Pre-House to Tree House

This is a project I've been mulling over ever since Aiden took his first tentative toddler steps out into our backyard quite a few years ago.  While Aiden (and now Brady) seem perfectly content to make their own fun with whatever is at hand, I still have a great desire to make dedicated "kid spaces" outside to encourage creativity, fun and all that other good stuff.  My hope is that what our backyard is lacking in space (and it is), it will make up for in imagination.

Though, as I said, I'd been thinking about it for quite some time the catalyst that actually got this project off the ground was when I found a big yellow playground slide that somebody put out with the trash!  I dragged it home and got to work!

Here is a standard issue 'before' picture:

After one day.  Aiden is helping by hammering nails into the sidewalk (someones gotta do it.)

And complete!  Actually, I will be staining it the same color as the deck sometime soon, but you get the idea.

It's already got some really good use!  Yesterday I walked out of the house to see the yard littered with toys and two very happy kiddos laughing and playing in the tree house.  It doesn't get any better then that!

Happy Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day and I wanted to write a quick post to say Happy Father's Day to Rob.  Seeing Rob as a father to our 2 boys has been one of the greatest joys in my life.  

We also had Brady dedicated at church yesterday.  So, it was a special day for us.  

Father's Day has some special meanings for us- we got married on Father's Day 7 years ago, and 5 years ago, we found out we were pregnant with Aiden on Father's Day.  So, getting Brady dedicated on this day went right along with the sentimental tradition.  We had family over after church and it was such a beautiful day.  

Rob and I are both blessed with amazing father's.  My grandparents were also there and it is a blessing to see the legacy that they have built with their family.  Having everyone there to celebrate was a huge blessing!

 

It was a great day, with beautiful weather and my only regret is not taking more pictures. 

So, a special Happy Father's Day to my husband and amazing father to our 2 beautiful boys.  Love you!

A Maine Moment

I just wanted to share these pictures from a recent quick trip up to the Spring Cove cabin. The cabin weathered the winter well, the fishing was good, and the lake (as always) was beautiful.

The Great Outdoors

As far as picture-taking goes, when Aiden was first born we followed the typical trajectory of many new parents.  In other words, we took a lot of pictures. A lot.  If there is any doubt about the overwhelming quantity of pictures taken, you need only look back at when this blog first started.  We took pictures of Aiden sleeping, pictures of Aiden eating, pictures of Aiden laying down, pictures of Aiden sitting up, and on and on.  We took a lot of pictures of that kid.

As over-zealous as our photography was the first time around, we are equally lackadaisical with kid number two.  Everyone said we would be, and this time... everyone was right.  We are trying hard(er) though recently, working to make up for prior shortfalls and give this boy his digitally captured due.

So all that to say: I took a bunch of pictures of Brady outside in the yard yesterday and here they are.

Schooled

As hard as it is for us to believe, another year of Aiden's preschool adventure has come to an end- and what a year it was.  For Aiden, going to school every week, hanging with his friends and hanging on every word from his teachers has become second nature- and it has been a pleasure to watch.  Despite the fact that prying information out of him about his school activities can be trickier then breaking into a bank vault, the joy that is apparent on his face every time he comes home is hard to miss.  

The end of the school year was commemorated (as so many things are) by singing- a Spring Sing to be exact.  The singing was every bit as enthusiastic and entertaining as you might imagine, and the reception afterwards had cake and picture-taking aplenty to do justice to such a momentous occasion.

Boys in the House

After about seven months of living in a house with two boys we've come to the (probably forgone) conclusion that yes, it's crazy and no, we haven't seen anything yet.  You wouldn't think that a four year old and a seven month old could cause too much of a ruckus, but somehow they manage.  They also have a lot of fun together, which is certainly great to see.  We haven't been the best about taking pictures of the two of them together over the last few months, but we're hoping to get back on track.  Here's a bunch: