Mia's Birthday Party

HIGH: We had a great time at Mia's birthday party :)

LOW:  We skipped the beach because we thought the weather was going to be yucky and it turned out to be a gorgeous day :(

After we picked the kids up from Nana and Papa's we headed over to one of Claire's best friend's birthday parties.  

 Claire couldn't wait to see Mia and celebrate her birthday with her.  We took her to the store and let her pick out anything she wanted for Mia.  She decided on three random gifts but they were all things that Mia loves.

Claire was so excited to hang out with her two BFFs from school.  These three are besties and it was so cute to see them so excited to see each other after being apart for summer vacation so far.

Oliver was thrilled that he was invited too.  He loved climbing around Rollie Pollie's!

He loved the Zip Line.

Even though Mia invited a lot of her other friends these three stuck together like glue.  I really hope that they are in the same class next year!  They are such good friends and these girls are so sweet!!  I really like them and their families are so nice, it would be so nice to have them stay together!!!

After the party we were going to head up to the beach but the weather was a little iffy so we just came home and relaxed.

Oliver loved seeing Monty and rolling around with him on the front lawn.  He couldn't get enough kisses from Monty and I think Monty was having a blast too.

Then weather turned out to be gorgeous (we really should have gone to the beach) so I set up their water table and the kids had a blast just playing in the backyard.

I am loving summer so far.  Just having time to do big things and still have time to relax and just be together is priceless.  I am so thankful that I have summers off to spend with my family!!!

Star Lights

Last night we went with some friends to the Buffalo Science Museum for Star Lights.  It was really fun!  The whole museum had wine stations set up for tastings!  You could also go up on the roof to see the stars through telescopes. 

We also got to see the the Body Worlds exhibit!  It was really awesome!!  We had a blast!!

While we were enjoying a nice adult night at the Science Museum the kids slept at Nana and Papa's.  They were so excited that when we dropped them off, they couldn't wait for us to leave so they could hang out with Nana and Papa!

Claire's Last Soccer Game

HIGH: Claire played her best soccer game yet :)
LOW: The weather was yucky and rainy all day :(

Today was Claire's last soccer game.  We weren't even sure that there was going to be a game based on the weather.  But we got the e-mail that the game was still on and we headed out the door.

When we got there we realized that no one else from our team showed up!  Including the coaches!!  So Mark stepped up and coached the only two girls that came.  

While we were warming up a couple of the other teams were short a lot of players so we all just combined into one big team.  Then they decided to do a quick game with the parents versus the kids.  It was really cute and Mark couldn't wait to get out there and show those kids his skills.  He got two goals and one assist.  Then I think he realized that this wasn't the World Cup and he should probably ease up on these poor kids!

Just as the parents vs kids game was ending Claire cut her finger.  We really thought that this was going to be the end of it for her but we found a band aid in the car and she was good to go!

Here is Claire shortly after the finger injury.  She started out a little slow but then she played the best game that she has ever played!!  She was aggressive, went after the ball, and didn't let anyone get in her way!  She was awesome!!  She even scored a goal!  A real goal!!!  No one helped her or set her up, she just went after that ball and kicked it (pretty far) right into the net!!!  And of course we were there to cheer her on (loudly of course).  Her face was priceless as she watched the ball sail into the net!  It was like she couldn't believe it was happening!!!!  I was so busy watching her play and cheering her on that I didn't take any pictures of her playing the best game of her life!

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sara were there to cheer Claire on and she was so excited that they were there to see her big goal!

Oliver had fun hanging out with Aunt Sara watching the game and eating his snacks and talking and talking and talking.

We even played a little dress up with Claire's feather hair piece from her recital that was in her bag.

I am really proud of how well Claire played today.  She really did her best and had a blast.  She told me later "I had so much fun today.  We were all laughing and having so much fun!"  I explained to her that is what happens when you get involved and do your best.  Too bad it was the last game of the season!  Hopefully she will keep this attitude up for next season!

Other than soccer tonight we just chilled at home.  The weather was a little yucky so we stayed inside and I cleaned out some drawers and got a ton of laundry done.  I can't believe our first week of summer is already coming to a close.  It's been a great week with so much more to come!!!!

Luau At Elderwood

Tonight we had a Luau at Elderwood with GG!  We all had a great time eating delicious food and watching the Hawaiian dancers.

The whole family came to party at Elderwood!  We had a great time eating and hanging out.

Claire and Oliver had a blast playing with their second (or is it third) cousins.

My kids love to go to Elderwood and visit with all the people that live there.  Claire has asked me if I can live there some day so that she can come and visit me!  She always wants to go there to eat their mac and cheese.  And Oliver always calls everyone that lives there his "friends". 

I even got to be in a picture with my handsome little man.

But of course their favorite part was hanging out with GG.

The kids had school today and I did a little shopping with Colleen and Brendan. Oliver had his yearly visit at the doctor this morning and he is doing great!  He weighs 32 pounds and is healthy as can be (knock on wood).  He loves going to see Dr. Casey!  And Dr. Casey loved hanging out with Oliver and then spoiling him with a ton of suckers at the end!! Then Mark and I had a nice lunch date. The day was topped off with the Luau and then a hundred stories before bed.   It was yet another great day of summer vacation!

Playing Games

Today we just hung out at home and relaxed.  It was so nice to just hang out and play some games with nothing else to do!  This morning Mark took each of the kids for a run separately.  The kids didn't go in the stroller they each actually ran.  It was really cute.  Claire was really into "keeping her time" just like Daddy and Oliver just liked running.

