Mamatography Week 23: On the road.

June 13, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

We are currently moving from Kittery, Maine to Kodiak, Alaska for my husband’s US Coast Guard Assignment.

Some highlights from our trip this week:

Packing Up (Maine)

Hotel Room Hide and Seek (New Jersey)

Coolest Kids at Sesame Place (Pennsylvania)

Daddy and Daughter Amusement Park Navigation (PA)

Vacation Hydration (PA)

“ONE little blonde child, TWO leetle blonde cheeldren. Mua haha!”

Elmo’s Rocket Roller Coaster! Kids loved this one!

Joe was really into the sand, not so into the hanging “bag maze”

Abbey and Nana Playing before bed (WI) Special Effect is from the ToonCamera App.

Daddy and Joe relaxing after a long day at the Mall of America (Wisconsin/MN)

Leinenkrugel’s Brewery in Wisconsin.

More pictures of the brewery and Amish Country WI on my flickr page.

That was our week, moving through the United States on our way to Alaska! How was yours?

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, adaptability, family, hubs, Joseph, mamatography, PCS, photography, Photography Projects, Self Awareness, summer fun, travel, two children, USCG Life

Mamatography – May 2013

May 27, 2013 By Amy 2 Comments

This past month (ok, maybe a month and a half?) I have been so busy with preparations for our family’s huge military PCS to Kodiak, Alaska that I have neglected my Mamatography posts.

Ok, I was neglecting posting altogether.

But I was in fact still taking pictures during that time, so I thought I’d catch up with a Mamatography for the month of May. It’s been a fun-filled, joyful, yet very busy month!!!!!

The month of May started out by bringing us some actual spring-like weather. We celebrated by grilling and playing as a family at the park!

I posted a photo of the Coast Guard Family sign that I made for our (now three) duty stations as a family, and then a couple of friends wanted to place orders with me for their own custom signs. It was fun making them, and my friends loved them!

Some more seasonal weather (this day was around 60′) allowed us to do snack time and lunch time outside.

The kids all LOVE picnics!

The Silly Bears also LOVE playing on the rock down the street from our house.

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Abbey couldn’t stand straight and forward for her passport photo (we need them to travel through Canada on our way to our new home in Kodiak AK) for anything! She kept doing “cutie” poses like this one. “May I do a cutie pose? You can still see my nice smile, right?” The website also said that our photos needed to have “neutral faces” . . . let’s just say it was a joyful moment when I finally got a neutral, not blurry one. Now, I hope the State Dept. likes it!

Mother’s Day Weekend was Awesome. We had a nice brunch at IHOP, where I enjoyed kissies from Joe

And smiles and love from daddy and Abs

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And then a lovely surprise – a cookie cake, flowers and my favorite wine!

Oh, be still my heart!

Abbey and Joe are both getting SO BIG. Abbey is enjoying a dance class (and choosing to walk home from the rec center some days!) and Joseph is in big boy wrangler jeans, and having so much fun growing and changing!

I also did a couple furniture trash-to-treasure rescues, painting a dresser for Joseph’s room, and helping my friend paint an old dresser for her house.

We’ve been getting ready for our move out of our house here in Maine and preparing to move to Alaska!

And now. . . our whole house is in boxes and we are awaiting the moving truck. . .

That was our May. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, family, mamatography, photography, Photography Projects, USCG Life

Mamatography Week 17

May 2, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

Just eating my snack in mommy and daddy’s bed. You caught me.

Taking pictures of my baby carriers that I’m no longer using. For sale. . . *sniff*

. . . I remember lovingly and carefully crafting this carrier while I was still pregnant with Joe.

Impromptu Family Photo at the park!

. . . and the Silly Pic

The Silly Bears, ready to help, heading to the Home Depot to exchange some drawer pulls. Joe is really into flashlights lately.

Joe’s finished “trash to treasure” sports themed dresser! I painted the dresser and hand painted the new knobs to be sports balls. I say “It’s not perfect” but Joe says “I like it mommy!”

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, creating for the family, family, hubs, Joseph, mamatography, outdoors, Parenting, photography, preschooler, toddler, two children

Mamatography Week 16 – Still chilly, but havin’ fun

April 25, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

This week, we celebrated Joseph’s 2nd Birthday with a Thomas the Train themed party.

He was so excited! “My party! My Thomas party!”

Joseph, Abbey and their friends had a great time coloring, playing, and snacking.

We had a small ice cream cake with a Thomas candle for birthday wishes, and my friend Erica made adorable “balloon” cake pops for Thomas to pull down the tracks to Joe’s party.

