{cider hill}

one of our favorite places to visit as a family is cider hill farm.  they have all kinds of things to pick; apples, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, and i can't even remember what else. chickens to feed, tire swings made into "horses", pumpkins, a hay maze and the ever popular apple cider donuts.

cousin chris & amy were visiting from wisconsin and we loved showing them one of our favorite hangouts.



cute picture, right?!

then we take a stab at a family picture. 

in usual form, we don't get a keeper.

all smiles until a bee swarms aiden...

followed by much screaming and hiding behing her bag.  owen seems to think holding his breath will help.

aiden is completely freaked and owen is still holding said breath

how is it possible that this is the best shot?  this always seems to happen to us. someone teach me photoshop so i can replace the faces on mike and miles.  (although miles does kind of crack me up.)

we miss you chris & amy!  please come visit again soon.  xo

{land of 10,000 lakes}

one of our summer adventures was a trip to MN to visit "tractor grandpa & grandma".  (my grandparents that aiden gave that nickname to because they live on a farm with tractors.  duh.)  they were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and a family reunion was in order.

i think the kids could have stayed all summer at their place.  so much to explore outside!  i loved that i could just tell them to go outside and play and they didn't need a grown up with them.  we can't do that in boston.

played with kitties every day. this one was dubbed "rex"

i know she looks like she wants to run, but "blackie" was so patient with owen.

cows (and flies) in abundance.

cousin baseball

remind anyone of field of dreams...the corn and all???

little boys and golf cart rides

aiden & miles both learned how to ride a 2-wheeler while we were there.  her knees practically hit the handlebars.

he learned first.  aiden stopped what she was doing, got on the bike and didn't get off till she could ride too. so funny!

youngest cousin...baby briar

love this one of tractor g'pa feeding briar

making hollyhock dolls with g'ma terry

owen thought cousins logan & landon were THE best! tractor rides with them down the lane.

the boys found these plastic guitars and cowboy hat in the toy bin. they were rocking' out!

strummin' smurg guitar

she read little house on the prairie while we were there.  seemed appropriate.

cousin landon. the best thing since sliced bread. owen still talks about him just about every day

aiden drew a picture of her holding a kitten and entered it at the county fair.  here she is with her blue ribbon!

saw alot of this.  kitten hunting.  there were at least four litters while we were there.

it kind of just shook rocked him to sleep

"spot".  so creative with naming the animals

this cracks me up!  tractor g'ma talking (we have so many pics with her mouth open telling others to stop crying and smile).  and the death grip on one escaping owen.

better

farm...we miss you.  thanks for the adventures and new memories.  we hope to come back soon! 

{a pinwheel baby shower}

i recently had the priviledge of cohosting a baby shower for our friend kristen.  her and her husband dan's baby is due in sept and i am pushing (punn intended) for her to deliver today, on our anniversary.  after all, we had to miss their wedding because i was in labor with miles.  i figure that way we will always remember their anniversary and first born's b-day!

we had the shower at marianna's house.  the place is gorgeous!

can't wait to meet that sweet little one whenever he or she decides to make an appearance.  (although there's nothing like the present...wink, wink)