A Little Game of Catch-Up

I feel so terrible that many of the recent blog posts are more of a catch up vs. a this-is-us-in-the-now, but what can I say.  We are just too busy enjoying the summer and being in the moment to have time to reflect on it.  So here I am...ready to catch you up on what's been happening.  But since I am short on time, I am going to use minimal words and lots of visuals. :)

James' Big Boy Room
This beautiful green monster has been sitting in this state for almost 2 weeks.  We have been too crazed to get our butts in gear!!!  Soon enough, this kid will be able to move into his new room.

Burke Lake

One word - Biking.

4th of July

All I have to say is PARADE!!!!  This was James' first parade and he LOVED it!  From big men in tiny cars to Redskin cheerleaders to librarians with carts, this parade had it all.  

Fountains & Ice Cream

How do the two go together, you ask?  Well, they don't.  I'm just saving time by putting some darn cute photos under the same headline!  The fountains are at a local town center.  James gets a kick out of the water and takes about 20 minutes to get the courage to actually step near it. 

Weekend in Philly

To sum it up, our Philly trip is best described as AWESOME!  We stayed in a great downtown hotel close to everything (and had lots of fun on the elevator).  We hit the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo which were both BIG hits with the little man.  We found some great local restaurants and ate some delicious food.  We chair danced while eating ice cream at Reading Terminal Market.  What could be better?!

Bubbles

The kid is obsessed with bubbles.  OBSESSED!!  When he wakes up in the morning, he asks to play bubbles.  When he walks out the door and sees the bubble barrel on the porch, he says hello and goodbye to the bubbles.  He eats dinner as if he were the Flash so that he can play with the bubbles.  He loves bubbles.  Bubbles are his life.  Bubbles are his love.  Thank you to whoever invented bubbles.

Dave Matthews Concert

We once again fulfilled our summer pilgrimage to Jiffy Lube Live to catch our/my favorite band in action.  This year's show did not disappoint, nor did the special VIP passes that my darling sister Sue's friend landed us.  Free food and alcohol AND a band member sighting - Mr. Rashawn Ross.  He is a newer member playing trumpet and other brass instruments (RIP Leroy!).  The concert itself was AMAZING with a really strong setlist.  We had a GREAT time - and thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for offering their babysitting services!

Potty Training

The time has come.  Soon enough, we will be a diaper free zone.  We are in the practice stage right now - just getting used to sitting on the potty.  But I see a potty training bootcamp weekend in our future!!

He is soooooooo going to kill me for putting that photo on the Internet when he is older.  :)

So that's what's going on.  I have a feeling that the next blog will be another catch-up at the end of August.  On the calendar we have a Nationals Game, a trip to Dutch Wonderland, a visit from Adriana & John and a possible visit from Grandma M.  See you in a month!

Disarray. Again.

So here we are.

Living in a mess.

Again.

Luckily this time, the mess is confined to the 2nd level and only for a short amount of time.  After photos to follow soon!

What a Difference a Year Makes

It's summer and you know what that means - VACATION!!!  We recently went on our annual pilgrimage to Bethany Beach and this time, we brought reinforcements: Grandma and Grandpa Q.  Our vacations to Bethany have become a staple in this family that date back to 2006.  We have created many memories in this beautiful beach town and this year was no exception.  If you recall, last year was fun, but a bit tough with our 1-year old toddler.  I think I said something along the lines of "Vacationing with a toddler is not really relaxing.  It really is just a change of scenery." So, so true.

Well, this year was (thankfully) a lot different.  Not only was James a year old and wiser, but we had two extra sets of hands which made all the difference.  Here's a peek into our week at the shore:

Day 1:  We're Here!
We arrived the night before and woke up to a beautiful, sunshiny day.  This day was not only our first day on vacation, but also (and more importantly) Lucy's 5th Birthday!!!!  Our little girl turned 5 and was showered with gifts including a new Floyd doll (red loofa) and lots of treats.

