We just got back from a really wonderful weekend trip... and, I am so grateful for this three-day weekend because I am exhausted!! I could use hours upon hours of sleep right now! And plan to catch up a little on rest today. :)

So, I'll be making more posts... But, this post was the start to our trip. We left Friday afternoon & headed down to Cape May, NJ - depending on how you look at it, we either got there too late, or too early because we had to take a Ferry Boat across the Delaware Gap to Lewes, Delaware. Because of traffic, we missed the 6pm, so we had an hour or so to kill before the 8pm ferry. As excited as we were to get to our friends waiting for us in Delaware, we were also grateful for the hour or so we got to spend in Cape May.

It felt, literally magical... between the sunset, the weather, the calm waters & the kids excitement, it was just perfect! I am so glad we got to see the southern most tip of beautiful New Jersey & that the kids got a break, after that long car ride. Cape May was a great start to our Labor Day weekend. I can't wait to share more of it on here.

This is from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry boat. It was so beautiful & as we were pulling out of the harbour, we must have seen a dozen dolphins jumping in the boat's waves. We told Preston they were sharks - because ever since 'Shark Week' Preston has been OBSESSED with sharks! He thinks whales are sharks, so I guess we weren't totally lying to him. But, it made him very excited!!!

We also had a special treat, normally every Fri., evening in the summer they have 'Rockin' the Boat' - it's an awesome cover band that plays usually during the 6pm boat ride, but this was the one night it was somehow moved to the 8pm boat ride... so lucky us!! We had free entertainment on our 85 minute boat ride to Delaware. The boat, was literally rocking from side-to-side & everyone was trying to keep their balance. However, that did not stop Aubree from dancing for a full hour. She made it look like the boat wasn't rocking at all. It was so fun for me to watch her & even though I like watching my kids do stuff like this, I never expect other people to care (and I always try to keep my kids from bugging other people), but Aubree literally had an audience & at the end of the show, at least 10 people came up to me & told me how much they had enjoyed watching Aubree's dancing, how passionate she is & how they hope she always keeps it up/never loses her passion. I thought that was really sweet, and of course - it made me feel good. Aubree is my little sweetheart! :)

So, yesterday evening was the last game of Garrick's company softball league. He was a mid-season walk-on & he loved going to the weekly games - I wouldn't go ALL the time, but I would go to some games with the kids & I was sure to be there yesterday because it was their championship game. Unfortunately, they ended up taking 2nd, not first... But, they still did awesome! :)

I LOVE this picture... Preston is looking right at Garrick playing ball, in full awe & in admiration of him... It's so sweet, it just melted my heart! Who can't love that father-son relationship?? I was going through the pictures last night & I swear, I may have had a little tear in my eye! I just think it's really sweet...

One day this little stud will be out there, playing with the big boys! ;)

Aubree on the other hand, spent her time digging in the dirt & picking flowers... Such a sweet little girl! :)

And the second place champs....

..After the storm! ;)

Well, we survived the great Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene of 2011! :) I know I shouldn't make light of it, I heard on the news this morning that 26 lives were taken - some very tragic & some just very unfortunate & preventable, the saddest (to me) was the little 11 year old boy, who was in his house when I tree toppled down on it... That was my biggest fear on Saturday night, putting the kids to bed; the hurricane was due to pass over us all through the night with 65mph winds.... But all was good, even though there is quite a bit of damage in the surrounding areas.

I do have to say, this was my first hurricane... and it was pretty incredible (even though it was very minor). The trees were bending and swaying & the clouds overhead were moving so fast & in all different directions - the windy, howling noises were pretty crazy too! I did enjoy it, but what I enjoy more is TODAY! It's like the most picture-perfect, beautiful, CLEAR BLUE, crisp day! The breeze just feels heavenly!

Today... with the breeze and the sun & the windows open... It's renewed me & all day today has been really good! This is a pretty typical morning for us, but it feels more cheery than usual with all this sun!

Our morning in pictures...

 My little preschooler - always wanting to do some sort of activity

(here she is circling all the hidden numbers... Isn't she doing good??)

Okay.... so, this is my NEW toy!!! I have my kids & I have my hobbies - this is my NEW hobby! I think it's important for everyone to have some type hobby. Obviously, I have my photography which I absolutely adore, I love my blogging & I'm REALLY taking a liking to sewing now! It started a few months ago, I started looking into the types of synthetic fabrics children's clothing & bedding are made of & I didn't like it! It was then that I wished I had a sewing machine, so I could start making the kids 100% cotton bedding & clothing (organic when feasible).

However, I thought that was out of the question & considering the fact that I had only touched a sewing machine a handful of times when I was in the single digits (mostly in my Grandmother's basement on trips to Sweden), and also the fact that it was something that wasn't really necessary (especially when I have a new project on her way - one who will definitely consume a lot of my time!).

But then I started catching up with an old friend via email (Jamie) & she told me she was sewing her kids Halloween costumes for the second time this year (awesome, huh?). What's interesting with Jamie is I met her in Sacramento. We had both just had our first daughters (Aubree a month before her daughter), and then we both had our sons around the same time (her son just a month before Preston - no joke) & now we're both pregnant AGAIN with our thirds... pretty cool, huh?

Anyway, her saying that turned my candle into a bomb fire & once I get going on an idea... there's no stopping me (pretty sad, huh?). So after a good week of pestering Garrick with my NEED for a sewing machine & pleading my case that I would do, oh so many crafts with it - I researched & bugged him enough until he finally agreed (this is also how I got my camera). So, thank you Garrick.... I LOVE it!! It came in the mail on Thursday & that evening I went to the fabric store & Friday I got busy & made some things! It came very easy for me... Thank God!

So, here's a ruffled skirt I made (my first project), it took me a few hours (with about a 100 interruptions!) & Aubree loves it! :)

 And my second project (which I winged - no pattern). It's still not complete. I want to get a similar blue colored ribbon to attach in the middle. My plan is to possibly make some cloth diapers for new baby & also some nighttime cloth pull-ups for Preston. I'm also working on a nursing cover, a couple gifts for friends & oh... I'll share later the things I do, I don't want to give away anything - I'm going to see a friend this weekend & told her I was attempting to work on something for her little boy - so.... I'll make another post, next week! :)

 And... a current one from today - I'll be 35 weeks on Wed., or Sun., I have those two due dates, but I'm going off the 10/4 one. I'm feeling big... I think she's in birthing position, because I swear on Saturday I was so uncomfortable, I felt myself waddling around & I have always considered myself to be a non-waddler! Can't believe we'll be meeting this new addition SOON!!!



Packanack Lake is a really awesome lake community pretty close to us. I think this was their 5th Annual (?) community event. We started our day really early for an 8am run for the kids, Aubree took her race very seriously - and I think she dominated! :) After Aubree's race, they had some other kid festivities & then Garrick had his big 5k race (3.1 miles), which he did really great on. Our friends from Gainesville, Kirk & Laurie, got us in touch with a couple of their friends who actually live in this community & we were fortunate enough to spend our VERY HOT afternoon at their house, where the kids cooled down in the water. After a nice BBQ, we headed back down to this same park & watched a great fireworks show that the community put on. I didn't get any pictures of the actual fireworks... but it was none the less spectacular!

I do have to note that this was one of the hottest days EVER! We were dripping in sweat from 7:15am until 10pm. The heat NEVER let up! It was in mid-July when we had that awful heatwave.

Aubree's 2-4 year old race:

Garrick's race & his fans cooling off with some refreshing watermelon:

The after-party with some really sweet kids:

The many faces of Aubree...

Fireworks in the park...