Blueberry Summer Days

Ready, set, pick!

 Last year a group of my friends and our kids went up to Ripon to a blueberry patch to pick baskets full of the lovely blue berries.  This year we decided to stay a little closer to home, with the soaring gas prices and all, and found a farm right by the river in Livingston.  Given it was a little late in the season due to the case of pneumonia that hit Aidan, but we found plenty of great blueberries and the kids had a blast tromping around the bushes.

While they were still fired up about picking!

The weather couldn't have been better, it was only in the 80's, but the kids only lasted about 20 minutes;  and let me state that they wouldn't have been paid much if their wages were gaged on the amount of berries picked. They all were more interested in exploring the field and cherry trees for caterpillars and looking for fire ants that we were warned about, which were never found, although Aidan and Garrett swore that they found a caterpillar's chrysalis.




Ethan, got tuckered out and just plopped into the grass to wait!

 Poor Ethan just pooped out and followed me and plopped down in the grass, although he was very set on carrying the bucket of berries that Mommy picked saying, "Me, me, me!"

Mikyla and Jenna, taking a break.

 And of course my little precious princess who is obsessed with public bathrooms saw the port-a-potty and declared her need to go to the bathroom, I knew she didn't have to go because I've played this little game of hers before, so I just told her to wait until we leave; and of course she forgot about it.








After the picking was completed we came back to our house and were joined for lunch and swimming by our friends Jenna, Garrett, and Haley, and of course their driver, Kristi.  So much fun in the pool and the blueberry fields meant for some tired kiddos, but oh what fun it was.



Aidan and Garrett, best buddies!



So proud of what Mommy picked!

Brother's Love

The fruits of our labor!

Poolside fun!

I don't know what we would do without our swimming pool, because when the temps get hot, we take a dive!  The past few days have been 100 plus degrees and if we are outside, we are in the water.

 The kids love it and the only complaints have come from Aidan who isn't allowed to go swimming under water until he gets the clearance from Dr. Comilang that his pneumonia is gone.  Ethan has gotten so headstrong that he pushes me away when I want to help him swim, he points to the steps and says, "There Mommy, there, sit".  He thinks he is invincible with his water wings on his arms, I don't know how much mommy likes that.  They all seem to revel in the ability to perform the perfect cannonball, to me they are all perfect especially when I see the utter joy it brings them.  I know that in the valley a lot of people dread the summers but I am truly a summer girl and it looks like I'm passing my love for the water on to my kiddos.

The Making of a Dancer

I can't believe Mikyla is having her first dance recital.  Getting ready the night before as I was putting her curlers in she was having such a good time she was singing, "Build Your House on the Lord", to herself in the mirror and smiling and talking to herself.  There is something about pink spong curlers that makes a little girl feel like the Queen of the world.

My little dancer!

The night of the special even Mikyla was so excited because not only were Grammy and Papa, and G.G., and our family coming to watch, (Grandma and Nono were in Mass.), but Zia Lauri was coming to watch and visit one more time before she moves to Europe.  She said, "Really but Zia lives far, far away", it meant so much to her that everyone was going to be watching HER!

Mikyla and her class backstage waiting for "Colors of the Wind"

Down stairs in the dressing rooms Mikyla was all lit up with excitement, the big girls were around and she couldn't wait to go on stage and it was too cute in her four year old glory!  Most of the little girls, Mikyla included, were looking off stage the whole time to watch their teacher so they knew what to do.  But truly, overall she did great!  And then of course to celebrate her phenominal job on stage we all went out to frozen yogurt to celebrate.  A great end to a great night. 

A special visit from Zia Lauri!

All to see the special dancer!

Trisha's Wedding in Tahoe

We all traveled up to South Lake Tahoe for a wedding weekend to celebrate Trisha and Frank's wedding.  I can't believe my baby cousin got married, and it was a great excuse to get away to relax.  I never thought it would be as cold as it was though, there was still so much snow on the mountains and it was the middle of June.  We started out Friday night with some buffet and there were these great bicycles decorating the streets of Tahoe that were begging to be mounted.  I laugh in the face of a challenge so I conquered not one but two different giant bikes by the end of the weekend.  On the second Lauri was kind enough to give me some help, after all what are sisters for!

