A Verry Berry Party!

 

   Evangeline turned 3!

In addition to celebrating throughout the week we hosted a birthday party for her sweet little friends. 

We were so Berry excited that Evangeline was 3 that we had a strawberry shortcake birthday party.  It of course was very fun to plan and easy to do with thanks to MY mama! Evangeline excitedly sat at the coloring table awaiting her guests.  

 Lunches were ready in red baskets for a picnic in the strawberry patch.   

The menu: Strawberry Jam and Peanut Butter Sandwiches,  Strawberry Fruit Salad, and Strawberry Milk.   

Activities all together were dainty, sweet, and sort of quiet (a swing to the other side of the pendulum from Rowan’s Birthdays).  

Strawberry Shortcake for dessert was followed by opening some presents and posing with her girls.   

 For Evangeline the ‘strawberry-on-top’ was playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie with her friends.  And of course, the ‘transformers’ were there but they placed themselves out of the way of all the ‘girly-ness’.

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl!!!

I wanna go fast!

Saratoga is known for it's historical, beautiful, and excitement filled horse track. But, there's another track in town too. 

Many a Friday night growing up our Capuano Ford Bronco brought us to the Middletown raceway in NY.  I have many memories of a dirt track with the racing noises and body thundering vibrations of modified stockcars.  This past Friday night I returned to my roots.  Rowan and I joined my parents at Albany Saratoga Speedway just around the corner in Malta, NY. Nothing has changed, it's still pure fun!

Got kids who love excitement? Looking for family firendly fun? Then grab your ear plugs and get to your local speedway.  OK...maybe not every Friday night but at least once!

Pure joy on my father's face.

Rowan was excited by all the action, especially any action to send the caution flag up.

Pops talking all about the cars.

 

Lolly and I giggled the entire night!

Celebrating Someone Special

There is a lot to celebrate in June, July, and August.  This month, among the many birthdays and anniversaries we made sure to celebrate a special young lady, Miss Emmeline.  Emmeline is instrumental in helping all us Ballston Babes.  She's a friend, a wonderful mothers' helper, and a caring babysitter to the children.

Happy Birthday Emmeline! Here's to another year of a beautiful life!

Celebrating at The Iron Roost

Emmeline with all her 'charges'!

Life's a Beach!

 The Sr. Rudnicks, Pintos, Carolin, and us Jr. Rudnicks crashed Beach Haven this summer for a week on Long Beach Island. What a beautiful week in a beautiful place. 

The beach was the recreation and food, sleep, etc. just had to fit around it. We were at the beach in wind, rain, sun, extreme heat and storm.

 The cousins: Evangeline, Kyle, Tyler, Connor, Rowan

 LBI had lots of Baywatch moments!

Good thing these lifeguards are on duty :)

 Finding a coconut washed onshore was a big moment for the boys!

 Fish faces! Local fisherman bury their fresh catch till it's time to pack up.

  Lots of digging, lots of sandcastles,....and lots of burying!

Connor

Kyle

 And of course, what would beach life be with out some surfing!

What a wonderful way to start summer off with a BANG!

Around...

'Photo management' is often a to-do on my weekly calendar ('blog' is also there but unfortunately that doesn't always make the priority list). I file pictures from our camera and my camera phone by month in that years' folder.  There are two very common categories for each month: around the house, around town.  Here's a glimpse of each of those for the spring.

Crafting at the Wonder Room

The plumber fixing our bathroom drain

Lolly reading a good night story to the two

Beach blanket bingo at school

Fun with sidewalk paint

A crash nap

Playing with friends outside

 

Evangeline, showing off her handmade bracelets, at her friends' tea party

On the soccer field

   A friend of mine and fellow blogger, #suburbangal,  just posted, " I had no time to blog because we were too busy actually living." So true! There's so much living going on we'd need a camera crew to follow us around each day. See you around...

Mother's Day Tea

Our Church Mouse Nursery School puts on a sweet tea time hosted by the children to honor their mothers. 

  Rowan greeted me with a yellow carnation, sat me at his table, and served me finger foods and punch.  He made my place mat, picture frame, and card. The children all sang songs to the moms and Rowan told me just how much he loved me. Priceless!

Our tea table

Proud Mama and her Ballston Babe

 

Rowan with his teacher, Mrs. Rowe

 

 

 Although you can dress him up you still can't take him out!

Michigan in May

In the air and enjoying the ride. The children are awesome travelers. Grand Rapids here we come!

Nothing but smiles once Jill and I are together :)

Let the games begin!

Time together with cousins begins in the mud.

Reese, Ellis, Rowan, Evangeline, Jenna (in birth order)

 T-Ball and Baseball Time

 And of course, lots of eating!

What a joy to spend time together just livin' life.  See you again soon!