Here I am!

Let's see if anyone still checks my blog. I've become a facebook addict so I haven't been on here much... Here are some photos of our lives lately

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Halloween -Indiana Jones and a sick witch

getting ready to plant plum trees

Planting the trees with Nonno

Luke's disguised turkey project

Thanksgiving... in bare feet

Going to UH game

First day of school - I mean, first grade

That's for you Nonni... When we mention that Luke was going back to school, he makes sure to point out that it's "first grade"! Today was a good day, but seemed very long! Have some challenges this year with my kids so hopefully I can manage to have a great year like last year again.

I thought we were going to be off to a rough start when Luke woke up last night at 10 feeling really sick. He finally fell asleep at 11:30 feeling ok again. Luckily he woke up feeling great today, ready to go!

Notice how BLACK it is outside in these photos... it was 6:45 am. So early! And Luke had me take a photo of myself too.

And so she's not left out, Mia had a big day too! She started back at daycare last week, and our sad efforts of starting potty training over the summer were blown away by how great she started doing once she was with fabulous Ms. Sonya and her friends! We were told after only a week that she was to start with panties today... So she got her elmo and dora panties and we sent them off to school today... and she came home in the same dry pair! Friday night when I got home from buying them, she put on a pair of elmo, then a pair of dora on top, then said "I want to go dance in my unnerwears!" and off she went to dance in her room! silly girl! Should have gotten a picture of that one!

Photos. Finally.

I am going to just post a few of my fave photos from my Ohio trip on here. If you want to see more, check them out on my facebook page! In backwards order...

Cuyahoga Falls river

My college roommate with her baby and my friend Vickie - we got to hang out on my last day at a park with all our kids

And here are all the kids, minus baby Benjamin. He wasn't up to hanging on the rock wall for a photo at only 4 months old

It was hard to get everyone to sit for a photo with my grandma after a long day at the beach in Lake Erie, so this is the best I got

Taking a snack break at the lake

Luke worked on this for a long time. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was proud of it.

In grandpa's tree

At Jenna's gymnastics party

4 generations with great grandma Lehman

Cousins ready for a bonfire

Sesame Place

We spent our first day in Philly at Sesame Place. We rented a car and drove the 30 miles there, expecting a crowded, crazy day. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't crowded at all -in fact by early afternoon, there was no waiting in line for anything! We pretty much did everything including rides, shows, parade, and water activities. I have to say that this was my most pleasant and enjoyable theme park visit. Everyone was polite, and with the lack of crowd (school was still in session around there) and great weather, made for a perfect visit. I took so many photos, but again will narrow it down to the hilights!

Waiting for our turn on the ride

Flying fish ride

Hanging out on Sesame Street

Teacup ride

Waiting for the parade

Ernie stole Mia's hat... but he gave it back. She was not happy about it.

This is her reaction to the Count. Not a fan.

Abby show

Luke and I are on this inner tube ride. We were freezing and soaked!

In Count's Castle - a giant water play area with slides. 

Elmo Live Show

Philly

We got back Monday night from Philly, and we really did have a great time! But we're all still tired and trying to recover. We spent the first day at Sesame Place (which I will give its own post), then the other days seeing the sights, eating a lot, and enjoying the cool weather in a really neat city. We walked EVERYWHERE - many miles a day - and  the kids for the most part were real troopers and hung in there with us. I enjoyed being up North again -got some good childhood comfort foods, saw a lot of bushes and trees I haven't seen, and love that it wasn't 97 degrees in June. Enjoy the photos. I narrowed down the 300 that I took so you don't have to see them all. I may get bored and not post them all tonight, so keep checking back!

Enjoying our first round of Dunkin Donuts... with many more to come during the week.

On our way to Sesame Place, I felt like a little kid on Christmas day when I saw a sign that said "Friendly's"! We ate there on our way home that night, and I enjoyed every bite of my giant reeses pieces sundae. 

This is the second bank ever (I think??) Just a neat building for a photo, and had an art gallery inside.

This is the court side of Constituion Hall. I included this to share something I learned. See the metal box? That is where the criminal stood... and he stood the whole trial, and that's where the phrase "stand trial" came from. Maybe everyone else knew that, but not me!

Love Park - I was surprised at how little the LOVE sculpture was!

Family photo at the bell - had to be at the back side of it... too hard to get a good photo of the front with all the people there!

Betsy Ross House

Trying to stay dry

Photo by Luke at Constitution Hall

Marc in Constitution Hall - behind him is where the Constitution and Declaration were signed. 

My former coworker Jenn drove in from Jersey to hang out with us for a little bit. I finally got to meet her adorable son Nathan.

Franklin Square was a beautiful little park downtown. There's a carousel, park, fountain, and lots of birds to chase and feed.

Fountain at Love Park

While waiting forever for daddy to go back and get an umbrella in the pouring rain, we found shelter at a building that had giant game pieces  from sorry, bingo, monopoly, and dominoes.

Luke earned this junior park ranger badge. He had to complete a booklet of activities and go on a park ranger guided tour. He was so proud of it! Now cookie monster wears it for him.

Franklin Square carousel

At Hard Rock Cafe

The birthday boy!

At Penn's Landing - in front of a submarine

View of Penn's Landing/Philly from the ferry

At the aquarium

Leaving NJ on the ferry

The return trip home