Joseph was so sweet to all of his guests, especially the youngest, our little neighbor, Noah. I was so proud of his lovely manners.

Later in the week we had friends over for a cookout and the kids got pretty messy in the slightly wet sandbox and newly cleaned up back yard.

“Hey, mom!”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I DO have dirty hands.” LOL

Even though it is still pretty chilly here (Spring, where ARE you?!), we still make sure to get outside to play. It was about 43′ the day I snapped this portrait of Abbey. . . she had just finished having a giant fit about the fact that it was cold, and that she had to wear a helmet while she rode her bike.

Joseph, cruising around the same day on his Rock, Roll, and Ride trike – with a lollipop (“loll- pop”)

I got a couple cute snapshots of the kids at the park this week, too.

Cheeeeeeeeeeese!

And I had to include this “still life” of Joe’s little Wrangler jeans. He is growing up SO fast!

That was OUR Week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, family, Joseph, Learning, mamatography, outdoors, Parenting, photography, Photography Projects, preschooler, SLR Photography, toddler, two children

Mamatography Week 15

April 18, 2013 By Amy 2 Comments

We started our week with fierce puddle splashing. Joe loves him some puddles!!!!

Tuesday afternoon, we had the inaugural ride of the power wheels Camaro. Abbey and Joe love cruising around the park together.

We love our mid-week bible study program at our friend’s church. Here is Joe with her daughter, London.

At one point, the two of them were feeding each other cake. It was adorable.

Next week, I promise, I’ll get a shot of the two of them hugging. It will melt your heart!

Abbey and Joe built a “roller coaster” together on Thursday with some building toys that we’ve collected from Wendy’s kids meals. I love how well they are interacting and playing with one another lately. We are not without a little rivalry and disagreement, but it’s mostly sibling love around here lately. So cute!

Unfortunately, on Friday afternoon, Jed, Joe, and I were in a one-car accident in the random sleet that hit our area. It was raining, and we had decided to drive to meet someone for a Craigslist trade. Rain turned to sleet really fast, and we hydroplaned on the ice. I was driving very slowly and carefully, but I couldn’t save us from crashing. The road went out from under us and there we were, crashing into a tree in the ditch. This is a picture of one of my bruises. It was awful and scary, but Joe and Jed and I are all OK, Thank GOD. My car however. . . is not.

I just praise God that everyone is safe, and thank God for the great family of friends we have here in our neighborhood that helped us out on Friday and kept my spirits up over the weekend. I was really SORE and sad about the crash.

Abbey had her second dance class this weekend. She loves it!

After dance class, we went to Abbey’s preschool program – Passport through America. It was a big party/festival type thing, in the gym at the Shipyard. There were booths with food, fun, and activities to represent all the regions of the US. Coincidentally (since we are moving to Alaska soon), Abbey’s class worked on the Alaska/Hawaii booth!

Abbey and Joe’s favorite part of the festival was definitely the petting zoo, though. They loved feeding the goats with us.

That was OUR Week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, family, friends, God, hubs, Imaginative play, Joseph, Learning, mamatography, natural learning, outdoors, photography, preschooler, toddler, two children

Mamatography Week 13 – Month of the Military Child (and projects galore!)

April 5, 2013 By Amy 2 Comments

My week started out with a determination to start AND finish a chair re-uppholstery/refinishing project for our four dining room chairs. As you can see, I bought these really nice (but used and scratched/nicked) chairs. I paid $40 for all of them, and set out to make them my own!

Joseph was eager to help! Very hands on, this child!

Watch out, screws! Joe is going to get you!!!!! LOL

We had a couple days of sibling rivalry over the new Tag Reader books. You know you have a preschooler and a toddler when:

you are constantly taping the pages of tag reader books back together.

But they sure do LOVE one another. They love to dance together – Abbey says “Joseph would you like to be the Prince, and we’ll dance!” So cute.

This week I also made my own kolaches. So delicious!

Some more dancing cuteness from the Silly Bears. . .

And whoo hoo! The finished chair re-appholstery/refinishing project!

I love the way they came out. What do you think?

On Friday morning, Abbey’s class had a parade on the Shipyard to celebrate the Month of the Military Child. We picked up daddy for a special break from work to watch Abbey march in her parade.

What are our favorite colors, Rainbow Friends?

“Red, White, and Blue! RED, WHITE, and BLUE!”

That was OUR week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, creating for the family, family, hubs, Joseph, mamatography, Parenting, photography, Photography Projects, preschooler, sewing projects, toddler, two children, USCG Life

Mamatography Week 12: Welcome, Spring?

March 30, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

Happy Spring!

The snow won’t keep us from enjoying the outdoors, but it’s supposed to be SPRING, y’all! This is craziness!

Abbey, S, and D 3-2013

We have been spending this past week having lots of playdates at the park with our neighborhood friends.

Joe and Aubrey in Snow 3-2013

Enjoying laughs and toddler and childhood antics with all our dear friends before we pack up and move to Kodiak *sniff*

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Joe has really been enjoying puddle splashing, even in the cooooooold weather.

“Mama, I splash puddle! I splash puddle pleeeeeease?”

How can I say no?

Snack Time!

Joseph and Abbey have been having a brother-sister blast lately. It’s so fun to watch them together.

That was our week! How was YOURS?!

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, family, friends, Joseph, Learning, mamatography, natural learning, outdoors, photography, Photography Projects, preschooler, toddler, two children, USCG Life

Mamatography Week 11

March 21, 2013 By Amy 2 Comments

This week has been rather crazy, with two illnesses (Abbey’s quite swift, and Joseph’s quite startling and sad), news that daddy is headed home from his boat with a broken foot (from playing street hockey with the guys from the boat), and me getting sick, too! In between all the craziness we had some fun play dates and dinners with our friends from the neighborhood, so all in all it was a good week.

I could have done without the sickness, though.

Oh, and I could have done without the snowstorm. I’m done with snow.

Abbey and Joe making faces and giggling incessantly while I worked on papers for my college classes.

Abbey making a funny face at our lunch date after Mass on Sunday. She and Joe love to make their own salads. Maybe her face is saying “Don’t steal my carrots!” LOL

Silly Joe and his friend Larry hiding with their juice cups

Our whole neighborhood gang of ruffigans showing off their table manners

Silly Kiddos dancing Dance Central on the X-Box at a friend’s house.

they were having so much fun!

I should have known we were destined for a sick-day when Joe was yawning like this at 8:10 AM.

Catching some comfort at mamas breast

(for the next 24 hours, he refused to nurse because it caused him too much pain to suck. Poor guy!)

He’s nursing again now

Toddler falls asleep at 9:00 AM. Theeeeeere’s your sign that he’s not feeling well.

Poor feverish boy

Abbey playing a Sophia the First game on my iPad while Joseph napped

(subsequent days of the illness, he did NOT nap. . . )

All wrapped up in three blankets after a warm comforting bath

Playing and starting to feel better.

That was our week! How was YOURS?!

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, Breastfeeding, children, family, hubs, Joseph, mamatography, photography, Photography Projects, toddler nursing, two children, USCG Life

Mamatography Week 10

March 14, 2013 By Amy 3 Comments

Last week, my computer was in the shop all week long (she needed a new hard drive). Now that she’s back home, safe and sound, I can actually start editing and uploading photos again! Although, I have to admit that my pictures for the past week or so have been lacking. . . I’ve started another Semester of college classes, and a lot of my blogging/photo-editing/sewing time has been sucked up by getting organized with my classes.

Joseph and Abbey “reading” the Bible at my friends’ church, where we attend a Wednesday night Bible Study and kids class.

Joseph in the “supervisor’s” plastic hard hat given to him by one of the maintenance guys that came to replace one of our kitchen cabinets last week.

He was an excellent supervisor

My sweet girl in her Merida dress, making peanut butter sandwiches on her own (I cut the bread).

This is where I found Joseph and Abbey one morning that I slept in – they came down the stairs and established themselves in the reading nook with books. I was pleasantly surprised!

Joseph really likes the drum cushions that I made for the kids’ reading nook. And his tag reader. “That’s funny!” he giggled as I snapped the picture. He’s growing up so fast!

That was OUR week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, family, Joseph, Learning, mamatography, photography, Photography Projects, preschooler, toddler, two children

Mamatography Week 7

February 23, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

Our week started out helping Abbey make and sign 28 Valentines for her classmates. I got the bookmark idea from Pinterest (It’s on my Valentines Crafts board, along with quite a few other crafts that I didn’t get around to doing!) She had to take breaks about every fourth or fifth Valentine signature.

Practice for when she becomes famous, I guess.

. . . because you KNOW she will! haha

Joseph has been getting over a double ear infection (poor guy!)

and one night would NOT go to sleep

so Daddy read The Seals on the Bus over and over.

Abbey baking wm

The next day we baked pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, replacing the oil with greek yogurt. They were delicious and we snacked on them all week long. Abbey enjoyed helping to measure the dry ingredients. Joe enjoyed licking the batter off a spoon.

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We got some more snow this past week, so our sledding hill was once again snowy enough to go sledding down. We thought Joe might be scared since it was his first time going down the big hill, but he had a blast!

abbey sledding wm