New hairstyles in the H-W house.

I finally got a picture of Molly with her new hairstyle. She picked the style she wanted based on friends at school - not sure who this is after but I think she looks adorable!

The kids are beside themselvs waiting for Friday when we leave for Newport. Peter has also made the connection that his brithday follows very shortly after Newport. I have a lot of birthday planning to do in the next few weeks - suggestions are welcome!

Molly took this picture of Annie - I LOVE that crazy smile!
So everyone in the house got a haircut except Bob (he's going for the Supercuts special tomorrow). Now I just have to pack 3 kids and 2 adults and get everything to fit in the van! No problem.

Peter is in camp all week and he is loving it - he comes home every day happy, tired and with lots of stories to tell. The kids have to stop an activity at some point in the afternoon to eat their lunch - guess whose son drinks all his water but never touches his lunch? There is just too much to do - according to Peter. He also never goes to the bathroom - the first day he didn't know where it was and everyday afterwards he just says it's because he is too busy. At least we know bladder control is never going to be an issue.

GNM - ILY!

Lazy Beach Day

Is there a blogger's anonymous? I had a moment today as Molly was getting her hair chopped off when I actually thought in my head that I had to get a picture so I could post it on the blog tonight - because what a tragedy it would be if family and friends had to experience it for themselves in person in the next few days rather than in a picture the instant it happens! So note - there is no picture - an exercise in self restraint?? Actually my damn camera would not work! Rest assured that I thought there was no way for my girl to be more beautiful but cut off several inches of hair and angle it against her gorgeous face and, well.............use your imagination!

Sunday was a lazy day at the cottage with my parents. Auntie Kake was there and in the same clothes she had worn the day before - hmm - hmmm. I'm not asking any questions but in the college days that would be associated with the good old "walk of shame". Just kidding (obviously!) Auntie Kake made an impromptu decision to stay over at the cottage and we reaped the benefit of getting some quality time with her on Sunday. Since everyone loves the pictures and dislikes my commentary - biased as it might be - I'll keep my captions short and sweet.

Molly and her Daddy loving the beach!

Peter and Daddy making a castle.
Molly girl soaking up the sun and looking gorgeous!
My boys - how cute!
The boys posing for me!
Molly girl using Grammy's "spy glasses" to see the boats! She was probably looking for Daisy but we'll give her the benefit of the doubt!
Annie cruising the sidewalks in her walker.

My girl in the ocean and loving life.
The girls playing in the surf.
Annie-boo playing with the sand.
Hanging with Papa - she's soaked because 2 seconds before this she was underwater!
The kids love being spoiled by Grammy - veggies and dip in front of the TV!

Pete ready for a kayak ride with Papa. You might notice that there are no pictures of them in the kayak - that would be because by the time I got out there they were nothing but a pinpoint in the ocean and I was in a subtle yet real panic. Anybody remember the Harding men's rescue by the Coast Guard down at Hawk's Nest?
Grammy and her sleeping angel. I wish I could still curl up on my mom like that!
Love love love this picture! The evening was beautiful - cool and breezy - the kids had such a relaxing and fun day that there were no breakdowns when it was time to go and so we stopped for a picture with Grammy and Papa by the reeds at the back of the cottage. What lucky kids I have to be so loved by their grandparents and how cute do my parents look?
Newport is only 3 days away and we're almost at the 100 day mark for baby Caroline - YIPPEE!

GNM - ILY!

I can't fit the entire weekend in one blog entry - now how's that for fun!

I made a relaization the other day while I perused Whitney and her friends blogs - I am the only one who captions photos under them instead of on top of them - today I'm trying it the other way to see what I think.

Did you ever have one of those moments when you look over at one of your children and are just blown away by them - not just their beauty but how much they are changing. This is a picture of Molly at one of those moments - she looks so old and changed just in the last few weeks. She has lost her baby face and I am seeing shades of what she might look like as a teenager. Doesn't help that KK got her earings just like her own - there is something about pearls!

