A trip to the Coast

Last week I took a BIG step.  We left the boys for 4 days and went East for a beautiful wedding.  Between 2 babysitters and my in-laws (thanks Harry & Lori), the boys were well feed, played with, loved and cared for!  It was hard for me to leave that long, but also good too.  I think it was a way for God to force me to give up the illusion of control I think I have.  It's hard to write daily instructions for the way your family works...can you explain the goodnight routine or way you do each little habitual thing you do? No, but the kids are fine with a little change and even welcome it and it helped us all clear our heads.  It's been a wild few months and we all just we're blessed to have some time to step back.  Now that were all together again, it seems to have really been just what we needed!

But back to the trip.  We did bring one small pink ball of babiness, and she was a rock star traveler!  We hopped on a just over 2 hour flight to Connecticut and drove to Old Saybrook where we met up with the rest of the family and friends.  It's a beautiful little town right on the coast.  We arrived in the neighborhood we stayed in and met out new house for the long weekend.  She was old, eclectic & really beautiful.  She also was original to the neighborhood, so aside from the plumbing and electrical updates it was basically wood with no insulation, no AC, lots of ants and lots of unique features...like my parents bathroom which was in a garden shed.  My dad loved showering with shovels and roundup.  Haha!  But I thought the house was really really cool and loved the experience.  Ry and I were laying in bed one night talking about who was sleeping in our room 100 years ago...LOVE all the history in that part of the country!  We had a great few days before the wedding, shopping, eating, boys golfed, walking around, drinking wine & just being together.

Here's some pics from our adventure:

Lunch with the fam on the dock

We just happened to run into this little fella.  The beaver joke goes back many years between us siblings so we were delighted to pose by him on our trip.

Richard girls & Coop

Cousins in car seats along for the ride!

These pics are from a little spot in Essex, which is a town we visited.  We loved the flag poking through the window.

Just the 3 of us, a very rare moment

We had some really yummy eats on the trip too, that I had to document:)

Ry's lobster roll

My lobster grilled cheese and tomato basil soup...YUM!

And then there's this.  A Fo Yo bar where you can add your own toppings.  WOW-O-WOW!

And now to the business of why we came!  To celebrate our sweet friends.  My family has lived a few houses down from the Connell family for almost as far as I can remember back.  They have two boys, John & Mike and we all grew up just like siblings.  It was Mike's turn to tie the knot with his sweet bride Caroline and we were very thrilled to be there.  Getting to be at a wedding where you are so closely involved is always such a great reminder of God's blessings of people in our lives.  Long friendships that become family.  We are so lucky to have that in ours and celebrate the joys together.

C Lu is dressed in wedding PINK and ready to celebrate!

Andy was a groomsman, aren't they cute in the pink check ties??

Mike in his bow tie!

The whole fam!

SO beautiful and just a titch windy at the reception looking out over the water.

A view from inside the tent...gorgeous!

My hubby, so East Coast with his shot of clam chowder and bow tie...

And just a few more shots on the beach before we go...

This was the amazing house the wedding was at!  

Such a fun trip, beautiful wedding & experience not to forget with lots of memories!

  A get-away much needed and a coming home to happy hugs from the boys...LOVE!!

June: C Lu @ 2 Months

Hello little June bug!

Here you are at 2 months.  

12lbs 12oz

23.5 inches

95%

Growing like a champ!  And I can tell you are because your headbands fit around your head now and I am having too much fun putting them on you!

We see lots of emotion from your cute face now, some happy and some sad, but that smile melts all of our hearts.

Our favorite thing to do is still of course getting in as much baby snuggles as you'll let us.  I love waking up to your face.  It is usually looks like this, lips all pursed like a little lady.  And I snuck this one of you and daddy snoozing too...or you just smirking at his snoring maybe??!!

Love you sweet girl.

One of our friends little boys misunderstood and thought your name was Crosberry, and called you that all afternoon the other day, and it has stuck.  We think you are a riot little Crosberry, Happy 2 Months!!!  Many more to come my darling!

xoxo,

mom

SUPER 5

Today he's 5!

Very hard to believe little man.

If you ever read back through this blog when you are older you will shake your head at how many times I say, it went by tooooooo fast.  Then you will have kids of your own, and you will know what I mean:)!  It's a theme of parenthood...the days are long but the years are short.  That is something I find truer every day.  This last year with you has been a lot of fun.  You are growing into someone who is quirky and funny and creative and smart and chatty and clever (sometimes too clever) and very imaginative and still snuggley and still our little man who is just getting bigger.  

To give you an idea of where you are at 5, here's a short list of Q & A's!

Me:  What do you want to be when you grown up?

You:  A monster truck driver

Me:  What is your favorite thing to do?

You:  race bikes

Me:  What's your favorite color (do I have to ask??)?

You:  RED

Me:  I thought it was pink

You: No mom, RED, hello??!!!!

Me: What's your favorite thing to eat?

You:  Noodles...spicey or any noodles.

Me:  You're my best Griffin in the whole wide world.

You:  You're my best mommy in the whole wide world.

awwwwwwwww!

And...a hilarious realization by you from earlier this week:

Dad and I were changing Beanie in his room and you were in ours "babysitting" Crozi Lu.  

All the sudden you started screaming, 

"EMERGENCY EMERGENCY, Come quick!!"  

So we ran into our room in a panic yelling all the way there, "What's wrong Griffin??"

And you said, in a very concerned voice, "Guys, Crosbi lost all of her teeth!"

Whew!  Worry out the window and lots of giggles followed as we explained she didn't come with teeth!  You were relieved and so were we.  

On your birthday this year we met up with Charlie (your buddy since the beginning) for a birthday donut, played at the park, did an art project together, watched your favorite show, had dinner at your favorite resturant (noodles...you had the spicy ones, your fav!) and then let you shop for a toy of your choice at Target!  At dinner we rehashed the day you were born, it's SO fun to tell you your arrival story each year.  Not a bad day for a big 5 year old.  

5 years ago you changed our lives and hearts in ways unimaginable.  God has used you to mold and shape us and help us start a family.  We are forever thankful and blessed.

Without you there would be no car noises, monster growls, wild stories, bouncy curls & fits of Griffin giggles filling the rooms of our house.  Without you we wouldn't know about Lighting McQueen, why the literal meaning of the pharse "dirt magnet" seems to hold so true, what it feels like to hold something you love more than yourself in your arms, what it feels like to see God working in your heart and life in a huge way through a tiny person.  Without you we wouldn't be us!

We love you G man!

"Here's to a child who is joyful and clever.

Happy Day.  Happy Year.

Happy Always and Ever."

~Sandra Boynton

And the rest are pics from your birthday party with your buddies.  Most are from your preschool class.  We went with a super heros theme per your request with some help from daddy, who was able to have the day off and help with the activities.  We made "Captain America Sheilds", had the "Iron Man launch pad" bounce house, the "Hulk Smash" pinata & gave each friend a cape to take home!  Each member of our fam had a super hero shirt that you picked out so we were all in theme!  You had a SUPER time indeed and told us it was the BEST PARTY EVER!  

And that's a wrap...or an unwrap:)!  

Happy 5th G!