letty's friend party

I have a love/hate relationship with having a child who's birthday resides in the summer. Number one, they are never in school on their birthday. Who would want to be in school!? Which also means that I don't have to worry about sending in a treat. Yay! It also means I can pretty much count on the kids doing a pool party with their friends. However, a lot of friends are out of town or super busy because it is summer, even with me planning it out in like, June. When I asked Letty who she wanted to invite I had to cap it because man, that girl has a lot of friends! And I would love to have them all! I would! But our pool isn't the largest and after her field hockey party earlier this month I was like wow. There's a limit, ya know? Especially when I'm sort of in charge of keeping them all alive.

letty's early birthday party

Oy oy! It’s birthday time over here and the first to kick off the partying is Letty! Since we will be on the road next weekend we celebrated her eighth time around the sun a wee bit early. With a Shopkins themed bash! How she is only having this theme now is beyond me. Girl loves her some Shopkins for many many moon. So first up! La familia! We swam (even Poppop!). We ate. She opened so many gifts and goodness we need a bigger house at this point for all the toys.  She chose hot dogs, cheeseburgers and fries as her menu as well as Aunt Beth's now famous honey sriracha chicken. Of course. My poor sister. Cooking for a kid not even her own. Shouldn't make such tasty dishes I would say...

the actual beach!

Our final day at the beach was mostly sunny and just perfect! I would have been so annoyed if we weren't able to at least put our toes in the sand on the actual ocean! I made sure to be out the door running early so that I could help prep. You know, packing to head home but also packing for a day at the beach and also making beds and cleaning up a little and so on. Our Olsen Five was ready bright and early so we took a load of gear and left for the beach before the rest of the group.

what to do with kids at the beach when it rains

Drink. 

That's about it. Okay I kid, I kid. But seriously. 

Our Saturday over the weekend was rainy from almost sun up to sun down. I had the bright idea to have everyone join me on my morning run around Northside Park figuring I'd do my three miles and the kids could burn off some energy at the playground simultaneously. Well when we arrived it was pouring and just as my run ended it started up again. We were soaked to the bone. Starting our day off right. 

a boat day to assateague and then some!

We spent our weekend back down at Matt's aunt and uncle's beach house for an Olsen weekend, joined also by Matt's brother and his wife and their two kids. It's been a long standing tradition! You know me and my traditions.

We arrived mid-afternoon on Thursday and while Matt slaved away helping Uncle Glenn build a ramp for the boat I sat on the deck watching the kids and sipping a margarita or two. The rest of the group arrived right after the sun set, which as we know, I love a good sky! Let the party begin!

america's favorite pastime!

Everytime I say that I snicker to myself and think of Edward Cullen. Just me? Thought so.

Seeing as my goal is a Sandlot-type summer, obviously going to a baseball game was on my mental list as something that that had to be done this summer. Matt got a bunch of tickets last week and we gathered up some friends and off we went for a double header. Now of course we didn't make it the whole way through (even the first game) but I'd say eight innings isn't so bad. Beer and baseball. Battlestar Galactica.

a day in the life

These summer days are fleeting aren't they? I mean hello it's the third week of July already!! Things are escalating quickly now! One morning last week I was sipping my coffee and thinking about that and decided I wanted to do one of these posts before the summer is over. I fought back some tears on that thought, to be sure. Anyways this was a week ago (already! wah!).

7:00 am

My alarm goes off and I quietly head to the kitchen. Which how fabulous these slow mornings have been?! And the sun is already up! I fold the laundry I had put in the dryer the night before while my coffee brews. I usually drink this in silence and play with my phone for a bit, just waking up slowly and all that. All this before going down to the treadmill for my morning run. 

david's friend party!

You guys. We made it. To the end of the birthday posts for David. To think that I'll be doing this again in what, a week (?) for Letty just makes me want to hide. I'm sure you feel me on that. Okay so last year I let David have some friends over to swim and play and all but a few were busy. So. I made sure to text/Facebook message all the moms I could before school was even out so this poor kid could have more friends attend. Even with that far warning quite a few still couldn't make it. Summers are hard. Anyways! Thankfully the rained passed and the sun came out and a party was had!

david's sixth birthday party

David's birthday celebrations continue! This time with a little family gathering! You know, only the essential personnel.... Tallying up somewhere in the 18 people range or some such thing. Which is just the way I'd have it! I let the kids pick a "theme" which basically comes down to what paper products I buy (yes Matt that still should be a thing) and David chose baseball. Shocker!

field hockey girls, assemble!

