whatta summer!!!

as fall approaches, it is bittersweet. i am headed back to school tomorrow...ugh. max begins preschool in sept. but there is so much to look forward to with the changing seasons. namely sweaters, leaves, playing outside in the crisp change, the time change, and ultimately the holidays...and besides, once christmas comes...summer is right around the corner...

here is a small summary of our summer...last week, my dad got us tickets to idlewild for the rest of the season AND next year...what a great way to end the summer. they are open on weekends until october...who knew??

with the changing of the seasons, comes a change in attitude for me. more on that to come...

idlewild park

such a fun place...and another pool to use!

swimming

the most common activity of our summer

as much as weather would allow

my babies are so gorgeous when sun kissed 

the beach

nothing is better than going on vacation to the beach. 

the ride down wasn't bad...the ride home i almost drove off a cliff. ROUGH!

that being said, it was a fun week. a lot of sun, no pressure to clean, cook, etc.

best of friends

right now, all they have is love for each other

once she's mobile, hopefully that will continue

fun with friends

bike and scooter

max learned to ride both and we spent A LOT of time on both

planets

he has become so obsessed with space. he knows

all the planets and some facts about each. we are getting

a telescope for christmas. he found this at a playground 

and started telling kids about planets...they weren't interested.

blueberry pickin'

fourth of july

we stayed at the hilton, we felt spoiled! it will be our family

tradition from now on.  it was so great not having to go through traffic to get home. 

rainy days

and there were plenty

library, dinos, science center...

it's hard taking pictures with two kids

proud poppy

keystone state park

halfway btn pittsburgh and johnstown

our meeting spot for our parents

that is...until we got idlewild memberships...

that's going to jazz up our halfway point jaunts

swingin' is her thing

reunion of old friends

slip -n- slide

the solution to hot days before the pool opened

sitter

she's upright! and soon will be fully mobile

soccer

as if the van wasn't enough...i officially became a "soccer mom" ugh...

mamere

hockey

this became a twice weekly event in our lives.

he's really good and SUPER fast...

boo hoo to running. more time off...

my bff's

so great to have carly off all summer with me. we had a blast hanging out. we laughed and talked into the night many times...

stace...married...lovely...and an incredible friend...

i'm the luckiest person in the world. 

from family to friends...it doesn't get better than this...

ahhhhh summer

oh wow...what a morning. i thought since it's a YUCKY day AGAIN...perhaps today would be a fun science center day. typically, i hate trips to places like this because the cost is soooo high but my parents got us a membership for max's birthday last year so we can go for free....great deal!!! $100 for a year OR almost $30 a person per visit...yuck...so i got up early, thanks to talia being sick but i was off to a great start. i had the whole house clean yesterday...but of course after the kids are awake for five minutes it's a wreck...not the kind that typically cares about that stuff...i refuse to let it get me down...carry on..."let's leave at 10" i tell the kids. they are both stinky from playing hard yesterday and without a tubby last night, i fear they will be viewed as "the dirty kids" at the science center. (did i mention nina is with us this week?) well, breakfast, baths, fighting with max over his outfit, talia's nap...it's already 1015 and i'm not showered yet. so our ten o'clock depart time is not going to happen...

as i face returning to work next week with nothing but dread in my heart, i look back over this summer of chaos and missed departure times and i realized so quickly that i got tears in my eyes that i have NOTHING but pure, unadulterated love for these kids. being home with them is beyond the greatest way i could ever pick to spend my summers off. i've never been more tired, dirtier, and less organized but i wouldn't have changed one minute of my summer, except maybe to add six more months to it.

lastly allow me to mention that i walked past max's room and the door was closed...i could hear them talking strangely and clearly playing make believe. i peeked in and he and nina were putting in mr potato head mouths in their mouths and talking to each other. you can't pay for this kind of entertainment. 

this is max when he was younger than talia.

he is hilarious...

tonite he said

"stacy, hey stacy. who do i thank for dinner?"

