At the beach!

It's beach week at i heart faces and since we just came back from vacation, I figured I'd submit this shot of my middle son, playing in the pebbles on Sunset Beach at Cape May Point. People come here from miles around to hunt for "Cape May diamonds," polished quartz stones, washed nearly 200 miles down the Delaware River and propelled ashore by the tides. They were discovered by the Kechemeche Indians, who used them for jewelry and trading, back in the 1500s. Needless to say, we had tons of fun on the beach that morning, though we didn't walk away with any diamonds :)

Anyhoo-- be sure to check out all the other beach pics this week... they're sure to be tons of fun!

This boy...

is determined and dedicated and loyal and strong.

He's tender and loving and funny and true.

He's generous and kind and thoughtful and brave.

And as of this past weekend,

he's also the Virginia State Champion!

Summer Awards Meet: 8 & Under State Championships

Freedom Center, George Mason University

July 17-20, 2009

The fastest tykes in Virginia competed for the STATE'S top slots, and Noh-man left his mark:

5th place: 100m freestyle

4th place: 200m Individual Medley

4th place: 50m breaststroke

3rd place: 50m backstroke

3rd place: 100m butterfly

3rd place: 50m freestyle

2nd place: 200m freestyle

2nd place: 100m breaststroke

1st place: 400m freestyle

Popping-at-the-seams proud, utterly amazed, thrilled to the point of complete combustion...

and so, so much more!

Our summer retreat

Aahhh... Cape May.

Charmingly beautiful.

Historically significant

(it's the first seaside resort town in America,

founded by Captain May in 1621;

and it's a popular vacation destination for many past presidents).

And wonderfully fabulous in every single way.

It holds my mom's favorite childhood summer memories,

and now it's one of our favorite places, too.

Thank you, mom & dad, for a wonderful vacation-- we had a blast!

Happy Independence Day!

The 4th of July came and went, and I'm still trying to figure out how exactly that happened. How many times-- in one lifetime-- will I simply be amazed by the passage of time??

"Just yesterday..."

How many times will I say that in one lifetime?? Let alone one season! Before you know it, the malls will be hanging their colorful Christmas decor, we will be laughing hysterically through Elf on dvd, and jolly old St. Nick will be well on his way. Until then, may we please enjoy a little bit of summer? I'm just not ready for winter coats again!

As for the 4th of July... we celebrated! At mom's and dad's, we grilled burgers & dogs, and we savored all the fixins around the dinner table. Then, from their church parking lot we ooohhed and aahhhed as the spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky.

One thing in particular, though, made this 4th different from any other. What was that?? Well, earlier that afternoon we all participated in our very first public demonstration. Our very first rally. Our very first Tea Party! Hundreds were held all over the nation (though the mainstream media will likely never share that with you). As for us, we attended the Jefferson Area Tea Party from 1-3, and it proved to be a very popular place. There we sang. And we cheered. And we prayed. And we listened as the Declaration of Independence was read aloud in its entirety. The kids played along in a fun little history game, and they toted balloons... red, white and blue. They ate candy and they climbed on the cannons, and we all witnessed-- first-hand-- history in the making.

Bub was a bit concerned at first-- he kept asking us if we were sure it was safe (he really didn't want to go to jail at 10 years of age); we assured him it was. And ever since we left the rally, Big Man (a bit confused by some of the larger vocabulary of the day) has held on tightly to his "special paper," the one with all the stamps from the history quiz. He made sure it came home with us last night, and he made sure it wasn't left in the van once we arrived. After all, he was quick to remind us that it's "the one I got when we were arrested at the Tea Party." Well, never fear, we were never arrested. We never even came close to getting arrested. But to Big Man, we were... whatever that means in his little brain :)

Lastly, here's one quick peak at Lollipop-- after she attempted to eat the red ink pad.

At least she chose a patriotic color :)

Happy 4th of July!

"... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness... But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same subject, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security..."

The Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

My very brave boy

This morning my boy... my extremely brave, outstandingly courageous boy...

my gun-loving,

guitar-playing,

wonderfully precious little boy...

stared fear in the face...

and won.

He conquered the cavity-- it is no more (according to the dentist, he did better than most adults!)... and now he's ready for an afternoon at the pool.

I think he deserves it :)