Happy Father's day

Sunday morning - a morning to relax recover and celebrate the men in our lives.  Father's day!

We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast on the deck and than suited everyone up for a bike ride down to the river.  Once everyone was worn out and hungry again, we took them to lunch.  We all commented on the BEST 5 kids at the restaurant - they were outstanding!  Never has I put all the kids in one spot (normally we are mixing them up away from each other) but this afternoon it worked beautifully!

We got to enjoy some adult time on the other end of the table with some rather nice live music being played - to which the boys all brought some thank you money at the end - 

What a beautiful day and prefect to celebrate the fathers in our lives.

I often wish I picked up my camera more but am trying to be IN the moment.  That is why I was THRILLED to see these photos that Nick captured.

Love that he grabbed so great smiles 

and sweet moments.

He captured a great day

On the deck, in the sun = just as all the fathers would like it

Happy Fathers day to these great men - the men that know the value of family, raising kiddos and being present - Thankful to have you in our lives.

Happy Fathers day

Chris's Birthday weekend - Chris is turning 40!!

Chris is turning 40!!  Finally (yes, I am thankful for him to join me on this new decade of age!)

AND

  Its his Super Bowl weekend.  

Birthday on Saturday, Father's day Sunday.  

I am pretty sure he would prefer to space these out, but it worked out so well to have family up with us the whole weekend.  It started on Thursday when Barbara and Wyland made it up.  We enjoyed a WONDERFUL dinner at the Village Cafe and than a night of reading with grandma (on the new bed - which has a memorable story behind it -  if I had an extra hand while stuffing this marshmallow of a bed up the stars you would have seen Chris and Aras at the top of the stairs pulling with all their might and me at the bottom barely holding my ground as we sent shane to go next door to grab Linas - somehow we got the bed upstairs - and yes, its wonderful!  

Chris is thrilled

Just in time for his birthday

At 8:30 Friday night - the celebration got bigger - Wyland and Shannon made the drive from MD to join us for the celebration - the kiddos played for a few extra hours in the back yard while we caught up - than we put them to bed and enjoyed some adult time, chatting Maine, schedules and at midnight - toasting Chris Leadbetters 40th Birthday - 

Proof that everyone loves a selfie stick!

To the celebration -

That is a good looking foursome!  Headed to the Ranch

Someone is taking on big kid rolls and making us pancakes for breakfast!

love the looks of this breakfast table

Shane played his final Baseball game for the season (gloveless) and than we went to cool off in Oma Sue's pool

One of the gifts I wanted to give Chris was memories from his friends - I connected with them over the last month asn asked them to sent me a memorial or something they did with Chris.  I loved reading through the memories as they came in.  Here is a photo of us reading them to him at the table that evening

He actually wanted to grill on his birthday - does that say something about his enjoyment of it, or my inability to cover down for him....  hmmm..  Uncle Steve was another special guest for the evening.  He came down that day from VT to enjoy the family time together.  We hadn't seen him since our weddings and it was such a treat to connect.

I asked everyone to take a quick break from cooking to snap a photo or 2 - Love how well these kiddos paired up this weekend.

Grabbed a great family shot as well

Even got my folks in there before the kiddos started losing their focus

Now to the birthday dinner - couldn't have asked for a more beautiful evening to celebrate with

Happy Birthday Chris - thats a lot of candles!

Per request - Boston Creme Pie

When you are the youngest - you gotta get a leg up in anyway possible.

Chris I truly hope you felt the love from so many different folks in your life - I admire the man you are and am forever thankful to be your partner in life.  Thankful for the life we have created together.

Happy Birthday and Welcome to 40!

Last Day of school - came SO quick!

With Rcord time our kiddos are OUT OF SCHOOL.  I must have a thing for going to schools that offer minimal time IN SCHOOL.  IN 30 years Canton has never released so early.  Its my FINAL morning kidless and I cannot imagine a better way to spend it - Megan Flew into town Wednesday morning to start her wedding weekend in MV - I got her for 2 full days.  We spend lunch at a yummy spot together.

Enjoyed an afternoon of working together - 

And picked up THIS GUY from his last day of Pre-School!  We love Mrs. Cindy and this photo is ironic because its HER last day of Pre-school too as she is retiring this year.  We were so thankful to have her as a teacher.

