Retrocycle

Check out my new ride!! I have been eyeing this bike for the past 2 years. I may look like the biggest nerd in the world zooming all over our neighborhood on it, but I love it.

Summer Camp

One of the things I remember loving about my childhood was summer camp. I went every year and always looked forward to returning. Kennedy was introduced to her first summer camp experience this week and has already asked about going back.

She spent the past few mornings at "Suncatchers" day camp at the Arboretum. She has been telling all her neighborhood friends that she was headed to Fairy Camp and could hardly stand the excitement behind the possibility of seeing an actual fairy. She really enjoyed the experience!

The first day was spent watching and catching tadpoles, planting herbs and going on a nature hike.

The second day they learned all about the fairies that protect plants. Apparently the fairies have huge all night parties to celebrate summer on these longest days of the year around the summer solstice. So, to help them gear up for their big festival and to say thanks for protecting the plants the kids made party rooms and left them out in the woods for the fairies to use.

Today the kids checked to discover if the fairies made use of their party rooms. They did! All the party apps were gone! They also planted flowers that thrive in the shade and looked for caterpillars.

Meanwhile, while Kennedy had fun at camp, Easton and I had fun checking out all the cool stuff at the Arboretum.

Prince Charming and the glass slipper (or Croc).

This is my favorite. We saw a garter snake and the kids were pretty interested. But, watch the progression of Easton's friend Annabelle, it's too cute.

Captivated.

Skeptical.

Veto.

It's hard to be the little brother

Poor Easton is always waiting...waiting to go to school, waiting to have one of HIS friends over to play, waiting to go to camp, waiting to play on a soccer team. He so wants to do everything that Kennedy does and is always reminding us that he is a big kid. It's tough for him to understand that you have to be 3 or 4 or sometimes even 5 to do some of these things. Little man with your late summer birthday, you'll be waiting a long time. But don't worry, your day will come and when it does I am just sure you will soar!

Backyard

I love our backyard! Over the weekend the kids fished in the pond. Kennedy caught a sunny and Easton had fun finding worms and casting. We have a duck family with 12 ducklings the kids have been tracking. We have a robin's nest with 3 baby birds and the kids have been enjoying watching the mother robin find worms and feed her babies. Not to mention the garden...it is getting more full every day and we all enjoy watering it and watching our tomatoes grow bigger.



Kennedy also updated her butterfly house with a new coat of paint and is hoping for some visitors out by the pond. We have had weekly visits from hummingbirds on our honeysuckle plant which is fun to see. Poppy gave each of the kids a sunflower plant and those are about to bloom any day. We even had a doe pass through our yard a few weeks ago. It's nature central right out the back door!
I try to pretend it's really cute when the mommy birdie feeds her babies (and it actually is) but there's no way around it....birds are gross. I think the kids are starting to see through the "birds are great" facade that I have been trying to uphold so that they become lovers of all creatures. Today while we were running/biking Kennedy yelled quite loudly at every bird we saw "Shoo, Shoo, Scram!" So much for my efforts at being discrete about my distaste for fowl. This picture of our patio right below the nest really says everything.....

Daddy-O

Sean,

If you are ever in doubt as to whether you are a good dad, remember these things:

-both of your kids squeal with excitement when you get home from work
-Kennedy always picks you to comb her hair after her shower
-you make the best forts
-you taught both kids how to hit a baseball
-you potty trained Kennedy
-a lunch date at Daddy's office is about the best thing since sliced bread
-your kids love to wrestle and rough-house with you
-Easton always asks for Daddy when he's in need of a cuddle
-you have an unexplainable amount of patience with your children in areas where I have no patience at all
-your kids truly believe you can fix anything and save all broken things for you to repair
- your kids adore you!

Happy Father's Day!

We love you,
C, K and E