Babes at the Beach

So this little tent makes going to the beach possible with the girls. It just pops out on its own and it is ready to go. Throw down a few bumbos and hand out the pretzles and the babies are good to go. I forbid the big kids from entering with their sandy feet and it seems to work out pretty well. We had a little beach playdate, and it was finally so hot that swimming in the frigid water was actually refreshing instead of horrifyingly cold. While we had a good time, you wouldn't believe what one has to haul to the beach for 6 little kiddos.

The Local Beach

We decided to head over to a local beach on a lake here in town for FHE. It was much more crowded than we expected, but we had a good time. There seems to be nothing more enjoyable to a kid than water and sand.

Anna and Mary had a great time being thrown in the air. Usually we go out without dad, so I spend the time taking care of the babies and the older kids are left to fend for themselves. They love to have Dad along to entertain them.

Brooke is quite an imaginitive little girl. She can pretend play by herself for hours. Makebelieving all sorts of wonderful things. It is fun to listen in and see what is going through her clever little mind.

Going Private

I am not sure why I made my blog "un" private, but for a few reasons I have decided to make it private again. If you like to peek in on our family from time to time leave your email address and I will send you an invite. If you have been invited in the past I think you are automatically reinstated.

Pictures from the past

The Zoo

So we decided to check out a local zoo not too far from our house. It was definitely smaller than what we are used to and the kids were not as gracious about it as I would have liked. I don't know what the animals were thinking by not doing tricks for us as we walked by!

Unfortunately it was a very hot and muggy day, but we did get to see a bird show which was pretty cool (until they forced us through the gift shop to get out.) Despite their complaints, the kids had a good time and were able to see at least a few interesting things.

Several people did compliment the kids on their good behavior. I should be more grateful and maybe lower my expectations for perfection are a little unrealistic... But the best part of all is, thanks to the local library program we got in free.

Sweet Aleia

Sweet Lillian

More of Downtown

We took a break from the water and strolled down through Quincy market. (If I was more up to snuff on my history, I could tell you the significance of this particular market:) But they sell lots of touristy stuff that my kids tried really hard not to want.

And back to more water fun. This fountain shoots up a ton of water. The kids played and played.

Playing In Downtown

On Moss' way in to do a post-op last Saturday, we had him drop us off downtown to play a bit while he worked (I forsee this happening a lot while we are here.) They have really made the downtown area super accessible to families. This spray park is right on the wharf.

Aleia and Lillian weren't quite up for playing in the water, so they enjoyed their pretzle sticks in my new favorite double jogger stroller.

Wonderful Friends

So I am not sure what I have done to merit such wonderful friends through out my life. My life-long friend (since the 5th grade) came with her daughter to help us get settled in. (A very special thanks to her husband for making it possible!) Needless to say she was awesome. She helped with everything from laundry to closets. Of course we also found time to get out a bit and see the sights. Our first stop was to Old Iron Sides. We weren't sure it was going to be worth the wait in the sun, but in the end the kids really liked it and it was pretty amazing to walk through. Needless to say, life for those on board was not so great.

The Upgrade

So after a lot of good memories and fun trips, it was time to say farewell to our dear minivan. I never thought I would be excited to own a 12 passenger van, but the day could not have come a moment sooner. We now have personal insight as to why inner cities are so violent. In general there should never be a crowding of space. In fact, there should be a safety law against children being allowed to sit within arm's reach of each other while driving at high speeds. After a two and a half day trip across the country and several weeks of loading six kids on top of each other, the reality of the situation could not be denied. We have outgrown the minivan.

While some might be tempted to pity me for having to drive such a vehicle, don't! I absolutely love it. We actually feel really blessed to have come across this van. It was owned by a family that also had 6 kids, but they had downsized back to a minivan. The best part is that given a choice, this is the exact color I would have chosen. Plus, with the possibility of so many people coming to visit, now we can actually take you places. So, c'mon! (you better believe that I rule the road in this machine. Nobody gets in the way!)