Naked toddler eating breakfast

Here is Liam enjoying some of Mommy's dollar pancakes - the only thing better than pancakes for breakfast is eating pancakes for breakfast with no clothes on! Woohoo!



PANCAAAAAAAKES!


Uh, I think you have a little something on your mouth...


That's home-made jam, not the blood of a recent sacrifice (we do those outside). Kidding!


Later, with clothes... coloring while Mommy makes apple muffins

Cooking with Daddy

Here is Liam helping Daddy get fresh tomatoes from the garden ready for sauce (note, helping means he plays nicely with measuring cups and spoons while standing on a dining room chair pushed up against the counter).







Eating fresh baked bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar - yum!

Happy Birthday... to Mommy and Aunt Cassi!

Today was Mommy and Aunt Cassi's birthday (and Adam's Aunt Carole in California!) We celebrated with a little get-together at our house. For added excitement, our well pump failed on us Saturday - in the middle of the party preparations! However, with help from Niki and Bill, we were able to cook all the food from scratch, wash dishes with bottled water, and put on what I hope was an enjoyable party for all. And our wonderful family and guests are to be commended for dealing with the no-water situation with grace! I don't have many pictures because it was hectic with the well repair person being there during the party, but here are a few to enjoy...

Veggies from our garden - the tomatoes and peppers are in! We made fresh salsa and a salad with the tomatoes and habanero peppers - spicy little monsters!


Here is Liam giving Mommy a birthday kiss while Cassi the other birthday gal looks on


Everyone trying to get Liam to blow at the candle, Liam not sure why the heck he's being dangled in front of a cake he isn't allowed to touch


Cutting the cake while Cassi looks on


The cake was an almond cake with ganache frosting on the layers and a marscapone / whipped cream frosting. SINFUL and DELICIOUS! The recipe is from Epicurious.


The party moved outside for a little while as everyone found the well repair to be more interesting than dinner... here you can see the plumber has removed the entire well pump in an attempt to figure out why we have no water.


The source of our water woes - weird gunk in the well pump line... the plumber said it took 100psi of pressure to blast it out of the pump! You can see the spray on his truck!


BONUS PICTURE: Liam, sans diaper, fascinated by the Baby Signing Time video. I am not a huge fan of toddlers and TV, but let me tell you - a few minutes of peace to get dressed or clean up without anyone clinging to my leg or screaming is PRICELESS!

Blackberry picking and goat petting

Liam and I went blackberry picking today at a local farm.

My little helper - he was good at spotting the black berries (instead picking red ones)


Come here, blackberry!


Now I shall taste - but not eat - you!


What is better than blackberry picking? Flowers!


Plucking the flowers - apparently they don't taste too good


As you can see from my little helper's face, it was a hot, hot, hot day


Looking for goats and chickens


Jackpot! Lots of goats to pet!

Evan's 8th Birthday Party

Here are some pictures from Cousin Evan's 8th birthday party with his family... we had lots of fun, and the cousins all really enjoyed playing together! Liam especially enjoyed Eric's peekaboo game... I wish a had pictures or a video of all the screaming and laughing - it was hilarious.

Here is the birthday boy himself!


Aunt Leesa getting ready to present Evan with his birthday slice of cake, while Mr. Dog looks around for some tasty morsels.


Everyone watching Evan blow out his candle - I wonder if he was wishing for more Webkinz?


Liam devouring every piece of cake he can get his hands on


Cousin Abby had her first piece of cake! She liked it so much, she licked the plate clean!


Evan opening gifts


Liam and Abby playing with buckets together - well really Liam was playing and Abby was looking for something naughty to get into :)


Abby and Evan


Liam playing his favorite game, poke people in the nose


Liam signing for "more" - whatever is going on over there, he's sure enjoying it! Even Abby is trying to get in on the action.


Aunt Leesa probably has some better pictures - I'll try to get some more from her. Happy Birthday Evan!

Mad! Happy! Mad! Happy! --- Life of a Toddler

This afternoon's photo session pretty much sums up a typical day of roller-coaster emotions.

This is what happens when Mommy takes away the tennis ball that Liam kept throwing at her head... yes, he was warned, but you know...!


A little foot stomping and arm waving for emphasis - yes Mommy, I am REALLY mad!


Stop following me around with the camera!


GRRARRRR!!! Where is my tennis ball!


Mmmmmmm....... a little toe suck makes everything okay


Now my mean Mommy won't let me put my entire fist in a glass of milk! WAAHHH!!!


Ooooh! Turkey and squash, yum! For good measure, I put some in my hair - to join the waffles and syrup from breakfast.


Happy again, doing the Dr Seuss Fish puzzle (I put the camera away by the time he had yet another meltdown over the pesky Blue Fish).


Liam's new excited face - WOW!

Summer Vacation!

Here are some pictures from our summer vacation in Lewes, Delaware with my Dad's side of the family.

Liam and Grandpa - Grandpa bought Liam some Animal Crackers, which of course he loved!


Where's your nose? Liam spent a good part of the vacation doing "nose checks".


Delicious animal cracker!


Sharing a beater covered in icing with Abby


Adam's birthday cake - devil's food with brown sugar buttercream - yum!


Liam sharing some birthday cake with Dad


Ice-cream sundaes - this is what vacation is all about!


Liam and Daddy sharing some delicious King's Ice Cream - Dutch Chocolate flavor!


Grubby little ice-cream eater signing for "more" ice-cream!


Liam and Daddy at the cannonball house in Lewes


Clearly a well-anchored home!


Gobbling up some frozen custard at Rehoboth beach


Liam and the big old guns at Fort Miller, Cape Henlopen


Liam and Daddy cooling off in the water feature in the pool


Liam and Mommy going for a swim


G'day mate! Liam in Mommy's hat


Cool dude! Love the shades!


Liam breaking in his new beach toys


Adam trying to keep Liam from flinging himself with joyful abandon into the water - he LOVED it!


More fun with water


Playing in the Delaware Bay... with the Kalmar Nyckel tall ship in the background


Liam and Daddy enjoying a stroll on the beach


Mommy and Liam


Having a refreshing drink at a rest stop on the way home


Bonus pic #1: Veggies from the garden!


Bonus pic #2: Liam's new playset!