Phase 10...

Sarah and I love playing the card game "Phase 10". It is a game where you have to get 10 different phases (or sequence) of cards. Once you have gotten one phase you go on to the next. You play against one another, so the more people you have the more challenging it can get. Along the way we have found some other Phase 10 lovers who just happen to be our friends and now we get together for what we like to call "Phase 10 - Bring It On - Parties".

Yes, we are fanatics!

We love our times together. Lots of laughs, joking, silliness, catching up and all while trying to focus on our cards. Sarah and I even went so far to as to make t-shirts up for us all. Now it has become the tradition that whoever wins at the end of the night gets to sign all our t-shirts.

Our crew - Michele, myself, Sarah, Cayla and Melissa (missing Susie)

Sarah being silly in between a phase.

Michele was the winner this time around.

Getting her t-shirt signed by the winner while both cracking up over something.

"Did she just get the phase?" Sarah and Cayla (as only two 11 year old girls can do) bring a lot of silliness and singing to our nights together. They are so funny.

I love these nights. Not just because of the fun card game, but mostly because of the girls I am with. They are the best!

Summertime...

We had some activities this summer that I just didn't get around to posting, so the next couple of days I want to show off some pictures of what those were.

In the first part of August my niece Sophia (from Maryland) came to stay with my in-laws for 2 weeks and her 3-month old brother Caleb was here for a week while Kyle and Christy took and anniversary cruise to Bermuda.

Sophia 5, Brayden 4 1/2

We had a chance to go to the Nature Center with her, although it was a rainy morning we had a good time just getting out of the house and exploring.

Looking at the deer we saw in the woods.

Sophia wanted to pretend that this was a troll bridge just like in Dora. They made it across safely.

A silly crew.

Cheese!

Checking out all the cool information they have on animals inside the nature center.

While Sophia was here we also did a lot of swimming at Grandma's pool, as well as...

Tried out the new "Let's Yo" ice cream shop.

Went to a petting zoo and stopped to swing for a minute.

Went to see "Ice Age" at the drive-in movie theatre in Warwick, NY

Painted birdhouses at Grandma's

 

6th Grade...

Sarah had her first day of school on Wednesday. Sixth grade, wow! Exciting. She didn't seem nervous at all the first day. The last two days she has been a little more nervous just getting to know her teachers and the work they will be doing.

She has done great getting up in the mornings so far. We straightened her hair the first day, which took an extra 30 minutes. Her hair has gotten really long over the summer. She looks so grown up, you can't see in this picture but she is wearing dangle earrings something I gave her permission to wear in 6th grade. A lot of new things this year now that she is in Jr. high. I am adjusting to all the changes for my baby.

The first morning it was a bit of a cloudy and rainy morning, so they had the kids going right into school. No waiting in line with her although she had requested that we wait at the gate this year. Getting to be those years of it not being cool to have your parents hanging around.

She came home having had a GREAT first day. She loves 6th grade. They have more freedom when going from class to class, not having to walk in a line or with a teacher, she loved that. One of her 5th grade teachers from last year is now her math teacher this year, which she was excited for. Her other 5th grade teacher also pulled her and a couple of other kids aside to let them know that they did outstanding on their NJASK test (state testing) last year, which she had promised them if they did she would buy them a pizza lunch. It was such an encouragement to her and we are so proud of her.

We are off to a great year. A little bit of homework last night and I am sure more to come.

Next week starts youth group at church, again an adjust for me. Then in a couple weeks come braces. Will keep you posted on all these happenings for our middle schooler.

Box of Goodies...

There is nothing quite like getting a surprise box from MeMe full of goodies.

MeMe is always thoughtful in her packages. Butterfly magnets for Brayden to remember his butterflies by.

Chocolate Zucchini bread and 3 loaves at that! Sarah couldn't believe it. Really! She LOVES chocolate zucchini bread. The zucchini came from PaPa & MeMe's garden in North Carolina.

Thanks MeMe for making our day. We love you.

Jason turns 40...

Jason entered his 40's on Monday. He had a memorable 40th, which I think is what you want on a milestone birthday. He went golfing in the morning with his brother and two friends and then we went to the Yankee game in the evening. What more could a guy ask for?

We had an amazing time at the Yankee game. A friend of ours who works for the Yankees got us special seats for the occasion in the Legends area. Our seats were two rows behind third base. Amazing!

Before the game you get to go to their restaurant which is below the stadium and have dinner, which included a buffet of all different kinds of foods (meat carving, Italian, seafood, sushi, ball park, salads and desserts). On the way to our seats they had all kinds of treats you could take with you - popcorn, peanuts, mini candy bars, lollipops, Twizzlers. Our kids were in heaven. Okay, so were Jason and I. Throughout the game you can order whatever food you want off their ballpark menu or you can go back into the restaurant and get more food. All of it was included with our seats, which was free thanks to our friend.

Our view. Nice.

Just got to our seats.

Jason showing Brayden where Robinson Cano is positioned. Now that Brayden has a Cano shirt he has become his favorite player.

Brayden holding out his hat to try and catch a ball.

and he did. Not with his hat though. One of the Toronto Blue Jays threw him a ball.

A-Rod on 3rd base. Not sure we will ever be closer than tonight.

Brayden wanted one of these fingers since the last time he went to the Yankee game, so tonight he was anxious to get one. He was thrilled with that and his ball.

Brayden made friends with this photographer from the NY Post. Every now and then he would give Brayden a high-five. He also got the eye of a cameraman from the YES Network and got on TV. Jason actually recorded the game at home, so we were able to see it that night. We got several messages from people while we were at the game that they saw Brayden.

Go Jeter!! Like Sarah's new glasses? Fun and funky.

Amazing and memorable night!!

Butterfly Garden...

Brayden got a butterfly garden from PaPa and MeMe for Christmas. You order the caterpillars from the company when you are ready to watch them grow and they ship them to you. We wanted it to be warm enough before we ordered them, so we got them in June and watched them grow from larvae to beautiful painted lady butterflies in a couple of weeks.

We hung the garden in the kitchen so that we could watch them each day.

After the butterflies hatched and we kept them in the garden for a week we decided it was time to set them free. He had a total of 4 hatch, but only 3 survived to be released. Unfortunately most of my pictures from setting them free turned out blurry. So bummed!

In celebration of setting them free we made butterfly cookies.

Can you tell which ones might be Brayden's? (Hint: He loves M&M's)

Afterwards we had lots of fireflies in the yard, so Sarah and Brayden started catching them and putting them in the empty butterfly garden. I think we got almost 20.

Fun summer nights.

Celebrating at the beach...

We had a great time celebrating my birthday at the beach. It was so fun to getaway even if it was just overnight. We headed to Long Branch on Sunday afternoon and started relaxing in our hotel room right away. Later we headed to dinner. Some friends of ours introduced us to Freddie's Pizzeria a couple years ago and it has become a favorite of ours. They have an amazing Italian salad and ultra thin pizza.

After dinner we headed to the beach for a walk and to scope out our spot for the next day.

Monday morning we enjoyed breakfast at our hotel and hit the beach at 9:30. The weather was gorgeous, not to hot or humid and there was a great breeze. The kids loved being in the water. Not me, a little to chilly.

This is to prove that I was really at the beach since moms usually are taking all the pictures.

Before heading home we took a walk down the boardwalk to Pier Village, which has shops and restaurants including a Red Mango frozen yogurt store. We all enjoyed a cool treat.

I couldn't ask for a better birthday. Love my family. Love the beach. Love being able to getaway.