August 4, 2013 Letter to Jackson

Dear Jackson-
A few more months and you will be 5 years old! You are having a great summer full of activities and trips (and emotions). We visited your cousins during the 4th of July holiday and had a wonderful trip out there, full of adventure, swimming and visiting. Now we are up in NH for a whole two weeks worth of vacation! Week one flew by and now we are into our second week here at the lake and it is wonderful.

You and your brother (as you like to call Shane) are having a wonderful time up here. We have done lots of swimming at the lake and you my friend, are a little fish in the water! You just finished Penguin swimming lessons at the Boys and Girls Club and you are doing great in the water. You put your gogles on and off you go exploring under water. You and Shane like to play "Shark" and you get people and things. Daddy bought your boogey boards so you are loving that - paddling and jumping off the board. Nana and snowball also came on vacation with us so it is a full family affair up here in NH.

This month Jackson while you have been enjoying life to the fullest, you have also been a bit more emotional than usual. Maybe you are going through a growth spurt? You are a bit more emotional than usual with a fair amount of crying when you don't get your way and you have been very tired. You play hard all day and then boom you crash! In fact while we have been on vacation you have "fallen down" in fatigue on the front lawn yelling- I can't walk, I'm too tired! a little dramatic.....Some of that drama has played out down at the lake as well when you didn't want to carry your boogy board, Shane carried his happy as a clam but you put up a BIG Screaming display all the way back to the car.

Aside from your emotional outbursts here and there you are enjoying life up here at the lake. We have visited friends- Aunt Edna, Aunt Margaret and Uncle Allen, gone on boat rides, swimming, riding scooters when ever you want! and lots of  adventures- Clarke's Trading Post, Santa's Village, Story Land the list goes on and on.

I love you Jackson Reid. You are mommy's sun, moon and stars. Happy Auguust- stay smiling.
Love,
Mommy

Auguest 4, 2013 letter to Shane

Dear Shane-
Summer is more than half over and I think I can say that we are having a great summer! You have really enjoyed life these past few months and have been one happy little camper. The past few weeks you have been wonderful at listening and following directions and you have just been happy!

Last month we visited your cousins in Ohio for the 4th of July and we had a GREAT TIME! You loved seeing your Aunt and Uncle and playing with Katie, Abby and Zach and of course meeting Willow was great as well. You and Jackson LOVED playing with Zach's toys and building legos, playing race cars etc. We visited the Ohio Zoo (and got caught in the rain) and did all sorts of things. Your photo album will be full of pictures of that trip.

We are currently up in NH on vacation and you are really enjoying yourself. You have been sleeping "in" to about 6:30 am which is wonderful for mommy and we have been going to the beach and swimming a lot! You are turning into a little fish, you put on your goggles and off you go into the lake exploring for fish and other creatures under the water. Your swimming lessons are paying off as you can stay under water for a while and you do a mean doggy paddle! You seem very happy up here in NH. You can ride your scooters anytime you want and you are just HAPPY! always smiling and giving kisses (with an occasional mugga mugga mugga for mommy). I love seeing you this happy.

We have another beach day today and I'm sure you'll spend the entire day in the water and making friends like you do every day. Mommy will bring her camera to the beach to capture you in action. While you and your brother still have your occasional fights up here you are getting along beautifully here in NH and it is wonderful to see.

I love you my little Shane. You are mommy's sun, moon and stars.
Love,
Mommy

NH Vacation

We have been in NH for a few days now and having a wonderful time.
Nana's car broke down but aside from those stories things have been smooth as silk!
We have been on the beach and today we went to Clarke's Trading Post:

Here are mommy's two cowboys! I love you Shane and Jackson.
Tomorrow we visit with Aunt Margaret and Uncle Allan.

Summer time fun

With the heat index creeping up to 108 degrees here, it is hot! The boys have been going to "Camp" at the boys and girls club all week and then basically going to the pool in the afternoon. They have been TIRED at night. The other night, Jackson fell asleep on my lap- this is something he never does but mommy certainly welcomed it.

The boys went to build a bear with Auntie while we were in Ohio and made Rainbow bears. Well they sleep with the bears and tonight I asked Shane about his bear. Shane where did you get that bear?
S: I made Rainbow bear all by my self (With a big grin)
Who took you to the store: My special Auntie Kris took me.
Big Shout out to Auntie- thank you,  they love the bears!

 Playing at the sprinkler park- July 15, 2013 it is HOT out- in the mid 90's. Shane dark blue, Jackson light blue- they look like they are having fun hugh?

 We ventured to the MFA with the boys. We did O.K. Jackson touched a rope that he wasn't supposed to so the guards kept  a close eye on us. It was also Family Saturday so there were craft projects throughout the museum. Here are the boys making clay ships.

 Shane with his Sketch book- creating "masterpieces" Jackson only did one drawing but Shane had a grande time drawing in the book.

New haircuts from Daddy- Shaved heads for the summer. Not mommy's cup of tea but it should keep them cool. Here are the boys playing train conductor and making  "tickets".

 At build a bear with Auntie.

                              Cousins Photos.

4th of july weekend- notes

Our COUSINS!!!!!!!!!!!
Shane says when he is going to use the bathroom: I need my privacy, come in with me.....
Balloon rockets
Swimming in the pool
Playing with Zach's toys- cars and clippers
Build a bear with Auntie
sleep over at our cousins
getting caught in the rain at the zoo with our cousins
Shane woke up day 1 at home and wanted to know when we were going back to ohio!

 Auntie shows Shane and Jackson the icecream in a tub at Max and Erma's

                                                Sleep over at Aunties house-the boys loved the sleeping bags. In fact, Jackson asked Auntie "how it worked? " so in the morning I just slide out?

                                                   Watching TV with Abby

                               Their rainbow build a bears. Jackson got a batman costume for his Rainbow Batman and Shane got a Spider Man costume for his Peter Parker Rainbow Bear. Below- wearing the hats from Build a Bear and blowing bubbles at Auntie and Uncle Chris's house.