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Newfound & Webster Lake (70's style!)

On Memorial day we got nostalgic for our old stomping grounds and headed north to Newfound Lake.The weather looked great only thing is we forgot to check the wind gusts. Go figure. We had to stake the children down lest they blow away. Newman O's did the trick. They're very heavy cookies...

Rich tried to pretend we weren't sitting in the vortex of a cyclone but only Gabe believed him. We lasted an hour or so before packing it all up and saying farewell to the giant Smokey.Gabe's hair cracks me up. I was not kidding about the wind...

So back south we headed to Wester Lake, our backyard body of water when we lived in Franklin. Thankfully, the breeze was not nearly as brutal and we managed to salvage our day. Gabe and Simone occupied themselves playing with Pokemons and Bakugans in the grass after a quick dip.And Rich tortured Caden with the water sprayer.(Don't ask about that poor child's swim suit. His usual attire was no where to be found that morning.)

New Castle quickie

I always mean to take a pic of this funny artist frame thingy. So we did.
After we went out on the jetty a bit.The wind made us fear for our lives so home we went.

Gone Fishin'

Man those monkeys love to fish. Good thing their Daddy does to!Actually catching them isn't necessary though it's definitely a bonus!Unless of course, yours looks like this after. Blech.Munchie's got the hang of it too.
Three for three!

Caden turns THREE!!

And sadly we learned he can't blow out candles.Not that he didn't give it an honest effort...
Phew! Thanks to a little inconspicuous help from Daddy.He got another chance a few days later when we threw a little family party but again...it took a little assistance to get the job done.But present opening... he's got it down!

A Shameless Plug (it's been awhile!)

Speaking of Mother's Day, (someone did speak of it, right?!) how's this for a Mama?(That's baby number four in the oven!) See the rest right here; Captured by Jess. ;)

Nature Club Wednesdays

Nature Club brought us to Kids Kove where behind the playground, are trails...alongside a river. And quite a raging river at that!And LOUD too! Caden was fascinated with it.


Finally at the very bottom, a seemingly nice sandy beach...
and a big rock.A perfect spot to practice our trail marker signs... (or so we thought!)I believe this ones means you are supposed to take as many steps foward as represented in the square...So according to Olivia's marker, please take approximately five dozens paces!This young lass demonstrates the stick through a leaf technique used for pointing in which direction one should follow.And though I can't be entirely sure, this convoluted message using multiple signs...may have been the reason half our group traipsed through this evil ivy (as discovered a day or two later for some unfortunate friends).

Mother's Day herbs

Every year my fear of planting sends Rich off to Home Depot to buy my herbs for the season. I love them for cooking, I love having my barrels filled with prolific plants but honestly, I want nothing to do with it. Thank god for Mother's Day!

Enter a couple of blonde heads to get things going... (two is always better than one!)

add some dirty hands...and don't forget to "nose" their delicious scent!And voila! A mommy made happy!

Newcastle Commons (again)

Favorite things to remember at the beach today...

The "babies" exploring the rocks together...and logging miles running their trucks up and down the coast all day.

Gabe's curly beach hair and the rash guard he feels naked without...Caden in his easy-to-spot tie dye shirt...True glee...

Little surfer dude's...Happy slinging babes...

Empty crab shells...And rainbow kites!