{Ocean City}

What a great day we had at the beach in Ocean City!!  Ocean City is a three hour drive from us so we started out as early as we could to leave as much time to play in the sand and surf.  We arrived at the beach at 10am.  We played, swam, jumped waves, built sand castle after sand castle, ate yummy snacks, basked in the sunshine, until 5pm.  A total of 7 hours of sunshine and fun!!  It was heaven.  Everyone came home sun kissed and happily exhausted.

Wyatt has asked repeatedly why we can't live in Ocean City since we have been home.  I too want to know why I can't do that each and every day of my life!!  I guess I wouldn't appreciate it as much if I could.

That day will for sure go down in the books as one of the best.  The only downside is Ryan didn't get to come.  He had to be the responsible adult and do stuff like work.  Boo!!  We missed him terribly!!

Until next time Ocean City....

{Last of the Summer Fun}

We just started school a few days ago.  It was such a good summer and it seemed to go by too fast.  Yet...on the other hand we were really ready for the routine and schedule that school brings.  We got lucky and for the last week of summer vacation we had our Uncle Austin out for a visit!!  Oh how we loved having him around, he is so much fun!!  On Monday we headed down to the Mall to show Austin the sights.  The kids hadn't been to the Lincoln Memorial yet so that was our goal for the day. To walk down to the monument and check out the war memorials along the way.  We gave each of the kids a camelbak and off we went.  The kids did really well with all the walking.  We were downtown for the entire day and they walked all the way.  Wyatt had to pee all the time because he was continually drinking his water.  I think about an hour in it was all gone.  Ayden was happy for the most part, the other parts (where he had to stop and take pictures) not so much.  We love him anyways!!  The girls were their happy selves and so fun to hang with.

One new thing for me this trip downtown was the Korean War Memorial.  I thought I had seen it but actually I hadn't.  I loved the simple message that the memorial invited each of us to remember.  Freedom isn't free.  It has to maintained, paid and sacrificed for.  Such a good reminder!!  The weather cooperated and it was overcast and not too hot.  It ended up being a wonderful way to start Austin's visit to D.C.!!
Up next Ocean City and the beach!!

{Little Man}

Before I can talk about this little man turning a year older I have to mention a milestone he crossed earlier last week.  It was Saturday and he decided out of the blue that he wanted to have his training wheels taken off his bike.  Ryan and I were a bit shocked but convinced him to just raise his training wheels up and get used to that first.  That only lasted for about 10 minutes before he declared he wanted them all the way off.  So off they came and 5 minutes later he was cruising on two wheels all by himself.  Little booger!!  All the other kids were 6ish before they learned to ride without training wheels and we had to coerce and bribe them just to get them to want to try.  Wyatt was 4 (almost 5)!!  He is always wanting to do what the bigger kids do so it should come as no surprise but nonetheless it did!!  He is tearing up the sidewalk with the rest of the kiddos!!  Love his determination and drive!!

No onto this little man's birthday.  He turned FIVE yesterday and it was a long awaited day for him.  He has been counting down literally for months.  As if his life was finally going to be begin once he turned 5!!  He has just over a week until he starts Kindergarten, he can get around with his own mode of transportation and he earns an allowance so pretty much he is a Man now.  I would say that is life changing!!

For his birthday we were short a few people, Dad and Ayden!!  Dad is in Chicago at a work conference and Ayden is at another scout camp.  So to make up for them being gone we planned a super fun day to spend celebrating our Wyatt!!

It started as soon as we got up.  The girls made breakfast in bed for Wyatt and then it was on to opening up gifts and cards.  We didn't even have time to get dressed!!  He got money, gift cards and a much  needed backpack and lunch box!!  Once he got dressed we took official 5 year old pictures on the back deck.  Then it was time to get ready for the fun day we had planned!!

Luckily for us it was Military day at the county fair so we decided to take advantage of that!!  Armed with a crown and a van full of friends we hit up the carnival rides and the animal barns!!  We ended up spending several hours looking around and riding and just having a great day with friends.  I got stung by a wasp and wanted to cut my leg off but other than that it was a perfect day.  We went out to dinner and ice cream and then fell into a heap in our beds at the end of the day!!  Wyatt loved the day so much he said he wanted to go to the fair for his birthday every year!!

Oh how we love our Wyatt!!  He is a much needed addition to our family.  He is smart, funny, kind and oh so awesome!!  Here is to another great year buddy!  Happy Birthday little Man!!  Love you-