I made the solo trip down to PA to celebrate Mom-Mom’s 70th birthday this year!  It was a quick trip, but a very happy occasion with good food and family.  The kids sent their love (and a giant birthday sign).

Blaine started summer camp on July 5 (he loved it!) so that meant Sarah and I got to spend some Quality Time together in the mornings.  Here we are at the beach.

One day we did a class at “My Gym” in Larchmont.  I didn’t like it as much as the Little Gym place we took Blaine in Seattle.

The highlight of camp for Blaine was the day the fire department visited.  We were a bit late dropping off that day, so Sarah and I hung out for a few minutes to see the fire truck.

We also spent a lot of mornings at the local playgrounds.  Here’s Sarah with her friend Austin (little brother to a girl who was in Blaine’s preschool class).

And with Austin again, this time at the beach in Mamaroneck.

I had the best 36th birthday… we spent the morning at the beach and had lunch, and then Andrew took the kids home for showers and nap/cake-making and I got to stay on and enjoy sitting on the beach reading!  I enjoyed the walk home and then a delicious dinner, cake, and presents.  This was a birthday to remember.

Sarah’s been loving ring around the rosy lately… she’s even taken to playing it solo!  Here’s a video from the fourth of July.

On July 3rd we enjoyed a lovely afternoon with Nellie, who was visiting NY from Oregon.  We spent some time at Manor Park and then had dinner back at the house with Reece.

On July 4th we all dressed in our red white and blue and spent the morning in Flint park, watching the races and eating hot dogs.

Blaine was very interested in an old payphone we found.

After Sarah’s nap we headed to the beach for the 4th of July BBQ, but we decided to skip the fireworks to get everyone in bed at the regular time.

A few more pics from June that didn’t fit into other posts.  Here’s how Sarah likes to be arranged when she goes to sleep.

The kids enjoying some watermelon on the patio:

Blaine on a train.

On June 20, we decided to revisit the nature walk at Flint Park.  This time we went a little further and got to some pretty secluded areas with boardwalks.  We even saw a white water bird I believe was an egret.

We saw the fire department washing down one of their trucks.

The kids snuggling in Blaine’s bed.

Sarah in a new pink sunhat that our babysitter, Kathryn, brought her from San Diego.

We wrapped up our various music classes in June (since Blaine was scheduled for morning camp starting in July).  The kids got to try out playing the trombone (!), electric guitar, and a drumset.

On June 27, the kids and I went to the Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale.  We started out in the “live animal exhibit” and the kind employee showed the kids a chinchilla, a ferret, and a corn snake (Blaine’s choice).  We also saw turtles, frogs, and other small critters.  Then we headed outside to see some farm animals, some birds of prey including two bald eagles, and we walked through the butterfly exhibit.

Aunt Molly turned 30 on June 19, so we went down to Wynnewood for her big party on June 18.  Here are the kids making a giant birthday sign for the occasion:

Aunt Molly loved it!

We arrived on Friday and enjoyed some QT with the family.

Saturday was the big party, complete with pinata (of course).  Happy birthday, Aunt Molly!

We’ve been loving spending time at the Manor Park Beach so far this summer.  It’s perfect for the kids with the calm shallow water and small enclosed beach.  We’ve been trying to make it every weekend and I’m taking the kids as much as I can on weekdays, too.