August excitement!

Warning: Naked baby!

Nora spent most of August in just a diaper. And just as cute as can be.  She also spent a lot of August playing with this random car I picked up at a yard sale and never would have purchased normally.  She still loves the thing.  #1 toy.

Sometimes I did dress her. Mostly just if we were going somewhere. 

We had such a great summer at the library!  This was the end of summer reading party.  Joseph won a gift card to the book store!

They made glowing lanterns.

Aww

Field days!  Uncle Marc scything.

Watching the scything.

Watching the pig races with friends.

Some loot from the games.

On stage at the magic show.

He always volunteers!  And holding Nora.

Rides with friends.

This was one of the first times that Nora really didn’t just go along with our plans. She wanted out of the stroller and to be moving around. Also, I love this outfit.

Luckily my friends all helped out and took Joseph around the rides so Nora could get out and play.  I couldn’t believe she was acting like such a big kid!

Arm wrestling!  Joseph did great and got second place.

A big project this summer was fixing up the old house and choosing new tenants. Brad repainted almost everything inside.  It looks so pretty.  We put in some new things as well—a new dishwasher and new heaters upstairs.

We will miss you blue house!

Cousin pile up

A quick trip to Maine to spend time with the Bernstein family.  Very nice to see everyone.

Marcy’s house (she rents out to vacationers). The trip went decent.  I was really stressed going into it as it was not the best timing—there was the trip, Nora’s bday party, and my new job starting all in the same week.  A bit too much anticipation and out of the norm for me.  But it all worked out.  A highlight of the trip was when Selma came and hung out at my hotel while Nora took a nap, so we were able to have a very nice long chat.  If she’s not sleeping, she’s everywhere so it was a treat to get such a nice conversation in. Bob and Joseph also seemed to have lots of interesting adventures.  Also, Joseph and Nora both made it through an hours long meal at a fancy restaurant and we all enjoyed very yummy food.  Nora had her first lobster!  The end of our last day though was horrid—everyone was a tired and crabby from doing so many activities, Joseph was having attitude, then Nora had a HUGE poop explosion in the carseat.  I just had to ditch the rest of the plans to clean up.  Just one of those times.

The garden.  I miss this!

Sorry about the naked baby.  This is when she first started standing though and she was so proud of herself!

Birthday party!  I  know I already posted some of these,but they were missing the all important captions.

See my efforts at rainbow-ness?

Her favorite toy!

The bday crown—first completed craft for Nora.

Tried to keep it simple by ordering pizza, but I’m not too great at keeping things simple.  Also I had a lot of trouble with people RSVPing—tons didn’t answer, and some who said they were coming didn’t, so we ended up with a lot more food then people, which was a little sad. But oh well!

Once I got over being annoyed at that situation we just relaxed and had a small party!  (I also hadn’t invited the extended family because we don’t have our fancy garage for a party if it rains in this house.)  But it was perfect weather! 

Nice Jr.

I love her cheese face!

I had so much fun with this cake.  Totally designed it myself!  I thought it was super cute.

Nora love her first sweets, of course!

Tie dye inside!

I think she had fun at her party!

Thanks for coming family!

Last day before school started we spent at the beach with friends.  It was a GREAT day!

That’s Ashley taking like 6 young kids out to boey all by herself.  And joseph swimming!

 

First day of second grade!  I posted this picture on FB, then this underneath

“PS--It was not an ideal morning. Nora is having a total off day--woke up 2 hours earlier then normal, whined and cried a lot while we got ready. Joseph got mad at her for messing up a puzzle he had left out, so he got in trouble...err...everyone seemed recovered by school time and we had a very nice morning at school, but I am still figuring out this parenting of two thing-that is for sure!”

Not sure if you have gathered yet, but for us things definitely got more challenging when Nora was up and moving.  She was such a sleepy baby I think our initial transition to being a family of 4 was deceptively smooth.  Now comes the real work!

And the second day of school, because it was cooler out so he got to where the outfit he really wanted to wear the first day.  And it was just a much better morning.  He is always pretty positive about school though, and really seems to be enjoying second grade.

This kid does so much reading.

New car surprise!  Thanks Brad!  I love it.

Always trying to steal my camera or phone, but in a sweater I knitted for Joseph!

A trip to Shelburne Museum!  The first time I ever brought Joseph—he had been with Grandpa Bernie before.  I have great memories of the museum when I was a child (though I know not everyone approves).  Joseph actually went to work this day with Brad for the morning (something he really enjoys doing), Nora and I slept in, and then visited with them at work, and then went to the museum. 

The general store.

Jail!

We happened to run into my second cousin Becca who lives in Boston.  I hadn’t seen her in years, and got to meet her husband and new baby.  We went around with them for quite a while and had a great time. 

School house.

I was soo happy to see Becca, Adam, and Anneliese.

After they left we spent A LOT of time weaving.  Joseph loves stuff like that.

And then A LOT more time on the boat.