Kittens

They're 2 1/2 weeks old- are they CUTE!! We're trying to come up with good names for them- if anyone has any ideas... So far the choices are Storm, Stormy, Cloud, Smokey...those are a few that BJ came up with, but we're not thrilled with any of those. They look so much a like, but one is slightly lighter than the other- and I think they're both girls... but kittens are tough to determine at only 2 weeks old!
I let them play with my shoes for a bit- kittens are so cute when they're trying to play... or trying to WALK! They're little feet kept slipping so they'd end up flat on their faces! Mama is such a good Mommy too. The babies were distracted from eating and she scooped one up and pulled her back to finish dinner! It's just amazing to me how they are like humans when they communicate with each other- it was like she told her baby that she couldn't leave the table until she was finished eating! Mama gets a little jealous with all the attention on the babies, so she rolls over in front of them for a tummy rub sometimes! (Can you all tell that I haven't had kittens before?!?!)

Swimmin'

They're such HAMS!
Eva was perfectly happy with her DOUBLE floating protection!
And of course the boys wanted to be show offs!
And the funniest part was when Eva insisted that "Grama POOPER" (formerly known as Grandma Cooper or Grandma Carol!) come in the pool too! Every time Eva called for her, we all cracked up!!

Zack's Birthday

My camera ran out of battery right after this... (Aunt Patti is going to email me her pics though!!)... the boys enjoyed getting wet with the sprinkler underneath the trampoline- it's their own personal water ride!

Silly Girls!

Evee and Margee... they'll be friends forever!! (not to mention cousins!)
There's nothing like the "terrible twos" times TWO!! They had so much fun running around and playing in the water- little squabbles here and there, but they work it out. They play so well together... especially when they're scheming or getting into something!!

Sammi's Recital

Our beautiful Sammi played Beethoven for her piano recital!!! She's SO OLD... and VERY talented!

Nice HAIR-DO!

Eva did her hair all by herself... Can you tell?
(she was laughing at Daddy!)
Eva spends most of her time wheeling babies around the house... and rocking, and feeding, and putting them to bed... We've all been "shushed" by Eva, when her babies need to sleep! Sometimes they have to go potty too!
She gets frustrated though, when she can't get it just right... hmmmm... I have no idea where she would have gotten that trait from!!

BJ's Sleepover

There's nothing like a boy and his dog in a tent... with his 3 buddies, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets...chips, candy, a cooler full of soda and lemonade... an extension cord, TV, VCR, DVD player, XBox 360, PSP, a dozen video games... camping just isn't what it used to be!!! (LOL)

www.etsy.com

This is the BEST website for handmade items that I have ever seen!! I love it and I hope you all do too! (click on any of the pictures to get there!!)

Hail Storm

I don't really have any words... this is the field that belongs to the Hitchcock's next door... the storm has been devastating to them. I was really sad about losing my garden, after all the work we've put into it- but then, as I walked around to investigate the damage to our property, I remembered the 500 acres of our neighbors beans that may have been killed by the hail.
Pretty sky over a mangled bean crop.

Father's Day at Mom's

We had a great time at Mom's lake house for her Father's Day picnic! All the boys were maniacs and Eva wanted to join right in... then the crazy boys felt the need to torment poor Lindsey. Eva just LOVES Lindsey- pretty soon she'll be able to give Eva some "private" dance lessons! (Eva wore her "ballerina" almost all day!)

The boys caught A LOT of fish- and Eva caught a small mouth! (ironic- isn't it!!) At one point the boys couldn't decide whether they wanted to fish or swim... so they did both... AT THE SAME TIME!!! Jacob and Jeffrey weren't quite sure what to think of the madness at first, but got used to our gang quickly!
It didn't rain a drop all day, until we were walking up the stairs to leave- then this was the beautiful view on our drive home!

Kittens

Happy BIRTHDAY Kittens! We have two new babies at our house (and the proud Mama, of course!) She's such a good mommy (and smart too!)- she had them in the box that I told her to use!

PS- they both have full size tails!!- When Uncle Gary rescued Mama from his renters, she had been kicked out of the house with her first litter of kittens, and one became known as stubby, because of his birth defect! Mama and the kittens were all given homes, but Mama made her way back to us and was never spayed... so here we are... with another little litter! Small, but perfect! Mama kitty sure is a survivor- she's been through more than a little critter should go through!

Water BALLOON Toss

Well... the kids used up all the actual water balloons, so Aunt Donna and I came up with water filled helium balloon toss instead! They were almost the size of bowling balls and had to weigh 7 or 8 pounds!! It took a lot to make one break- but it was like taking a shower when it did!! (right- Sammi??) Sammi was the first to get hit in the chest and stand there in shock! (I filled them with COLD water!!) I was laughing too hard to snap a photo at that moment-sorry!
The grand prize went to Zack and Aunt Patti with their ugly brown balloon! It squashed and slammed all over the place, and final just broke in Aunt Patti's hands! FIGURES! It was a fun way to spend a VERY HOT afternoon!

Eva Fishing

Eva's FIRST FISH on the Barbie pole! (She had a little help from Daddy) Not bad to catch a rock bass for your very first one! She really impresses everyone with her casting abilities at the age of 2... she's been practicing at Auntie Martha and Uncle Tom's for a couple months now! Daddy upgraded her to a real lure for a little bit, before putting the plastic fish back on her line... GOOD JOB EVEE!
Bugs are yucky- but apparently fish are just fine!!

Swimming

It was SOOOO HOT that the cold lake was very refreshing... the kids swam all day in the 68 degree water...
... Mommy and Eva even took a dip!
I got a workout for my legs when I dipped Eve in... not that I needed more after going up & down the MILLION steps to the cottage. Mom and I are going to have rock hard glutes after this summer!!

Grama & Papa's

We had some clams outside at Grama & Papa's house...
... we even got the kids to eat some!! What a beautiful day on Owasco Lake!

Eva with the Flowers

It was just Eva and Mommy the other morning, so we were inspecting all our beautiful flowers- of course Mommy had to take advantage of our quiet time and lure her into some cute photos! It was the perfect opportunity with her "grama dress" on and her natural girly obsession with all the "pretties" in full bloom!
(a little Marilyn Monroe action going on!)
And somehow she inherited Mommy's high school hair-do... even though Mommy's was enhanced with a spiral perm and hairspray! Look at all that HAIR!
Eva liked making the snowballs shed petals!