LABOR DAY WEEKEND...

 

Feasting on crab is something I anticipate ALL year round so when August and September finally roll around I become a greedy little eater.  We usual have our annual Crab Fest at Dad and Patti's for Labor Day weekend but this year it was a little more relaxed.  At the last minute we pulled our trailer out and spent Friday evening crabbing on the boat.  I had not been out crabbing since I was 8 months pregnant with Emily since Bryan usually goes now.  It was so much fun to watch both Emily and Jack and remember all of the great times I had as a kid with my grandpa and dad on the boat...

My dad always has a variety of bait but using a WHOLE chicken was a first...

The kids LOVE being out on the bay...

We caught a starfish and a sea cucumber with in one of our pots and put it in the boat for the kids to look at for awhile...

Emily reminds me so much of my sister at times.  She is so eager to try new things and didn't wince when Grandpa asked her if she wanted to drive the boat.  She literally drove it the entire way back to the dock...

On Saturday the kids spent the early morning in the trailer before heading outside to play.  Charlie loves playing on the I-Pad and somehow knows how to get into and play the games better than me!

I took the kids to the Burlington School Fair (Bryan was featured at this in the newspaper) the weekend prior but it was such a busy day that I never took a single picture.  I did however manage to snag a couple of building kits from the Home Depot for the kids to do.  Emily chose a bug house and the boys chose sailboats...

Grandpa is as much of a crafter as me so he was quick to take Emily to the barn to get all of their supplies so they could build it together...

Then Emily got in some baking time with Grandma Patti....

Our best of friends, the Pearsons, came out to join us for the rest of the afternoon...

Jack P. brought his old bike which quickly became our Charlie's new favorite thing to ride...

The Jeep was the biggest hit of the day though...

Even little Charlie drove it around!

Charlie found grandpa's whistle in the boat and "played us some tunes"...

And as the day wore on the kids took to lounging in the bounce house...

On Sunday the Mitchells made a surprise visit up to see us...

 

Emily has really been into gynastics stuff lately so she practice doing "flips" into the bounce house...

All that flipping made her tired so she and Daddy got in a little resting...

Grandpa and Zach played some serious horse shoes...

...and Olivia sat to the side cheering them on...

We spent the rest of the afternoon just playing around the yard...

Patti invited her step-kids to join us for the day as well...

That evening Charlie tried on some of my costume for our friend's upcoming 80's party...

Like father, like son...right?

FALL photos...

I missed my chance to take some pictures of the kids next to the GIANT circular hay bales this year by just ONE day.  I was super bummed out but thought of a few other places I could take their pictures.  The next few days were super hot, too hot to have kiddoes sitting out in the sun, forcing them to take a few pictures.  Just as I was feeling like it wasn't going to happen, I stuck the kids in the car, stopped at the field across from Bryan's school and took as many pictures of the kids in less than 15 minutes time.  They are perfect but there were no tears, everyone left happy and I got a few that turned out pretty good...

 

 

Last few days of August...

We spent the final week of August getting in as many play dates as we could muster.  The idea of me heading back to work, Jack going to preschool and Emily starting Kindergarten really started to sink in.  As excited as I was for them to start these amazing new adventures, a part of me cringed knowing never again would ALL three of them be home with me.

With too many emotions to acknowledge, pooling and fixating in my head, I decided that we would make our last week a fun one and GO OUT WITH A BANG!

Our first play date was an early morning one at Hillcrest Park with the Sneva boys...

Asher always come well prepared in FULL fireman apparel and graciously let Emily borrow his hat and goggles for awhile...

Later that afternoon the kids and I went over to Grandma Emily's to open an early birthday present from Auntie Jenny...

A new backpack and lunch picked out perfectly for this little girl...

Charlie enjoyed his favorite snack at grandma's...Haagen Daaz ice cream bars!

The next day the Pearsons stayed with us for the day while their parents went back to work.  We all piled in my car (SIX car seats and all) and headed to the park...

When we got back we ate some lunch and then eat of the kids made and decorated a sugar cookie..

Emily's count down to Kindergarten started with over 40 links but they quickly got down to just a few...

 Emily got to have a special Grandpa Day a few days before school started.  They went to his house for the day, made a bird feeder and then went out to lunch at The Chuck Wagon...a PERFECT day for this little girl...

August THIRD Sunday...

Third Sunday in August was extra special this year with this precious baby.  Having a little one in my arms is always a quick reminder of how quickly time goes by...

Grandma and Grandpa Jones put in a new sandbox for all the grand kids to enjoy...

Jack and Vince found the blueberry bushes...

 

A while later the kids randomly decided to get wet...

Uncle Big Tom is a very proud daddy to Baby Oliver...

...and Bryan is a proud uncle again...

The kids enjoyed some tasty dessert and corn on the cob...

Then they all gathered around while Uncle Tom showed them some cool stuff on his fancy phone...