Another milestone for Annie - SHE HAS A TOOTH! - It appeared just slightly on Friday and the kids made phone calls to anyone they could think of to tell them about it. Since having the opportunity to make phone calls to family and friends about the gender of the baby they are on a kick of really enjoying spreading news - even when there isn't much to spread. Everyone listened patiently and oohed and ahhed over the new tooth! I tried to get a picture but it is just breaking the surface of her gums so it was really hard.

Chocolate cake to celebrate with her sister a new milestone.
Daddy was trying to help me get a picture of the tooth but ended up covered in chocolate instead.
Sisters sharing a morning snuggle - Bob woke me up to see this one because he thought it was so cute!
More snuggles and - yes, it is July and Molly is still playing with her nutcrackers - she loves them!
Thursday afternoon I was home with the kids - so much fun. We went to the pool and then for ice cream. Those are the days that make me wish I didn't have to work - EVER!

The picture below is Peter with Annie's little hand shoving a toy in his mouh - what a patient boy!

Molly and Annie playing in the pool!

My beautiful baby girl in the pool!
Molly and Annie hanging in the pool together.
The big brother taking Annie for a walk in the baby pool.
My bathing beauty - when am I ever going to stop getting chills when I see those piggy toes!
I called Karla Friday night to ask if we could take the kids to the Forest Park Zoo - she asked if we could all go together and I was thrilled - we never get to do stuff like that anymore. So we packed a picnic for 8 and headed out - girls in our car and boys in Karla and Pat's car. About half way there my sweet goddaughter started complaining about her throat, stomach and anything else she could think of - we considered car sickness, constipation and possibly a bit of drama for a about a minute and then poor Abby threw up all over the back of the car. We quickly arranged to meet Pat and Karla at the next exit and unloaded the cars - Bob cleaned ours - Abby got into theirs and the boys got into ours to continue on to the zoo. Bob and I commented on the fact that a child throwing up in a car no longer sends us into a tail spin - we had bags, lysol wipes, a scrub brush and germ eradicator just for this occasion. Abyy seemed better after but Karla and Pat headed home with a smiley Katie and a sleepy Abby.

This is the kids ready to get to the zoo.

Not sure if you can see the jaguar behind everyone - we spent a good deal of time at this exhibit.
There was a peacock right behind the kids - they waited patiently for 20 minutes to see if it would open its feathers but no such luck.
Annie Bananie eating her peaches and pointing at everything she saw.
The big kids loved the miniature horses - they could reach in and pet them.
Annie made all sorts of noises to imitate the animals - it was very cute!

Daddy/Uncle Bob and the chickies - it was hot and humid but the only thing the kids complained about was having to eat their lunch while smelling animal poop. I have to admit that I would have had a hard time with that too.
Pete and Molly made me take this picture for Mrs. Nelson - you know how I hate pictures without people in them - but they were so excited because it look like Candy (Mrs. Nelson's parrot) and imitated whatever you said.
Tyler and Annie were the only ones wbho wanted to pet or feed the animals - you can tell who Pete and Molly have grown up with.
Annie LOVED the gross goats and shrieked everytime we tried to walk away from them.
The kids got to pet a coyote - I was not all that confident but apparently it is a baby so very calm and harmless.

Banan petting the coyote - she loved all the animals - especially the ones she could touch.
Screeching on ady's shoulders as we try to pull her away from the smelly animals.
My lovebugs at the zoo.
Peter and Tyler - best buds!
And then we had to get one of Tyler and Molly-girl.

The kids ready for the train ride around the zoo - it was so nice and cool and we All loved that!
As we were getting ready to leave the zoo we got a call from Auntie Kate's house - Uncle B, KK, Auntie Meg and Uncle Colin were looking for some playmates - they were bored (pathetic is another word for it) and we were all too happy to accomodate them. Auntie Meg made a gourmet dinner of chicken nuggets and french fries and then the kids all played outside with the aunts and uncles. Annie climbed the hearth for the 1st time - UGGGGG - we're doomed!
I had to take a picture of Molly's really dirty piggie toes - the bathtub turned black during her shower but boy did she have a fun day!
I'm not going to make you sit through another 10- pictures no matter how cute so I'll save our Sunday relaxing day at the beach pictures for another time.

We're off to Newport in 4 days - the kids have a countdown - we can't wait!

GNM-ILY!