Week 10 / Memorial Day weekend

Getting to enjoy more and more outside and all 3 of the kids are getting braver and more creative in their play. Anna watches the boys and wants to do what they do in her own way - but LOVES when they want to play with her too. 

She now knows to lift up her feet for a ride! 

Helmets on for "Cars" drifting with Anna's car behind. 

Amazed they still have all of their teeth - but they loved every minute! 

My favorite is when they put on the baseball helmet - that totally counts, right?!? 

Blowing her own bubbles now! 

We started the long weekend a little early - time for a change of scenery! 

First boat ride of the season. 

Ready to go swimming! 

Wait - there is a compartment back here with a door on the side AND a trap door?!? 

Can you see Anna's head too? 

Loving the screen porch space! 

Casual easy mornings - coffee and breakfast - books and toys. 

Isaac is our teenager - he rolls out of bed around 9 or so and joins the fun then! 

Reading books together. 

As the kids get bigger, we are always looking for new entertainment and energy suckers! 

Buppa and I set up a ninja course on the way down to the lake. 

Warmer weather rolled in on Saturday and we got some beautiful sunny days! 

The boys enjoyed trying the course - definitely need to work on their arm strength! 

Train time! The boys love setting up the tracks and just pushing them around the track. No electricity needed! Such a cool track and they love it - but definitely aren't using it to the fullest at this point! 

a little ping pong too - Isaac is taking after Aunt Lisa - tongue out for concentration! 

We put Patrick in charge of Anna's bedtime that night - she had been a pistol the two night's prior... maybe the FOMO of the cottage - sweet little sleeper, once she is down! 

James helped make pancakes with Grammy on Sunday - from start to finish! 

Becoming an expert flipper! 

Also both boys are doing great at the paddle boat - Jimmy even went with Patrick while he swam and did a great job! 

More playing in the porch --- so much room for activities! 

Anna is a big fan of the Sesame Street clubhouse - she is "afraid" of the Count... she will tell you what he says, but then acts scared and says, "Noooooo!" 

Old car parade on Memorial Day - social distancing at its finest! 

The 3 of us got the truck and Grammy and Buppa had the boys in the 31. 

Anna was NOT a fan of the revving - but she came around! 

Memorial Day flag photo

Monday was gorgeous and hot - the water was still chilly, but lots of swimming! 

Anna loves the splash pad as much as the boys but can't hold her own yet - as you can guess, trying to get the boys to slow down for her is often a lost cause... 

She did end up in the water once or twice and was a little surprised. Glad to see that she was able to flip herself over right away - but I think the cold was more shocking than falling in. 

First fish if the season! 

Silly guys on the boat. 

What a difference a year makes - Anna is running up and down the pier - loves her life jacket and is happy to ride the boat anytime! 

This is summer! 

Patrick and Jimmy diving in from the raft --- love this one! 

Family photo - super grateful to have a weekend away from reality ---

 I think relaxing looks good on us! 

Week 9

So things changed a little in our world and we were able to have Hannah come a few days a week to help free up some work time for us both. This was a picture of my first real day back at the hospital. 

We are now required to wear a mask at work - thankfully I can take it off at my desk but it works great and I am happy to have it - thanks Grammy! 

One of Isaac's school projects. School work is getting harder to accomplish - Isaac is just not interested in doing it at home - the teachers make it fun - we don't - I guess that is why they are teachers :)  But he was happy to do this --- Wild things creatures out of toilet paper rolls! 

Anna has discovered where the lawnmower is and is happy to pretend to drive like the boys. 

 I definitely remember racing down our driveway in our coaster wagon - but I truly believe Lisa and I worked as a team vs. one of us attempting to harm the other... maybe she remembers differently, but I wish there were helmets in this photo - driving gloves aren't doing much! 

These were our seats for the wagon activity - guess I wasn't too worried! 

So many cool things happening at the hospital these days - we have a piano and microphone set up in the lobby for musically talented folks to provide joy and encouragement. When I went down for some coffee - this doc was rockin' out to Jack and Diane --- loved it! 

Tuesday I managed some quality / quiet work time while Anna was sleeping. The boys were playing nicely together outside... I could hear them and knew they were safe and happy - but in hindsight, I should have checked with my eyes sooner than I did... 

This was a large chunk of Styrofoam that they were cutting up to build things... 

I kept it together and used it as a teaching moment and got the Shopvac out and explained how to use it. Then I went back inside... not minutes later I could hear, " I'm gonna suck up off!" - "Okay, then I will suck you off! and if that doesn't work - then I will will blow you instead!" 

I was crying from laughing -- we all need a good belly laugh right now! 

Later we made a volcano that one of them got for a present in the last year --- taking time to do the little things (yay!) 

We played the game of LIFE --- a little different than the version we grew up with - but still better than the most recent one that has credit cards and no math... :( 

More fun work stories - since we can't invite our normal school friends for field trips - we created some behind the scenes videos that could be shared with students during their social distance learning. This included a tour of the lab and the helicopter landing pad on the roof! 

Also got to participate in a hero send off - a patient that was being discharged was bummed because he wouldn't be able to take a Honor Flight this spring -- so the staff got together to give him a send off similar to what he might have enjoyed on the regular trip. It was awesome! 

Hannah and the kids had an awesome day outside and James has started to really build amazing things from cardboard. He is so creative and detailed with cutting and using the glue gun - this is a multi-tiered parking garage! 

Check out this lady in her shorts and big girl clothes! 

More building --- so proud! 

Friday selfie! 

Sadly, not 5 minutes later, these two lost their minds and were sobbing on the floor in the sun room. I can't remember why, but I do know that Jimmy and I thought it was hilarious, so must have been something silly (at least in our opinion!) 

Isaac and I got to go to a social distance birthday party --- we brought a blanket and each family was given a pint of custard and spoons. The other families had 4-5 people... it was just the two of us and we polished off that pint in minutes :) 

Anna's happy place --- Moana Saturday morning getting a belly rub from Daddy! 

I got to sneak away for a garden center run and brought home some beautiful plants and veggies! 

Isaac was excited to help me plant which I loved! 

We also learned that we have tremendous worms in our yard -- bring on the fishing! 

Warming themselves in the sun! 

Big girl clothes again --- sporty spice in her Under Armour and fancy shoes! 

Finished off the weekend with a cake delivery from the neighbors - 4 folks and 4 happy peeps - :)