Boston

We had a great time in Boston.  We got to catch up with some grad school friends.  We filled it up with tons of fun.  We went to the Museum of Science, the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, and the children's museum.  

She got to wash some baby dolls at the children's museum.

Standing in a bubble.

Driving a bobcat.

Learning about construction, although I think demolition may be more her specialty.

Then Nick had to go to CT for his friend's wedding and Sam and I stayed in Boston for my friend's wedding. We went to a rehearsal cocktails and desert at the aquarium.  Sam had a blast with the grooms nephew and nieces.  She also loved dancing with them at the wedding.  She was a dancing fool.  I had to drag her off the dance floor to go to bed way after bedtime.

She loved this statue.

Sam and I also took a Harbor Cruise.  She had a nice time on the boat, but fell asleep on the way back.

We also toured the USS Constitution, or old ironsides.  She loved the anchor.

Here she is dressed up for the wedding in her party dress.  The day after the wedding Nick picked us up and went to Providence, RI to see their zoo and spend the night.

This was at the airport and she wanted to see it.  

We got to the airport really early, about 1 or so for a 5 pm flight, since we had to drop our rental car off at 1. We ate some lunch and let Sam play at the play area.  She had a blast.  Then we went to our gate a bit early. Weather made for a hellish trip back.  They delayed us an hour as we were about to board.  We boarded the plane 3 separate times, sat on the tarmac and were sent back twice.  There was also no real food in our gate area, but they told us not to leave the area.  We finally took off at almost 10:30 and did not get into Atlanta until about 1 am.  Sam was a trooper.  She was tired, but she played really well, read her books and snacked.  We pilled out the dvd player when we were on the flight and she watched a bit, but then took my arm and proceeded to fall asleep on it.  She slept from 11-12:30.  She did better than Nick and I did through it all.  We are so amazed and proud of her.  

Beach, butterflies, birds and a birthday

We recently went swimming with friends and Sam had a Popsicle.  Her second one ever.

A few weeks ago we went to a local restaurant, Maddio's, for kids art Saturday.  Sam had a good time wearing her hat and drawing a pizza.

And she loved getting her face painted, but that did not last past her nap.

Mom, Nick, Sam, and I went to Callaway.  We had to cancel our other beach trip, so we though a short trip to go to the lake beach and butterfly house would be nice.  Here is the view off our porch.

                                  

Sam was a little disappointed by the bird show with only one owl.  And she was disappointed that a butterfly did not land on her, but she loved the mister in the butterfly house.

                                

It was also my mom's birthday this week.  Sam and I made her a cake.  Sam was fascinated by blowing out the candle.  

                                                       

Here is my mom and me on her birthday. I got my hair cut that day at my parents' neighbor's salon, Reggie's.  Sam also got her first professional pedicure while we were waiting on my stylist.  She was very excited.  

                                   

It is crazy how fast this summer is flying by.  We will soon have to pack up to head back to WV.  We have had so much fun in Atlanta and the free babysitting has been wonderful.  We have had a very productive summer, but we know not as much will happen when in Huntington.  Life gets so busy.

Happy 4th!

I hope everyone had a great 4th!  We had a great one.  We had lunch with my parents.  My dad grilled Filet Mignon!  We also went to some friends for dinner and Sam got to play with Emma.  She had a blast.

We have been busy lately for sure.  We are trying to squeeze as much work into the last few Atlanta weeks as possible.  But we did have a marathon run up to Huntington to find a house to rent.  We found a nice one, but it has kind of an odd layout.  It has 2 small bedrooms and 1.5 baths on the first floor.  The first floor also has the kitchen, laundry room, and 2 dens.  The basement has a tiny room, a bedroom, a large den, and a workshop.  The house also has a large backyard, a screened porch and a 1-car garage.  We may end up sleeping in the basement, but we have to see about how best to arrange it.  I am excited by having a much larger kitchen, including a flat top stove.  The house is also in a great neighborhood with sidewalks, less traffic and lots of people out walking dogs and strollers!  And it is still walkable to Ritter Park, just a longer walk.