After the birthday celebration, we grabbed some breakfast at The Cottage Cafe and then headed to the grocery store to stock up on food for the week.  The Grandparents arrived a little later in the day and after a quick unloading of the car, we headed to the pool.  Our little guppy had a blast in the pool making for a perfect day 1 of vacation.

Day 2: Beach Bound

We woke up to another gorgeous day in Bethany and decided to head to the beach.  Last year's beach experience was not a great one.  We lasted a total of 90 minutes and they were filled with sand in the mouth and eyes, fly-away umbrellas and insulin pump malfunctions.  Not cute.  This year was much better.  We didn't pack light (do we ever?), but we wanted to be prepared for any and all situations.  

Upon arrival, all James could say was "Water! Water! Water!"  Ed immediately took him to the ocean's edge and they stood there for 30+ minutes.  James LOVED how the water felt on his toes - especially when the water pulled back and his feet sunk into the sand. 

After the fascination waned, he spent some serious time making sand castles with Grandpa who is the utmost expert in all things sand.  Especially sand bridges!  Remarkably, we lasted 3 whine-free hours - a miracle in my book.  Before heading back to the house for a nap, we grabbed some ice cream from Kohr's which I think that was Jame's favorite part.  

That night, we headed back into town for a delicious seafood dinner at The Blue Crab Restaurant followed by some time on the playground.  It was truly the quintessential beach day!

Day 3: Beach Bound Part 2

Since our first day on the beach was such a success, we decided to try to replicate it.  

Same strategy.  

Different results.  

The awe of the beach that captured James on the previous day seemed to have worn off.  It wasn't all bad, but after 2 hours it was time to go home and grab a nap.  The afternoon/night was low key and included a bike ride to a new, local playground.  Nothing makes James happier than the sight of a slide.  

Day 4: Dogfish and Date Night

I'm not going to lie.  This may have been my most favorite day and it's not because we got a much needed break from our rambunctious 2-year old.  :)  This was the day that we got to sample beer.  Dogfish Head beer to be exact.  

Ed and I visited the Dogfish Head Brewery a few years back and had such a great time that we had to go back again - and bring Grandpa along with us.  Grandma and James spent the morning home (watching endless hours of Elmo!) while we headed to Milton, DE to check out the Dogfish digs. Since our last visit, the company invested something like $20 million in the facility and it showed.  The tasting room was updated as was the warehouse and bottling plant.  Our tour guide was great as were the 4 free samples.  My new favorite - Saison du Buff. 

Part two of Day 4 was date night for Ed and I.  We kissed James goodnight and made our way to Rehoboth for dinner at the Cultured Pearl Restaurant and Sushi Bar and a walk around town.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!

Day 5: Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

We had another birthday to celebrate while in Bethany - Grandpa's!  It was present time as soon as breakfast was over and James was ready to help out.  Grandpa got some great stuff and James got to play with wrapping paper and tissue.  A win-win!  After presents, Grandma and Grandpa escaped headed to Ocean Downs and we went for a bike ride in Rehoboth.  The day ended with bubbles, a big Italian dinner (Grandpa's favorite!) and birthday cake. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

Day 6: Last Day

Our last day in Bethany was actually spent in Rehoboth trolling walking the boardwalk. Our main goal was to bring James to Funland so that he could go on the rides.  It would have been good if we checked the website to see when they opened because we were there several hours prior.  In James' words, "Awww, Nuts!" We did manage to play some carnival games and scored James two teddy bears so it was a win in our book.  After making our way through town, we found a park with a playground and tables for our picnic lunch.  Score!  The day ended with a failed attempt at some pool time hence the screaming photo below.  It was on that note that we packed up the car and headed out of dodge.  

It really was a great trip and we were so, so happy that Grandma and Grandpa were there with us.  I love that we continue to create new memories at the beach and I hope that the tradition continues in the future.  Happy Summer!!