fun videos

summer 2009

i have been very delinquent in updating our blog this summer.  fall is already upon us here in the northeast proved by the leaves starting to change in new hampshire (where we spent last weekend) and a few here and there in massachusetts as well as the colder weather settling in (although we had barely had a summer heat to speak of).  so in my effort to appease the masses and provide updated pictures of maddie (the only reason most of you read our blog), here is a collection that i feel best shows how we spent our summer 2009.

we started our summer with a vacation (1 week for steve, 2 for maddie and myself) to texas to visit family and old friends.  we spent most of the time steve was there at my aunt and uncle's lake house on lake lbj.  maddie and i made a short trip to arkansas to see some college friends.  the rest of our vacation was spent watching maddie take her first steps and visiting with family.

lots of photos...go to this link - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=317490&id=810965573&l=6312f3dc05

i have started helping a friend with registration for 2 youth events in new england.  the theme for the summer camp (crosswalk) this year was 'set sail'.  so before camp started the staff went on a sailing trip out of gloucester (that's glostah for you southerners).  we left maddie with grandma and grandpa.  not really a place for toddlers.

capt. ellie

capt. maddie

we spend most of our weekends at the lake house helping with the new house doing construction on retaining walls, building cabinets, and anything else that we're kindly asked to do (C:  steve has thoroughly enjoyed the slalom course that some fellow "lakers" set up this year.  we've also enjoyed spending time with grandma and grandpa and playing lots of pitch (card game).

new house in progress
on the boat with daddy
that's my man...
faster, grandpa, faster...
maddie and felix waiting on steve to come down the hill
yummy spaghetti

maddie's ready to be just like daddy...calculator and the briefcase (C:

i played on a softball team this summer with some friends from church.  we joined up with trisha (goes to our church) and her co-workers to form 'the biohazards'.  we almost won one game but are determined to come back next year with some experience under our belt and win at least one game (C:  steve is playing ultimate frisbee now with the same group.  the games are a little later than our softball games so we'll see how many games maddie and i make it to.  but we were there for the first and it was cold.

the team mascot chatting on the phone.
maddie looked like e.t. with trisha's vest on.

steve and i were able to make it to one red sox game (steve's been to a few more solo with co-workers...i'm not bitter (C:) thanks to john winning 4 tickets.  we had great seats and even though there was an "enemy" (aka a yankees fan) among us, it was a good time.  

we've also enjoyed our little blowup pool in the backyard as well as a trip to a friend's house with a pool and trampoline (it was the neighbor's).  we've had a few friends over to enjoy it as well.  hopefully next summer will provide more warm days.

on the trampoline with auntie courtney

giving uncle mike a kiss

we also enjoyed a short visit from my parents in august just before my dad had to return to school.  we served up a nice new england meal (lobstah, baked potato, corn on the cob) and did some work around the house.  we took a trip up to the josti lake house so they could see the progress and steal ideas for their texas lake house (to be built in the coming year).  maddie is going to have 2 lake houses....spoiled rotten (C:

maddie was not afraid at all to grab the lobster claw.  good thing they put those rubber bands on (C:

lobster on a stick

another momentous occasion happened this summer in new england.  we have been waiting for this moment for a long time.  it was the one thing missing here and now we have it.  peabody (that's pea-beh-dee) welcomed it's first (and new england's first) sonic drive-in.  of course we went for the grand opening where you had to wait in line (in your car) just to get into the parking lot.  we cut through the parking lot next door and waited in line to order on the patio.  it was great.  now they need to open one in framingham.

maddie and i recently took a week trip to go out to arizona to visit our friend, ellie.  it was hot but we survived and enjoyed the spectacular views, the pool at ellie's apartment, the phoenix zoo and playing with bebo (aka beebs - ellie's rabbit).  we'll have to make the trip again when it's not so stinkin' hot.

maddie's favorite part of the zoo...feeding the ducks.
she loved it!
sedona...so beautiful.

maddie meeting beebs for the first time.

this past weekend we went with some friends to a lake house in new hampshire.  we played cornhole which is essentially two boards at an angle a specified distance apart that each have a hole in them and you are trying to get a 'beanbag' (but with corn) to land on the board or in the hole...very fun and addicting.  had a campfire, watched a movie, played many board and card games, some went paddleboating and even swimming (maddie included).  we had a great time.

maddie and uncle john
gallier lake house
josti men at work

our awesome campfire...yes, we made s'mores

michelle and i playing cornhole...and maddie offering her expertise.

and now we're staying home for a few weeks before we go to the dominican republic to visit karin and eric and little eric.  and this is the view we have to look forward to.

hope you enjoyed the update and pics.  we enjoyed our summer.