Chris's vacation

Chris was on vacation all last week. Anyone who lives around here knows why that is really sad. The weather has been horrendous!! He had the plan that he was going to build a patio off our back door. Even with the torrential rain he kept working. That part of the yard was FULL of tree roots and HUGE rocks. I'd say it took three solid days (and help from Mike on Friday) to get it completely dug out. That's HARD work.

The kids were obsessed with where daddy was the whole time he was out there. Madison spent most of the time watching out her bedroom window. Jackson watched a little but he was more wandering around the house. Since the weather was so bad we were stuck in the house.

During a brief break in the rain M&J went out to help Daddy pick up some rocks.

By Friday night he had the fabric laid down and the first course of the exterior wall. That rounded area is going to be a fire pit. Saturday he didn't work on it so he could be social with us on the fourth. Sunday is his last day of vacation and the plan is to have it done. Great job Christopher!

Fiesta 2009

Fiesta was also last weekend. We spent Saturday and Sunday up at Mike and Kristen's house. Both days we attempted to go down and watch the greasy pole but there was absolutely no room for us to see out in the harbor. We ran into our cousins where we ended up standing around which was great. Perry kept Jackson and Madison entertained by waving a stuffed animal in their faces as they ran by her. They were so hysterically laughing that they were falling over. It looks like Jackson was pushing Madison below but he was just losing his balance from giddiness. She ended up with a pretty good scrape on her knee. Oh yeah and it was just coincidence that I snapped a picture at this very moment.

Once the greasy pole was over it was time to head over to the carnival area. Fried dough was in order and a couple of rides on the merry go round for Jackson. Madison only wanted to go on once. We also went on a ride that looked harmless enough. I thought it was like a mini pirate ship. Sadly I realized I was mistaken when the damn boat started SPINNING! I HATE SPINNY RIDES!!! I felt sick for the rest of the day it was AWFUL plus the fact that Madison was horrified by the ride and cried hysterically during the whole thing. I was holding her close to me but nothing I did was going to make her not scared anymore.

The big chair

This is "the big chair". It's also "the ugly chair" and "the chair that the cat has completely ruined from scratching it so that the stuffing is coming out of it".

But there is nothing better than cuddles in this chair!

Courtney's baby shower

Courtney's shower was last weekend. It was at her mother in law's house like her wedding shower was last year. It was a full house and she got so many nice gifts.

This is the newest addition to the Gloucester crew, Chase.

Maddie wore the dress that I got at my baby shower from our friend Jocelyn. Thank god my mother was there because Maddie was VERY clingy and whiny. She loosened up a little but still wanted to be with me or my mother.

Sweet diaper bag from Uncle Stevie's sister.

Some of Eileen's friends.

Baby birds

I already shared the first photo but the next two are within the last week. It amazed me how fast the birds grew.

I must have caught this photo the day it was born.

This is 8 days later. They were all sleeping. I went back later and saw one with its eyes open.

Understandably the mommy bird is pretty protective. Anytime we step out our front door she flies away to a nearby tree and squacks really loudly. The day I took the last photo Jackson was climbing up the ladder to go up in the playhouse (where the birds are) to go down the slide (the kids haven't noticed the nest yet) and the mommy bird totally dove at him! He was so upset he cried. Then I went up to take the pictures and she dove at me too.