(we were at her rehearsal dinner)

she said "bart's mom and dad" (she pointed them out)

he said

"hey thanks for the swell meal."

without ANY prompting from me.

accountability

this is a picture of me (in the red) the christmas before our wedding...ugh, i thought i needed to lose weight...well, i won't post a similar picture of me now...it's NOT due to having babies....i just got lazy...i'm writing this done as a form of accountability...pray that i can kick it into overdrive and get back on track....thanks pals...

party for pirates...

yesterday we were invited by our friends/neighbors to a pirate party...we dressed up and were ready to get some loot...

here are the girls...talia has red bloomers on underneath that you can't see...she really loves the big kids...nina happened to have this denim corset...coincidence? i don't think so...

this is pierce..max's pal...fortunately we had plenty of dress up clothes for our pirates but he actually WAS jack sparrow...so cute...

is this convincing or what??

couldn't pull him away from fishing things out of this "pond"...love this picture of my favorite pirate...apparantly this is age appropriate...my friend emily's son, phin is on the same beat. right now, we are planning a pirate's birthday..it was all he's been talking about. i want a boat cake, etc...then, after the party, he said he wanted a teenage mutant ninja turtle party...he has one shirt and saw an episode on youtube...now that's his obsession. hopefully it'll come back to pirates...i got some GREAT ideas at this party...

troy hill

the scariest road in the burgh...

we have been so busy. today is the first time we made it to the troy hill spray park. it is hidden completely. we drove up literally the steepest road in pittsburgh. the park is pretty hidden away...drove past it twice. it was a really great day. the hill was unbelievably steep. and the area was a lot like appalachia. it was an interesting day. super fun but really a run down neighborhood. a little sad and overwhelming...

summer summary...

talia is the easiest baby to deal with in the whole world...she is so laid back...she so rarely cries and she just is so easy to care for...she loves the water, she loves to play and chew on every thing in sight...she's just so delightful...

max and ella playing in the garbage at the playground. max, of course, found bb's and decided to store them in a popsicle wrapper. he really loves finding them and holding them in whatever he finds. 

lucy bindewald. she's hilarious. so cute...she called me "jess" babe!!!!

another picture that will appear in the slideshow at their wedding...

so we get to the waterpark to play in troy hill...i have 800 bags of stuff for my kids...

i forget one thing...talia, aka baldy, her hat. thank goodness chris always leaves bandana's in the car...she looked so cute...

max at the beach...walking home after eating great seafood..

baby pool...super fun...

bw3 had a clown at their restaurant who could make killer balloon puppets. max got a sword and this goofy hat. when he got sick and threw up at the restaurant, he decided that he hated that hat...he's very strong willed...talia wore the hat for 2 hours...

max was SO BRAVE this year. he loved the ocean and wasn't afraid. he really learned a lot about the waves and the animals of the ocean...he is practically swimming.

3 generations of bovard men

to infinity and beyond...max l-o-v-e-s buzz lightyear...

the second bird that fell out of his nest...he didn't survive...it was sad...

four kids under 3...mission impossible to get them looking at the camera...

here's hoping that we can take off the training wheels before the first snowfall...

so cute on his little scooter.

he really loves her best of all...

it's so shocking that she is almost seven months old...

here's emma..my dear friend erin's daughter...i have so much to be thankful for with developing a close relationship with erin...total babe.

blueberry picking...so much fun. didn't get enough berries...it's not easy with little peanuts...max picked soooo many. he did an amazing job.

 my guys LOVE hockey. they play either hockey or lacrosse every day...

we have had a terrific summer. max and i have grown closer than ever. he is so sharp and really loves learning about all sorts of things. he is so ready for preschool. he is starting on tuesday and thursday mornings. he is playing soccer and will be taking little classes here and there.

four weeks until i go back to work...not excited about that AT ALL!!! but i can't get a better schedule. it's dreamy...