Oh these field hockey girls! I've decided that I love them. They are such a good bunch of little ladies and their momma's are such a good bunch of momma's and I like to pretend that they will be friends forever. Or at least through high school. That can be thing right? Just look at them all on their last day of summer hockey camp!

david's actual birthday

I love my kids. I really do. But David's birthday was the birthday that never ended (this is the birthday that never ennnnnds, it just goes on and on my friennnnnnds). You're welcome for that, I'll have you know. But seriously. This birthday! We started it off the beginning of the week with friends celebrating... and then there was his actual birthday.... and then parties! So here we are. Starting it off with his actual day of  birth, which was Wednesday.

michaux state forest

When we were driving home from Sheandoah and much (relatively) closer to home I took to google maps to see what mountain range I was seeing here in PA. Which ended up being part of Michaux State Forest. I have been pestering Matt ever since to go back there but as it's over an hour and a half you can understand his feet dragging just a bit. But as I mentioned the other day he had off work so! What else should one do on a Thursday when one's husband is home free! Travel to hike and see nice views!

a greek fourth of july

Apparently, as we know all know now that I'm Greek, it should come as no surprise to anyone that my mother's very best friend is Greek. Oh how we love that Yiota! And every year (when she is not in Greece, that is) this Greek friend of my mother's hosts quite the shindig for the Fourth! There are lots and lots of people, food galore, drinks, and most of the time, fireworks! We came bearing desserts and lots of patriotically dressed little children!

fourth of july at the pool

The heat wave continued on to the actual Fourth of July, and so as if we even needed an excuse, we had my family all come over for a swim before the evening's festivities. With drinks and snacks, of course!

who david is at six years

coffee talk!

I totally missed the link-up I normally do but I still really like these posts so. Pour yourself a cuppa of whatever it is that gets you through the day and let's have a little chat.

the lititz parade

I am fairly certain this particular year's Lititz Fourth of July Parade has split the family in two a wee bit. The one side loves parades and festiveness and traditions and the other well, they just don't like to be very very (very) hot. And hot it was, as the entire Mid-Atlantic Region (and plenty of other places too) was in the midst of a heat wave. Real feel somewhere in the 108 range I believe? And the humidity! But I simply will not be held away. The parade is on? I am there.

fourth of july festivities begin!

Our Fourth of July festivities started off last weekend with an invitation to one of Letty's friends's houses for her family's annual party. Every time I see her friend she brings up this party so the expectations were quite high, I'll have to say. This family goes to our church so I knew we would sort of know a few people there as well.... That always helps when one goes into an unknown situation.

hersheypark. at night.

Everyone have a nice Fourth? I can't believe it already happened! Where is this summer going!? Don't get me started.

One of the things I had in my mind to do with the kids this summer was to ride rides at night at Hersheypark. I don't really get it, because we ride a lot of rides at night during their Halloween and Christmas thing... but you know me, I get an idea in my head and I run with it. I also enlisted my parents in this endeavor.

rainy raspberry picking

Oh these raspberries. My favoritest of berries! They are also the hardest to pick, I'd say? But well worth it! This year my sister and her two joined us and right as we checked in the rain started! We hid out in our cars for a bit but then just decided to suck it up and with umbrellas in hand off we went! And this glasses thing? You may have seen my kids wearing glasses on different forms of social media these days... They are fake. Well, they are real sunglasses (from my sister's wedding when we channeled Runaway Bride) with the lens's removed. My kids love wearing them. Kids are strange.

the hunchback of notre dame

Last week my Letty Bet and I had the pleasure of heading into the city to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Fulton Theatre. All courtesy of my brother, who kindly gave us two tickets. I wanted to make a date out of it so of course we went to dinner at Character's Pub beforehand.... where I wisely got the hottest buffalo chicken salad of my life and Letty got herself a cheeseburger. She is just such a little lady now! No chicken nuggets for her these days no! We wandered around a little after  (with lots of rounds of but mom, are you sure we are allowed to walk there?) and landed at Dough & Co., per my sister's recommendation. Cookie dough sans raw egg? Sign me up!