Unfortunately it's that time of year where we have to start saying good-bye to summer. We've had a great summer full of family, friends and memorable trips, so I've decided to write a little summary to catch you all up. It's hard to believe that Nathan heads back to preschool in a week, and that we'll be welcoming the twins in seven weeks or less! It seems here in Maryland, the temperatures have already begun to cool signaling the arrival of fall weather which is always accompanied by all those fun fall activities.
June was a great month for us. After our trip to Sesame Place, we spent a saturday with the Miller's at the annual reunion in Little Orleans, Maryland. Nathan and I also had a great week helping out with and attending Vacation Bible School at our church.
At the end of June we took our annual trip to Hersheypark with my family. We all love the classic rides and the day full of old memories and new laughs. Nathan's fear of heights was a little more pronounced this year than in years past, so we wasn't as willing to ride as many rides as last year, but he definitely enjoyed the water park. While Nathan was in the water park, Tate loved his first Ferris Wheel ride with Aunt Laur-Laur and Uncle Chris.
In July we celebrated my cousin Hether's wedding on the July 4th weekend. Hether and her fiance Casey had a beautiful ceremony in White Marsh, Maryland. The weather was obsolutely perfect for an outdoor wedding. Of course Nathan's favorite part of the day was the crabs he got to eat during the reception! Later in the month, after Nathan and Tate completed two weeks of swim lessons at our neighborhood pool, we took a mini-vacation to Ocean City, Maryland where the boys loved playing in the sand and surf. Tate especially loved the water and it became very hard to keep him out of it. On his part, Nathan's favorite activity was by far an afternoon of crabbing with Daddy. We all enjoyed several evenings on the Boardwalk eating all those yum
my boardwalk treats.
We also spent a fun weekend camping with my extended Baker relatives at Cowan's Gap in Pennsylvania. Although camping isn't TJ's favorite activity (he would say he tolerates it), the boys and I love it. Nathan enjoys being able to go fishing, cooking marshmallows over a campfire, making s'mores, and swimming in the lake. Tate's favorite part of camping is all of the attention he gets from the other kids and his Aunt Laur-Laur, Nonny and Pap.
We spent a fun Sunday afternoon at Grandma Caroline's with the Spahr's eating crabs and playing with cousin Chase, and swimming in a really cool pool she bought for the kids.
August found us enjoying a family picnic at the Blair's Valley Picnic Grounds outside of Clear Spring, MD. Something my grandfather's family has been doing for almost a hundred years! The boys always look forward to this picnic because there is a small stream they can play in and catch lots of little critters. Unfortunately Tate fell at the picnic this year and had to visit the ER to have two stitches put into his little hand.
Also in August we spent five days camping on the Susquehanna river outside Sunbury, PA with my parents and sister. Nathan got to fish on the "BIG" river in Pap's "fishing" boat for the first time. We even made a day trip to Knoebel's Amusement Park, where Nathan fell asleep at the end of the day on a little kiddie boat ride with Tate starring at him in disbelief!!
In addition to all of our little trips, the boys and I enjoyed plenty of packed lunches and summer afternoons at our neighborhood pool with my friend Jen and her kids Hannah and Brad.
This entry seems to have gotten out of hand. I was afraid when I started it that I wouldn't have that much to talk about. I guess I was wrong. Everytime I thought I was done, I remembered something else from the summer that I wanted to include. I hope you have enjoyed the story of our families crazy summer and some of my favorite pictures that went along with it.