time

in the blink of an eye, my son has gone from a brown, huge eyed baby to a big kid. yesterday afternoon i saw him open the elevator, hold the "special" button so the door doesn't shut, and ask a fellow occupant which floor he was going to. when we arrived at his floor, max told him "see ya later". he helped me drag the cooler to the beach two days ago, when i suggested he hand me his shoes, he said "no mama, i'll carry them". he also has mastered jumping into the pool and going under water without holding his nose...as a sun/water worshipper myself...i couldn't be more proud...

it's so cliche to say that time flies, it's almost a completely ludicrous statement but truer words were never spoken... :)

max was JUST BORN!! but he wasn't, talia was...she has replaced him on my hip...but she is nearly crawling...we just bought our house...but it's nearly a year. 

and finally, vacation just started and it's nearly over...

it's been a fun week. the kids have loved the ocean and have smiled all week.

that is, until last night. . .

after MUCH discussion, we ended up having dinner at buffalo wild wings...much to my chagrin, mainly because we have a BW3 in pittsburgh...are we REALLY hitting a local chain in SC?? lame...but we did...after hearing max say for the 3rd time that he didn't feel right, he proved it to me by puking on my shoes...so we left and walking into the condo he was sword fighting with daddy, running around...we thought it was over exhaustion...two more pukes later on that night told a different story.

(long story short...it's s 730 am and i am just now released from duty...my mother in law is taking them for a walk...don't think ms talia slept like an angel through all that...she is amazingly good but...everyone has their breaking point...)

so here i am...i just turned 32 this month, i have an unbelievably supportive, loving husband, two amazing children, a job that most people would kill for and yet the complaining appears...

"time, please slow down..."i'll take early mornings with little ones who rise with the sun, i'll take little to no warning about impeding vomit, pacifiers that roll 5 miles away when the holder smiles, awkward comments by toddlers to the tune of "mama, did you see that little adult?", and most of all sticky, slobbery, peanut buttery, kisses that make me know i was born for this...

going to carolina....in-nn my van...

if it wasn't for images like this....i don't know how i'd feel right now...

i honestly could cry...it was a ROUGH week...this time last week, i was so excited for cepek's wedding. i couldn't wait to see jenn...it was a great weekend. we saw old friends and reconnected, we laughed, we stayed up soo late, and it was a beautiful wedding.

the monday hit...

max was sooo grouchy. his latest "behavior" is when he asks for something and he is told he can't have it immediately he then recants and denies he ever wanted it....it looks a like this:

max: (upon waking up) can i have a lollipop?

mama: sure after lunch you can have one...

max: i don't want a lollipop (cue tears)

                         OR

max: (after seeing me lift talia up and kiss her) I WANTED TO KISS TALIA

mama: ok, go ahead...(lowers baby to his level)

max: i can't kiss her now (cue pouting)

mama: (baffled, even though she should be used to it - ignores him)

ugh, long week. finally think we broke him of it...i hope. the beauty is...he only does this at home. he doesn't do it with people around. thank God...

he is starting to "hold it" while he sleeps. he has a sticker chart so that he can earn a set of lacrosse sticks. he only has two left to earn...he asks every morning if he has enough and then sheds REAL tears when he realizes he still has more. it's his first behavior chart so it's to be expected!

i called poison control THREE times this week. i haven't ever called them before...the first time was because talia ate a bit of her butt cream...more than a bit...she was fine...then she ate almost an entire oak leaf...(we do watch our kids - it blew off of a tree while she was in her exersaucer. and tonite, max was spraying this foot spray on my feet, thank you stacy for the relaxing peppermint spray for tired feet, he pulled a dumb and dumber and sprayed her in the face instead of my feet . both times fine...but the woman on the phone laughed really hard about this being my 3rd call. she also encouraged me to keep her away from bottles on vacation since people tend to change up bottles to mislabeled or non-labeled bottles...i was a bit embarassed to answer her next question..."how old is she?"

so, following the same theme, 3 major house issues occurred this week as well....

first, water in the basement...ugh. figured it out...the humidifier was leaking. made a phone call to the company...changed the filter...still leaking...today was very hot...humid....yucky to not have the air on...we haven't even used it til yesterday night...

