Date with my Boy

I think I am ready to not go a month at a time.  I was looking at August's pictures and way too many u things happened to put them all in one post.  So I think this means I am back on track mostly with my blog!!!


On August 2nd Ben had an eye appointment in Williston so we turned it into a Mommy Son date and went to Smuggler's Notch on the way home. 

As for the eye appointment, he doesn't have to patch anymore.  His eyesight went from 20/200 to 20/40 and has held there for the last several appointments.  He has to wear his glasses during school and as much as possible at home.  He will probably have to wear glasses until 3rd grade and then we reassess at that point.  Now for the Notch.

Ben was so excited.  He put on hiking boots, brought a backpack and "special" hiking gloves.

At the bottom ready to go

Checking out a cave

LOVE!

Oh yeah I had Noah on my back.  Let me just say that I deserve some sort of medal because I went everywhere Ben went.  If he climbed a rock face to get in a cave, I climbed a rock face to get in the cave.  That said, the random strangers who had to help me down the rock face to get out of the cave also deserve medals.

Look how small he looks up on those rocks!

Ben was fearless.  He ran up the slope, ran back down to get me, ran back up the slope again.  If there was a rock he jumped up onto it and back down the other side.  My heart got exercise in more than one way

When we got to the point where the incline was too steep for me Ben gathered some special rocks and carried them down in his backpack.  When he got to the bottom he said, "Mommy I can't do this anymore." So I took the backpack and the thing weighed at least 10 lbs, at least.  We had a great time.  He is such a sweet boy and I am so glad he is part of our family.

July

Well here we are at July!  We are ripping through the months now.

Jacob and his friend Hattie are so sweet together.  I have so many pictures like this.  If they ever get married they will have the best slideshow ever.

I am not sure what Ben is looking at but he looks purposeful doesn't he?  Oh by the way these are taken downtown at the 4th of July fireworks

Aaron and I went to Connecticut for our 10th wedding anniversary.  Noah was still sensitive to milk protein and it freaked me out to have anyone but myself feed him (even Aaron) so he came with us.  This is on a submarine either at Mystic Seaport or the Naval Base

Our travel companion, after food I am sure

We put Noah forward facing just for this trip so he wouldn't get lonely.

At the memorial for Captain Steven Stow Aaron's ancestor.

When I die this is all I want on my gravestone.  Ok maybe not but doesn't it say so much with one simple word?

Aaron on the lot where the house his family lived in when he was born, on Chapel Street.

Best picture ever!!! At East Rock in New Haven, CT.  There was a beautiful peaceful park there with trails all through it and a great view of the city.

Anniversary sandwich.  I am not sure if this photo in front of an ancient dead oak is a good omen or a bad omen for our marriage.

On a  ship; aaarrggghhh this is why I need to post more often.  It has been so long that I can't remember the name of it.  I will have to go to Mystic Seaport's website to find out the name...it is either the L.A.Dunton or the Joseph Conrad

Notice that Aaron and I are standing in the same spot but for some reason I am much more comfortable down there.

Noah in the hotel.  We did something that was totally new for me.  We made reservations at a really nice hotel that was really close to a casino and was really cheap.  When we got there we learned that casinos like to monopolize and that there was nothing around except the casino.  They want you eat, sleep and shop only there.  The "cheap" luxury hotel charged extra for everything, a crib, internet, breakfast...we cancelled our second night and stayed at a cheap and not luxury Comfort Inn that was clean, had a great pool and was close to shopping and restaurants and gave us a pack and play, continental breakfast and internet for free

Never go anywhere with out a handsome man and a laptop. (Seriously that is how we planned everything.)

Inside Gillette Castle.  You weren't allowed to use a flash so it is a little bit blurry.  This place was quirky, amazing and totally worth a visit.

Outside the castle

Best 10 years of my life!

On the ferry crossing the Connecticut river.  Thanks kind stranger for not stealing my camera when you took our picture!

Back home with my sweet girl

My mother coached Sophie while she made this bag.  I am so amazed that she was able to make this.  I won't even let her touch my sewing machine, a sin I am trying to repent of.

Don't be fooled by that cute face.  He is a normal toddler, messes, climbing and the whole nine yards

My cousin and I both had babies in July.  We celebrated their first birthdays together at a Deslaurier Family Reunion but before the party they had to catch some ZZZZZs together.

BEAUTIFUL!

Birthday cake.  Thank you so much Uncle Craig and Aunt Muffy for the letters!

Nom, nom!

Remember what I said about trouble?  I am pretty sure I will have to destroy photos like this if I ever want to win mother of the year.

                                        

More evidence of trouble.  I think this is prunes and rice.  Self feeding is important but it sure is messy.

