Author Archives: Jen
Our annual Kaliseum trip!
This is the look we got when we asked Katie if she wanted to try the waterslide. She wanted nothing to do with it—even though she went down it before and loved it.
And then she up and decided she wanted to do it—and couldn’t get enough! After the first few times down, she didn’t even want Tom there to catch her. She just swam over to the edge all on her own!
Sandy the penny pony ride!
Owen didn’t ride it but liked playing with it.
Birthday treats!
Dairy Queen (plus I got my Vacation Bucket List Blizzard!), the park, Pokemon hunting for Owen, splashing and throwing rocks in the river, a walk around the neighborhood with Gramma, and then a Gramma cuddle. 🙂
I thought she’d like sticking her feet in the river but she whined that it was TOO COLD! (It felt like bath water to me!)
She agreed to get on the swing again…for a few minutes anyway.
Katie’s second 4th birthday photo shoot!
I didn’t get any pics that were perfect…so I tried again. Still didn’t get a perfect shot but they’re still cute. 🙂
And the four-year collage (with years 1, 2, and 4 at Gramma’s house)!
Brothers, revisited.
The four of us have lost a total of 305 pounds on Naturally Slim!
Rob has lost 80# and is still going, I have lost 135# with a few more to go, Tom has lost 40#, and mom has lost 50# and is still going!
Someone really needed this.
Unfortunately, she did NOT want to get up…and it took us about 20 minutes to wake her up.
Building his Christmas Lego set!
Happy 4th Birthday, Katie!
The first photo shoot!
Len Christmas in July, Year 3
This year our celebration was at Rose & Jim’s cottage on Houghton Lake. The weather started out a bit sketchy—chilly and windy—but within an hour it was absolutely gorgeous! It was a perfect day with lots of delicious food, fun watching the kids, a fun gift exchange, and conversation!
I’m only posting this picture because it’s the first “in the wild” picture of me that’s been taken and…I had ZERO idea who it was when I first saw it!
Hitting a box of $5 garage sale golf balls into the canal—well, trying to get them across the canal onto the island but not many made it there. 🙂
This happened quite a bit!
Katie wanted to fish…but only for about 32 seconds at a time and then she was off doing something else.
Alex caught the first fish!
Feeding the ducks off the back of the pontoon!
Going out to hunt for turtles for turtle races!
Apparently the tradition is to kiss the first fish you catch… What a sport!
At first, Katie wanted nothing to do with the boat—she didn’t even want someone to set her on the boat! But after the second trip she was jumping onto the boat herself and loving every minute of it! Owen loved it, too!
They caught a previously-caught-and-tagged turtle—no one here is C.B. 🙂
Owen said fishing was boring—we told him yes, it was. He’s used to fishing at the Fish Hatchery where the fish pretty much jump in your bucket. 🙂
Aubrey tagged her turtle!
I lined the kids up for their annual shot and didn’t even realize until afterward—when Aubrey pointed it out—that I did it wrong! She told me “I’m older than Owen!” And I agreed with her and then realized they had been in the wrong order!
Nick is 12, Owen is 7. Nick had the slight edge on Owen last summer and it looks very similar again this year…though I think Owen gained a very tiny bit on him. We didn’t set them on flat ground so we can’t be 100% sure.
In the right order! Katie (4), Owen (7), Aubrey (8), Gracie (10), and Nick (12).
All of the cousins: Jessica (an upcoming senior), Alex (an upcoming freshman), then Nick, Gracie, Aubrey, Owen, and Katie.
Maggie was FASCINATED with the turtles!
Marge gifted all us girls with one of her ostrich eggs!
Turtle races!
Trying to scoop up the golf balls that rolled in the canal!
It was exciting for everyone when Greg caught this huge dogfish! (Katie is still talking about it days later!)
We celebrated Katie’s birthday a day early!
And Aubrey’s two days early!
Uncle Timmy diving for turtles!!
The second run of turtle races (after they went out on the boat to get more turtles)!
Owen’s turtle winning the second race!
And a Then & Now throwback picture:
The swing that was actually a frisbee.
Grandma Jean bought a swing for the kids and wanted to put it up somewhere in the yard. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good tree branches for it to attach to but we winged it.
Katie was the only one able to swing on it—Grandma Jean and I were going to except it was a little too low and Owen tried but wasn’t serious about it and kept “falling” off.
