Other stuff going on around here...

I didn't blog as much this summer as I have others.  So I am just going to post a few pictures of happenings from the last few months.

The Line Up

One of my friends recently told me that I need to share more cute Hughie stories.  I tried to come up with one on the spot but immediately drew a blank.  Every day I have multiple things to tell Andy about his Hugh--ishnesh ways.  But sometimes I think the cute little idiosyncrasies or ways of Hugh-Master won't be as cute to everyone else.  But my blog...yes that is a free for all.  This is more of a baby book so here goes my most recent event for Hugh's memorial.

Eli was not one of those kids that organized cars by colors or lined them up in a pretend garage. But Hugh, he is a stacker and an organizer. He likes to line things up on the edge of the table or on top of a box.  He sometimes likes to knock over the tower of blocks with his head and then giggle and do it about 10 times.  He is pretty good at it.  I love it about him.  It keeps him busy and is good for his hand/eye coordination and he loves to say "mama, watch dis" and then he peeks at me out of the corner of his eye to make SURE I watch him alllll the way through-and then he knocks down his tower.

On my birthday Andy and I went out for dinner and after the babysitter left that night we went in the kitchen.  Everything was cleaned up except for one thing.  She left Hugh's "mess".  I think she KNEW I would want to capture this.  To some this may look like just a mess.  But me-I know this is a Hugh-Master-Piece.  So cute how particular he must have been in this moment.  (Actually there are 2 parts, the green beans and the cupcake).

5K

Remember last year when Eli completely wiped out before going into his first day of school?

Thank goodness history does NOT repeat itself.

He was preparing for school very seriously.  When I asked him the night before if he wanted to talk about school or had any questions he said at least three times

"I just don't know what to do".  Such a serious thinker.

He ate a huge breakfast.  Belly full: check.
This year we got him to go potty before we left.  We stopped to go potty on the way. Check.
No scrapes, bruises, blood, tears.  Check.
Mario lunch box: check
Snack in front pocket: check
Brand new shoes: Check

It went off without a hitch.  I had a lump in my throat but I survived.
The day seemed long.  Around lunch time my heart pounded hard as I realized he still had MORE time to go.

When he greeted Andy and I after his first day he was still full of that mature seriousness.  He informed me that he didn't finish his whole lunch, but that he ate a little bit of everything.  Except his cookie.  He didn't eat that.  And except for his greenbeans-he ate all of those.  So before going to pick up Hughie, Andy and I spent a few minutes sitting down with Eli while he ate his cookie and he decompressed.  I wanted to know everything and he couldn't remember anybody's name except for the adorable gal he shares a cubby with.  He had recess twice and he spent time with each teacher.
So mature those 5K kiddos are.

Don't worry.  Today when I picked him up his new friend Evan came running up to him asking if he could stay and play on the playground for a while.  Eli bragged about this new friend all the way home.  "I asked him if he wanted to be my friend until I die".  I asked him "What does that mean Eli?" and he said "I asked him that.  And he said yes".  Ok, serious mature 5K student.
He also reported that they played star wars on the playground with a bunch of the boys today.  That made me smile.  Wish I could have been a fly on that playground.

Phew.  Off he goes....

Another "Up North"

We are lucky enough to have some great friends who came from the SAME city as our "favorite place on Earth"!  That's right---the place that we go to every summer for vacation is in the same town that one of our friends grew up in.  AND---they invited us up for a weekend.  And we took them up on it and had a great time.  Eli was IN HIS GLORY.  And Hugh-Master (A nickname made up by my mom and brother) was busy busy busy.  Andy was also in his glory-hanging out with a really fun guy friend that we don't see as often as we should.  Too bad the girls didn't get together for a group shot.  We are connected by the love of food (Dietetics) in a 3 way triangle.  (Deanna was in my internship and I worked with Peggy.  Peggy and Deanna went to college together. And NOW we all work for the same company. Funny!)

I hope this becomes a new tradition. 

There was so much gluten free goodness to be had.  My first gluten free fish fry in 3 years. WOW.

 There was a lot of fun to be had with the fishing pole with little red fishy attached.  But the real fun was when Eli and Deanna each caught a small pan fish with a net.

 Hugh and I enjoyed the wooden swing and took some selfies together.   

   The kids swam to the raft and back.  Alone.  And there were mermaid swim lessons for the girls while the boys scoped the water for shells, fish eggs and other treasures.

 

There were many bear stories, a few went for runs in those bear infested woods and I enjoyed being in one of my favorite places again for an extra few days.  

Cottage 2014

This year the cottage was a blast. I'm sad I didn't take more pictures.  I didn't even take my camera out, I just used my phone as a camera.  I guess that means I was taking care of the kids having fun.

This was the year that I brought my 2.5 year and almost 5 year old son to my favorite place on Earth.

We had good weather and pretty good sleep.   I ate very safe, especially when we went out to eat (only twice this year!) and enjoyed awesome meals made by all.  We played a few games, boat rides (every day except one) and Andy fished more than once a day.

Eli enjoyed his cousins to the max. He fell off the dock the first full day.  He looked for bugs, minnows and crayfish.  He napped some days and other days he just rested.  Hugh napped every day (thank goodness), slept in his own room, and enjoyed trying to conquer the dock alone.  We visited the candy store where I'm sad to say that I didn't pull out my camera when Hugh threw a full body-face down on the floor tantrum.  Who wouldn't when candy was at stake?

I put my toes in the water, enjoyed some wine and read a book with my mom.   I even fished a little this year and watched Eli in and out of the water.  I changed the boys close at least two times a day. I also laughed till I cried with my husband and brother in law during a rare late night game night.

No that burger and fries is NOT mine.  I wish....the northwoods doesn't specialize in gf

Andy fished.  And fished some more.  He helped the boys find minnows and played games.  It just couldn't get better.  And I say that every year.   Every year I love to watch the boats go by, waving at whoever is also in a happy place.  It's peaceful and full of beauty.  

....Already excited for next year.  Wonder how it will be different.  Wonder who will melt down mid-week?  Wonder what meal to prepare for the group?  What will I read?  Who will be there? Where will we all sleep?  How will the weather be?  One thing I know...the boys remember it up there.  They still ask about when we will go back and Eli wants to live there, just like me when I was a kid.