Vacation part 2 - Raquette Lake

We spent our 2nd week with the Bennett clan on Raquette Lake. Here are a few highlights:

Mommy and Kate going for a hike( those were her walking sticks)

Paul and BB hanging out in the woods.

3 person canoe ride (Paul ride the kayak alone later that day)

Mommy and Andrew ready to hike

Mommys 36th birthday celebration

50 most of the week made us appreciate the fireplace

A hike to the tallest hemlock tree in the Adirondacks (Paul made the hiking stick Kate has in her hand)

Packing up and getting ready to leave with gram

Vacation part 1 -Sunapee

We spent the first half of our vacation heading up to Sunapee, NH this year stopping at the Crsyola Expirience and NJ along the way.

Kate and a Mommy making a crayon.

Using their new markers

Cousin time

Headed to NH with nanna and pop pop

I got to be Uncle Paul for a few days

Fishing in NH 

Lots of beach time

Daddy and Andrew

Saying goodbye to nana and pop pop

Fireworks

Last night we too Kaitlyn to the pops concert outside at the College and the fireworks. What a great night. It was cool (as you see we needed jackets) and she had so much fun.

Checking in....

Tonight we were looking at old pictures on the blog and have decided to try and post again. It was so fun to see the many memories and experiences, and Andrew is certainly providing plenty of stories each day.
He loves to sit up and has been enjoying this saucer- and has been able to reach and grab things too.
And he gets LOTS of love from Kaitlyn and Paul.  Since little Paul is often the first one done eating dinner and Andrew is sometimes ready to go play, they spend a few brother minutes together :)

Updated Photos

So as many of you can probably tell - we have taken a bit of time off the blog. But I have loaded this instagram feed of photos so you can still enjoy pictures of the kids!

Working Backwards....

I once heard a strategy for scrapbooking is so start where you are and work backwards, so I'm testing out that philosophy with our family blog. Hopefully I will catch up our summer pictures and stories before it is a long memory (which it almost feels like!). So memories of summer vacation, moving (happily a distant memory), ear tubes #3 for little Paul and the start of the school year (Kindergarten for Paul, Preschool for Kaitlyn) will wait for another day.

We are absolutely loving our new home- more space, a wonderful yard (which means a riding mower... vrooomm...) and about 6 minutes to work (delightful)- four minutes if you make every traffic light.

The kids and I spruced up the mulch around the driveway and street... Paul helped out the entire time and Kaitlyn decided to rest under a tree in the shade about halfway through.

We think the kids finally understood what it means to have more space to safely play outside and in the driveway this weekend. They figured out a fun game with the tricycle and a red ride-on car, which was a favorite when they were younger. Our little engineer connected the bungee cords (which had been holding the bucket onto the back, but lost the battle) and got things started....

Paul caught this series on film.... going...

 Gone!

No injuries, just squeals of delight! A "helmets required for the passenger" rule was quickly added :)

"Little" Paul's Preschool Graduation

Tonight we celebrated an important milestone (which I still can't quite believe!)- little Paul's graduation from the Growing Place. We enjoyed a wonderful picnic-style evening with his friends and classmates, many of whom we've known since they were just babies. He'll still be going to 'school' until later this summer, but it was a fun night to celebrate our little "big" kids.

Paul and his buddy and wonderful teacher, Miss Amy.

 They had a great area where the kids could wear a formal graduation robe- with a hand-painted sign by one of the parents!

 Wow! A good picture of all of us!

 This picture kind of amazes me.... Paul and Elizabeth Smith, daughter of my dear friend Mary- how did we get to parents of kindergarten students? Mary and I began our jobs in the Gettysburg admissions office one day apart in 2000... how far we've come!

 Accepting his diploma from his teachers, Miss Amy and Miss Stacy. 

 He will miss them so much!

The Preschool C class of 2012: 

Congratulations to our buddy Paul!

Hello summer!

Somehow it is already June... but we're still here! Paul has recovered well from his back surgery at the end of March and is walking and exercising as best he can (after about 5-6 weeks off work to recover). 

Little Paul has 'graduation' from Preschool later this week (aahhh!) and has finished a fantastic spring at TBall. Kaitlyn continues to be full of energy and was a great fan at tball games (and practices) this spring. They have also both been very creative, including making a train one night- with a kitchen, chef and conductor.

 Kaitlyn had a friend over to play this weekend and Paul decided to be a firefighter- and hunt them down. The Giants helmet was the closest thing he could find (after a bit of frustration) to a firefighter mask.

 I found them! They're hiding in the corner! (cue the screams and squeals in the background)

 And of course it's watermelon season!

Welcome to little Paul's Tball league- here was a hit! 

 Waiting to catch the ball while playing first base. 

It was really fun to have some special guests in early June as Uncle Chris and Uncle Ryan were in town for a golf tournament (daddy Paul rode in the cart....)

 Paul also had t-ball super fans as Aunt Char and Charles were able to make it to many of the games. 

 We also had a beautiful double rainbow the other day after dinner- it was magnificent. 

The Giants helmet returns for another surprise outfit...this is a catcher's outfit (at 7am!). He used his backpack as the chest protector.... later his soccer shinpads came out as part of the ensemble, just like the guys who play for the Mets wear for their knees/shins.