Beach Day

Last year we didn't go to the beach at all. I think it was a combination of Nate getting ready for Alaska, a mild summer, and Felix being a difficult age for the beach. This year we are trying to make up for last year's lack.

We decided to try a single-day beach trip. We woke up in the morning, packed all our stuff, drove the 2.5 hours to the beach, spent five hours playing, packed up, ate dinner, and drove 2.5 hours back. Some people might think think was a little crazy, but it really worked for us. The beach with little children is not relaxing. It is fun, but it is a lot of work, and 5 hours was enough. We'd do the one-day trip again.

Behold! The happiest child in the world:

All the boys:

Warming up:

 

Beckett is notorious around here for hating to be cold. After a bath he shivers his way back to his room taking the tiniest, shuffling steps and muttering about how cold he is the entire way. Then he likes to sit in front of the heater for as long as I'll let him. None of this seemed to matter at the beach.

We even got a rare shot of all four of us:

Independence Day

A Yellow Birthday

Beckett turned five! He is such a delight these days. Curious, talkative, and imaginative, he can play for hours making up "stories" with his toys. He loves having friends over. He has really taken to swimming lessons this summer.

Beckett's favorite color is yellow. When we invited his friend Miriam over for his birthday, she set aside all of her yellow clothes to wear to the party. I thought this was about the most darling thing ever, and, since Beckett had requested a yellow cake, we decided to roll with the yellow theme.

 Felix shows off the yellow food.

Beckett was thrilled with the new Lego set. He got a few practical presents too and declared, "Underwear! My favorite!" He was completely serious.

The yellow crew plus one.

Nate took the kids on "hay rides."

Here's what Beckett has to say about himself at five:

What is your favorite color?

I kind of like two colors now. It’s going to be yellow and … light blue.
 
What is your favorite toy?

Gordon and my Legos.
 
What is your favorite food?

Nutella sandwiches

What is your favorite TV show?

Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Phineas and Ferb 

What is your favorite outfit?

Yellow shirts 

What is your favorite game?

The plane game and Candyland 

What is your favorite snack?

A bar and some graham crackers 

What is your favorite animal?

cats 

What is your favorite song?

Give Said the Little Stream and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam 

  

What is your favorite book?

Drummer Hoff Fires It Off and A Charlie Brown Christmas

Who is your best friend?
Miriam and Hyrum

What is your favorite sport?

Swimming

What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Running around in the sun when I’m too cold

What is your favorite drink?

Soda and water

What is your favorite holiday?

When Daddy stays home

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?

Pillow Percy

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Cakes and sausage

What’s your favorite season?

Winter

What’s your favorite thing about our house?

I like how the basement is underground

What’s your favorite thing about your room?

That is has train tracks and a switched for my hand

What is your favorite thing to do with Felix?

Swimming and playing with the trains

What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy

When we tell train stories

What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy

Play games

What is your favorite thing about your birthday?

I like how I can get presents. 

Happy birthday Beckett. Here's to a great year.

Instablogged

Felix pushes Beckett.

I did an art history lesson for B's preschool. This is his still life.

We had Grandma Dorothy here for the big move. B was in heaven (obviously).

Beckett, predictably, always picks yellow ice cream, no matter the flavor.

This was one of my favorite days.

The kids are huge fans of the jacuzzi tub. They never bathe in their own bathroom.

Track-making is one of my hidden talents.

Rainbow in our new backyard.

Mother's Day at the preschool. B made me the best necklace.

Riding the train at the zoo with Grammy. Best zoo day ever.

This picture makes Felix's head look huger than it already is.

The joys of 1 o'clock church. He fell asleep on the floor at 6:30pm.

Welcoming back my mini art museum.

Why did the turtle cross the road?

Chillin' at the end of the year preschool party.

Backyard camping. Another perk of our new home.

He never plays with just one Lightning McQueen.

Puppet show at the Toy Museum.

I put my art history skills to work. A Roman aqueduct and a Greek temple.

Daddy bought the boys ice cream from the ice cream man.

Brothers getting along.

A trip to the dentist. B had been asking to go back for months.

Felix even sat in the big chair.

Superheroes at a spontaneous playdate.

Felix really likes kale chips.

Nate restored this sandbox for Father's Day.

Fun at the tire park.

Felix sporting a fedora and saying "cheese." Maybe we'll get some smiling pictures of him now.

Baltimore Zoo with Grammy

While Nate was in China (maybe someday we'll see some of that on the blog), my mom was here. It was actually a really busy time. Beckett was finishing up school, so there were tons of preschool events. My semester was finishing up as well, so I was grading a lot and giving exams. We still managed to have some fun.

We had a fabulous day at the zoo. The weather was perfect. The boys had a great time, and the crowds were manageable. 

The Peruvian tree frogs were a big hit.

Lions

Zebras

Felix fell in love with the arctic foxes and cried when it was time to move on.

One of the big draws of the Baltimore Zoo is that it has a little train.

 We finished the outing with a ride on the carousel.

We had such a good time with Grammy. Some of the other fun memories:
- The boys played this blanket game with Grammy where she would put them into the blanket and make food.
- We went to the train museum in Baltimore, and I forgot Beckett's shoes. Major meltdown. We had to go to the Marshall's at the Inner Harbor to get some new shoes. He needed some anyway.
- We went to Cafe Rio on Friday for salmon tacos and to the toy store next to it. Grammy bought Beckett a dot-to-dot and maze book that he's already finished. Felix got a dog book.
- Grammy spent a lot of time with Felix while I was at preschool with Beckett for a co-op day and the Mother's Day party.