Ocean Grove Beach

Mowing with Daddy

Simon and James

See those dirty knees ... he's been crawling worming across the lawn.  And Simon may still be waiting patiently for James to throw the tennis ball.

Would it shock you if I told you that she dresses herself?

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Yesterday we spent a few chilly hours at the Lehigh Valley Zoo, which is just a half hour from our house. It wasn't the best zoo but it was so empty due to the weather that we had no problems seeing the animals.

War College Museum

We also went to the War College's outdoor exhibits.  It was great to watch the grandchildren run through the bunkers and explore the space. 

Daddy Running

While home for Thanksgiving, we went on the Rail-Trail.  Alma, Grandpa and I rode bikes while Joshua ran.  Alma loved watching her father run.  They are such a cute pair.

Ice Skating

A few weekends ago Joshua and I were feeling beat from our hectic schedules of work, trying to get the house ready for the new baby and taking care of Alma.  So we plopped down on the couch, snugged up with Alma and turned on the tv to ice skating (actually the National Ice Dancing Championships).  Alma was entranced.  She has been "skating" through the house with her dolls ever since.

The other day I had the chance to take her to the newly re-opened Bethlehem ice skating rink which is just up the street from our house.  She was thrilled ... and then easily bored.  I cannot wait until I can take her out on the ice to give it a try!

Hawk Mountain Hike

Last weekend we hiked up Hawk Mountain, a bird sanctuary about an hour drive from our house.  While we didn't see many birds (one red tail hawk in the distance), it was a more comfortable hike than the last time Alma and I hiked there in (at least) a foot of snow.

Illick's Mill

The other day we had a little bit of time to kill so we went to Illick's Mill near our house to watch the ducks, a man who was fishing, a train that drove by (the conductor waved and blew the horn for us) and a bat that was catching the early evening bugs.  I love these quiet times with Alma when we can enjoy being outside together.

Lupus Loop

Once again, at the end of October we will be walking in the Lupus Loop to raise awareness and funds to fight lupus. If you would like to support us, please visit the fundraising page of our team, The Queen's Team by clicking here. Thanks!

Prince the Horse

 Last weekend, Joshua, Alma and I went out to a farm where our friend keeps her horse.  Alma has been terrified of horses in the past, so it was great to see her progress to actually petting the horses (not much, but at least she touched them) and sitting on a pony for a few moments.  We are so blessed to have friends in Bethlehem who have include us in their lives with such warmth and hospitality.

Choo-Choo

 As another Montessori-inspired activity (based on the idea of playing follow-the-leader or following a path around a room), Alma has been playing a game she calls "Choo-Choo" which consists of walking along two 2x4s and then jumping off the end.  We change how far apart the boards are from one another to add complexity.  And, with our bumpy yard, the boards move around a good bit as she walks, adding to the challenge. 

In the summertime, in addition to kicking off her boots, she would often take off her shirt. 

Apples, Pears and Mud

Yesterday, we spent the morning picking apples and pears with our friends at a huge orchard near Bethlehem.  Well, Alma didn't spend much time picking because she was too busy gobbling up the delicious fruit.  She would trek through the mud with the fruit smooshed into her face before eventually coming up to me with only the stem and telling me "DONE!"  What a sweet fruit-loving babe.

Vacation Wrap Up

We were lucky enough to have three straight weeks of vacation this summer.  Well, one week of "workcation" followed by one week of "memorialization" before a week of actual vacation.

Our first week was spent in Applegate, CA (near Sacramento) for Joshua's work conference.  The overarching organization that Joshua, through CUNA, works with, People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO), is an international non-profit that encourages the employees to bring their families to the yearly week-long work conference.  I've been wanting to attend for years but this is the first time that the trip didn't interfere with my own employment.  Alma and I spent our days playing with the other 40+ kids in attendance and enjoying the beautiful Jesuit retreat center where the conference was held.  And, at night, Joshua and I would hang out on the patio overlooking the pond and share a crossword puzzle.

Sadly, Joshua's grandmother passed at the beginning of June, so we spent the next week with his family celebrating her life.  While it was a sad event, it was so nice to have some time with the Chisholm clan when we had not been planning a visit with them for this summer.  We were able to spend a day at Santa Monica beach (photo of Alma and me was snapped by Hayden!), some time in the backyard shooting cans with a BB gun, and Alma had plenty of time idolizing her cousin Hayden.

After a wild trip home -- three days of delayed flights, car rides interrupted with me getting sick on the side of the road (yes, that happened more than once), an eventual red-eye flight home with an overly tired toddler -- we were home for 20 hours before leaving for a trip up to the Adirondacks for a week of relaxing with Kate, Neal (a.k.a. Uncle Fun), their pup Rio and our dog Simon.  It was a week composed of all the greatest things: best friends (even Simon had his best friend), delicious food, and an amazing house right on Lake Paradox.  We spent days hiking, napping, watching the dogs swim until near-drowning fatigue and our nights were long games of Kate beating us at Settlers of Catan.

Rugby

Joshua started playing with the Lehigh Valley Rugby Club, the Hooligans, a few weeks ago.  Alma and I are already becoming champs of the sideline, clocking in our second match this afternoon.

Today I noticed very small freckles on the tops of her cheeks.  It made me think, "Get ready for a lifetime of sun and sports, kiddo."

Daily Walks

 When we are out for a walk around the block, if I mention that when we get home we will have a snack, (if hungry) Alma will immediately sit down in the middle of the sidewalk and wait for a snack to be handed to her.

She is also very keen on visiting other people's homes, especially if they have barking dogs or flags.