Summertime...and the pics got lost?

We had an AMAZING summer!

Learned a lesson though: I need to stop relying on my cell phone to take our family photos!  Unfortunately, this fall my cell phone needed to be replaced, and the new version has no SD card, so I didn't have the store move my old pictures to the new phone.

 

Fast forward to tonight, and there's about a three month gap in photos on my laptop.  So, as I try to resurrect the old phone to get the summer pics, I will have to fast forward to September.

 

EVERYBODY's in school!  Our district has full-day Pre-K, so even Tommy is out the door at 8am, returning around 3:30pm.  This means that Wes FINALLY gets some sleep!  This transition has been wonderful for us--no more rushing home on certain nights so that Wes can go right to sleep.  It's both of us, nearly every night, having a family dinner, helping with homework, and just spending time with the kids as a family.

 Do you think Tommy was a little excited for his first day of school?

 Like last summer, Grandma and Grandpa came to NY for an extended stay and we took the family pilgrimage to Charlestown, RI.  Only this year, all three kids stayed in the RV with the grandparents, meaning that Wes and I had a hotel room to ourselves, every night!  No little people waking up in the middle of the night, or waking us up at the crack of dawn.  It was heaven.

 And I'm happy to report that my parents are still the most fun grandparents ever!

 The kids were big fans of Grandpa's bike.

It was a summer of fun, friends, family, sunshine and love.

June travels.

 In June, we took a trip to Chicago for my 20th college reunion.  I hadn't been back since Dani was 6 months old...so it had sure been a while.  It was so awesome to be back in a big city and to see great old friends, and enjoy all of the cool things Chicago has to offer.

Navy Pier and the Chicago skyline.

 One of my best friends from college, Chang, spent tons of time with us.

 The kids had a blast with Uncle Chang!

 We rode a trolley.

 Enjoyed some Mexican food in the sun.

 Rode the rides.

 And enjoyed a wonderful reunion with my old besties!

 I'm sure not going to wait another 6 years to go back!

Four Generations

We took a recent road trip to Connecticut to see my soon-to-be 93 year old grandmother.  My mom had flown in to spend the week with her.  Nearly all of my Connecticut family came to visit that day, and the kids had a blast.

 Grandma was the champion bubble blower.

 Dani and Tori had made macaroni necklaces for the Grandmas, which they wore with pride.

 Tommy rockin' with his bubble microphone!

 Four generations of my family. 

 Great-grandma's house has the best stairs for sliding down!  The kids bounced down on their butts, slid down on their tummies, and had a blast.  Todd and I used to do the same thing when we were little.

 Grandma brought magic finger paints.

 And Tommy charmed the pants off of everyone!

It's so nice that my kids get to have a relationship with a great-grandparent.  I remember my great-grandpa from when I was small.  Great Grandpa Haschak lived with my grandma and grandpa until he was almost 100.  At least I think he was that old--it seems like he was, but when you are under ten, it's hard to really judge.  I remember we would go visit, and he would always be watching baseball at an incredible volume.  "HI GREAT GRANDPA!" we'd yell, and we'd sit in the room for a bit until our need to explore the house took held.  He'd always call us close for a hug, and give us a dollar.  Every time.  Despite his limited mobility, he always had dollar bills in his pockets to give to us, perhaps as a reward for keeping him company, or just to let us know he was happy we came.  And now, thirty plus years later, my children are coming back to the same house, to see their 90-something great grandmother.  The house is the same as it was when I was small.  Filled with books, trinkets, and mementos, like the home of every little old lady.  Filled also, to my children's delight, with cookies and treats, and dozens of pictures of them at all ages, and even some of their mommy when she was little.  And my frail, elderly grandma was full of hugs, and was showered with toddler love for a day, and I got to witness it, and it was wonderful.

North Carolina, a Dani AND Tori guest post!

Hi everybody, Dani here. And, hey, it's me, Tori, I'm here too! We want to tell you about our trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house, so we decided to do it together. Well, mommy kind of made us do it together because it was close to bedtime and she said we had to share. Dani doesn't seem like she's sharing too well. Pipe down Tori, or you won't type another letter.

So, we left for North Carolina on Wednesday. We all packed into daddy's car and drove and drove and drove. Tori went to sleep for a while, but I didn't. I stayed up the whole way to North Carolina, because I'm a big girl! Mommy was so surprised that I could stay up that long, because we drove for about 14 hours and in the middle of the night, but, hey, I'm a night owl when I want to be. I'm already working on my college sorority skills--I'm going to be an AOII just like my mommy.

Anyway, I had so much fun. I love my grandma and grandpa so much! Grandpa read me books.
And grandma and grandpa took us to this neat town called Shelby, which has a train and a merry-go-round that we got to ride on.

We were the only ones on the train, and we got to ride 'round and 'round the park.

