Camping Joisey style!

Rob's parents have a stationary "trailer" at a really nice camp ground in Cape May, New Jersey. Minutes from the Jersey Shore. When they used to live in PA we went up there every summer. It's for sale and has been sitting empty for a year and a half so we decided to take a 9 day adventure up there! I never want to relive that road trip as Clara HATED her car seat for the entire 13 hour trip, but the vacation was AWESOME! It really is the best trip we take every time we do it! The kids love the beach and all of the water parks and amusement parks on the piers. We love the weather that's usually a bit cooler. Until I went to the shore the first time my only beach vacations were to Florida, Alabama, and the Carolinas. I MUCH prefer this!!! Who knew we'd love Jersey so much! It's a vacation I would highly recommend to anyone with children! And this mack daddy trailer is the only way I can camp for 8 nights! It is well equipped with cable, ac, full bath, bedrooms, a full kitchen and a sun room I'd love to have on my house! We had a BALL! HUGE thanks for Abuela and Abuelo for being kind enough to loan it to us for the week!

The prize we were thankful we didn't win!

The boys riding the sea serpent!

Mommy coaxed reluctant Cora onto a small roller coaster. Her face did not look like this afterwards! It was her first and last roller coaster.

bottom's up!

Cade the daredevil will ride anything. After he and I rode this coaster he said, "take a picture of this entire roller coaster so that you can see that it goes upside down twice and backwards and post it on facebook and the blog so that everyone will know what I did!"

cute sisters deciding what to ride next. The rides for small people like Clara were just Cora's speed too!

LOVE THESE FACES!!!!!


Clara's personality is a lot like Cade's. She wasn't afraid of anything. We even put her down a water slide by herself in a life jacket. When she is finished with anything she cries and says, "ride, ride!" A daredevil in the making!


Cora modeling one of the ten bathing suits she took.

sweet boy loves the beach!

She didn't even mind the ICE water! It was seriously 62%!

Where's Cade-O?

My version of Where's Waldo---
Cade wrapped up another summer swim season with the Isle Of Hope Sharks!
There's nothing he loves more! Thanks, sharks for a great season!

Party like a Rockstar!!!

Per Cora's request her birthday party theme this year was "rock star." I was leary when I began looking at party decor at the party store and it was all skulls and crossbones and the like, but we pulled it off in perfect 5 year old style!
even the littlest rocker had her pigtails sprayed pink after visiting the hair and make up crew "backstage!"

blowing out the candles on the "microphone cupcakes"

this was the hair, make up, dance crew :) Do you really think I could make over all those little rockers alone?

this was cora after her costume change. I think I wore a similar dress in high school in all black--scarey!
the making of the music video with choreographer extraordinaire, Addi!

Rock on, girls!

uh oh, the boys found the make up!

this little rock star takes her dancing very seriously!

Happy 5th Birthday Precious Girl!!!

Sweet Cora,

On July 10, 2006 God gave me one of the best blessings He can ever give. He gave me you. You weighed in at 8lbs. 7oz. and the minute I held you, I knew I was changed forever!


I loved being your mommy and I couldn't wait to teach you lots of things! Little did I know, you'd teach me just as much!

That first year, you taught me about unconditional love and the blessing of a daughter, and a sister.


You taught me that we can't take ourselves too seriously.


And that you really can have your cake and eat it too! That second year you taught me,


that life can sometimes be a bummer! A really, really HUGE bummer! And that watching someone you love hurt, is worse than hurting myself.


But if we smile, and stick together, and trust the God who created us, we'll get through it one way or another!


That third year you taught me about perseverance, strength, and humility.

You taught me that's it's OK to not have it all together all the time!


And to just stick with people who love and support you!



That fourth year you taught me about toughness, spunk, and self confidence. Hold your head high and be proud, no matter what!!!


You also taught me about giving back and loving others!
So thank you to my beautiful, sweet, precious girl for teaching your mommy all those things! Daddy, Cade, Clara, and I are so thankful to have you in our family! You are the best middle sister EVER!!! We are so proud of you and we love you more than you'll ever know!!!


We can't wait to see what you'll teach us this fifth year! Happy Birthday!

Indiana!

We made a whirlwind trip to Indiana last week! We even got to stop in Atlanta on our way there and our way back and see Abuela and Abuelo (we love having the option to break up that long drive!) We had a great time as we do every summer! I'm always reminded of the things I love best about Indiana, all of which are human! Not only did we see Gran, Pop, Great Grandma, Great Grandpa, and my aunt and uncle, but also LOTS of high school friends and their precious kiddos! The old girl scout song is true. "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other GOLD! Thanks for a great trip everyone!!!


All decked out in our red, white, and blue for a July 3rd fireworks rain out! :(

Clara was bummed, but we didn't let that stop our fun!

Luckily we stopped in Tennessee (the firework capital of North America) at Big Daddy's Fireworks and these two pyro maniac's loaded up on some fireworks of our own! I don't know which of these boys was more excited about this???

Cora got in on some sparkler fun!

But Clara looked like this the whole time and after the machine gun sounding firecrackers I had to take her in for an upstairs window view of the rest of the show! not-a-fan!

Then we got to see LOTS of friends from all different places and of all different sizes!!!!

could there possibly be a cuter line up?

2 of my 3 "GOLDEN" friends! That doesn't mean we're old, just very valuable! (Jill, we didn't get a pic! )
Then a marshmallow roast with lots more boy friends! Cora didn't mind being outnumbered at all. In fact, I think she kinda liked it! ;)

And this was perhaps the accomplishment of the week!!! My very scaredy cat girl JUMPED OFF THE DIVING BOARD OVER 1000 TIMES!!! Next year's goal is to lose the floaties!