JED

Doesn't he just look like a greeting card!!

Trip to the ZOO

The kids took a trip to the zoo with the DADDIES! (Holy COW! Can you believe that Mommy and Aunt Libby went to the mall and a movie WITHOUT KIDS!)

Fall Festival in Ohio

Just look at these CUTIES!! (Holy cow is it hard to take 6 kids to the festival with only two Mommies! Good thing BJ was there to give a helping hand! He counts less as a kid and more as a helper, with each outing!
And it's nearly impossible to get kids to sit for a moment when there's horses going by and a corn maze in the future!!

New Earrings

Look what our big girl got!!! Pretty pink earrings... and just in time to be able to change them at birthday time... hint hint!!

Our NEW Puppy!

We are very proud to introduce our newest family member... our chocolate lab, JED! Bet none of you saw that coming, did ya? We had decided not to get one of the Cook family's puppies... until Brian went over there and saw them. He called me to let me know that one of the puppies ran over to him and kissed him, and that he was to be ours!! I happened to be near the pet store, so I stopped and bought a collar for Jed, so we could identify him when we got back from Maine. He was the kids' surprise when we got back... of course we couldn't wait to pick him up- so the night we came home, Brian went out to the store to buy milk and puppy food and picked him up on the way back home. He's been quite a handful- at least he was the first couple of nights- until we got his new crate! Labs are prone to chewing until they're three years old... that's a LOT of shoes!!!! He's got the potty thing down pretty well, and we've stocked up on the chew toys! He follows Hooch everywhere and they play really well together! We told Hooch that this was his baby, and that he needed to teach him how to be a good dog- just like him! Hopefully it'll work!

Alice the PIG!

Eva sure does love those barn animals! We loved the place we stayed in Vermont- it used to be a working farm, that they turned into a sort of Bed and Breakfast on a larger scale. They were so nice- wish we planned on staying longer! It was right in the mountains (isn't everything in Vermont?!?!?)- spectacular view, with a game room, lake, pool, hot tub... the works! The pony, sheep and goats walked around mowing the lawn and Alice the pig just squealed at the edge of the grass waiting for food! I told the owner that she had run over to greet us, and she said that Alice was probably hoping that I had a pie in my back pocket or something!! After breakfast, the kitchen person gave us a bucket of fruit scraps to feed to her- and as you can tell by the video- she must have been starving to death!!

Swimming in Vermont

Notice the difference in swimming locations... boys in the cold pool (freezing but a fantastic view!), and the ladies in the hot tub!

Shoulder rides

Eva always says, "Put me on your head, Daddy!"

She's getting pretty big for my shoulders, though!!

Swimming in Moosehead Lake

We stopped the boat several times, so the kids could swim and dive in the deep parts of the lake.
And Collin is quite the opposite of pre-teen grouchy... he's downright SILLY!!

What a tired girl! She and I both snoozed a bit on the quiet ride back to camp.

BJ

I just love this picture of my handsome boy!!

I joke with him about how he might pull a muscle in his face if he smiles like this, since his almost teenager attitude doesn't allow for such happiness!!

Boat Ride

Eva looks like she has a TIGHT grip on the sides!! (she did have a fun time despite the look of terror!!)
BJ's turn to drive!
Doesn't Aunt Patti remind you of anyone.... Vanna maybe?!?!?
What a crew!

I have to interrupt the Maine Photos for these photos from Cooper's Birthday Party...What a cute couple of kids!!
It was a very nice birthday party- Penny was so organized and everyone had such a good time... Cooper didn't cry or even frown the entire day- What a happy baby!! (And what a proud Mommy and Daddy!)

Flip Flops on the Dock

I just love these pics... with the shoes thrown off!

The Boys

Don't they look like they're up to NO GOOD?!?!?!

On the Dock

"These ARE NOT mountains!"

"Mountains are ROCKS!" When I asked Eva if she wanted to climb up this mountain, she informed me that this was NOT a mountain! We had been to Misery, and the climbing was much different- we discussed it and decided that this was "hiking"!

Swimming at Cold Stream Pond

Well- I have to say that I DID go in this frigid water! The kids and Uncle Dave thought nothing of it, but Aunt Patti and I were shocked when we dove in! We had to go back to the same place that Uncle Dave always swam, so we could dive. We made our way to that familiar rock... you know... the one next to the tree... next to the water. I still don't know how he can tell where things are when everything looks so much the same! Eva got in her suit, but didn't want to go in- she'd much rather sit on the rock with Daddy and watch the CRAZY people freeze!