Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Remembering a birthday....

What would you be doing
today on your 62nd birthday?

Did you like cake and ice cream?
Would you allow 62 candles to grace your dessert of choice?

Would you pass on the years of wisdom
to your daughters and grandchildren
reminiscing
with us?

Would you have a blog detailing your growing family?
Would we skype you today?

I take a moment today
to remember
to question
to wonder
and I know that is o.k. to do
on what would have been
your birthday today.

In loving memory
of
Brenda Marie Conklin Shippy
on what would have been
her 62nd birthday....
all who loved you dearly
still remember.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bethany Beach Fun


We were blessed with an invitation from Darrell's Dad's best friend and wife (did you follow that?) to come stay with them at their beach house in South Bethany, Delaware. (Same beach as Ocean City, Maryland....just due north). We had one full beautiful beach day, one-half of another, then the rest rain....but we still had a lot of fun and did a lot of activities.

Once the kids got used to the waves and the ocean, Evan and Ann-Marie enjoyed boogie-boarding. Alec, however, enjoyed the sand a little more as the waves were intimidating at first. He did do more swimming with Darrell and I once he got used to the waves.

Silliness at the beach house.....Ann-Marie got a hold of Darrell's shirt and my sunglasses.....
One of the rainy days we went to see the lighthouse and visit the marker that divides Maryland from Delaware....how much fun to put a foot in each state!

Ann-Marie and I took an early morning walk on the beach.....
The request from the children was to eat at an "all-you-can-eat" seafood buffet. We chose Phillip's since it was closest. The kids really enjoyed it. They discovered crayfish, learned how to open crabs, and dug into crab legs.


I love this picture, because we have one just like it when we were in Italy in March......so the kids were able to look across both sides of the Atlantic ocean this year!

On the way back home, we drove through Lewes, Delaware (the first town in the first state) and stopped at Cape Henlopen State Park.
Climbing the fire control tower.......
finding out how stinky horseshoe crab shells are....
enjoying the view of the lighthouse.....
and exploring the nature center.

A big thank you to our gracious hosts, we had a fabulous time!!! Another thank you to the Blietz B&B in Silver Spring, Md....we were able to break up the drive home and spend time with friends. Thank you again to our wonderful neighbors, Mike and Chelsea Johnston, who look after our house when we're gone!
And, this sums it up.....a good vacation leaves you well-rested! Yes, Alec did fall asleep like that while watching TV.....I think we wiped him out!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Summer update

Where are all the pictures of summer? Where has the time gone? Well, we have been doing a lot, but I haven't taken many pictures. Honestly, I have just been trying to enjoy the kids this summer and take it one day at a time. It seems that the kids are growing up so fast these days....time just keeps moving and I want to stop and catch these memories before they are gone. I guess I should take more pictures then....

Evan has been spending his summer working through the Redwall book series...I think he's on book 15 out of 20. He did a week of flag football and a week of soccer camp through Skybacher's ministries. He is almost as tall as I am and I had to buy him shoes this summer that are the same size as my shoes. Too bad he isn't a girl.....I guess I'll have to wait for Ann-Marie to reach my shoe size. Ten years old and going into 5th grade......

Ann-Marie has spent a good deal of time in the gym as she is on team gymnastics. She LOVES being at the gym and working hard at these new skills. As we speak, she is rearranging her room with Darrell, because she wants the room to "be her idea, and not her mom's." Independent? She certainly is her own person at age 8 and working her way through 3rd grade.

Alec has had a big summer! Teeth a popping out and molars are pushing in. He was able to attend his first sports camps with Skybacher's ministries. He is definitely a "school-ager" now with his interests, his energy and his enthusiasm. He has asked throughout the summer to practice reading, so he's ready to go! I can't believe my baby is 5 and ready for Kindergarten.

Darrell has balanced his summer between work and spending time with the kids and I. You never know where he will be in Beaver County or beyond...so keep your eyes open! He continues to love being a financial adviser....

And I continue to teach fitness classes, with my newest classes being with the older population. I have started teaching Silver Sneakers classes and love it.

We are heading to Bethany beach this week for a last summer trip, then school starts on August 22nd. Maybe I'll start taking more pictures and keeping up with this blog once we're back into a normal routine. I pray that you are enjoying your summer!
Alec getting his flag football Skybacker's certificate....
BodyCombat launch 48 with co-instructor, Matt.