Day at the lake

We went to Doug's Uncle Randy and Aunt Mary's lake house last weekend. They go every year with their 6(!) kids (ages 10 - 21) and the last 2 years we've been able to join them for a day. This year we met Doug's brother's family there too, so it was extra fun. We had a blast!

Gianna and Doug in the pedal boat

Mark playing ball

Hanging out while Nick, Bella, and Julia ride the tube and Gianna and Doug watch from the boat

Chair climbing

We're so  proud of Gianna for being independent in the water for the first time. She loved that little float! And Rocco was a super fun playmate!

Gianna and Bella being pulled by Rocco in the little raft. They had SO much fun!

Rolling on the ball. Mark loves the water too, but couldn't really wade in it. So he had fun being taken in by me or his cousins.

Mostly he loved playing with his Julia! This picture is priceless! Thanks Randy and Mary for an awesome time!

Funny boy

Mark had a cold last week and was waking up really early. So early, that he couldn't make it through lunch without falling asleep. I always wondered who these kids were that fell asleep while eating; Gianna NEVER even came close. I guess now I know!

But when he wasn't sleepy he was his usual cheerful self. Sitting in doll strollers (doesn't this make him look like a giant baby? Cracks me up.)

Loving on his sister. So cute I can't stand it!

Tiny dancer

Gianna took a four-week dance class this summer. The first week, she freaked out because, well because of a lot of things, but since then she has loved it! I think she'll be really sad after this last week. She looks so cute in her outfit with her hair up. We've met some other sweet little girls there too, it's been a lot of fun. Hopefully she can get over the sadness of no dance class with the promise of swim lessons in the fall.

Not sure what she was mad about here, but she's still cute. 

We made coffee-filter butterflies last week and she played with them forever. They were super fun and easy to make. I'm sure we'll do it again soon!

Family Reunion

A couple weekends ago we headed to Doug's family reunion. We go almost every year and it's great to see a lot of relatives that we don't see that often. And the kids had a wonderful time playing on the playground, playing by the lake, rough-housing with Nonna and Pop-pop, and playing with their cousins Bella and Jack (we stayed at their house too). Oh, and I forgot my camera, so these are courtesy of my sister-in-law Elizabeth. Thank you!!!

Mark loves his Pop-pop

The girls love their Aunt Jenny

And they love pedal boats with their daddies

The family reunion was on Bella's 4th birthday. It was so fun to celebrate with her! Can't believe our sweet niece is 4 and that our own little girl is soon to follow! Here's the 4 kiddos enjoying some birthday cake. So cute!

Mark loves Bella! He wants to give her hugs every time she stands still long enough for him to catch her :)

The day after the reunion, we went to a wurst festival on our way home. Nonna and Pop-pop met us there. I'm not sure the girls were happy to see them. :)

Mark really enjoyed the music!

Busy weekend

These pictures are in the wrong order, but in any case. On Saturday, we went to a local farm that was having a blueberry festival. We didn't really do any of the blueberry event, but they had pony rides, so that's why we went. The kids both loved seeing all the animals. In the afternoon, my friend Jill and I went to get fancy haircuts. It's a special cut for curly hair. I would post pictures, but I haven't perfected a styling technique yet and it probably wouldn't look that different to you all anyway :) I do like it though. After our haircuts, Jill and I joined our husbands and children at their house for dinner. Gianna and Henry love each other's company. Here they are watching a movie. I swear it looks like they're on a date. Too cute!

That's Gianna on the white pony.

Swinging with Daddy

Playing together!

This is our friend Zach. To say the children love him would be a tremendous understatement. Gianna thinks he comes over to play with her. She has even requested when playing with her guys that we "make them talk like Zach." And Mark, well, I think this picture speaks for itself. But the story behind it is funny too. Doug was trying to play with Mark and Mark started whining and crying so Doug let him go, at which point Mark backed himself into Zach's lap and curled up like a puppy and sucked his thumb. As if to say, "Yes, this is where I want to be!"

The kids are starting to be really good at playing together. They take turns putting each other and their babies "to night-night." And their favorite thing to do is chase each other while shrieking. But they never seem to know who is chasing who. 

This is Mark in the library. It is becoming more and more difficult to keep him quiet there. If I even try to read him a book (kind of the purpose of the library), forget about it. He takes off laughing and yelling. The library is only his playground: chairs and beanbags for climbing, long aisles for running, and stools for pushing. He makes friends every time we go, which only increases his volume. It's amazing how different he is from his sister.

Gianna started dance class last week. It was a VERY last minute decision so I didn't get any pictures of how stinking cute she is in her outfit, but here's part of it and I'll get some more pictures next time. In fact, I'll devote a whole blog entry to it so I can comment on her participation in class since last week she just sat on the floor :) But at home, she loves to dance and Mark is occasionally a good partner.

Summer "camp"

Two weeks ago, we all headed to VA to visit grandparents and for Gianna to go to Camp Nonna. We don't have any pictures of Camp Nonna, but I'm hoping to get some soon. Gianna spent 3 days and nights at Nonna and Pop-pop's house with her cousin Bella and no mommies or daddies or little brothers. I was a little nervous that she wouldn't like her routine interrupted. But it sounds like she did great and she definitely had a marvelous time. Mark, on the other hand, was miserable without his "sissy." At least I think that's what was wrong with him, at least partly. He was also sleeping terribly and may or may not have had a tummy-ache. In any case, it was a tiring few days for Mommy. Good thing Grandma and Grandpa were there to entertain him and give me a chance to nap! 

Playing at Grandma and Grandpa's before Camp Nonna began

She was so proud of her play-doh creations.

We stopped at the National Zoo on our way back to our house. It was Mark's first real trip to the zoo (he went when he was like 6 months old). And they both loved it. Especially the meerkats. 

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa and Nonna and Pop-pop for a great week!