So the swing wasn’t a huge success…as a swing…but Gramma saw the positive and said “At least I bought them a frisbee on a rope!” 🙂
I can’t remember the last time I had to wait in a line!
I guess that’s what happens when a small town theater gets a big movie on the opening day (Secret Life of Pets) and the weather is questionable (it was supposed to storm and it was getting dark and windy). As a sidenote, Owen completely freaked out about the weather and wanted to go home. We are not sure how or why he has become so freaked out about weather.
Unfortunately, we didn’t actually get to see the movie—there were so many people that by the time we made it in to look for seats there were none available (definitely not six together and pretty much only single seats here and there—people were even sitting in the aisles and on the steps). So we got our money back and decided to go another day.
Knight Owen
He repurposed two Burger King crowns into this…along with his new Ninjago shield.
The last pit stop…and almost home!
This is why she loves the family bathroom.
She loves sitting on the little seat. No, she doesn’t NEED to sit there but she loves it. (It’s to strap a little one in so they don’t run off or get into trouble.)
Who knew Pennsylvania meant pencils?
Driving through Pennsylvania, Owen says “I think I know why it’s called Pennsylvania. All the houses are made out of pencils.” 🙂
I have packing to do but this is more important.
Guess who wanted to snuggle again?
Katie started swim lessons at British Swim School one year ago today!
I’m amazed at how much she loves the water and how comfortable she is in the pool! She jumps in regularly (with and without goggles), does cannonballs (complete with holding her knees), and just taught herself to retrieve rings from the bottom of the pool. She turns four in a few days. #proudmama
These are all rehashed photos, but it’s what I posted on Facebook. 🙂
When snuggles turn into naps.
Mama, I want to snuggle with you.
Those are magic words for me and I’ll pretty much drop whatever I’m doing because I rarely get Katie snuggles these days. So it happened today. And then this happened.
Siiiiigh.
Kidisms 28
I accidentally got a speck of ketchup on Katie so I licked it off.
Katie: Awww. Now I have mama slobber.
Katie: Can I have a snack when we get home?
Me: It will be lunchtime.
Katie: BUT I WANT A SNACK.
Me: 😐
Katie was running around in her superhero Barbie cape.
Tom: Wow! Good jump! You jumped over Maggie!
Katie: Yes, because I’m a superhero!
We were at the library playground.
Owen: Mom, I know what I want to do.
Me: What?
Owen: Go over to the book and put my head in the hole for the caterpillar head and you can take a picture.
This just isn’t my kids right?
Since we had two days of rain over the holiday weekend, today I took the kids to the park where they pretty much sat there and played restaurant. Or did this.
As soon as we come home, what do they do? Run around the house like screaming banshees playing tag.
Kids.
Goofy kids going a bit stir crazy on this rainy 4th.
Other than a nice Saturday, the holiday weekend has otherwise been a bust—it’s been 65° and rainy for two days. Blah. Yes, the kids are still in their PJs at 4pm. 🙂
And a few minutes prior—I came downstairs to see this:
Today’s superheroes!
Family, fun, and fireworks!
We decided to try a new location for watching fireworks this year—the equestrian center just up the road.
Owen saw a first-grade friend so he played with us for a bit.
A perfect viewing ditsnce for the kids as it wasn’t loud enough to bother them!
Katie’s mermaid puzzle
We picked this out at Homegoods today. It’s for ages 6+ but with a little guidance, Katie did it!
Katie and Charlie
She’s definitely my daughter.
I don’t remember loving the pool (and water) this much at this age, but I know I did later on. She has to be my daughter. I’m actually amazed at everything she does in the pool. Even just two weeks ago she couldn’t get a ring that had sunk to the bottom of the pool and now she dives down no problem! And of course, she still jumps off the side like a crazy person!
Owen took the camera. He has no idea how to hold it and every single picture has his fingers or hand in it.
Let’s go to the movies!
A shirt from the shopping trip I had with my friend a few months ago (that I haven’t worn yet) and one of my new XS (!!) Lularoe maxi skirts!
It’s still feels a little weird to be “dressing up” just to go to the movies, but this is what I wanted—it’s not really dressing up, it’s just looking put together. 🙂
Getting ready to see Finding Dory and splurge on delicious hot buttered movie popcorn!
