Father's Day

I'll start off with today and then talk about yesterday...because it was a fun filled weekend! :) The weather was amazing this weekend. It was a perfect day for a Ferry ride. Speaking of...here are some photos:

Grandpa Eddie and Nana on the Ferryboat to Kingston.

Isa and Dev playing DS together-he loves watching her play Super Mario Bros. I'm sure that'll change soon. He'll be the one begging to play.

Sun deck on the way to Kingston.

Daddy and Madi squinting in the wind.

My "G" PB and J sandies. I got my cutter while in Leavenworth, have you used yours yet-Denise? This was fun. Although while I was making my sandies Husband accused me of being "sandwich waster!" Rude that he crushed my creativeness with wasting comments so I brought the cut outs and made the kids eat them too. :)

Sand Monster. That's what his name is today. He was throwing sand every where. The only person patient enough to tolerate him was Grandpa Eddie. Dev ate sand, put it on his head, stuck his mohawk in the sand and ate more of it. Grandpa Eddie was ooberly (that's the kids' slang for super) patient. I know he probably had it every where too.

Isa the sun bather. She thought it was soooo hot. It wasn't. It was warm but not hot. She insisted it was soooooo hot though so she could sport her bathing suit.

Nana on the other side of the beach getting her "alone" time. She likes to veg on her own. I admire her determination to have this time. I wish I owned it better-every one needs it. :)

Everyone hanging out at Arness Roadside Park, 2 miles from the Ferry Terminal. We had the whole beach to ourselves. We had a picnic with a salad (kinda cobbish-grilled chicken, eggs, pink shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and ranch) with chips, chocolate almond cupcakes and our beverage staple-juice. After eating, it was nice to hang out-talk or not talk but mainly it was a very relaxing afternoon lounging on the beach. Despite the Sand Monster.

So, my weekend started off super sad. We had a death in our neighborhood. It was completely saddening. But, despite all of that we tried to be there for the family (we brought goodies over Saturday early morning) but it just never seems to be enough. Never. But, we had to march on with our weekend to give them time with their families that are here from out of town.

The Nana Birthday extravaganza was started all over again on Friday afternoon. I generally don't do birthday parties. Why? Mainly because it makes me crazy and I feel like I have lost focused on my kids-that's what birthdays are all about-your kids! And, the day is supposed to be all about them. We have a large family so I like to spend time with just us. We usually do something we wouldn't ordinarily do. I usually include a friend or two in the mix-that's usually a bestie. Isa's first birthday party, since she was 4, was this last January upon her request. That was still small. 4 girls and that's it. Anyway, on Friday we picked up Zoe after school and she spent the night with us. We did our usual movie night-we watched Enchanted. We took her to soccer (they play for the same team with Coach Daddy) with us that next morning, she came home with us and we took her with us to lunch at Red Robin (birthday must do) and to see Kung Fu Panda. Highly recommended. Kid or adult-you gotta see it. :) Grandpa Eddie came with us to see the movie and lunch. That was a special treat. And, he watched Nana's soccer game that morning. He's so great about making it to the kids' sports (even Husband's). The kids get the most of their Grandpa Eddie time. It's a constantly; carry me, hold me, play cars with me, watch me, look at this, look at that, can you get this-poor guy. But he loves it. Or at least I'm assuming he does, he's always smiling. I think I'd catch the "I've had enough" vibe. :) I try to be perceptive. He does the neatest thing with the kids' birthdays. It's my personal favorite and not because I get an afternoon minus a child. :) He gives them a certificate good for an afternoon of shopping or movie or Family Fun Center and lunch is included. Super sweet. The kids love it because it's another day all about them with Grandpa Eddie. Nana is choosing Club Libby Lu and lunch at Red Robin (shocker, right?). That'll be fun for her and it gives them excitement the whole week. How many days until Grandpa Eddie's here? For all 6 days that is what I'll hear-I think it's great!!! So cute that they're so excited.