Miss Dawn

The head teacher at Acadia's new school came over for a home visit today. What I love about this school is how hands on the parents are as well as how well the teachers plan activities to get to know the children. The school plans play dates once a week for the entire summer before the children start school so the kids can get to know each other and the teachers, and so the parents can get to know each other.

In addition, Miss Dawn comes to your home to meet the students in their own environment. Acadia would do fine without this, but the visits must really benefit children who are extremely shy. Dawn said that they really open up to her when they're in the comforts of their own home.

Doing a school puzzle



Picking her shape for her cubby. She picked a butterfly :)

Reading and talking about The Kissing Hand

Bath time

During our bathroom renovations we had to bathe the kids in the bath :) It was SO cute!! Both kids loved it!

Daddy's first race

Matt and Uncle Jimmy signed up for their first race a few months ago. They ran the Stowe 8 Miler in July and I couldn't be more proud of them!! They each trained for a couple months and had an awesome race. Our friend Liz also ran in the race so our cheering section included her husband Todd, their kids, my mom, sister, the girls and I.

It. Was. A. BLAST! There is something about a group of hundreds of people yelling and cheering on these runners - it was such an awesome thing to see. And Stowe is such a beautiful place to have a race - it was a picture perfect day and the kids had fun playing together while we waited for Liz, Matt and Jimmy to finish the race :)






There's Matt in the grey shirt (right in front of the guy with the backwards hat) - YUP! Even in a race of hundreds of people, he's still one of the tallest runners! It makes it easy to spot him :)


The best group shot of the kids we could get :)

Squirting the runners as they ran to the finish line

Liz

Matt

Jimmy

Sweet Dianna

Our friends Jim and Beth just celebrated their 5 year wedding anniversary this past weekend so we watched their daughter Dianna (one of Acadia's BFFs!) Saturday night.

I told Acadia that we should make a list of fun things to do with Di and Acadia thought of everything on the list by herself - the last one on the list is my favorite!

1. play in the sandbox
2. swing on the swings
3. eat snacks
4. color
5. take a walk
6. have a yogurt pop
7. have a vitamin
8. have some lunch
9. watch a movie
10. listen to a song
11. go swimming
12. take pictures
13. say "I love you"

Sometimes...

All you need is Daddy to make you paper hats to brighten up your day! Oh, how I love him...

More beach pics :)

We've done a few beach trips with our friends Jamie and Jen and their kids this summer. This day we went to the Sand Bar which I love because they allow flotation devices and you can walk out so far and still not have it be above the kid's heads. We love it there!

Happy 4th!

I told you I was backed up with my pictures! We had a wonderful 4th, as always :) We went to the parade with my mom in the morning then to Aunt Mimi's for her annual bbq.

Summer

We have had such a busy summer that I haven't really had much time to update the blog. We're on the go during the summer months, because they are so short here that we like to take full advantage of the weather :) We've been doing a lot of grilling with our friends and family, roasting smores in the back yard, going to the beach, taking walks around the neighborhood, playing outside in the pool. I can't believe it's already mid-August and the pictures I'm getting around to posting on the blog are from JUNE! I'm waaaayyyy backed up on updating the blog but am hoping to do better now that summer is coming to an end.

We always have fun with our "Fairfax Friends" - it's hard to believe they weren't in our lives 2 years ago! They have become some of our closest, dearest friends. We absolutely love them. The only people missing from this evening were the Duvals and the Alexander family :) Besides that, the evening was perfect! Yummy food, the kids got along so well and a beautiful view! Plus a rainbow at the end of the night- how can you beat that?!

Just noticed when I was posting this that every guy is looking to his left - SO funny!

Start spreading the news!

I have been on a mommy board for the last 3 years. There are about 100 of us and we chat daily - sometimes I have time at the end of the night to chat for 20 minutes and sometimes I only have time to chat for 5, but either way we all log on daily to chat. Because there are only 100 of us and because it's an exclusive chat room, we all know each other. Many have met each other (I met a few a couple years back in Chicago) and have become "real" friends.

We e-mail, text, FB each other. We read each other's blogs. We've been there for each other during divorce, miscarriages, pregnancies, potty training, moves, starting new businesses - it is one of the best support systems I've been a privilege of being part of.

The last couple months our board has been planning a girl's only NYC get away. I have been so super envious of the women who will be able to make it but never even brought it up to Matt, because there is NO way we could afford it, especially close to Christmas. Last night, my friend Cindy sent me an e-mail that said, You in for the GTG? And I responded sadly that I wouldn't be able to go. She told me she was going because she and her husband are cashing in some points for the flight. I turned to Matt and said, My friend Cindy is going to this GTG in NYC for our mommy board. I explained what the trip was about - that it would be 2 nights away, there are different activities you can sign up for - a pub crawl, a SATC tour, visit to the Cake Boss bakery, a fancy dinner Saturday night. He instantly said that I should go and that we'd just cash in some air mileage points to go. There are 4 to a room, so that expense is practically nothing. And I won't do any shopping, so this trip will be pretty inexpensive.

I am BEYOND excited!!!!! My roommates ROCK and I seriously couldn't stop crying last night that I was going!! I was literally sitting in my bed with my hand over my mouth and tears coming down my face when Matt kept telling me to go, then right then and there searched and bought plane tickets. I still can't believe that this is really happening!! These women are such an important part of my life and I have gone to them with questions, frustrations and to just talk about the daily struggles of being a mom. This is a dream come true for me (and many other girls on the board) that we finally get to meet!! I think there will probably end up being 25ish women going and I have already warned them that there will be many tears on my end when I get to meet everyone!!

NYC here I come!

Nick and Kelly

One of my sister's best friends got married recently. Miche was in the wedding and gave an amazing speech and we had a blast at the wedding! I still can't believe Kelly is married!! It was such a beautiful day :)

The beach

We have been to the beach so much this summer! Next year I'm definitely buying a pass to a couple local beaches - I'll definitely get my money's worth! Summer is so short here that you have to take advantage of the good weather while you can!

The other day we went with Miche, Jimmy and Cass - so relaxing!! I could spend every day at the beach :)

A few Quotes by Acadia

"Mommy - you worry about you, and I'll worry about me."
(Because recently I've told her when she tattles on Emma - Cadi - you worry about you and I'll worry about Emma)

When I say, Oh baby - I love you sooooo much! Acadia says, I'm not a baby!! I'm a big girl! (And in doing so, breaks my heart into a million pieces! I tell her that she'll always be my baby!)

When I call her silly goose (or anything else for that matter) she says, I'm not Silly Goose! I'm Acadia June Paradee!