June 8

Nonna took the girls to visit Aunt Dawne and her grandkids.

Future Barry Manilows

The kid table

Aunt Dawne, Baby Lucy, & Laryssa

2 tired girls

Meanwhile, Mommy and Daddy went to the Statue of Liberty (the NJ side of it) and then headed over to Manhattan. Daddy drove and did a good job (keep in mind, it was a Sunday early afternoon)... until we got stopped by the National Puerto Rican Day Parade on 5th Avenue which was blocking us from getting to our hotel. We spent the rest of the day site seeing in the 98 degree heat (yes, we were lucky enough to be there during a record-breaking heat wave!). We saw: the Brooklyn Bridge, Christie's Auction house, the Grand Central Terminal, FAO Schwartz, Times Square (during the day and again at night), Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Central Park, and we took the NBC Studio Tours (we got to see where they film the Nightly News with Brian Williams, Conan O'Brien's Studio - surprisingly small, and the studio for SNL). It was a long day!!! Our hotel was located across the street from Rockefeller Center/Radio City Music Hall... it was a quick walk to most of the things we saw. We also rode the subway and didn't get lost!

View of downtown Manhattan from our hotel room in NJ

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Another view of Lady Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge

Daddy in Times Square

Don't you wish they made m&ms this big!?!

Did you know Trump is the 2nd largest land owner in NYC after the Catholic church?

The Sorting Hat thinks he's a slytherin.... Daddy in FAO Schwartz

Mommy with Harry, Hagrid, &Ron (all Legos!)

Central Park - it's so pretty it should be in a movie! :P

Central Park again

Daddy taking a rest in Central Park

Grand Central Terminal with the Chrysler Building in the background

St. Peter's Cathedral - amazing architecture!

The "Today Show" studio

Times Square is even neater to see at night!

June 7

Today Mommy and Daddy slept in and then just laid around and had a lazy morning until it was time to go to the wedding. The ceremony and reception were beautiful. Only problem was that it was 93 degrees outside and the reception was in a barn (a very nice one) that didn't have air conditioning! It was HOT! After the reception, we left for our hotel in NJ.

The church

Jason, Daddy, Chris (the groom)

The reception site (we were the first to arrive)

Michelle and Chris

This is the view behind the "barn"- the wood thing on the right is set up for a bonfire that Barrack Obama is having there in a month (it was 50+ ft high)

All cleaned up (and before we sweat our way through these clothes (seriously!)

We tried some new food (this was the antipasto)

Meanwhile, back at the fort:

The girls went to Mamaw and Papaw's neighborhood yard sale and then Nonna arrived to take over babysitting duties for a couple of days.

June 6

Today Mommy and Daddy drove to 800 miles to NY for a wedding. We left at 7:45am and arrived in Rhinebeck, NY at 11pm. We stopped for about 2 hours in Scranton, PA to check it out (we're fans of "The Office).

Daddy's getting a little loopy around the 9 hour mark

We think this is the clock tower in the opening credits of "The Office"

Dunderhead

Yesterday morning Kat had an appt with the Pediatric Audiologist. Her hearing is fine. She needs to be seen again in a couple of months to see if the amount of fluid has changed. After her appt, Mommy and the girls went to a park for a little while. At 10:30 this morning it was already hot in the shade!

It was too hot to play outside, so the girls watched "Cinderella" instead

The Naked Chef (with shoes)

June 5

Yesterday we went to the Library for story time.

Can you tell it was close to nap time and Kat didn't want to pose for a picture?

The girls participated in the Library's Summer Reading Program, which is why they got the yard sign and backpacks full of free coupons (Mommy's motivation for participating).

Finally got them calmed down enough to take this picture... still weren't posing, but at least they aren't crying!

Watching "Diego" before naps

Funny Story: Last night, a salesman knocked on the door. When Mommy opened the door, he asked Mommy if her Mom and Dad were home. Then he saw Julia walk about behind her and asked, "Are you the homeowner?". Then he apologized. Mommy was thrilled! It's been awhile since she was mistaken for a teenager!

After dinner, Daddy mowed the grass. The girls played outside in their sandbox and then helped Mommy do some yard work. We all took a break and ate Popsicles. After that, the girls played in the sprinkler to wash all the sticky off.

Julia drew Spongebob Squarepants

June 4

Well, our company left last night and the house is back to normal (somewhat). We had stormy weather all morning yesterday, so we were cooped up inside most of the day. Kat was pretty fussy last night and Mommy thinks it's due to over-stimulation/exhaustion. We have been going going going for awhile now, and it's just been a little too much. Last night everyone in the house was in bed before it was dark out. Today we're just going to take it easy.

Mamaw G, Julia, & Jessica playing with magnet dolls

The Mamaws playing trains with the youngins'

Jessica and Mamaw G having lunch at the kiddie table

June 3

Yesterday Mommy & the girls went to the zoo with Uncle Paul, LeighAnn, Scott, Jessica & Savanna. It was a hot day, but we had fun.

Our motley crew

Good buddies

Julia's taking "a little rest"

Kat finally enjoyed the water park!

Kat talking to Mamaw G

Daddy riding his new bike. He plans to train for a triathlon or duathlon next.

At about 5:30 this morning, thunder woke Julia up & scared her, so Mommy moved to her bed (Daddy had to go to her room twice in the night too because she was crying - but Mommy was in such a deep sleep she didn't hear her crying). This morning the girls slept in until 7:45, which is a full hour later than normal. It was awesome!

Also, Kat has learned a new word, "mine".

June 2

Jessica & Julia today

Jessica & Julia 3 years ago

Yesterday afternoon Aunt Susie, Uncle Paul, Cousin LeighAnn and her family, all got into town for a visit. Julia and Jessica (almost 4) hadn't seen each other in almost 1 year, but they remembered each other. Kids sure do have good memories (hopefully they won't remember all the beatings they have received). These pictures are from Mamaw and Papaw G's house.

Julia and Jessica washed hands several times because Mamaw G has bar soap at her house, and they think that's fun!

Future Louisville Harmonics

The girls played some sort of Alfred Hitchcock-sounding song for the ants. Poor things (the ants) probably dropped dead from the sound!

June 1

Is it really June already!?!

These pictures are from yesterday. For Daddy's birthday we went out for lunch with Mamaw and Bapaw. After lunch we all went to Incredible Dave's to play (it's like a Chuck-E-Cheese for all ages). Then Mamaw and Papaw took the girls home and Mommy and Daddy went to see the new "Indiana Jones" movie.

Mamaw got her exercise chasing Kat around

Julia enjoyed the miniature bowling

Mamaw and Bapaw playing Barbies

In the video, Mommy is Euro-Bungeeing. She didn't last long - it made her nauseous!


Today we have church and then later today Aunt Susie, Cousin LeighAnn, & her family are coming to stay for a few days!