ants, ants, everywhere - thank God not in our underwear...what a sick little rhyme!?! i'm so grateful for those little Bates motel ant traps...

and finally, today water from the toilet was leaking into the kitchen sink...gross!!! i had no dishes in there....rare...divine intervention!!

chris went to the dentist at 545 and come home at 715. in that amount of time, talia had a huuuuuuuuuuuge poop in her car seat (cleaning her, the seat, the clothes), our darling next door neighbor fixed the toilet (it wasn't dripping pee or poop stuff...), i did two loads of laundry, and used the shop vac to clear the humidifier line...yeah, formal dinner DID NOT happen...

all this to say....tomorrow we leave for my favorite kind of vacation...it's not dewey...but it's salt water and sand...THAT'S the important part...i wish my family was going...parents and siblings and nieces that is.

max

my boy is 3 1/2 years old.

• he loves talia so much. he greets HER when i walk in the door. he wants to hold her and squeeze her...
• if it's not red or orange...he doesn't want it
• he LOVES buzz lightyear. he has a t-shirt with buzz on the front. he hits the button on the shirt and his wings/arms pop up
• he loves fireworks but he was exhausted and fell asleep in the middle of the booms. but he told everyone is was the best show he's ever seen...
• he is hilarious
• he is (almost) always honest...hasn't figured out how to lie yet...
• he loves to play outside with sports equipment
• he is currently using a sticker chart to get him a lacrosse stick...he needs to wake up dry for 12 nights...then they're coming home to us...
• he is staying at my parent's house tonite...he stayed up til 1030 saying "i miss mummy" cute...sad but cute...

in  a nutshell, he's a babe!! all in favor say "eye" all those opposed can go soak their head... :)

miss talia

my sweet 6 month old baby

here is a short list of her MANY accomplishments:

• sits very well on her own
• rolls front to back AND back to front 
• looooooves to stand (holding on naturally)
• she has taken steps in her walker...mostly backwards but still...
• she smiles ALOT so she can warm even the most cold hearted
• working on raspberries...we got nothin' yet
• almost clapping...

let me tell you...talia is a dream baby...she is mellow, relaxed, sweet...she's terrific. max was easy too. he was the same way...he just slept better than her. to this day he still needs a two hour nap every day. most kids his age that we know aren't napping anymore but he needs it...along with 10 hours at night...he's a sleeper...talia, on the other hand, was up with us til midnight last night...without a peep. we were with some friends at a restaurant...she was FINE! she barely made a peep...now granted, we don't do that often but she is so resilient and easy...dream baby...

i always say to max "why is mommy so lucky?" and he replies with "cause she gets two babies!"

truer words were never spoken...love them both to bits...

sad days

we have had a rough week...last thursday chris' beloved grandmother fell in her home. she appeared fine but really went downhill quickly...her levels were all off and the drs wanted to do dialysis to get her kidneys back to normal...that time never came and she was reunited with her husband last thursday. the funeral was simple and at her request she was not mentioned at the funeral but the gospel was presented as God was truly the center of her life.

i am glad to have known her. and i'll miss her for the rest of my life.

summer 09

although it need not be said, 

only because everyone knows...

that pittsburgh

(along with being the most livable city -for the second year in a row)

is the 

CITY OF CHAMPIONS

steelers and penguins!!!

max took this picture...he got her to smile, which is pretty easy, and snapped the shot...

shane and karrie came to visit!!!

ben 2, elliot 5 months, max 3, talia, 5.5 months, ella 3, lucy 1.5

we had a super fun day with all these babies running around

good friends...perhaps soulmates?? we'll see, no pressure!!

i sewed this cover for this rocking chair...i'm very proud of myself...

talia's favorite activity...swinging...

max's favorite activity

playing duck, duck, goose with his soccer team

my baby is growing up...she started sitting up about two weeks ago...

no consistent rolling over yet...but we're getting there...

this am. talia and i were laying in my bed. i was stretching my legs....she copied what i was doing and pulled her leg up...hilarious...