JDRF Walk 2011

We're walking... AGAIN

See-ya!!!! I'm off to camp!

Jenna headed off to camp and never looked back. She is having a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jenna is loving the themes that they have and really looks forward to celebrating Shabbat at camp as well. She plays in the water, swings on the swings, eats lunch there and three afternoons a week gets a much needed nap after she gets home! :)

Uncle Derek moves to Beantown! (Sort of)

Since my sister, Samantha, told me she was moving to NY years back, I have wished her to return to MA. She went there for a job and found (well re-found) her love, Derek. Samantha and Derek were a college "connection"-near the end of their senior year. Sam introduced me to him at a party at Colgate and I thought-WOW! He was so devoted to Sam, so sweet with her and so much fun! When she told me she was going to take a job in NY I think I always knew that she would stay there and likely end up with Derek and I am elated that the latter part was correct.

Samantha and Derek have lived in NY for getting close to 10 years now. They talked briefly about coming to live in MA after Sam finished grad school and then opted to stay so Derek could tackle business school. Samantha and Derek are so supportive of each other; one of the most impressive qualities about them as a couple is there willingness to "take one for the team" and do what the other needs to help them succeed. They truly are such a wonderful match.

They have been so sweet with and to our daughters. They were there for both of their births-meeting each of their nieces the day they were born-and shower them with phone calls, hugs, gifts and such attention and devotion.

Derek has had the opportunity to complete part of his internship here in Boston this summer. Ironically being housed at the same glorious hotel he and Sam were married in in November of 2007. Due to his "move" here for a short time, we have been extra lucky to have Samantha come and visit two out of the last three weekends. The first weekend she brought the well adored Puppy Charlie and this weekend the famed and deeply missed Uncle Derek.

Charlie's visit is still talked about at length for his interaction with Big Bird and Maya's requesting him to "jump down." Jenna loved taking a walk around the neighborhood with her baby in the stroller and Auntie Sam escorting Charlie around. Derek's visit, albeit short for the girls as he arrived after a tough day of work and they girls were heading to bed, was still much anticipated. Maya even asked for him again as she went to sleep. Jenna enjoyed a special treat of having her books read to her by Auntie Sam and got to show off all of her "moves" to her.

As the girls often do, when they woke up this morning (MUCH later than usual) asked where Auntie Sam and Uncle Derek were. When I explained they were back at the hotel, the ideas streamed in as to how it could be arranged to see them again today, tomorrow, you get the idea. We all wish they lived closer. We wish Uncle Derek LOADS of luck-though he doesn't need it-and hope that as next summer approaches we can say Auntie Sam and Uncle Derek move to Beantown FOR REAL! :)

Raspberry Picking

something we never ever have-a free day! :) A Mommy and the girls day, as Scott was at work. Maya and Jenna immediately started flooding me with ideas of things they wanted to do, places they wanted to go, and we finally opted to go raspberry picking. Maya has coined Brooksby Farm in Peabody "Bob Watts' Farm" as we saw him there a few weekends ago.

We arrived at "Bob Watts' Farm" and entered the barn to get our picking baskets. Each of the girls took her own basket and was on her way. Funny to see how each of them picked so differently-Jenna picked then ate, picked then ate, picked then ate. Maya selected to pick, walk to the next bush, taste one, spit it out, pick, walk to the next bush, taste one, spit it out, and so on. After Maya's container was full to the brim, it would inevitably get too heavy and she'd drop it on the ground. Scrounging around on the ground trying to salvage each and every berry she'd worked so hard to get, she'd tell me "OH-NO! Berries all on the ground, go get more now!" And so she would.

We enjoyed our time in the berry field, took a quick jaunt around to visit with the emu, llama, pigs, chickens, sheep and the lone (sorry looking) goat. We hopped into the car all smiles and sweaty. Sometimes the best laid plans go astray and then new best plans are made. :)

Sharon's 4th of July

Emmy and Sabba had been away for nearly 2 weeks in Europe and BOY did Jenna and Maya miss them. We opted to head to Sharon after naptime and as we arrived for the doll stroller parade, we were met with several other girls coming along with their dolls in strollers, it was just that they were going the opposite direction! We'd miss the parade... :(

After a few tears, the real tears fell from the sky as it started to rain. We visited briefly with the farm animals and then chose to take a trip on the infamous train. (The girls had taken a ride on it at The Festival by the Lake this year in Wakefield-in the pouring rain!) A little drizzle wasn't going to hold them back. Sabba climbed aboard with both ladies sans an additional adult and off they went. All had a fabulous time. The girls came back with humungous smiles and Sabba with a loud "CHOO CHOO" as the train parked back at the "station."

Following the train, we decided to take Jenna to have her hand painted-no face painting for our girls yet. As Maya watched Jenna get her red, white and blue rainbow and starts on her hand, the anxiety set in with me and Scott. At Storyland Maya was terrified of the kids with their faces painted-yelling at them as they walked by "NO more kitty/tiger/bear/(whatever decor adorned their face) take off right now, all done!" However, this time, she cautiously sat down in the adjacent chair and said "Maya's turn!" So proud of their hand paintings, each girl walked around the rest of the time at Lake Massapoag with their hand extended as if she had just had the most expensive spa manicure ever! :)

We completed the day with a bbq at Emmy/Sabba/"cat"--Oscar's house. We celebrated Sabba's birthday with Jenna singing Happy Birthday to Sabba in English and in Hebrew! They had such a great time, as they always do!

Cloudy with a Chance of Happiness!

Maya and Jenna are an incredible pair. They have so much fun together these days! We have wanted to take them back to the beach ever since our trip to Florida in May and the Sunday of Independence Day weekend was our day!

We loaded up the car and were on our way by 8:45 a.m. We arrived, parked and unloaded the car for the quick jaunt to the sand. Within seconds, flip flops were flipped off and Crocs were dropped and the digging began. We started building castles, handprints and tunnels. Rivers were dug, buckets were filled and filled and filled with water and even a few "swims" in the ocean! (The water was quite warm despite the clouds.)

We stayed for a short 2 1/2 hours even though we could have and wanted to stay longer. We headed home, tossed the girls into a car wash of a bath and fed them lunch in their pjs. They raced up to nap for a fast two hours to allow us the chance to head down to Sharon for the July 4th festivities with Emmy and Sabba. (Look for future post) Rumor is they were a bit different than when I went there last time in the mid t0 late 1990's-though my memories of that night are a bit hazy, could be age or could Barcardi Rum and punch I was tossing back that night so many years ago... My how things have changed! :) (Haven't had that drink since...It was a GREAT time!)

Davis Farmland Trip With the Drago Family

What more could you want? A sunny hot Saturday, great friends and Davis Farmland. An ideal weekend day. We chose to spend the Saturday of Independence Day weekend with our close friends Amy, Paul, Emma and Jack, trekking out to Sterling to Davis Farmland. The kids had a BLAST with the animals, feeding the cows, goats, sheep and touching snakes, chicks, and more. The kids each got to ride on a pony, Jenna for the first time and she did it independently! She also got a lesson in the p.c. way to say it, "anatomy!" We even headed over to the splash park this year. It was a FANTASTIC day!

July Pictures You Can't Miss!