beaching it with the keenans

i have this sweet friend to thank for introducing us to the beauty of duxbury beach...and the fabulous drive on sand unit pass.  thanks to her we are enjoying lots of days together in this most special spot. and today - a fun defoyd/keenan family outing. extra large sunglasses required...ha!

 

perfect picnic

wes came home early the other night and took e&b to the playground. while they were gone i prepared this little surprise dinner picnic for them. it was a perfect way to end the day, that filled our love tanks to the fullest.

 

camp putnam

a few highlights from our recent visit to one of my favorite places on earth...camp putnam! e&b adore it as much as i do...how can you not? bug juice, arts & crafts, happy campers, catching frogs, dirty feet and time with dear friends.

smucker's

my kids won't eat peanut butter & jam sandwiches. just won't. they say they don't like jam.  but to be honest, they haven't really tried it either.  because, what started as a birthday treat 2 years ago for ella...peanut butter & fluff, has held on as our sandwich of choice. i chose not to fight this battle since there are so many other lunch alternatives, and thought that a pb&fluff every once in a while was no big deal.  well...now it's all they want for lunch.  and in the fall we start that morning 5 day a week lunch box routine. so...the smucker's jar is in. the fluff jar is out.  bring on the smucker's!


today was a failure. i'm sure i'll lose tomorrow too. but i'm ready and rearing to bring this american tradition into their lives...one lunch at a time. wish me luck!

away with the girls

i enjoyed a most wonderful & really fun day & evening away with these sweet friends. we dined, shopped, played and laughed, laughed, laughed.

thankful tuesday, 7/12

the vacation edition... a list that i am most certain does not capture all of the most precious moments from the past week.

• ella's excited early morning announcement - "mom NO MORE DAYS until vacation"
• road trips as a family
• exploring a new part of our country - the finger lakes

• hiking watkins glen... a gorgeous adventure
• sunny days on the boat...and some tubing adventures
• wes & taylor's water competition

• picnics on the boat
• the perfect swingset & tree house
• swimming in the middle of the lake

• camp fires and s'mores
  
• pancake breakfasts 
• long chats with munner

• late night game nights of charades, apples to apples, pit, cribbage
  
• face painted cuties
• reunion hugs

• millions and millions of fireflies...and holding on to a few of them
• muppets movie night...and the adults reliving this childhood favorite with our kids
• 10 cousins playing non-stop...and loving every second of it

• staying up late and the kids' delight over this special treat
• sunsets on the lake
• our skit with the kids...the very hungry caterpillar

• corn hole & air hockey competitions
• generosity of mr. & mrs. mccoy
• the joy of a grandmother being surrounded by her 10 grandkids

• pink, purple and blue toes
• watching fireworks from the dock
• sparklers

• radio red giggles
• morning tai chi with justin
• ella's bear for uncle cory

 

• cousin tubby fun for dirty kids
• wegman's moments
• being teased to hysterically funny tears over those unfortunate wegman's moment

• 2,2,2....3,3,3....1,1,1
• celebrating maggie's & america's birthday
• bandaids

• brothers playing basketball... and hitting a shot or two myself
• watching your kids grow up so much in just a few days... family love sure does enrich them so!
• the perfect kiddo picnic table

• sprinklers and the kids' delight that their grandmother was running through it with them
• kids sleeping in the closet
• hammock snuggles

• cereal buffet on the last day
• water slides and the joyful shrieks
• 4th of july parade

• wes & justin's cocoon turned butterly
• charlie's coffee and erin's iced
• family star spangled banner sing-a-long

• family
• vacation
• memories