Happy Birthday E

Wednesday was E's 7th birthday. Really 7?? It has gone by too fast. We started the day out by going to meet Am's teacher and then going shopping to spend the money she had got from both grandparents. After lunch we ended up at the Pulley's pool. Where else would a child (well my children anyway) like to spend their birthday? Aren't they so cute. They always love each other this much! (hahaha)
I know the day isn't about her, but look at her swimming without a life jacket. It is so exciting to me still that a 3 year old can swim so well.
We went to Wegmans for dinner. (I got in trouble for taking this picture) She wanted her own Chinese food for dinner and this is where she chose. I love Wegmans.
She ate TOO much food and wasn't feeling well when her friend B came over to give her a big sugar cookie. She loved eating this all by her self over the next few days. Thanks B!
The highlight of her birthday was when her best friend Cameron came for a sleep over (they really missed you Bea) She had been asking all day when is Cameron coming over.
We sang and opened presents
then had cake and ice-cream.
make a wish...
Happy Birthday E! We love you!!

whats in your toilet?

8:30am C comes running up the stairs yelling "Mom there is a dying squirrel in the toilet" Poor little guy was swimming in the toilet and I don't know for how long. I got the strainer and got him out and put him in the garden. I don't know if he will live or not. He looked pretty tired. Can someone please tell me how he got in my house in the first place???

Stonybrook

Saturday we decided to take a trip to Stonybrook State Park. We normally go in the fall and walk up the gorge to enjoy all the fall leaves. This was the first time we had been in the summer and got to play in the water.

The problem with the water is that it was 59 degrees. The kids are so used to the Pulleys pool at a comfortable 80, that the only two that would get in the "pool" was Ab and T.

T didn't get in any deeper then this. Ab is a fish and she didn't care too much that it was so cold.

We walked up the gorge a little and the kids slid down the rocks like water slides.

E playing in a small waterfall.
A guy and his dog got in my picture. Oh well it is still pretty good without a tripod I think.
This is the big waterfall that we were hiking up to. The kids loved playing in it.

We had a pic-nic dinner and also played on the playground.

It was a great day together as a family.

My garden...

Do you remember this picture? This is what it looked like a few weeks ago.
Here are some of our yummy green beans
Acorn squash anyone?
I have 4 watermelon that are still growing and looking good
jalapenos
here is a zucchini that was lost under some leaves
a perfect green pepper

acorn squash that is ready to eat

what is the world am I going to do with all of these?
or all of these...

or all of these?
Em asked if she could pick tomatoes today. We ended up picking 3 huge bowls full. I had NO idea we had that many ripe ones. We also picked a few other things that you see. I had just given a bunch of stuff to a few friends and still had this left over. I decided to try fresh salsa and it turned out pretty good. I have 6 things in the freezer and enough to make more tomorrow after getting more lime juice. I love my garden!!

My sweet baby

My baby LOVES to swim. She would be in the pool all the time if we let her. The first thing she asks in the morning is if we get to swim and if she can get in her swimming suit. This year she learned to swim without her life jacket. She learned to swim under water, come up for air and go back under to swim the rest of the way. She can tread water pretty well for a 3 year old and she also learned to jump off the diving board and swim to the side. This means that next year all of my kids will be better swimmers than I am. I am so proud of her!

Corbett's Glen

We took a walk in Corbett's Glen tonight and loved it. It is about 10 minutes from our house and we are going back when the sun is shining. I tried out water pictures with a long shutter speed. They are ok, but I need a tripod and not just the fence.
Look at the difference in the water with the different shutter speeds.

Loved this little lady bug on the leaf. A macro lens would be cool.
The boys had fun climbing the falls. They had already had baths and were ready for bed when we went.
She didn't want to get her skirt wet.
She and Em were the only ones not in in their pj's
I can't wait to go back when the lighting is better. We have really liked going on our Sunday walks and have found some fun places.

more practice

Just one to share of this boy. I was practicing with skin against a black backgrounds. I have a few friends going to have babies soon and need to get the skin tones right before they are due! He looks a bit bright, but I thought he still looked cute.

plastic flowers

This is a yard in our neighborhood that we always get a kick out of. Every spring as everyone has flowers in bloom they stick plastic flowers in their yard.

the car

I have three other posts to put up, but again I am trying to narrow down the pictures I share. I was going to do it tonight, but we are watching Michael Phelps swim. YEAH!! Here are two from tonight!