Merry Christmas

Trimming the Tree

We officially kicked-off the Advent/Christmas season with Matt's first batch (of many, I'm sure) of to-die-for gingersnap cookies. Sorry Nana, we didn't save any for you. Must be present to win. I pulled out the ol' point and shoot for the first time in awhile today, so here is to quality non-phone pix! Cookies, egg nog, nativity, Bing on the stereo....

Now we're just waiting for the winter weather to arrive, 'cause we're all ready for the Christmas movie marathon :-)

Fall's Glory

Matt had to work today at an open house, so I enlisted the company of Aunt Cups, Rosie, and Uncle Mitch. We ended up hiking along the C&O Canal and having a lovely afternoon. The fall colors were simply amazing. I have not seen colors this spectacular for at least a few years.

Mr. Photogenic

Boat going thru the locks

Those two mules were pulling the above boat!

Missed you, Abby. Vin also photo-bombing ^^

 

The only pic Vin managed NOT to photo-bomb.  He has mastered a skill, clearly.

Smiling proof that fun, happiness, and enjoyment was had by ALL

It was kind of a strenuous hike and the kids did GREAT. The boys blew ahead of me the whole time and nobody fell off of any sort of cliff/height to their death, which made the day a big SUCCESS!!  And wow, looking at the pictures makes me realize how big my kids are getting. Not to sound cliché, but how did THAT happen?

Playing

Fun with Vin.

babababababa bad

to the bone.

The nurses may have not gazed in wide wonder, but i sure did.  And i knew he was babababad.

Take a listen to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlwRNCnsbUg

I think we have found his song.

First day of 1st and 3rd Grades

And now the boys' year has begun!  I'm so excited for them and happy to have them out of the house!

Park Quests

We got our act together back in May when it was time to sign up for park quest through the state of maryland.  And boy am I glad we did.  We have had a blast completing 11 of the 24 the quests.  There are only 1,000 spots available and they filled up in like 2 hours.  Not only has our family been able to spend time outdoors at the state parks for free, but we have also been able to spend time with our friends and their families!  Winning situation here!

I will be the first person to tell you that i am in general not a fan of too much nature.  I just don't like bugs.  They are gross.  But putting up with the bugs for park quests was worth it.  Matt and i were able to accomplish some pretty amazing quests with our crew of 4.  We took everyone canoeing, not once, but TWICE (and no one drowned)!  We explored a fort from the war of 1812.  We completed a 4 mile, rigorous hike.  We finished a 4 mile bike ride, while only having 2 out of 4 kids who can actually ride a bike.

Scenic view at the Fort Frederick Quest in western maryland

What is left of the flour mill along the patapsco river.  It was destroyed by hurricane agnes in the 70's

There really are some amazing parks here in maryland and we definitely are too cheap would not have taken the time to go to them without this amazing program, for which I am grateful.  Grateful for the opportunity to spend time with my family and friends completing adventures that I never thought we could accomplish.  All the while enjoying the backdrop of God's splendid canvas!  Once you get past the bug factor, nature is pretty cool.  Or so I've learned.

My Baby Girl!

And just like that, Agnes is all grown up *sniff, sniff*!  We dropped of Agnes this morning for her very first day of preK.  But no tears were shed; we were all much too excited for her big day!  Matt went and got a dozen donuts to celebrate, but she didn't eat a single one she was so nervous.  She told me after she came home from school that her tummy hurt this morning.  Then she said, 'i went poop at school and wiped my butt all by myself.  i am never going poop at school again until high school!'  Now, if that doesn't qualify for a big memory-making, first-day of school, then I don't know what does!

Me and my gal

Always daddy's little girl

Thankfully, everyone was able to trek down to the school and take her in for her first day!  Matt had to split as soon as we got back home!

Her brothers were so excited for her

She insisted on wearing her pearls - always a fashionista

It was right around this time that Agnes's nervousness really began to set in.  But she did great.  She gave us all a million hugs and kisses and was good to go.  That's my girl!

 They give the kids breakfast at Hillcrest, and since she is in the morning session she gets to partake!  However, she did not eat the strawberry poptart due to the nerves.