Grandma called the merry-go-round a carousel. It had so many neat horses on it. Daddy and Tori rode in a sleigh (she is a baby, after all), and mommy walked all around and took pictures.

Grandma and I played with bubbles. We had bubble kazoos, and pipes and wands, and just had so much fun. And it was so nice and warm there. Before we left, there was snow at home, but in North Carolina, I got to wear short sleeves! Grandpa let me wear his cowboy boots!
We did so much fun stuff that it's hard to tell you. Did you know that Grandma and Grandpa are my mommy's mommy and daddy? They bought me some neat toys that are just like toys my mommy had when she was a toddler like me....I don't know why they didn't just save my mommy's stuff for me, but even if they didn't, I'm glad they remember my mommy's old toys. There is a neat shopping cart and groceries and lots of other stuff, too!

HEY DANI. YES, YOU DANI. ITS ALMOST MY BEDTIME AND YOU ARE TAKING TOO LONG. MY TURN. MY TURN. MY TURN OR I WILL TELL DADDY.

Okay Tori, it's almost your turn. (Peeps, don't worry, I'll post more after the baby stops babbling). Tori--just keep crawling around after the cat, and once you catch him, it's your turn to type.

DANI, NO FAIR. I'M TELLING DADDY.

Here you go, Tori, but just so you know, everyone probably stopped reading already because they like me best.

WHATEVER, Dani.

I'm going to tell everyone about my FIRST road trip! It kind of sucks having to ride backwards in a carseat for so long. On the way down, we left at 1pm and got to Grandpa's at 3:30am. I tried to sleep as much as I could but it was SO boring and carseats aren't really very comfy. But we made it--I guess some bad stuff slowed us down on the way, because the way home took much less time.

Anyway, when we got to Grandma and Grandpas, Grandpa met us and took us to our very own apartment. Mommy said that was so nice of Grandpa to get our own space for us--sometimes Dani's naptimes are kinda unpredictable, I guess. And Grandma and Grandpa are pretty old, so they probably needed to go to sleep early or something like that.

Grandpa also gave me lots of kisses.

I love Grandpa kisses.

Sometimes I think it is more fun to be the little sister. No one really is paying attention to what you are doing because your bigger sister is just so much more fun, so you can play with extra fun stuff. Here, I snagged Dani's shoe AND a magifying glass. It took a while for anyone to notice. Cool!

We did so much fun stuff. We went to a motorcycle place and did something for charity. If you bought something at this Harley dealership you could turkey bowl and maybe win a turkey. Mommy, Daddy and Grandpa all had a two chances to roll a big frozen turkey down a lane to knock over pins. Nobody won. Mommy did really bad--she didn't even knock over a pin! But the fun part was that after that, we went out to lunch. It was my first time in a restaurant! I sat in my very own high chair too! I hope I showed mommy and daddy that they could take me out more often!

Anyway, before I sat in the high chair, I sat with Grandpa. He let me chew the menu.

I had so much fun at lunch, that I got tired. I fell asleep on Grandpa's shoulder. He's super comfy. I totally recommend him if you need a nap.

TORI, no one cares what you have to say, and it's bedtime. You have to go to bed NOW. I'm the big sister so you have to do what I say. NOW.

Okay, Dani. Tell everyone night night for me, okay?

Whatever Tori, just go away.

Geesh, Tori's finally gone. Isn't it so annoying when she thinks she can post stuff? Like it's her blog or something. Well, anyone, just humor her, okay? Well, it is getting pretty late and I need to get ready for bed too. It's time for brushy brush, washy wash, nighty night. Bye bye!

Over I-81 and I-77 to Grandmother's House We Go!

We left, actually early, on Wednesday....thinking we'd be in Hickory, NC, shortly after midnight....
.............we were so wrong!

Road construction, traffic, and an event serious enough to close the interstate had us arrive at about 3:30am. My dad secured us our own apartment in the complex he works for, so he met us at the entrance to take us to our place.

Tori slept like a champ. Dani literally slept about 90 minutes the entire trip. She never slept in the carseat as a baby, and apparently won't as a toddler. Good thing is that, unlike when she was a baby and she just wailed (on the Great Chicago Road Trip of 2009) she just sat in her carseta singing songs and talking to us for twelve hours. I was amazed she didn't tire.

We pulled into the parking lot and Dani saw "GrandPA". Grandpa told her Grandma was sleeping (it was 3:15am). So everyone slept.

But, as soon as the kiddies were awake, it was Grandma-Grandpa fun time! Here's Grandma helping Tori crawl forward. And kisses from Grandpa.
Grandpa also gave horsey rides! And Grandma did double-duty with Dani and Tori!
Wow, just like Dani, Tori seems a little camera-focused......

Fun, fun. Kiddie road trip tomorrow to a town with a kiddie train and carousel!