Check out the vacation photos!

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We did so much fun stuff on our 10 day vacation I just can't really sum it all up.  But highlights...Disneyland, Anna met some princesses and more importantly Mickey Mouse, LOVE THAT PLACE, Oceanside "The Main Attraction", family at Sammy's, a group of 27 (15 being kids) ordering and eating at a restaurant, coronado beach = gorgeous, Legoland, SeaWorld (soaked), Legoland Waterpark, street fair in Oceanside, Cali Surf Museum, Britany Hamilton's actual surfboard with the bite in it, Coldstone and the sytycd results w/ mom and sisters, Disneyland one more time, crappiest hotel experience ever! (two people walked into our room in the middle of the night having been assigned our room...yikes), fairly smooth 5 hour flights....home...laundry...jet lag...

it was there the whole time!

On Friday I was introduced to a little beach that is only 30 minutes from my house in Baltimore County.  It's only $3 to park for each person in your car not in a booster, ample parking, long row of large trees shading picnic tables w/ grills, a great little sand area, and a roped off swim area with no waves.  Lifeguards are on duty, there is a bath house and grill.  I just wish I had known about this little gem.  All that time I spent wishing to be at the ocean I could have gone to this (much less exciting, but still) little beach area.  The kids could enjoy it more than the ocean.  Christian was able to walk all the way out to the rope.  Jack was halfway out too and trying to swim all over.  Anna wasn't a huge fan of standing or sitting on the shore.  (Her friend Hazel was trying to show her how awesome it was.  She just wasn't having it.)  But she liked floating in her little raft we have.  We had a really fun time discovering this new place.  Hope to go back lots more this summer.

Fun on the Fourth

For the Fourth we (as usual) headed down to Purcellville, Virginia to the cabin at Baker's Acres.  It was hot and humid and there were a record number of gnats this year but one of the most fun years so far.  Anna was all decked out in her patriotic gear.  We did some swimming where Jack and Christian surprised us with there ease in the water.  They had a blast getting thrown around in there.  We did some of our own fireworks when it got darker. It was just a really fun day. 

alright, alright, I'll take a mini-van...

We did it!  We got ourselves a minivan...that's right, a minivan.  I guess once we really started looking into what would work best and what we needed it just fit the bill.  Captain's chairs in the middle, leather seats, stow-away seating, automatic doors and trunk, and a huge trunk space.  We decided on a black 2007 Chrysler Town & Country Touring, bonus, only 23k miles!  

Our first ride in it down to Virginia quieted any doubts we may have had about purchasing it.  It was quieter, no fighting boys, no screaming baby (she was facing forward for the first time in her new seat and LOVED it), fantastic air conditioning, much better ipod attachment, just better.  

So, yes I am very happy to own a minivan. 

I only have eyes for you...

New Summertime background.  I am so excited that it's warm again.  Lots has been going on.  It won't stop until July.  I just got finished playing the head cheerleader in High School Musical at a local community theater.  I had more fun doing that than I've had in a long time.  It lit that fire in me again to want to be onstage.  So hopefully more dancing in theater or shows in the near future.

     Christian and Jack wrap up baseball this weekend.  We also have Matt's sister Elizabeth's wedding weekend!  

 Anna is trying to get her last four little teeth in, the canines and I think its made her a bit grumpy over the past week or so. 

 We celebrated Christian's 9th birthday and took a fun family picture.  Sorry a little blurry.

 Lots of fun stuff to look forward to as well.  Hershey Park, girls camp, cubscout daycamp, Eclipse, July 4th...and of course more pool time! 

Inspired by...

A lovely, creative friend, Jennilyn, inspired me to take more couple's photos of me and Matt.  I have been meaning to after trying to put together a small photo album for him at Valentine's day of our almost 10 years together and having a hard time finding pictures of only the two of us.  So, I started last night.  Set the timer to take 3 pictures in a row.  I only put the best one up, Matt was embarrassed about his face in the first one and I accidentally put up the wrong finger in the third one.  I swear, it was an accident!
I love my Matt!  Coming up on our 10 year anniversary this month is just crazy!  I can't believe it has been 10 years.  I'll save the rest for a post closer to our big day.  For now, here is the picture.