baby, it's cold outside!

A few pics of the weekend snowstorm. It's beautiful, but I'd rather be in the tropics soaking in the sun.

 

For me, snow is overrated.

One of My Husbands "Bucket List" Dreams Came True Last Week

My husband has TWO THREE* favorite pass-times:
1.) Hunting with a Bow
2.) Fishing
[*his family is at the top of this list!]

 
Archery Hunting for a Bull Elk has always been a dream hunt for him. [Where we live in Pennsylvania is usually limited to white-tailed deer.] I personally cannot relate to a dream that includes watching a rutting bull elk make his way bugling into your bow sights, BUT I'm happy that it makes my husband happy. I will admit that the bull elks bugling sound is amazing and love the stunning scenery.

My husband finally spoiled himself by scheduling an Archery Elk Hunt with Cody Carr in Plains Montana. He loved every single minute of his dream hunt!! It was a 8 night, 7 day hunt. He could not contain his excitement during his (limited and brief) calls letting us know that he was having an awesome, exhausting time in Montana. He got his "Trophy" Elk on Day 6 (cutting it close!). He is now asking me, "Where are we going to hang it?"! My answer, "Huh?" We already have a few deer in his "trophy" room, but an Elk mount will not fit in his "favorite" room. I am posting some photos from his trip because it is such a HUGE deal and BIG NEWS in our household and with his family and friends.
 

First, I will start with photos of the beautiful Montana scenery that he captured with his tiny point & shoot pocket camera. I admit, I wouldn't mind a trip to Montana or maybe even living in Montana. The scenery is breathtaking! 

What a place and a way to see the beauty of God's creation!!

My husband rode Banjo, the brown horse in the above photo.

The above photo was taking during his afternoon nap/perch while drying out his socks. He slept an average of 3 hours at night (12am to 3am) and then 2 hours during the day. 
Hiking 15 miles or riding a horse 15 miles was an average day.

The above photo is his horse, Banjo, with another horse at the Forestry Lookout. 
Now... onto the hunt photos:

One Happy Hubby in the photo above!! This photo was taking at sunrise.

The horse above is Chester. The thought of my husband riding a horse for many miles cracks me up. I grew up riding horses... Bob is afraid  use to be afraid of horses. He rode once before on our honeymoon in Australia... on the beach, NOT IN THE MOUNTAINS!

After 6 days of LITTLE sleep and LOTS of hiking & horseback riding.... SUCCESS!

My husband is comfortable in his manhood ;)... he had no problem kissing his guide, Cody Carr (the owner of the outfit in the photo below), as a BIG THANK YOU for the successful guidance. He had so many good things to say about this outfit and wants to go back!

PS - Bob said that Cody tried his best to get away!

Now for all you hunters wives out there, I'm looking for some good Elk Recipes :).

xo

Susan

Welcome Home Daddy!!

The girls could not wait for Daddy to arrive home today!! They made him a Lemon Bundt Cake and homemade welcome home cards.

iphone photo of Sydney & Sophia waiting for Daddy in the airport:

[Sophia's crochet hat is by Karenisa on Etsy. Thanks Kristine for the recommendation! We love it :)!]

Surprise! They wanted to yell Happy Birthday when they saw him walk through security. I guess because we made him a cake :).

Lemon cake with lemon icing for their #1 Daddy!courtesy of Sydney & Sophia

Welcome home Honey. We missed you so much!
xoxoxo
Susan

Daddy's Duo

Daddy is leaving early tomorrow morning for a hunting trip out West. It will be his first time away from his girls overnight. He's excited about the trip, but is having a hard time leaving his girls. He spent most of the evening playing with them and putting them to bed. I could hear them asking him for big hugs after he finished reading them a book.

We Love You, Honey! We hope you have a SAFE and FUN trip!

First time for everything...

Fishing for the VERY FIRST TIME with Daddy!!

The photos are blurry because I still don't know how to use my camera and the settings were all messed up... but I had to share a couple cute pics of their adorable expressions....

They both caught fish! Not sure who had a better time, Daddy or the girls?




This is my FIRST FOTO Friday participation. These are not fabulous fotos, but since Angie's Foto Find Friday theme is WATER this week... I could not resist linking. This was Sydney & Sophia's 1st time fishing. Making it even more special, it was at the High Point Camp lake which is the camp, church & academy that I attended from 3 yrs of age to 17. The same lake where my Grampy use to take me fishing on Saturdays when he would visit us on weekends from his home in Philadelphia.

Thanks for stopping by for some fish-water fotos. Click here to go to the AGD Foto Find Friday.

Outdoor Wednesday by A Southern Day Dreamer

It's Outdoor Wednesday, hosted by Susan at A Southern Day Dreamer. I'm a day late, but wanted to post pics of Bob having fun in the pool this evening with his 2 girls... something he does almost daily in the summer if the weather is nice.

This morning at Costco, I picked up some kid-size goggles. Sydney & Sophia are using them already. Sydney is now opening her eyes under water!

Look how high he is throwing Sophia in the air... and she kept on saying "One more time?"

A 2 year old with NO FEAR :)

Here are a couple pics of Sydney... Look at that form!---

Thanks for letting me crash the Outdoor Wednesday Party a day late!
xo
Susan

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my amazing husband. I love you so much! These past three years, you've become an extraordinary father. You give so much of yourself to our girls each day. They love you so much. They can't wait for you to walk in the door and they don't want you to leave without them in tow. If it was up to Sydney and Sophia, it would be Happy Father's Day every day of the year. You are the best Daddy in the whole wide world and our girls love you "as far as they can stretch their whole body" and "to the moon and stars and back again"!

