It's Been Too Long

Oh my I feel like I have so much to catch up on.  It has been a wonderfully busy summer!!  Here are some highlights from the last couple months.

1. Wren is on the move.  This girl has figured out how to move and she's never been happier.  Her days are now spent exploring whatever dust and/or legos evade the constant vacuuming and pulling up on anything she can find.  How is she already 10 months??  Her little life has FLOWN by!

Here she goes... taking off

She is one happy girl... most of the time.

2. Howie turned 5.  Yup, so hard for us to believe that our little guy is 5.  We spent the day celebrating at the New York Aquarium, and then celebrated in the car for 2 1/2 hours stuck in a Friday-afternoon-at-the-Lincoln-Tunnel- traffic jam.  Although that was not a highlight of the day the kids did surprisingly well, though I was feeling rather claustrophobic as I began to explore the idea that Manhattan indeed is an island and there are only so many ways off.  All of which were horribly backed up at that moment.  Once we got back to New Jersey we enjoyed dinner in the home of some friends from church.  It was a wonderful day, and we are so enjoying watching Howie grow and mature.  He's so curious about things and asks great (and numerous) questions.  He's into all sorts of Legos, riding his bike and/or scooter, books, trucks, bagels with butter, New York City, and generally all things daddy.  Lately he asks about every day if this is daddy's day off.  He's starting kindergarten this fall and I can't believe it.  Justice, Wren, and I will miss him horribly during the day.

Our friend Cedar decorated the cake that I made.  Didn't she do an awesome job?  Howie said he wanted a rainbow cake, and Cedar delivered.  I'll tell ya, that cake was good... the secret was the 6 sticks of butter between the cake and the frosting.  Heart attack central.

Howie played soccer this spring and did a great job.  He always left practice sweaty, which in my book makes for a good practice.  I thought it was hilarious watching 4 and 5 year olds run laps around half of the field.

3. We traveled to see my family in Illinois and then went with them to Michigan for the annual family trip.  Much to Howie's chagrin we did eventually return to New Jersey.  But we had a wonderful time enjoying the company of Grandma, Grandpa, Great-Grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins- it was awesome. Now Howie is asking when we can go to Georgia to visit Nana and BB.

Howie has always had a special (if not smothering) love for his cousin Violet. 

We got to travel to St Louis and visit Aunt Emily and Uncle Rob's house, as well as some other dear friends.  It was like old times, which we miss.

Wow, Howie had a blast with his cousin John.  A Lego partner, a big wheels riding partner, a trains partner- you name it, they did it.

This year Wren got in on the joy of Spotted Cow ice cream.  She was a fan.

The old favorite from last summer, blue ice cream at the Spotted Cow.

Wren had an awesome time with her cousin Benji- they are just 10 short days apart!  They had lots of paci stealing wars and such.  It was so much fun to watch them together.

Howie with his sweet cousin Pax and Aunt Jennie.  Howie and Justy had a blast with Paxie, and Aunt Jennie was always ready to have fun!! 

Howie built many Lincoln Log houses at Grandma and Grandpa's.

These two again, up to their old tricks.

The kids got the privilege of spending time with both Great-Grandmas.   

A lot of time was spent on Grandma and Grandpa's tire swing.

Wren learned how to pull up in her pack and play and believe me we lost sleep over it.  By the time we got home she was waking up every 2 hours dissatisfied.  Thankfully once she got back into her own bed in her own room all was well.  I guess she got over the fact that she could stand up whenever she wanted to.

Michigan was too much fun.  Unfortunately Mom came down with pneumonia, which obviously put a damper on things.

Oh, the joy of standing up!!  Even better when you have someone to share it with!

One day down at the beach Justice struck up a conversation with this little girl.  I was sitting some ways away so I have no idea what they talked about, but they enjoyed looking out onto Lake Michigan together.  Possibly a harbinger of the teenage years.  Oh boy.

Grandpa and Wren

These two.  Too cute.

3.  We love NYC.  It is so much fun to explore.  Before the Lord brought us to New Jersey I had never been to NYC, and it wasn't a huge priority for me to go.  Yet since we've moved here I've discovered how much I love having such a huge, diverse, interesting city easily accessible. Yesterday was my first trip on the bus and subway with the kids and without Josh, and we had a blast.  Although by the time we got home I was a sweaty bomb.  That's what happens when you collapse and un-collapse a stroller a million times to get down into the subway, out of the subway, etc.  But I've got to give a shout-out to some super friendly New Yorkers who helped me carry the stroller several times.  Way to be awesome.

Though just a nuisance to some, Howie and Justy were enamored with the pigeons in the park and showed them much TLC.

What better thing to do in NYC than grab some liquid refreshment.  Plus I needed a marginally clean place for a potty break.  I was just crossing my fingers that one of them wouldn't start asking for the potty in the middle of the bridge.

Eating a snack on the subway.  Look alike?  Yup.

4. We love the double Bob Revolution.  It is only supposed to seat two, but it seats three.  It singlehandedly settles the question of who has to walk when we're out.  No one.  We've had it for 3 1/2 years and it's still as great as the day we bought it.  If not improved with age.

Love this thing to death.  I plan on driving it into the ground.  Literally, if it continues to bear all this weight. 

5. Endured one hot summer.  I think most people throughout the country could echo this.  Wowie it was hot!  We're currently in the middle of a week with highs in the 80s and I feel like we should get out a sweater!  The church graciously put in window AC units in the kids' rooms upstairs and it's made a HUGE difference.  Although I didn't horribly mind sweating, now that we have the AC it's really nice.

The beauty queen and I went for a walk on a steamy afternoon.

Holding hands on a hot day.  I remember we went to the mall this day for dinner just to get out of the hot, hot house.

This was Wren's sleeping arrangement pre-AC.  It worked out pretty well with a fan blowing directly on her.  

6.  Love this guy.

We had ice cream sundaes after church last Sunday and Justy was rocking the mustache look.  Since he didn't have a spoon right when he got his bowl, he used his face.  Got the job done.