Home Again!

We're home from our fabulous week in the Virginia mountains. We had such a good time, and even the loooong drive went better than I had expected. Beth and Matt just swam and swam and swam in the lake....they never wanted to get out. Carrie loved the boat rides, feeding the fish, and playing with my parents' dogs. Miss Katy loved being fed every 45 minutes, lol.










It is 90 degrees here so it's hard to believe that summer will ever end, but we are in fact planning on starting school back up next week. I've got the first four weeks all planned out and ready to go!

Picture Post

Wow, this summer is really winding down fast! We're trying to squeeze in a few more weeks of fun while we can. I feel like I have just gotten the hang of taking Baby Katy out and about, and now Fall is just around the corner. I do love Fall in New England though, and this will be our last one here.

This past week we....

Made Tie Dye


Visited the Aquarium


Charlotte, one of the kids' favorite animals there


Dug a big hole, lol



Visited the Children's Museum






Climbed trees


Went to the end of summer camp picnic


And watched our little princess grow even bigger!

Summer camp...

is over! Beth and Matt had such a fun time going. They met new friends, played games, did art projects, went on field trips, and so many other cool things. I'm so glad we decided to send them, especially since I spent most of my summer taking care of my new little peanut and didn't get out as much as usual.

We now have one more week of summer vacation here at the house, and then we will be gearing up for our annual family vacation in the Virginia Mountains. I can't wait! Well, I could probably do without the 14 hour drive, but I'm trying not to think too much about that.

When we get back, I think we will take one more week off, and then start school the week of Labor Day. I am ready, and I think the kids will be too by then. I guess I have Fall on the mind because it feels like it is here already. The last two days have only had highs in the 70's and lows in the 80's - it's been great!

We are using McRuffy K for Language Arts and Math this year, as well as Five in a Row. I have my first two weeks planned out. I think we'll just see how that goes, and then plan the next few weeks. Of course any scheduling I do has to be pretty flexible with a two year old and a two month old in the house. Wish me luck, lol. Outside of school the two older kiddos are taking gymnastics and swim lessons at the Rec. I'm trying to keep it simple this year. We just have so much going on and stay busy right here at home. Not to mention our big move to Missississippi coming this December.

It's a hat day!

Matt the tiger. This is so fitting for him since we always called him our "tiny tiger" as a baby.


Beth the piggy (with her friend Oma the Ostrich)


Carrie the bull

CG Day

Happy 220th Birthday!


Three of my little Coasties...


We spent our Coast Guard Day at Lake Compounce, just as we have all five summers we have spent in Connecticut. Lake Compounce is a locally owned amusement park, complete with a water park, rides, games, food, and the lake of course. It was hot, so the kids spent the first several hours playing in the pool and on the water slides. It was pretty hard having little Katy out in that weather....there was not a place to sit or a patch of shade to be found on the water half. Once we made it over to the amusement park side things were easier. Beth and Matt were big enough to ride a lot of things by themselves this year, so that was nice. As for Carrie, she had Daddy to take her around the park! After many hours of playing in the park, we finished our trip with a big picnic dinner with all the other Coast Guard families. All in all a good day!

It's August!

That means we have had sweet Katy home for over a month now. She is just all kinds of cute! I have no desire for her to get any bigger at all....but of course I can tell she is already growing and will soon leave the newborn stage behind her. She's much more alert these days and is becoming a champ at holding her head up.



Life is still crazy for me, and I feel like I live for the weekends when Matt is home to lend a hand. Everything seems just perfect when there are two of us and four of them. I'm still getting used to there being four of them and one of me all week! Beth has really matured at least, and has become quite the little helper. I can't believe she is in kindergarten this year - I feel like it was just yesterday that she was my baby! Almost all my baby clothes have gone through all three girls too (and some went through Matt as well) and I can so clearly picture each of them in the little outfits I put Katy in.

Now Miss Beth is all long arms and legs, and loves to swim and bike. I think that by next summer she won't even need the floaties or training wheels. I took she and Matt swimming twice this weekend, and they are both looking really good.