After breakfast Mark, Claire, and Oliver had fun playing with their block set.  Mark and I call it Mouse Trap (remember that game?!) because it has all kinds of tracks with marbles.  They had a blast putting together different set ups and watching their marbles go through the mazes.

 Auntie Kate stopped over for a visit (spoiling the kids, as usual with McDonalds).  Claire was thrilled when we all sat down to play Ladybugs, a game that was invented by a first grader (and as we played the game it was clearly evident that a first grader invented it).

Then Miss Amy stopped over later to give Oliver his birthday present.  

Oliver was thrilled with his new dinosaur shirt and huge orange ball!!  Thank you Miss Amy for the awesome birthday presents!!!

It was a great day of just doing nothing and hanging out at home!  It was so  nice to just relax and play with nothing to do but be together.

I LOVE SUMMER!!!

Oliver's First Soccer Practice

Today was Oliver's first soccer practice! He is doing the same Daddy and Me program that Claire did when she was exactly his age and he was TWO WEEKS old (click HERE to see Claire's first practice and you can see how teeny tiny Oliver was).  I cannot believe that Oliver is old enough to be doing the same program.  I feel like it was just yesterday we started with Claire and I was nursing my two week old Oliver while trying to take pictures of Claire!!

To say Oliver was excited is an understatement.  He tried to borrow Sissy's shin guards but they were a little too big, he was able to wear her shorts though.

As soon as we got there Oliver was so excited to see that his buddy Jack was on his team but then he was all business.  He was very into his coach and doing whatever his coach said.

He actually kept walking away from Mark so that he could ask his coach questions.  One question being, "Do you have any tattoos?"  Also, he would not doing anything unless the coach told him to do it. Mark would repeat what the coach said but that was not good enough.  Oliver would only do what the coach told him to do and if he didn't hear the coach, well then that didn't count.

 Oliver really enjoyed himself and he had some pretty good form.  And I am pretty positive that he was the most handsome kid out there.

 He did a great job dribbling.   He worked really hard on kicking with the insides of his feet.

He did a great job trapping the ball too.  Except that he had to hold onto Mark when he trapped the ball because his legs are too short and he would fall over.

Oliver even scored a goal today!!!

Claire had a blast playing with Kaelyn.  And Kaelyn thought Claire was just hilarious.

After the first big game we all stopped for some ice cream.  Claire and Oliver loved snacking on their green ice cream.  

I am so proud of Oliver.  Even though he was very chatty he did a great job and I loved watching him play.  I was a little sad though because it really felt like yesterday I was sitting there nursing him while Claire was his age and playing on the same field.  My babies are getting old and it is making me sad.

First Official Day Of Summer

Today was our first official day of summer!!  

We decided to just do nothing but relax today!

Mark and the kids went to the grocery store, we went to the library to stock up on some summer reading, took a long nap, had a delicious dinner on the grill, and took a nice walk around the block.  It was the perfect way to start summer vacation.

Claire and Oliver loved taking the jeep around the block and it was quite the workout for me and Mark to keep up!

Of course we had to make a stop to play with Monty for a few minutes.

It was the perfect first day of the summer.  It was so nice to just be together and relax.  I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings!

Owen's and Joe's Parties

Today we had Owen's friend birthday party and Joe's graduation party.  It was a great day spent with the family.

First we had Owen's party.  The kids had a blast at the Y.  I can't believe Owen is 4!!  I can remember the first time I met him!  He was the cutest (and biggest) baby ever!!!  Click HERE to see Claire's first visit with Baby Owen!

The kids had a blast playing in the gym and the adventure room.

Oliver loved the glasses and mustaches the Aunt Erin gave out!

After Owen's party we headed to Joe's graduation party.  The kids had a great time swimming.  Claire loved playing in the pool, that is until later when she was all dressed and fell in the pool.  

Oliver loved swimming but since we skipped his nap he was beat!  Here he is taking a little break.

The kids loved watching the grown up boys jump into the pool.

Even Daddy did a few flips!

We had a busy but great day!  It was nice to be in this gorgeous weather and see the whole family!! 

And So Summer Begins!!

Even though I never really feel that summer officially begins until the first Monday that we are off, I decided to start my tradition of blogging everyday in the summer today.

Last night the kids spent the night at the beach so that Mark and I could go to our annual end of the year party.  After a great night celebrating the end of the school year we met the kids and my in laws up at the cottage and spent the day at the beach.

The weather was gorgeous and Claire enjoyed the first day of playing in the sand and swimming in the water.

Oliver was exhausted from having a camp fire the night before so he slept for over 2 hours on the beach.

While Oliver napped, Daddy and Claire enjoyed a nice swim in the FREEZING cold water.

When Oliver first woke up he was a little groggy but it didn't take him long to get into playing at beach.

Claire guided him into the water to take a chilly dip.

Daddy, Claire, and Oliver had a blast swimming.

Oliver was so excited to use his angry birds towel that Grandma bought him.

Even I ventured into the arctic cold water for a little while, even though I didn't last very long.

Needless to say the kids were beat on the way home!!  It was an early night for everyone!  

It was a great way to start the summer!  I can't wait to just relax and hang out at the beach, the zoo, the park, and have playdates!  BRING ON THE SUMMER!!!!!!

Yesterday Mark and I left our end of the bash for a while to see Claire get her first award.

Claire had her pizza party and soccer awards for the end of her soccer season.  She was so proud of her first real award.

While the kids enjoyed their pizza the coach handed out the medals.

It was so cute to see all the kids get their medals.  Claire was so proud of hers.  She kept saying, "I can't believe I have a real medal.  Mommy you can wear it someday and mean SOMEDAY!"