The Morris Arboretum

Sophia cooling off in the rose garden fountain... she almost went in head first!

Bob and I are trying to take the girls on "field trips" every other week the second half of the summer. Last Friday we went to the Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill. I brought my brand new fancy camera (and forgot the battery!!). We bought a throw-away camera in the visitors center. Bob and I use to visit here a lot when we were dating [It was a cheap date :-) ]. The girls enjoyed it so much we are going to go back in a couple weeks.

Pennock Garden
Rose Garden

Lilys - Mommy's favorite

Garden Railway

Borgata with cousin Velia

Velia (my niece) came over to our house a day early before heading to the Borgata... she hung out with the girls in the pool and hot tub. I finished up work and packed for the trip to AC. It was nice to get away for a couple nights this week. We hit the AC beach, the OC boardwalk and rides, the indoor pool, and dinners at NOW and Ombra.... Velia and I enjoyed a couple relaxing hours at the Borgata spa while the girls (& Bob) napped. After an early dinner on Thursday, Bob and I went to the comedy club while Velia watched the girls. It's nice to get away with the girls without any distractions of home or work, but it also nice to come home! Unfortunately Bob and Sophia had a little bug during our stay and Velia caught something on the tail end! I think everyone is feeling better now.

Velia & Sydney

Velia & Sophia

family pic@borgata

Sydney loved it. Sophia hated it!

Borgata Pool

Ombra

The Naggie's

Mary Beth, David, Morgan and Nicholas came over to the house after David Moore's graduation party on July 12th. The kids swam until 10:30pm or later that night and all day Sunday. Rachel and the kids joined us Sunday afternoon for a cookout. It was fun and nice to catch up with Mary Beth.. between the two of us, there's always lots to talk about! Sydney and Sophia tried every drink they could find in the cooler... it entertained them all day! Mary Beth with the kids
Great pic of Morgan!
David's serious side...
Nick the goof ball!
Charlie's Angels - Anna, Sydney, Morgan

Finicky Miss 'Phia

Our wonderful Phia [as Sydney calls her] is "the Fussiest Girl of the Lot".... that look, that smile, makes it all worthwhile.

Sophia is 18 months old. She is beginning to develop quite a personality. She loves to laugh and screech really loud. She is learning fast these days becuase she mimicks everything Sydney does. She loves shoes and likes to wear Sydney's crocs. She is a picky eater and can down some milk - loves her "bop-bops". She knows all of her body parts and loves to practice naming them. She loves her bed and likes to have a few blankets to cuddle around her at night. She likes to have towels wrapped around her after her bath or when she gets out of the pool. She is beginning to warm up to other people, but prefers Mom & Dad. She is a little monkey... constantly hanging on us and will not let go. She hates to be strapped down in a car seat and will fuss the entire car ride unless she's sleeping. She knows what she wants and wants it now-that is Mommy & Daddy's undivided attention 24x7. She is our little princess.

...I wonder who she takes after???... did I mention... she is going through a "hat phase"... the other night at 3am we found her in her bed trying to put her had back on!

Fourth of July

Aunt Becky came over to play with the girls on July 4th. It was a nice break for me... I was able to get a few things done around the house and relax a little bit. It was humid, overcast, rainy day, but it didn't stop the girls, Aunt Becky and Daddy from playing in the pool all day... we even skipped naps because they were having so much fun.

Click the play arrow > to watch the videos below...

Aunt Becky out of control! ... yes Sydney went back for more runs down the slide... despite this scary ride...

Sydney is becoming braver each day she spends in the pool... at first she wouldn't even go in the "big pool", then it was only with her "boat"... not she's jumping in with no flotation device.

Union Street Blues @ Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City MD

Buddy's band, Union Street Blues http://www.unionstreetblues.com/, played on the waterfront at the Chesapeake Inn on Wednesday night. We had the best time.... We met Aunt Linda, John, Tony & Velia for dinner. Sandy was there with some friends Dan & Garie as well as Darius from Bechtel and his wife (wish I had a pic of them to share, but I don't). What a beautiful day... the weather was perfect.. it was a great casual atmosphere for the girls who were able to get up & run around a little. Aunt Linda brought them lots of presents to entertain them throughout the night. Sophia loved the band... she was crying because we wouldn't let her get on stage to play the drums. John stepped in to play bass guitar with the band (that was cool!). We left after dark... they zonked-out on the drive home.

  

UNION STREET BLUES BAND

Cousin Velia

Cousin Tony

Aunt Linda

Sophia is digging the music and the fun time with her cousins

John getting into it... playing the bass guitar