spring break and more

I'm still trying to blog every once in awhile.  I like to share our lives with my family, but that isn't my main reason.  I'm making a record.  I'm not good about making scrapbooks anymore, or even about getting photos printed at all.  But I want to remember how much I enjoy my children.  I'd also like them to have something they can look back on and see what a good time we have together.

We went to the Peep show in westminster, Md.  All the sculptures were made out of peep marshmallows!  This was Libby's favorite.

 We came home and had a picnic out on the deck with homemade blackberry Italian sodas, guacamole, chips, and cucumber sandwiches.

Later in the week we were invited to join some friends at their condo in Ocean City.  I'd never been there off-season before, and it was fabulous!  We had a great time.  The boys rented these awesome speed tricycles on the board walk.  They were so funny to watch.  Looked like a gang of bikers.

 It was pretty cold, and the water was like ice, but this kid still had to get in.  He's crazy.

After Ocean City we went to State College to visit Nana and Papa.  Papa had 1 lb Chocolate bunnies for each of them.  They are still enjoying these!

 Nana really loved seeing Libby.  She couldn't really remember her or how they were connected, but she loved asking her about school, and her eyes lit up at seeing the children.  She loved Libby's hair and holding her on her lap.

 James did a report on Maurice Sendak and needed to dress as him while presenting to the class.  This was his costume.

 Luca did this awesome painting of Hampton House.  It is a mansion and former plantation very close to our house.  They held an art contest and this was his entry.

 James won his baseball game on Saturday and was awarded the game ball for his fantastic lead off hit and his excellent play as catcher.  He was so happy.  It was his first game ball.

Jeremiah made us this incredible lemon tart this weekend.  

And, Tommy is on the Potty Train!  Chugga-chugga, Chugga-chugga Poo-Poo!!!  That line in a library book finally got him on board with the whole idea.  It only took a couple days and he had it down!  And that is all the news from here.

Graphic Art Open House

 MICA graphic design open house was this past weekend.  Jean's thesis was on display.  We loved the whole experience.  For a minute I had flashbacks of Jer as hip Architecture student back in the day.  It ended quickly by one of my kids tugging my leg.  Actually, maybe taking 4 kids to an event like this makes you a unique brand of hip.  Jean is super cool and artsy and fun.  It was really cool to see her work.

 When Luca got home he made a collage from the pieces he'd collected at the exhibits.

My New Niece

I had the awesome privilege of photographing my sister Emily's new baby girl Drew Cynthia.  She is the happiest most lovely agreeable sweet darling.

Chicago, 100th day, and other happenings

 Here we are at the bean. I realized that the secret to having fun on vacation with my family.  FOOD.  Eat often.  Get treats.  We are all the happiest when eating.

 Tommy loves to be home playing.  His favorite time in storytime?  When it ends.  He turns to me with a big smile.  "Go home now!" he says.

 My dear friend Rose.  She is Iranian.  We had lunch the day after the travel ban was issued.  She and her family are some of the warmest most generous people I've ever known.  The political environment makes me feel like we are all just pawns in some emperors' games.

 On the 100th day of school, these two were to dress like they were 100 years old.

 Libby and her hot chocolate with a marshmallow snowflake she'd made at school.

I was pretty proud of how I did my own hair for a date night.  When I was getting ready, Libby and James each separately asked me what I was doing.
me: "going on a date."
them: "oh, with who?"
me: "um...Dad of course."  Maybe we need to go a out a bit more.

My chef Luca.  I'm so proud of this kid's interest in cooking.  Here he made caramelized onion and mushroom triangles and tuna tartare.  He has such a variety of interests and that is something I really admire about him.

Libby loves the zoo.  We took a day off school to go see the new baby giraffe.  It was two weeks old.  Tommy loved the elephants.

It's just halloween fun!

 It took some convincing to get him in a costume, but after the first earned chocolate he was sold.

 This is the first year that Luca carved his own pumpkin completely independently. He made the spooky tree.  James wanted his pumpkin to have big goofy teeth.  Libby wanted a cheerful smile.

 Our neighborhood had a super fun party prior to the start of trick or treating.

State Fair

This is the first time I've gone to a state fair in over a decade.  My last one was in NY and I was about 10 weeks pregnant with Luca.  I had a rough time then with all the smells, and walking in the heat all day, and wasn't interested in trying new foods.  I just remember it being really exhausting. 

 This morning we went to the Maryland State Fair...and I'm so glad we did!  It's not as big as NY's fair, and is only 10 minutes from our house.  We went early, before the crowds.  The kids milked a cow and then drank chocolate milk.  We pet baby chicks.  We learned that a cow eats 100 lbs of food and drinks 60 gallons of water per day.  We ate this peach baked in layers of puff pastry and covered with soft serve vanilla ice cream.  It was divine.  We had a Dr. Pepper float and deep fried Oreos.

One of the main reasons we went is that I was talked into entering some jam in the home arts section.  We entered a pear vanilla jam and a strawberry rhubarb jam (both were made by the kids with help).  We loved walking around the home arts building and seeing all the works people entered from baked goods to photography.  

We didn't win a ribbon for our jam, but I'm so glad we entered.  It made us feel like more than spectators.  We were a part of it all.  They have big plans for next year.

First Day

 We went to visit the new school at an open house.  Libby is all legs.  James is photobombing her picture.

 The last day of summer my four sweethearts played together and built this city.  Tommy and I are going to miss them all so much!

 The first timer is very excited!

We walked to the bus stop together.  I had to plead with James to sit with Libby on the bus.  That was her biggest anxiety.