Aaron spent two weeks in July teaching at the Summer Language institute

His Chinese students loved him as much as his regular students do.  The man has a gift!

I foolishly thought I could store the peaches at ground level until they were ready to can.  You would think that by the 4th child I would have things figured out. 

Sophie and Ben attended a week long camp run by http://www.vermontfamilytheatre.bbnow.org/ where they prepared and performed Alice in Wonderland.  Sophie stole the show (not just a moms opinion) Rose

Ben was the cutest card guard there was

Some of the other cast

Jacob told me something on his back was bothering him and thankfully I actually checked and found this guy.  He came right out and I only slightly panic now when I have a weird sensation on my back.

                              

I bought this gorgeous ring for an anniversary gift for myself.  I LOVED it so much but very quickly after I got it one of the stones fell out.  They were only glued on.  I should have known for the price I paid.  Someday when I am rich I will pay someone to make this ring with actual bezel cup.  I cannot stress how much I loved this ring.  I think I have dreams about it still.

Phew!!! What a month!  More on August another day.

Oops

Ooops these got forgotten!

On my way home from Utah I had a layover in Washington D.C. and my sister met me at the airport with Miriam and Seth.  They brought me dinner from Chck-fil-a.  You should have seen the excitement on the face of the guy sitting next to us and then the disappointment when we told him there was not a Chick-fil-a in the airport. Do you realize how lucky I am that I got to see all of my out of state sisters on one trip!

Miss Sophie is a super duper helper and holding Noah in the Ergo is so much fun!

Look At Us Go!!!

Wow!  Look at this.  We are already at June!  June was a very momentous month.  Here's the proof!

Our bantam chickens arrived.  If you think a chick is cute, wait until you see a bantam chick.

Noah charmed people the world over (literally) being so adorable on the airplane to Utah.

Noah, Martha and I enjoyed some hiking in Utah.  It had been very moist there and this roaring stream behind me is usually a trickle,

What caption can one write to adequately describe a best friend?  She is amazing and I am so glad to have been able to spend time with her and her beautiful family.

We could have kept hiking but we didn't bring enough water.  Noah was quite the trooper!  Oh and I couldn't take a picture of it, but this is the hike where we saw a rattlesnake!  It was a very scary experience and I learned a lot and lived to tell the tale.

Awesome man Dan with Charlie and Noah

Cousin play.  What is funny about this picture is that we brought stale bread to the park to feed the birds but apparently it was a hot ticket for the kids too.

I had a FAR too brief gathering with the amazing Gile girls.  I did not give them the time they deserved.  It is so hard to fit in everything you want to do in a week.

While in Utah I ran my first 5k.  It was awesome!  I have done one more since and have plans to keep doing them until I die.  This is Noah watching from the sidelines.

I could not have done this without the support of several family members.  Becky ran with me and even though we did not run together it was such a support to know she was out there too.

Whenever I look at this I am amazed that it is me.  I look like I know what I am doing.  I look athletic.  How could either of those things possibly apply to me?

FINISH!!!!!

Abby and Brad came and cheered us on.  Again it meant so much knowing they were there.  It kept me going.  Plus if they hadn't come I would have had to run with Noah and I just don't know how that would work.

In 1997-1998 these ladies and I were roommates at Ricks College.  Our current home states from left to right...Wisconsin, Idaho, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska and yet somehow all of us ended up in Utah the same week.  Crazy huh?  I love these ladies like sisters and I am so glad to have been able to meet up with them. 

I had so much fun with my sisters on their home turf.  They were awesome hosts and took really good care of me.  This included a trip to the copper mine, Young Living Farm, super pizza and my first Cafe Rio (YUM!!!)  I can't tell you how honored I am that these are my sisters.

A tender moment with Jennifer and Noah.  She rocked hi m right to sleep.

Noah and Henry had a lot of fun getting to know each other.  Noah has the makings of a bully and Henry bore it with grace.

Sophie and Ben both had birthdays in June and I know that we celebrated them but for some reason the only photo I have is of Ben's birthday mohawk.  He kept it for most of the week of his birthday but got tired of the attention it drew and eventually cut it off

My amazing sisters who did the 5k with me.  I am so grateful that they took the time to not only support me by being there, but by actually doing the 5k with me.  It was a definite bonding experience for me and I hope to do it again with some of my other siblings sometime.

Again I did not have enough time to visit with Leah and Scotty I wish I could have spent a whole day with them.  They were so cute, they made me a delicious breakfast and had it all set out on the table for me.  I was so late it was cold and they must have been starving but they waited.  It was so sweet.

And that folks is what I have to say about June.