Oaks Park

Austen graduates this week from grade school and is moving on to the world of middle school (scary stuff) and today I chaperoned the annual 5th grade field trip to Oaks Park. Despite the initial down pour, the kids (and I) had fun riding roller coasters and the Disk-O, the Scrambler, a ferris wheel and much more. We had a picnic lunch and I got to hang out with a great group of 11 year olds.

Faux-hawk Cuteness

A Nice Day Outside

McGillicuddy enjoying a ride with a friend...



Fascination with what's growing behind the garden gate...


Clothes on the line...


A dear old friend...



Up the slide...



A beautiful boy...

Today's Favorite Pics (yes from the new camera)

IT'S A CAMERA!

After the untimely demise of my old camera, I began courting other cameras immediately. The one I wanted was way out of my price range, so I lowered my standards a bit and today we bought the Nikon D60. Truth be told, I'm not the most talented of photographers, but I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the pictures I took today.


My cute Will...



Hot Soup chillin' on the grass...



And some of my daycare kids as photography guinea pigs...

IT'S A GIRL

No, I'm not pregnant (darn it). Michael's daughter Kelsea called us quite unexpectedly the other day, putting to rest many unanswered questions. On July 31st, Michael and I will be flying to Arizona to reunite with the daughter he has not seen since she was nine months old. We will be celebrating her 13th birthday while we are there and plan to spend several days getting to know her. The boys will meet her at a different time, but they are very happy to have another sister. We've told them about her over the years, but now she is real. I plan to take lots of pictures with my NEW CAMERA!!!! Finally, I can take some decent pictures.

Owen's Birthday (A Belated Post)

On May 9th, my sweet Owen turned seven. He was the baby I begged for, my "just one more" baby (which in hindsight seems so funny now that he has three younger brothers!) Owen is quiet, shy, athletic, always trying to please and trying to avoid trouble, a complete and utter mama's boy (such bliss!) This year marked the first time he was interested in having a real birthday party. He's never been one to seek attention and tries his best to avoid it. Having scores of people sing to him and watch as he opens gifts and blows out candles is not his cup of tea, but this year he wanted a party with friends. We booked a party room at Out of This World, invited his friends (and some family), made some Pokemon cupcakes and had a blast. Owen was social and outgoing, ran wildly, opened his gifts with reckless abandon and sat patiently through the Happy Birthday song (and blew the candle out BEFORE the singing began.) He must be growing up...

Owen was very excited to get some cash...




Owen and his Peekichu cupcake...


Pokemon cupcakes...




And how it began...