Vacation Bliss

Well Nate just had one of his three weeks of vacation for the year, and we spent part of it in Utah with Nate's family and the other part boating in Wyoming with my family. It was so fun, but WAY to short. Liam has packed a shoe box, a backpack, and found "things" that he has to take back to Nana or Papa's immediately.

He said that he wants to live in Utah, not Pennsylvania. I told him we were going to try and go back to Utah when it snowed, so this morning he ran to the window and asked energetically "did it snow? Can we go to Newtah now?" Not yet buddy.

Here are some pictures from the vacation.

There is nothing Owen like better than playing outside, except maybe playing outside naked and since Nana lets my boys do about anything that's what he did one day. However older brother wouldn't go without his rashguard on. They are so polar opposite!





Poor unsuspecting Owen had no idea that once he was close enough, brother was going to release the cold water. Or when he was pleasantly playing by himself get sprayed. I guess that's what big brothers are for, to TORMENT!





Who ME? No, I was just running from over there and Owen ran into the prinklers...




Almost to safety...



Save me Nana!


Liam has never cared if the water is cold, and he decided it was so funny to sit on the sprinkler.



Owen on the other hand likes the water to be warm, say like a bath or hot tub. Oh perfect!




We also got a surprise visit from Aunt Andi who also was in town for a day while we were there. She got pulled into a game of Blues Clues that Uncle Justin and Kristin had been playing with him, I'm sure that's exactly how she wanted to spend her time!




We had a great time with the Poulsons eating at Lonestar, Cafe Rio, Greek Souvlaki and many other favorites. We also got to see the new Harry Potter, thanks to Bompa not being a fan and offering to watch the boys.

Then it was off to the Lake...

Freemont Lake

We have found the Golden ticket of Lakes. It's this beautiful lake in Wyoming in the small city of Pinedale. So small they don't even have a McDonald's. (There is a subway in one of the gas stations, but that's the only chain or fast food they have up there.)

The lake is almost always glass since the water temperature is anywhere from 65-67 degrees (Nothing a dry suit can't handle!) so we are the only ski boat on the lake,(Oh and the guy who owns the purple ski nautique who sets up a buoy course. Thank you very much!) I believe, it's one of the cleanest lakes in the U.S. I don't have to spit out the water I inevitably swallow when I crash like I would at Utah lake. Since it is from a glacier run off it's crystal clear and is a sight to behold.

They have cabin like rooms right along the lake, a beach for the kids and a really expensive restaurant in the the lodge that has the best French onion soup. (Hold the onions)

My Dad bought a new boat, I think last year, and we went out in it one afternoon to Utah lake, but it was really choppy and I only got to wake surf, so I was so excited to be spending a few days only boating. That was until we were getting ready to launch the boat.

We had everything ready and were driving down the partially dirt road and hit a pot hole. I was relaxing on the bench seat and all of a sudden had the wakeboard slam into my face. I jumped up and realized my brand new sunglasses were broken in half, and my face was throbbing. My little brother asked if I was OK and when I pulled my hand away, I realized my vision was blurry due to the blood that was coming down my face. I said NO! And Rick tried to get Dad to stop but he couldn't hear us due to the loud diesel, so Rick jumps out of the boat to the street and runs up to the window of the truck. Dad stops and comes back to see "the Damage," He said it looked like I'd been shot in the face, but when we wiped away the blood, it was just four little puncture wounds from my glasses; which I think saved me from stitches!


This was the next day,













And these are day two or three, I had two black eyes, and people were giving Nate bad looks when we walked together. But that didn't stop me from enjoying my weekend of boating.




Other than that the rest of the week was near perfect, I was even able to utter the famous words from val, "It was the best water we've ever had..."

I haven't been on a ski in over five years due to being pregnant, C-sections, winter, bad weather/water and was really worried that the near 30 and out of shape me wasn't going to be able to get up, but it was just like riding a bike and I popped up on my first try and even got in a good cut or two. we also did a little wakeboarding,some wakesurfing,and even some sky skiing (pictures of that to come.)



Nate somehow improved his wakeboarding skills over the last five years (I'm going to look into whether or not he is really in residency or wakeboarding everyday on some lake in Hershey???) Unfortunately I only have the one picture of him since I took all the others with my Dads camera, but when I get them from him I will post his awesomeness!

The boys enjoyed making a hot tub with uncle Morgan at the beach, burying Liam in the sand until Owen was "helping" and threw it in his eyes, feeding the huge ground squirrels, "fishing", falling into the lake twice, and even a sleepover with Lexi.



















