Cousins near Buffalo

This really was a highlight of our trip to be able to see Barb and Steven, they are an amazing couple. We had a nice lunch and then went out to see the "man cave".....

Mikayla found a car more her size ;)




Here are some winter toys...oh I love to snowmobile!!!

Hear the engine roar!!






We really enjoyed our time here, after some time in the man cave we went and toured their facility - and let me tell you, it is AMAZING we are so proud of them and all they've accomplished!!!

Party time!!

We unfortunately missed the reunion but we were still able to see a lot of our local family and friends :) They came over to see us, it was a GREAT day. I do have to confess though, Michael and I went to the store to get buns.... and well.... we had a BLAST in Aldi's... if you have one...I hope you go there because their prices are AMAZING!!! and well back to the confession part.... we... um.... went a little crazy.... we came out with an entire cart full of stuff.... (80% was already at the house but Michael just really thought we were going to need it) - so the trunk is seriously full.... and it only cost $65..... I sure wish we had that store here!!!

So we got all the stuff in the house and then the people came. While we did have some food left over...we really did a good number on what we had. It's best to have too much than not enough, right?

I think everyone had as much fun as we did because the last people didn't leave till about 8:00 that night! So it was a very fun filled day! Mikayla did great but she really was overwhelmed with all the people at once that were trying to get to her! She did come out after awhile though.

This is a great picture!!!

Cousins :)

One of my favorite pictures of the day!! Nana blows the best bubbles ever!!

It was all around a perfect day, good food, great conversation and a ton of laughter!!!

Vacation Baby!!!!!

YAY!!! Vacation finally came!!!! We had been hiding the fact that we were leaving to go see Nana in New York from Mikayla because it is easier than dealing with all the questions associated with advance notice. So in the weeks leading up to our trip, Michael couldn't stop talking about it.... "when we get to New York".... "at Mom's house".... and so on... so if her surprise was ruined it is 100% his fault!!! (yes I did tell him that too...he just laughed at me and said that we shouldn't keep it a secret).

So in this short video, we were telling Mikayla (she noticed the suitcases right away and thought we were going on the boat for the weekend).... now keep in mind, it's just after 5:00 am.... I don't think the reality of what was happening really set in.... but after I stopped running the video there was a LOT more screaming and happy dancing and hugging in the house. :)

So from here we quickly loaded up the car and went to my dad's house (he was taking us to the airport), so we got to the airport around 6:15-6:20, 0ur flight isn't until 7:35...phew! we made it.... I checked us in online on Friday - so all we have to do is check our bags.... well....we waited..... and waited.... waited some more but it's ok because we're there and on time....right?

WRONG!!!!!!!! WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG..... WRONG

We get to the front of the line, it is now 42 minutes until our plane takes off.... and the guy tells us.... sorry, can't put you through because you're less than 45 minutes from flight time....um.... WHAT!!!!

So he sent us to a different check in point... and they said ok we'll re-route you....Michael is beyond pissed at this point.... I'm telling him, don't yell at the man.... (he does have the power to not put us on any plane...right?).... so Mikayla catches up with the conversation when she finds out we're not going to make our plane..... so Michael is really trying not to be hot headed about it...she bursts into tears that she's not going on the plane to see Nana...and I'm stuck in the middle wondering what the heck is happening because we WERE on time!!!! We were to arrive in Syracuse at 2:40.... now the guy is saying it won't be until 7:20ish... :(

We were going to a family reunion straight from the airport.... that now we're going to miss :(

Again, Michael is BEYOND himself at this point...Mikayla is pacified because she is still going... but PHEW....this is all before 7:00 am... so we're rebooked for a noon flight...UGH

So we go to Philly..... once we arrive there, we rush to our gate only to get there and they moved us...ok, no worries.... we rush to the next gate only to get there and the gate says "closed".... um....are you kidding me??

Turns out we got bumped to an 8:20 pm flight......

at 7:50 pm, they announce we got bumped to a 10:20 pm flight......

so we wait..... and wait..... and wait......and wait some more.....

at 9:50....we shockingly board our plane....fly to Syracuse - and land at 11:20 pm.... we were supposed to be there at 2:30.... so we agreed we could let that day be ruined but that's it - it did not set the tone for our whole vacation....

Mikayla is such a trooper!!! I long since ran out of entertainment.... so she found things to do. Never once did she whine, complain or even fuss at the situation! I'm so proud of her!!!

didn't actually sleep...but it took some time to use our wipes to clean the chairs and chair backs...on the whole isle...then we had to try them out...


dancing

COME ON ALREADY!!!

Sleepy Times

It's so fun to look back and say wow....Mikayla really has been on the water her whole life, from even before she was born (she was born on a Tuesday and we were sailing the Sunday before that)....

Here is a little walk down memory lane of nap time on board.....and how much she has changed (I have so many sleeping pictures but I just pulled a few for you).

This was taken just last weekend

I'd venture to guess she's pretty comfortable on a boat.

Take me out to the ball game.....

For Father's Day we got my dad tickets to the ball game. We had soooo much fun, although it was more fun for me to people watch. There were some very interesting characters there!

Here the Taco Bell salsa packets were racing around the field.... it was hysterical when the mild sauce tripped and fell down and the other sauces ran right past him...(um yea...that would be a sentence that I don't think I ever would say)

Then the roof started opening after the game..... (in came the HOT air LOL)

Then we saw one of the most fabulous fire work displays I've ever seen, they were timed with music and it was just AWESOME!!!

We all really had a great time. Mikayla had a blast, she was dancing and singing and people watching galore. We kept her out rather late though...oopsie (we kept her out late all weekend... one night it was midnight when we got home - another "bad mommy" gold star...but we had a lot of fun so maybe just a silver)

VBS 2011

Wow what a week our girl had!!! She was able to attend VBS last week and she was singing and dancing all week long, then my dad would take her to swim for a couple of hours and then bring her home, she was exhausted and excited and exhausted and just everything in between! It was truly a fabulous week!!! She is such a trooper to be pulling the hours she is right now and still be as sweet as ever!!

Here they are first thing Monday morning for Pandamania (although I'm pretty sure it was pandemonium over there).

On Thursday night, they invited all of the families to come and watch/participate in a concert where we got to see our kids in action.

Here she's showing off her toothless tooth for me ;)

And here they go!!!!

Here's Mikayla with Captain Jack.....

And a quick video of one of my favorite songs from the night - Yes, I will be singing this until next month.... but that's OK