The wedding came on Saturday, and you couldn't have asked for better weather. The scenery was gorgeous next to the Lake and it was sunny and warm.  Trisha looked amazing in her wedding dress and was a touching ceremony! My cousins looked amazing as well as her bridesmaids, not to be outdone by the bride of course.

The bride and groom exchanging their vows.

All my beautiful cousins and their little ones.

We took the opportunity since there was a built in backdrop with gorgeous South Lake Tahoe to take a few pictures of our own.  Aaron hates when I make him take too many pictures, but sometimes I just have to force him, and he can thank me later!  And since it was the last family event we were going to be at before Lauri moves to Europe we snapped a family shot as well!

The reception was nice, but a little cold, and it got colder and colder as the sun went down!  Everyone kept saying, "Who would have thought that in the middle of June we would be wearing jackets and freezing?" We didn't stay much longer after the cake was cut, and oh what great red velvet cake it was!  Then I was snatched against my will to miss the dancing because my ride was getting colder by the minute.  I had to take one more picture of Lauri and I before her departure from the states, a wedding is a great place to take pictures!  The guys fit in a round of golf while soaking in the magnificent scenery in celebration of father's day, and Aaron got his first birdy! Over all it was a great weekend and a great excuse to celebrate with family, but I would be lieing if I wasn't in a rush to get home to my little ones.  It is great to get away every now and then, but it is even better being welcomed home with little arms, big smiles and even bigger bear hugs; and all the chatter that follows of every minute you missed! 

 

Camping aftermath

It was the end of the school year and the beginning of summer, and Grammy and Papa were dying to take you on a great camping adventure in their new trailer.  It looked like the cards were stacked against the trip with rain in the forecast on the first day of June, (who would have thought); but Grammy was determined!  Unfortunately Aidan got a fever and was sick, (which has turned into pneumonia), and so you were the lucky girl that got Grammy and Papa all to yourself for one night of fun!  You got smores and popcorn, then for breakfast eggs, biscuits and hot chocolate. And what attacked you in the middle of the night an evil mosquito...and oh did he get you! 



My little girl not beat up... but bit up by a mosquito!

 Papa had some cute stories to share about your little trip.  He said he took you to the public restrooms and you were expecting him to come in with you and he told you that he couldn't go into the ladies bathroom.  You were a little leery about going in by yourself so you felt the need to show him exactly were to stand while you were gone.  "Right there Papa, stand right there and don't move", as you pointed to a spot right next to the door.  Your eye seemed to get more and more swollen as Saturday went on, until I was awakened in the middle of the night because you couldn't open your eye and were scared.  I didn't blame you, who wouldn't be scared, we felt so bad for you.  Poor thing!  You were so upset that Daddy wouldn't take you to church on Sunday, but he said it looked like you got beat up, and that wouldn't be a good look to show off at church.  Even a few days later now, the affect of those bites are still with you.  The swelling is down but you have big red bruised areas marking the spot, but you're still so cute with your hair in, "a ponytail just like Tinkerbell's!"

Aidan's Last Day of School

Aidan's first chapter of his school years is coming to a close and the next chapter of first grade is about to open, how exciting! I was so nervous about who Aidan was going to get for his Kindergarten teacher, I just kept praying ALL summer that God would give him who he needed, someone who would help him blossom into an amazing little boy.  All I have to say is God answers prayers, I couldn't have been more pleased with Mrs. McCarthy!  She was amazing and made my first experience as a parent of a Kindergartner wonderful!  Aidan was stuck on going to the last day of school and all the fun that field day brings, his class even made special shirts that informed everyone who could read that they were "Mrs. McCarthy's All Stars"!  I'm sure fun was had by all Aidan even had a black skull and bones on his cheek but I also found him drooped against the wall waiting for me at the end of the day!  Mrs. McCarthy informed me he was raring to go all day until they lined up and the day was over, along with the adrenaline that had kept him going.  I brought him home to find a 102 temp, I felt awful, and so did he.  Aidan had to miss out on an overnight camping trip with Grammy and Papa, and after a weekend of high fevers never breaking we went to the doctor.  The x-rays found pneumonia, what a great way to start the summer, my poor baby!

The greatest Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McCarthy and my "All Star"!