ocean city

My dad and stepmom rented a house last week in OC so I took the kids down Thursday and came back Friday night. Since Harrah's Chester was getting ready to open their table games this past Sunday, that meant that there was no way Carl could take any vacation days to come with us. Today he is actually working his 7th day in a row and it's been very long hours each night. We missed him in OC but the kids really enjoyed themselves.

Highlights from our two days:

The rides.  Wonderland Pier is awesome although I really think they need to go to a band system because using the tickets gets old.  Connor and Emily loved the Caterpillar roller coaster.  Since there is only one of me, I sat with Emily and enlisted Aunt Amy to ride with Connor.  He gave her very clear instructions on exactly how she should place her arm around him for his safety.  Camryn loved the cars that whip you around the turns and the carousel.  I couldn't talk Connor into riding the flume with me. He said he'll do it next year.

The sleeping over.  We all slept in the same room.  It took the kids about an hour to settle down because they were so excited to be sleeping in a new place and in the same room.  They kept laughing and talking to each other.  It was a room with twin beds so Connor took one, Emily took the other, I put a pack n' play in the middle of them for Camryn and I slept in a sleeping bag on the floor. We went to bed late and woke up earlier than usual.

The beach.  Connor couldn't wait to build a sandcastle, although I don't think he was as excited 10 minutes into it when he realized that building one with mom was nothing like building one with dad. I don't think I met his expectations.

He abandoned me pretty quickly to go sit with Grandpop down by the water.

Emily wanted nothing to do with the ocean. She wouldn't even stand on the wet sand that was further up from where the water actually reached. 

Camryn loved the ocean.  She wanted to stand by herself and got knocked down a few times.  She kept saying, “Don’t hold me” and “Don’t help me”.  Miss independent.

camryn’s personality in four pictures

our week

Monday was great.  Reason #1: Carl was off.  Reason #2: We met Dave, Gina and the kids at the Pitman parade.  Reason #3: We had the traditional July 4th BBQ went to Friendly’s for dinner and ice cream.  Reason #4: We went back to Pitman for fireworks.  Connor and Emily kept telling me it was “the best day ever”.

I have to admit that the picture above is actually a “pretend you’re looking at fireworks” picture.  I wanted a picture of them watching fireworks but knew it would be hard to capture once the fireworks actually started if the kids reacted to the noise.  It was Carl’s brilliant idea. 

Tuesday, another fun day.  We went to our nephew Andrew’s 4th birthday party.  Despite the 102 degree weather, the kids had a great time outside with the petting zoo and pony rides.

Wednesday, Connor swam on his own for the first time.  This really deserves its own blog title so I won’t get blogger-mom-of-the-year for that.  It was his 4th lesson and at one point Skylar (his teacher) threw the kickboard across the lane and told him to swim to it…and he did!  Then she had him floating on his back and she let go and told him to kick his feet to the rope…and he did!  He was so excited and I was so proud of him (and secretly really glad that he wasn’t the boy in the next lane over crying and screaming when his teacher tried to get him to swim with a noodle). 

Thursday, we started our summer music class and were pleasantly surprised to see Nicole, Emma and Maddie in class with us.  They are cousins of my cousin Danielle’s husband Jeff (I know, confusing)…point being that we see them at all of Danielle and Jeff’s functions so the girls know them too and although they didn’t show their excitement during music class, it’s all Emily talked about on the way home.  She kept saying things like, “I can’t believe Emma is in my class” and “Mom, isn’t it funny that Emma is in my class”.  I kept reminding her that she has a little sister Maddie too…and that she was there and then Cam would chime in “yeah Maddie too”.  It was cute.  Emily wants to know where Cambelle and Chloe are though…but we’ll let Aunt D off the hook since Kenna is only one week old. ;)

welcome kenna

Welcome to the family Kenna Hope Botbyl! Danielle and Jeff had their third girl on July 2nd....healthy and beautiful. I was able to get up to the hospital to see them on Saturday, thus the pics below.

Welcome to the world little girl.

summer fun has begun

We hit the ground running our first two official days off from school for the summer.  The first day, I got out the new water ball and water slide that I picked up from Target and the kids had fun getting wet. 

The second day, we went to Storybook Land.  It was my first visit and a first for the kids.  Carl had been there as a kid.  I still can’t believe it was basically right in my own backyard and I had never been there.  It ended up being the perfect day…it was hot but low humidity and it was EMPTY. 

Last weekend ended with Carl, Connor and Pop Pop Heil going to the first Philadelphia Union game.  It was so hot but they had fun.  It’s awesome to have our very own MLS team now and especially right over the bridge and in Chester, PA…20 minutes away. 

Yeah Soccer…Go Union!

school's out...kind of

School (for Connor) and work (for me) was officially done on June 23rd. I, however, still have work to do. Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork and unfinished case management responsibilities that has unfortunately meant that I have been back at work for a few hours per day. But, it's still summer and there is something to be said for not having to set an alarm for 5:30 a.m. and not having to be somewhere by a certain time. I have to admit though, my workload has been looming over me this past month because I knew that it was going to be an impossible task to get it done by the last day of school. I was hoping for July 2nd. That has passed. Now I'm hoping for July 5th to be my last day. We'll see.

I was going to post about the kids' outside water fun and trip to Storybook Land last week but I'm realizing that it's too late for me to do this and I should already be asleep. I'm actually only up because I have do-it-yourself, firework-shooting neighbors who keep waking up my kids. Thank a veteran, be grateful for your freedom but please, don't shoot off fireworks in your backyard. They're illegal, and they're annoying to all of the people who have animals and small children. July 4th...bah humbug.

Next post..."summer fun has begun".