seagull adventures

it's always an adventure when the defoyd / russell crew gets together.  this week's destination was the beach for some serious sand castle building, wave riding and an all out seagull picnic. i'm wondering if seagulls have ever eaten so well? i think not.

thankful tuesday, 7/26

do you like the new blog header? i finally figured out how to make a collage in picasa...hooray! but that's not what i'm thankful for...it's for blessings like these!

• kiddo's first sleepover at anya's
• date night with my hubby
• enjoying 10 years of fantastic harry potter films
• counting stairs with the bennett (1,2,7,13,17, 10)
• girl's night out to the pub
• ella's first week of vbs...pandamania
• rocking out to the pandamania sound track with the kids
• serving with joy
• wes' chilvary and running out to the pharmacy in the middle of the night
• sunday night picnic with friends...a beautiful way to end the a weekend
• e&b's first baseball game
• a great night with the brenners/adams/walsh crew - thank you!
• all 4 of us crashing for an afternoon nap
• daisy chains with ella
• rain after some hot hot days
• going on an "elija hike" with 16 sunday schoolers
• living vicariously through my future sister-in-law's summer in africa
• a baking, braiding and bonding afternoon with ella w/o the boys
• my sports illustrated magazine fly swatter
• sticker mischief
• bennett's recycling

locomotive love

our little train conductor got to have an impromptu encounter with this antique locomotive up in lowell this weekend.  a neat moment for our little train lover.

a night at the ball park

a really fun night with our dear friends at the lowell spinners game. admittedly we did more chatting, snacking and sweating than actually watching the game...but a great first outing to the ball park for our little sluggers. thank you jody, kurt and the adams/walsh crew for a great night!

daisy chains

i needed a little inspiration for an afternoon project...so ella & i visited the local flower shop and picked up these pretty daisies.  though it may have been even more memorable in the middle of a field somewhere...we so enjoyed our time together making daisy chains.

 

garden treasures

when grandpa and mary come for a visit - we always go up to the farm to check on the garden. but since our first visit way back in may - my dad has brought some treasures that he secretly hides in the gardens and the fields for the kids to find.  ella is convinced that the garden is magical...truly! here are some pics from one of their treasure hunts.

thankful tuesday, 7/19

• kindergarten camp...the preparing phase
• "gym-mamas"...pajamas
• the perfect picnic
• a few hours up at the farm controlling our tomato jungle
• ella & bennett under the apple tree
• fun cookout at friends
• fearless little swimmers
• volleyball
• a great day at the beach with friends
• bennett's "argh...shiver me timbers!"
• a night at camp
• bug juice mustaches
• ice cream for breakfast
• clean windows
• praying for a friend's little boy
• ella's growing confidence...wiping those tears and going for it (we had a big week in this area!)
• that 30 minutes of filling water balloons takes less than 3 minutes to go through
• the sweetest moments...and bursting with joy
• hair detangler spray
• lobsters at the end of a perfect summer's day

ice cream for breakfast

these kiddos woke up soooooooooooo early this morning.  and this mama was sooooooooooooooo crabby about it. crabby, crabby, crabby.  to shake it and to start the day on a more positive note....we had ice cream for breakfast. how could our day not turn around to the giggles and shouts of "this is the best thing ever, ever, ever!"

 and now it's time to go make these rascals some real breakfast....and to have another cup of tea!

july's sweetness

i love how with each summer month comes a family outing to the farm for some picking.  in june, strawberries. in july, blueberries. in august, peaches. in september, apples.  and i love that we have so many wonderful family farms nearby that we can explore and enjoy the sweetness growing on their bushes. and i love the inspiration these little berries bring in the kitchen.

i love the smitten kitchen blueberry bars.  and thankful for summer picnics, cookouts and beach outings so that i can share vs. eating the entire batch myself. 

and i love when this muffin makes his scrumptious blueberry pancakes for me.  he really should open his own pancake shop!

and for those friends who remember last year's unfortunate blueberry bennett poo mistaken for oreo cookie incident...i love that we haven't had any of that confusion this year :)