Catch a Wave!

****CONSTRUCTION UPDATE****
Let me start by saying our house is beginning to look a little like our home again. Our contractor was here over the weekend and I asked him to hang up some things on the siding for me. I have had these things for a while just waiting for the point when I could use them. I got both things from AtHome America. Cute right????



I had bought a black outside light, but after seeing these things hung up, I went and got the brown one in the same style so it would match my other accessories. They were inexpensive enough that I was able keep the black one to replace our front one.

I have also been doing some small projects to get ready for the day when we are ready to move stuff around (after construction is done). I had a baker's rack that I bought right after I moved into my first appartment. It has green patina-ish speckles on it. I love the style but I am not into the cottage-ivy-green style anymore. So I painted it black. Someday it will be in my kitchen (cross fingers here!).
Here is a close-up of the original paint on the baker's rack.
Here is the post-make-over baker's rack. Picture it with bowls and stuff on it in the kitchen! Or just wait until I put it there and take a pic.

****THE DRIVE IN****
On Saturday Trav had a birthday party to go to. Some boys and girls from his class were there. It was such a nice group of kids. He had a blast. The little boy had been on his baseball team and his father and John got along well. After about an hour of the party, he called John up and told him to bring Chelsea and come over for beer and pizza. We had a lot of fun.

Then we took the kids to the drive-in movies. It is something we both did as kids and decided that we wanted to do it at some point this summer. We saw G-Force (I don't recommend it!). They had fun. Travis stayed awake until the movie was almost over. Chelsea had been asleep for a while. I think they had the most fun before the movie started. They made some friends and had some snacks. It was just this big adventure for them. Then they got into their PJs and watched the movie. Talking guinea pigs! Yahoo!





****COUSIN TIME****
On Sunday we messed around at home a little. Then we went to my mother-in-law's house for dinner with John's brothers, grandparents, sister-in-law, neice and nephew. My daughter is the youngest grandchild as of now and decided to call her oldest cousin "Big Stupid". Nick took it in stride being almost 13 years old. He was very gracious about it. I asked her to say sorry a dozen times and she flat out refused. So she sat in time-out while I wolfed down my dinner and took her home. The teen years are going to be a BLAST!

Travis invited his cousin Ethan to sleep over. I had to go to school on Monday, so John took them swimming at my aunt's house. Travis is definitely getting more sure of himself in the water.

Ethan caught a frog in the pool.


Chelsea was thrilled that Ethan was there. It was like having another brother who doesn't find EVERYTHING she does annoying and offending.

****OFF TO THE BEACH****
On Tuesday we headed down to Rhode Island to the beach. It was just our family. We had a great time. Travis was a little grumbly and Chelsea was impatient but it was such a nice day. We all ended up getting a little crisp around the edges.

The waves were huge. They knocked me off my feet more than once. Chelsea ran from them and screamed and laughed her head off.


Travis grabbed his boogie board and rode the waves (thus the title of the post). I am amazed that he enjoys using a boogie board. He hates water in his face. The thrill of the ride must be just enough to make up for it because he had a blast.




Chelsea's favorite past time was digging in the sand. She had sand everywhere by the time the day was over.


Travis found some boys who were digging a deep hole. Travis helped them for a while. Here he is standing in it!



****Eight Years and Counting! ****
Today is our eighth wedding anniversary! It is a truly sweltering day (just like the day we got married!). John is working today. We celebrated on the way home last night by going to a seafood restaurant. It was a good meal. The kids were well-behaved and John and I even got to enjoy a glass of wine together. Today it is just the kids and me. A neighbor invited us to join a group of people at Davis Farmland. Travis had gone to camp there when he was four and five, but we decided to be a little less structured (i.e. cheap) this summer. As usual with my neighbors, I forgot my camera so I have no pictures of the day. The kids had a great time, though. They have a cute splash park that the kids made good use out of. And of course we went on the hayride and fed the animals. One of the goats took the feed cup away from Chelsea and she had a fit. We left right before it started to rain!

Now it is evening and I am sitting in my nice cool house listening to my kids watch their movies. We were going to go up to the neighbors' house but I decided that the down-time was necessary after two days in the fresh-air and sun. John just got home and is chatting with the kids. For the moment everyone is content. No arguing or teasing. All is right with our world. Happy Anniversary to us!