Monday, August 26, 2013

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.


Thursday, August 22, 2013

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.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

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.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

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.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

First Link-Up

I am taking the dive and joining Fine Linen and Purple for their What I Wore Sunday Link-Up.  Go check out all the other ladies here.

Now the big question is - am I web savvy enough to put together a working link-up post?  We shall see.  I've been tooling around the old blog the past few days and blogger sure ain't what it used to be!  The last time I tried to switch things around was about the time I put the blog together in 2007 and things have changed.  Not to mention that getting a picture taken either before or after mass with 4 little ones running around is HARD, as in like almost impossible.  So, kudos to the regular participants.  This may be my first and last time joining.  For true.

The very same toddler is screaming at my feet.  As I type.  Boo!!

Dress: Ann Taylor via Goodwill
Shoes: Target, on super sale.
Necklace: Overstock, anniversary gift from back in the day.
So, I blame the messy house on the destructive and majorly always-out-of-sorts toddler.  Looking at you, Vin.

I did it!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Summer Catch-up

So, Matt had his birthday:
 
And, he is pretty proud he can blowout his candles:
So are the kids judging by the clapping, evidently.

We went to a badass nats game.  It was the second game of a double header.  The first game they lost.  Bad.  But our game, they won with a home run.  Bottom of the 9th!  It was an awesome game:




Then, the otolaryngologist had to go and take the wind right out of Matt's summer sails:


He may be a bit mad I put that pic on the interwebs....but don't worry, he has made a speedy, and almost full (I pray!) recovery:


In the meantime, Matt has become my primary Vincent bad-boy Bronzi babysitter, while the kids and I have been hanging at the pool like its our job.  We know how to roll, what can I say?  Summertime with all the vacay, poolside, and sleepovers is. the. life.