Daddy & Sydney - Dec 2005

Daddy & Sophia - Dec 2006

Brunch with the Hubby :)

Last Sunday, Bob and I had a delectable brunch at the always enchanting Spring Mill Café. It is located at the bottom of Barren Hill Road in Conshohocken PA. This area was my Grandfather's old stopping ground.... he grew up nearby on Joshua road and my Mom, right off the Ridge on Shawmont Ave in nearby Roxborough (where I was born).

***

The Café, is a eclectic, cozy former country store that serves French Provincial cuisine with a twist.

Just my hubby and me having a wonderful morning!
We started with a CHEESE plate and RABBIT rillette as an appetizer...

Bob waiting on the porch while I take a picture... you can barely see him:

Bob's Eggs Benedict with Smoke Salmon:

[I ordered an amazing, creamy omelette with GOAT CHEESE... my favorite cheese! It was so rich and delicious!]

OH WAIT!... I can't forget about the C-O-F-F-E-E ...

La Colombe coffee (a favorite of Bob's and mine) is served at the Spring Mill Cafe. We ordered a few pounds of beans from their web-site when we got home... we haven't had it in while and forgot how much we loved it. When I lived in Manayunk, I use to enjoy a cup almost daily at their cafe on Main Street.

***

Next stop, pick up the girls at Grandmom's....

Blessed!

I had the most wonderful, relaxing Mother's Day today with my hubby and girls. I woke-up to a BEAUTIFUL day with a wonderful BREEZE coming through the bedroom windows. Bob and the girls handed me four wonderful cards before I even rolled out of bed. Sophia let me borrow her "Me, Me, Me, it's all about Me Button". The Mother's Day card said that she wants it back tomorrow (no surprise to ME!).

We walked around the Village of Skippack Pennsylvania. They were having a Spring Fest event so the village was bustling with vendors and families that were out & about for Mother's Day brunch reservations. We had a fun brunch at Basta Pasta in Skippack. The food was YUM. The girls were angels during lunch (and the entire day for that matter!). We stopped by a craft booth which seemed to be the highlight of Sydney and Sophia's day. They both made a layered, colored sand bottle creation. Sydney was so proud of it. She held the bottle of sand on the drive home with a big smile on her face (the smile never left even went she started to dose off in the car). It was a smile of pure contentment... she really loves quality family time and will be getting much more of it very soon! Once we returned home, Sydney and I took a 2+ hour NAP in my bed which is not something I would normally do, but it felt good and was a nice ending to a beautiful morning. 


Bob made the day extra special by being extremely attentive which is something he does well and often! It was an ordinary day, but at the same time an extraordinary day with the girls giving me hugs, kisses and " I love yous" all day long. I am blessed more than I could ever imagine.

Below are some pics from brunch with my 3 favorite people in the whole, wide world!

I love you, Bob, Sydney & Sophia. Thank you for my special day!!
xoxoxo Love, Mamma

Tomorrow, I will post a pic of their sand bottle creations!

Happy Mother's Day!

--Susan

a taste of summer

How summers always seem to fly by… I did very little air or car travel this summer, but work was still crazy busy with emails, phone calls, emails, Live Meetings and more emails. Argghhh – some days I feel like quitting so that I can spend more time with the girls. Then I have those energized days where I love my job and the challenge of it all (...had to mention that in case my boss’s wife is reading this… Hi Darlene! ).

We never did get around to having a big bar-b-q party. We did have a few little cookouts with family. My hamburger loving husband did lots of grilling this summer. His 3 girls reaped the benefits… burgers with gorgonzola, veggie kabobs, corn-on-the-cob, cucumber & tomato salad and Becky’s Baked Beans! If you live in the Gilbertsville area you need to try these baked beans located at the Deli counter in Freed’s Supermarket (2024 Swamp Pike, Gilbertsville)… credit goes to Connie our next door neighbor for having them at one of her cook-outs... You will never buy Bush’s or make homemade ever again!

...
The girls had a great summer. Sydney (2 ½) started the summer venturing into the hot tub with a float (the type with leg holes providing complete support and security). Sophia (1 ½) started with arm swimmies. She was very brave from day one… she ventured in the pool even the deep end! Over the summer, at her own pace, Sydney began to expand her swimming skills and comfort level. By the first week of September, Bob had them both jumping off the diving board. They both know how to hold their breath when they go under water (Sophia’s been able to do it almost all summer).

...

Only weeks ago, Sydney would have preferred to stay in the house to read a book or watch Noggin and Sprout… now she wakes up asking if she can go swimming. Bob and I are so surprised. We are trying to take advantage of her desire to swim.... there are only a few "pool" weeks left in the season. I’ve posted some pics below of Sydney jumping off the dive and Sophia jumping in the hot tub.

1,2,3...

perfect form

Yeah!

Sophia's turn... 1,2,3...

20 times off the diving board is exhausting!

Miss Corn

Miss Cob

Aunt Becky & Daddy

Mom and Dad

Valley Green

Sunday, May 25th, we took a long walk at Valley Green in the Wissahickon Valley of Fairmount Park Philadelphia (near where Mom grew up). This land was once owned by William Penn back in the 1600's. It's beautiful along the Wissahickon Creek... and even on a hot day, the trail is cool with the shade of the trees. Sydney said her favorite thing that day was throwing rocks into the water.