Drew loved his time at the Children's center - here they are looking at what they want to be when they grow up - Drew's selection - a baseball coach!  I bet that and many more in your future kiddo!

Taking photos next to your favorite things in the classroom

Yes, we will miss this place!

Day 2 of the last day celebration - these boys are headed for the final 1/2 day of school!

Nick took his phone to school to snap a photo with his favorite 3rd Grade teacher Ms. Scapin.  She was WONDERFUL for his class.  Such a mild manner and encouraged such kindness amount the class.  We were SO fortunate to have her.

Later that evening she even made a house call delivering Nick's forgotten art work at school.  We had just come home after a pool party at the Briggs and Nick waited for her to drive by before our neighborhood pool party.  Love all things Cherry Brooks school - 

Summer here we go!

A bear!!

They say we have them in the neighborhood - Neighbors see them all the time and warn us about how to react - but honestly when you see one you are almost frozen.  Tuesday afternoon we were playing in my neighbors back yard when the neighbor BEHIND her started screaming at us waving their hands - 

It was a BEAR - headed right for us, slowly of course because honestly he wasn't interested in us.  We didn't know what to do.  Diana grabbed her dogs and I grabbed the kiddos and Chris (who was standing on the porch as our neighbors called him) told us to run into Diana's house  - so we did, dripping wet (crazy in times like that I was thankful to be told what to do!)

Chris snapped a photo of him while he walked right by our house, along the fence line and down to the river at Melanie and Kevin's house.

There it is, our official bear sighting.

Rock Star status - This guy!

Supper club was Saturday, earlier in the week we were plagued by the stomach bug - and he hasn't trained hardly AT ALL - YET, on Sunday morning this guy gets up in the pouring rain and RUNs a half marathon.  Pretty much killing it in the time department!  He is an absolute ROCK STAR.

And deserves every bit of this rainy day ON THE COUCH.

Christopher - may you never cease to amaze me!

Supper club

Saturday Supper club

rating a family truly takes a village - its wonderful having my folks such a BIG part of my kids lives. In addition, finding family friends is huge too - I had been wanting to plan a supper club and finally put it in action.  We invited 7 families and only 6 were able to attend - but not bad right?  

That meant 10 Adults and 12 kiddos - it was a BEAUTIFUL night and the kids played great.  The couples enjoyed chatting, not everyone knew each other but maybe of each other.  My desire is for to be a safe place to share REAL stuff about life, parenting, social aspects - whatever.  I would LOVE to have a mock election, or speak on hard topics as I TRULY value everyones opinion and believe they all different yet want to learn more about them all.  

Where did my inspiration spur from?  This book - a gift from Farrah that I hope to continue to pass along to others!

Of course I didn't grab my camera as often as I would have liked - but I snagged 2 quick photos to remind myself.

A deck full of kiddos!

Everyone brought so much and helped TREMENDOUSLY - The adults just chilled and enjoyed time chatting.  Exactly what I was hoping for!  Love finding some wonderful family to truly live life together with.

A tough day for Nick

He is my best care taker (minus a bit of absent mindedness) he has a heart of gold and really takes things to heart.  Therefore when he was up late at night randomly sick with the stomach bug (AGAIN) we all felt horrible for him.  He WANTED to sleep in the bathroom and woke up too tired togo to go to school.  

He went out that morning to check the chickens.  Someone (we have a feeling we know who) left the TOP coop door open.  Which meant, they could get out if they wanted to.  However they didn't have the ability of accuracy to get back in.  Nick quickly discovered it was his chicken Violet that was missing.  I am almost certain I was just as crushed if not more.....  We found a few feathers, yet no Violet.  We think it was a hawk yet really have no idea.  Now there are 6 and Gertie is missing her sister.

And I get a morning to chill with this guy in hopes of getting him to feel better.  Honestly I loved the morning - tears and all.

Until I started feeling like crap and had to get the kiddos out - thankfully we have places to go

Nick missed the school trip to Canton Intermediate School that day (where he will go next year) and he missed the 3rd grade special surprise (a juggler) but he took it all in stride.  Love love love that kiddo.