Here is the front of the house.

Here is the back upstairs den, with a fireplace and built in shelves.  We are pretty sure this will be an office and playroom.

Here is a recent picture from when Mom, Sam, and I went to Chick-fil-A.  She was very excited about her ice cream cone.

Fun Friday!

Nick and I have been getting a lot of work done, but we usually take Fridays off.  And sometimes Mondays.  We try to do some fun things, and yesterday was full of fun.

We started off letting Sam "ride" her tricycle.  She is not too good with steering or pedaling.  But she had fun helping to pedal and getting pushed.

Nick, Sam and I went to Doc Chey's for lunch.  We really have missed restaurants like that in Huntington and one of Sam's favorite foods is edemame.  So she had a great time.  The fortune cookie did not hurt, either.  Then nap and dinner.  And for the icing on the cake, we let her run in the sprinkler.  I know we are on water restrictions, but we kept it short.  She loved it.  She giggled so much, it was so cute!  And if you look behind her, you can see a rainbow.  

Father's Day Drama

On mother's day we all, except Sam, had a stomach virus and on fathers day we had a trip to the emergency vet.  Phoenix somehow cut the skin right next to her eye, a pretty bad gash.  We had to rush her over and she had to get stitches.  We did get to pick her up only a few hours later, but she is pretty miserable with her Elizabethan collar.  I would post pictures, but it looks pretty gross.

Other than that, it was a nice day.  Mass was a bit long and Sam was not on the best behavior.  We had a quick lunch, but our steak dinner got pushed back and was rushed because of the vet trip.  Nick did enjoy the West Wind DVD set I got him.

Here are my cuties.  Thanks for being such a great dad and wonderful husband Nicholas, but you need to work on opening your eyes for pictures.

Sam has such an imagination it amazes me daily.  She pretends to be all sorts of animals, including a mother kangaroo with a baby in her pouch, which requires a lot of hopping.  The other day she had her first imaginary friend.  My dad was a mama cow, she was a baby calf, and she had an imaginary brother calf named Charlie.  I have no idea where that came from.  She also seems to be like a sponge, remembering so much of what she hears in the books we read her.  What an impressive girl!  She also likes to be Super Samantha with this pillow case cape.  

Glasses, Fernbank, and the Zoo

We went to Fernbank yesterday.  I had thought we would get in free because we belong to a museum in Ashland, Ky.  But it is only the Science Center and planetarium.  Plus the toddler section is closed, so it was a bust other than the geckos.  They do have a cool fountain outside.

And a neat sensory area for older kids.  Here is grumpy Sam not wanting her picture taken.

We also went to the zoo this week.  Here are two cuties!

They reopened the tiger exhibit and the sun bear exhibit.  It was nice to see the tigers out, but the sun bears really need a pool.

We rode the train and the carousel.

Sam loved this statue and she knows the elephants by name.  Hmm, I wonder why.

We also thought starting to play games would be fun.  Memory has been a bit of a challenge, but she is getting better.

Nick and I got each other glasses for our anniversary. He needed anti-reflective ones to reduce headaches from computer use.
                                   
And I needed new polarized sunglasses.  My first pair of really nice ones and I found zebra ones!  They are technically white tigers, but those are all inbred and I do not approve, so I am calling them zebra.  And Nick had to coat them with varnish to keep the paint job intact because they did not coat them.  We also had to dive up to the outlet malls to find a decent, not scratched pair.  He is so wonderful to me.

Happy Fathers Day to an amazing husband and an awesomtastic father.  I cannot imagine life without you by my side.  Hugs and kisses!

And Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful dad as well!  And to all dads out there!

A few pictures

Here is a picture before Nick and I went out to celebrate our anniversary.  Sam is partially hidden because she did not have on pants.  She wants them off for nap and then not put back on after and since we chose our battles, as long as she is not going anywhere...no pants.  

She loves to sing and makes up all kinds of songs all the time.  Here she is playing my parents organ.

I painted our toes to match.  She was so excited.