Vacation for 5!

Todd is so brave and adventuresome! He encourages me to take risks which I am so grateful for, if he didn't I would be missing out on so much fun. This adventure was on vacation, a 10 hr drive with three kids to go to the beach! We made the trip, headed straight for the beach, had a hotel right on the sand, it was great! Many happy memories for all. We even brought back two friends, Sparkle shell and Tommy, our two new hermit crabs. I promised grandma Marjie that I would post pictures of the kids while she and Tom were away on their 1.5 month voyage to Alaska and back. Sorry the post is late :( I have many more pictures to come including some super cute ones of Ben in his first stripy Gap PJs and his exersaucer and ones of Maria in her gymnastics performance, man am I behind. Anyway, here are our vacation pics. WE used Todd's new camera and with that comes less pics of Matthew not looking because the camera has a delay but you all get the idea :) As you can see, Ben was either in the front carrier on Todd or in the jogging stroller, he's such a good boy! The big kids enjoyed digging and burying in the sand, both went in the water, carnival rides and Maria even showed off her new swimming skills in the pool. Oh and I can't forge the ice cream and the cool cruise on the four wheeled bike! Mom and Todd were sure tired after our three day stint but with grins on our faces.

Matthew goes for a ride!

Matthew, Maria and Todd went for a bike ride today with great success!

God Bless Benjamin!

Benjamin had his baptism on Sunday! He was a good boy. The only thing he did that was less than admirable was to explode his pants about 10 min after he was baptized. It was so bad it went out the back of the diaper, on the gown on the outfit and onto Daddy's pants. Todd took him out to the car to change him. Good thing it wasn't when the minister walked him around to meet the church. I washed it when we got home and he was able to wear it at least for cake pictures. We had a nice party at our house afterwards, so great to be with friends and family. God Bless Benjamin!
Todd had his first Father's Day! what a blessing he is to my life and of course to Benjamin's. Even though Benjamin's timing wasn't planned, he brings such a sense of healing. He and Todd together brighten my life and I can't thank them enough.

New Lens!

So I have no money to be wasting on silly stuff likes lens but I did get a stimulus check and I do have to photograph a wedding in September so...I dragged Matthew first into the woods and he sat the best he has for me in ages. Maria was dragged next but was NOT cooperative :( Ben was sleeping. So what do you think?? Any good?

Photopalooza

Wow, I have to get so caught up on my pics that I am just doing one huge post! So many things going on. Unfortunately Todd has been sick :( Today was the big big ride and he had to sit out. Yesterday he woke up with his hand all swollen thinking it was a spider bite. He then developed a fever and felt crappy. He started to feel better though not quite himself, but before bed I noticed all his veins leading from the bite were red streaked, SCARY!! he ran right to the ER at 10PM and found out he had cellulice, an infection in his blood traveling toward his torso. They gave him IV meds and he needs to take pills and possibly more iV if he doesn't get better. Poor guy has been training for this ride and now he can't ride. Let's hope these meds work and no more hospital.
So all these pics are Benjamin wearing his first sandals, Benjamin dipping his toes in the ocean,Maria releasing her painted lady butterflies, all five successfully hatched, Matthew making music on the side of the house with a stick and Maria enjoying the water slide she earned with good behavior, starting our vegetable garden, Oh and benjamin started cereal! It's been crazy here.
Details, Benjamin wearing sandals, so cute :) My big boy is 3 months old today. We also took a little trip to Long Island to visit my friend Julia who's expecting Nov. 4th. then I went out east to show Todd and Benjamin where I grew up :) We had a great time, Benjamin being the star traveler yet again. Maria got five catterpillars to watch grow into butterflies. All 5 made it and we decided to let some go yesterday. She cried and cried, but this one butterfly must have felt bad for her, he stayed with us for a good twenty minutes before flying off. it was real neat to even see him drinking from this daisy. Matthew was not interested in the waterslide and he's been real tough to photograph lately :( But here he is banging a stick on the side of the house and old paint cans to get different timbres. And we also started our veggie garden :) This year we are trying more things, we have in there watermelon, squash, cucumbers, basil, and tomatoes. The kids did a great job using their hoes. Ben even planted with us :) I think that has me all caught up :)

Rally Around!!

As you all know I love Todd more than anything! He gives me reasons every day to love him more than yesterday. The latest thing Todd is doing to make me proud is ride 100 miles on his bike for a fundraiser for Diabetes. He loves to ride and is always looking for ways to challenge himself, a century ride only made sense. For the past month Todd has been riding his bike once a week to and from work (70 miles) to prepare. of course it helps that he can raise money for diabetes, something his Dad deals with on a daily basis and something I had during my pregnancy with Benjamin. I would love Todd to get more money than I can give. I want Todd to know that we all love him, almost as much as I do ;) Even if we all just left $5. he would see our name and know our support as he rides that 100th mile. Todd is an awesome Dad to Benjamin, best role model for Maria and Matthew, my best friend, my best love and many other things. He restores my hope in the future! I know there are many more out there that love Todd and are proud of him and maybe even perhaps impressed at 40 yrs old can ride 100 miles in one day on a bike! Show your support by giving $5. to his fund so he sees us all in his mind cheering for him at that finish line this Sunday!!
Tour De Cure-Support Todd