turned two years old. I made her a white butter cake with orange zest cream cheese frosting and her favorite berries on top. I don't like to brag (ya right!) but it was delicious!!!!
Cheslie, her aunt, as well as her Nonna, Aunt Rachael, and cousins from Montana celebrated with us. It was really fun to see her open presents. This is really the first time she has kind of understood the whole present thing. She really enjoyed opening them!
Now for our beach vacation that we just got back from!!! We met up with my cousin and his family for one of the funnest vacations ever (or at least we think so). They did the majority of the driving and met us on my birthday.We did so many things, all documented with pictures, of course!
Jack, is their youngest of three. He was such a cutie and sure loved to play (and eat) in the sand!
Maddy and Nixon really had a blast on the beach. We spent 7 hours out in the sand the first day, starting around 9:30 a.m. You can't tell by the pictures but the weather was absolutely beautiful. Perfect amount of sun and breeze. Loved it!
Maddy and Jack playing in the sand together.
Everyone having fun burying Isaac up to his neck!!!
Maddy was a pretty good sport about napping on the beach. Unfortunately, I could only get her to fall asleep one day out there on the beach. The other days we brought her back to the rental or one day completely skipped the nap (not such a good thing).
Nixon and Max enjoying the seagulls and water.
We also spent a morning at some tide pools (below: Ken & Suzie). We saw lots of starfish, see urchins, anemones, fish, etc. The kids climbed a lot of the rocks and got really wet and sandy!
Nixon and Max exploring
Nixon with his short new do (it took us forever to convince him to get his haircut and he refused to let them use the razor).
The beautiful beach we spent one of our mornings on!
Maddy, Nixon, and Max (in the very back)
Another fun escapade - we rented a nine person bike/rickshaw thingy. This was a pit stop at our rental because the kids were hungry. We made quite a scene in town with 5 kids and 4 adults riding this thing around. It was tons of fun, but it was quite a workout!!!!
On the bike - Chris and Ken
Okay, the bumper/squirt boats were not such a good idea for Maddy and me. I was the only dumb adult who decided it would be fun and I wouldn't get that wet. Isaac happened to get the only boat that had short range shooting capabilities. So he would corner us and soak us. Maddy and I were completely drenched by the end of the ride. We had to go home and change both of our clothes!!!
Below: Max who also got soaked and Isaac, the little devil!:)
I was surprised Nixon didn't scream and cry more. He did not want to get wet at all and he also was pretty wet by the end of the ride. He wasn't too good at avoiding Isaac.
We also rode go-carts. Maddy hated it! She wanted to get out almost as soon as we started, so I had to go really slow. Suzie was a champion racer. I think she lapped everyone like 4 times!
Chris and Nixon caused some problems in the go-cart track. Chris forgot he was on a go-cart and not a bumper car a few times. I am surprised he didn't get kicked off the track!!!
We spent one morning visiting a bunch of caves at low tide. It was pretty fun to walk back in them. The kids had a lot of fun running around and exploring.
Below: Ken & Suzie
Below: Maddy and me!
We did so many things in just 5 days! We also went on the carousel. Suzie and I went a couple of times with our youngest while the guys did bumper cars.
Maddy
Nixon & Maddy
We flew a kite. Nixon really got it quite high as you can see!
Maddy and me
Nixon got really interested in collecting crab parts. I would just help in the location efforts. I am kind of a girly mom. I really don't like touching slimy, smelly, gross things. And crabs, especially dead crabs and their various body parts, fit into that category. He collected a whole grocery sack full of smelly parts. He would only pick up the claws that still could move if you tried to open and shut them. He broke off parts he didn't want so much. We finally talked him out of wanting to bring them home. Thank goodness!!
Ken and Suzie left a day before us, and it just wasn't quite the same without them!:) Weather started turning bad!! We spent our last day there going to a maritime museum (see below). We also were able to watch the coast guard come in on a big ship which Nixon and Maddy thought was pretty cool. That afternoon after Maddy's nap we spent our last moments on the beach!
Our vacation was so relaxing and fun. Our rental was really nice and we had fun with my cousin and his family. Couldn't ask for a better vacation!!!!