It was so much fun to spend time with my family and get to know my Nephew Graham a little better. He is such a good baby. Even though we had a little disagreement about some Guacamole, we became fast friends.
I got the boys matching Baja hoodies for the occasion and Grahmbos birthday since we'll not be there for it in September, and I wish that they made them for women too. I was jealous seeing them all nice and warm after skiing in the cold lake at night.


























But one of the highlights from the trip was watching my little brother be a dad and the difference between Moms and Dads. This is how Chris watched Graham while Mom was wakeboarding:




Totally safe right???

Thanks to all for the best week we've had in a long time! We miss Newtah like crazy, and I am reminded of that every five minutes.

Camping and such

A few weekends ago we went camping with the Banzhaf family.
Because of work schedules, we didn't make up to the site until after 6:30 that night and had to set up camp pretty quick!

Nate set to work on the tent, and I to get dinner started. I pulled out our double camping chair to set near the fire and when I started to pull out the chair, I noticed there was a bunch of debris coming with it.

It occured to me that it wasn't debris, it was where our friendly family of mice had set up there camp this last winter. I couldn't believe it. The chair has a few holes, but I guess it will still work for camping, but won't leave PA when we do, so if anyone wants it in two years, call it now!!! (Or maybe we will send it to Aunt Amy, she LOVES mice.)

This year, we went to Gifford Pinchot, and there were a lot more campers and the sites were really close together. I love how close Gifford Pinchot is, but I think I like the setting of Pine Grove a little better. Or maybe it was better because Owen was only six months last year and went to bed on cue, slept through the night, and didn't try to continually TOUCH the fire?

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Or Maybe it was better because our neighbors in the campsite adjacent to ours didn't hook up a spotlight and keep it on ALL night so it felt like it was day? (But who knows, maybe we hit PG on a quiet weekend last time and GP on a full weekend???)

Liam however did GREAT! When I told him not to touch the fire, he obeyed, when he got tired, he told us he was ready to go to sleep, and did...And this year, we remembered to bring a spatula for our pancakes, but had a new grill and were testing it out, only to find, you CAN'T cook pancakes on tin foil. They stick to it, so don't try it.

It was still fun, to be with friends and let the kids take in some of the great outdoors, even if it was for less than 24 hours. Nate had to work the night shift that day so we had to break down camp, do some swimming and head home so Nate could get in a quick nap before work at 6.

Thanks again B's it was another night to remember!

Oh The Garden's they don't dissapoint!

We did the yearly PIM trip to the Hershey Gardens last month, and the kids loved it as usual!

It wasn't near as hot as it was last year, but still hot enough.






But this was my FAVORITE picture from the day!

I hope they stay friends like this. But I fear that in a few years they will act like most boys/girls do and pretend they don't know each other so no one could tease them about it, and NEVER would have taken a picture like this without being forced to. But HERE is the proof kids!

Calling all super readers part II

This last month FLEW by, and the best part is that we are now on the downward climb of our residency hike! Only 723 days left to go until Nate either decides to do a fellowship for a year or hang up his white coat and get a job (Like Anesthesiologist wear those things anyways...)

So here is our month in detail.

First you know how I spent HOURS and HOURS on Liam's Super Why party since there was nothing out there other than coloring pages from the website?

Well, They now have a whole line of Super Why accessories, toys, books, puzzles...Almost anything your little super reader could want and more, much more.

In honor of them being, oh a month or so late on helping me with his party, Toys R Us had a Super Why day and had activities and such and 20% all the new items.


We of course HAD to go, and came home with happy little faces. Even Owen sings the theme song and walks around going WHY WHY WHY...He'll still don my homemade costume, but Liam told me his cape was the wrong color and that he needed this one to make him an OFFICIAL Super Why to which I told him he will also be using for Halloween this year. There were NO objections!

But don't you worry Super Hero's still get tired and have to take naps now and then!




I also just wanted to point out how well thought out the location of this particular store is. Just click to enlarge and look to name of the building to the right.


If you can't tell, Here is a better shot.


UM HUM, that's right the local prison. Who DOESN"T want to take their children to his favorite toy store gripping hi hand and looking over your should a few times just to check.

Or have him ask you: "Why to they have pokey's on that fence? Or what to they have that mans feet tied together?"

Well, babe, I tell him, "so no one can come and steal your Super Why toys." And that is answer enough for him!