Agnes and her teacher's aid, Mrs. Traywick

 Agnes is fortunate enough to have the same teacher and teacher's aid that Peter had, Mrs. McNeilly and Mrs. Traywick.  They are great and have known her since she was Vincent's age when we would go to Hillcrest to take Frank to kindergarten.  It is hard for everyone to believe that she is so old!

Realizing how fragile the girl : boy balance in my family is

 So, for the next couple of weeks it is going to be just me and the boys in the morning.  I already miss my girl time that I am so used to having with Agnes while the big boys are at school and Vin is caged in his crib napping.  Nope, that is now a thing of the past.  C'est la vie.

These Are the Days - {WIWS}

I am linking up again with FLAP for another addition of What I Wore Sunday.  Go check it out here.  We just got back from the beach and reality is beginning to set in in the form of our totally unpacked suitcase on an already mile-high pile of laundry.  Matt goes back to school for teacher workshop on Wednesday of this week.  Agnes starts Pre-K on Thursday.  Last, but most importantly, the boys go back, but not until after labor day.

I keep telling myself I will get around to going through the kids clothes and complete a general organization/purge once everyone is in school.  Once I have JUST Vincent at home for two hours each day that goal of a totally functioning and smooth operating house is totally within reach.  And then I remember it is Vincent I will have at home for those two hours.  Vincent, whose catch phrase is 'i threw it on the ground'.  Perhaps you've seen the video?  Oh well.  Maybe it will happen, who knows?  In the meantime, i will continue to procrastinate and just enjoy having everyone home these last few days.

Onward.  This is what I wore.

Top: Limited thrift store find.

Pants: Gap, from a bazillion years ago.

Shoes: Target, same as last week.

Earrings: Target.

Adorable Ringlet: Gift from God, definitely not me.

*This weeks wonderful pictures were brought to you by the talented 4-y-o with the ringlet.

Outer Banks - 7QT

Abby and Mike went to the beach and were kind enough to invite the Bronzis along for part of their trip.  It was awesome. Totally exhausting, but worth it.  It was a trip full of making wonderful memories of boogie boarding, late night dinners and bed times, miniature golf, kite flying, ghost crab hunting, fireworks on the beach, donuts for breakfast, and perhaps, most memorable, never-ending Gatorade.

-1-

We watched the sunrise over the beach, or tried too.  It was quite cloudy.  And early. But the donuts that followed made up for the painful wake up time.

-2-
Bill can rock the t-Rex arms!  Pete and bill can rock the jams on the beach.  Cuuute boys.  They played about 1,000 baseball games.

-3-

These two can be summed up with one word: trouble.  Do not be fooled by their cute faces.  Trust me, they've fooled ME before and it's not pretty.  It was pretty much a toddler free-for-all.  Like, all the live-long week.  You want as many donuts as you can eat for breakfast Win and Vin?  Sure.  Why not?!?!!

-4-

Exhibit 2, see above.  Toddlers allowed to roam free, practically naked?  Yup. Anytime.  Anywhere. I don't think our parenting skillz are exemplar.  I call this picture 'party on the roof'.

-5-

Vin loved on some doggies-woof-woof, as he calls them.  'twas adorable.  It was like a stuffed animal, but alive.

-6-
These gals are the best. Agnes got to do all the girl things with GIRLS that she normally has to do by herself.  Sisters are awesome, but girl cousins are the next best thing when you ain't got no sisters.  Just ask Nes.  They particularly come through in an I-want-to-get-buried-in-the-sand pinch.

-7-
Kill devil hill pic.  Unfortunately this was penciled into the schedule at the same time as the lulu meltdown.  Sooo, she was behind Agnes, to the left, busy rolling in the brush getting burs stuck all in her hair.  Good job catching those, Mike.

*Disclaimer:  lulu was not the only kiddo who had pencilled in multiple meltdowns into the schedule; vin, win, and nessie did that too.  Lots.

I am feeling largely blessed.  Not only do we have this fantastic, good-looking group of smart and kind kiddos, but we got to spend a week at the beach together.  And while it was an exhausting trip, it is the good, satisfying exhaustion.  The kind where you look back on all of your work and survey it and feel an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment.  And, mostly, gratefulness for all you have been given.

Now, I am going to link this up to Jen's 7 Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary.  Go check out everyone else's here.