how do I love thee?

let me count the ways

Oh you make me smile

Yes.  Smile.

In our neighborhood

Daily adventures in our little neighborhood....

Feeding the ducks

And catching blue crabs in our $1 net

And then watching them walk all over the pier

And being thankful that we have the opportunity to live here.

Hope you can find the good in your corner of the world.

Just a few

of Brady's first soccer game....

Breakaway!

HE SHOOTS AND SCORES!

Lucy was awesome (read: miserable) at Brady's game....she has a cold, she slept for 4 hours the night before and she just wanted her Dada...so here she is, on the field, screaming and crying, while the game is going on.  Mike actually was running around "coaching" with her in his arms for a big chunk of the game.

HOORAY for

TEAM OREO!!!!!

VICTORY!!

A few random facts to help explain these pictures better...
*teams are made up of 12 children
*they play 3 on 3 games and are split into two smaller teams, two games going on at once..... the theory being that each child has a better chance of actually touching the ball!
*there are no goalies

Heartstrings

Today was the first day of 4 year old preschool for my sweet little boy.

The day didn't start off very well.....

Since he wouldn't hold the sign or his new Brady tote bag, Lucy decided she would hold the sign for him. (She put her shoes on this morning...I love it...unbuckled and on the wrong feet)

This is the only "smile" I got until I picked him up at school!

Clinging to me before going into the classroom...this is about when he lost it....

We got him in the door when we reminded him that his classroom has a class pet, a gerbil called "Sandy"

At this point, we needed to leave and our little guy screamed and screamed and well....you get the idea...screaming like I had never heard from him before...I guess this went on for just 15 mins. or so and then his sweet teacher said he gained control of himself and was fine the rest of the morning.  He was happy and waiting for me outside with stories to share and paintings to show me. 

Heartstrings....parenting tugs at them often, many times in a good way and other times, like today, in a way that makes your heart ache...but you put on your brave face and walk away and know that everyone is going to be OK.

Like a kid in a candy store

Literally.

When we were in Pittsburgh, Mema took us to Baldinger's. They offer hard to find candy and have an extensive penny candy collection!  Yes!  A penny! 

Brady's favorite...Nik L Nips

Brady giving the nice lady his candy....$11.30 worth!!!!!!  Remember most things in this store were between a penny and $0.50 tops!

Brady and Laura waiting to pay for the candy on that old fashioned cash register on the left side of the picture.

  

 Thank you Mema!  We're still talking about this place and I have a feeling we're going to have to go there every Pittsburgh trip....

 (Lucy just woke up, she slept the entire time we were there)

More! More!

Lulu loves to go under water, captured a moment of her antics on video yesterday at the pool.  I hope her love for water will continue! 

Enjoy this lovely looong Labor Day weekend!