What we've been up to...

Going out with Martin to Cathy's engagement party. Digging my new Caruso curlers and that 40's 'do.

Shopping at TK Maxx and trying on sunglasses. Oh, that pout. Future lady killer!

Having her own little tea party in the children's section of Ikea.

Posing in front of the GIANT M&M's in London's Leicester square, just so we could send the photo to the kids.

Flamborough Head

Dylan wanted rock pools, so we went to Flamborough Head up in Yorkshire. There are no rock pools in Lincolnshire--too sandy and flat for that. Amazing day!










Have I mentioned lately how beautiful I think England is?

Norfolk, day one, part two...

The beach.  It was amazing!

Slightly botched attempt at a landscape photo, but the beach huts still look cool (Martin took the photo, not me).

Trampoline time.

For mom, as well.

After our walk on the beach, jumping on the trampoline, and icecream, we made dinner at the camp site and attempted bed time.  It was a long night that didn't involve much sleeping.

Take me out to the ball game...

Martin didn't play baseball all last summer, and I promised him he could play a few games this summer.  We didn't have too many church commitments and it was a home game, so we went yesterday.

We had so much gear that it looked like we were staying for a week.  We took snacks, drinks, a tent, blankets, umbrellas, etc.

My-oh-my, the kids LOVED the tent!

Martin and I got a rare photo of the two of us together.  We pretended to like each other.

It really seems like we had a good time, doesn't it?

It was fun, for a time.  Then Edith got tired, it rained, she got her Welly boots muddy, took them off, and got her socks wet.  She freaked out about her wet socks, refused to put her boots on, wouldn't take a nap, and just generally made everyone miserable.

Dylan was good, though.

Now Martin is hobbling around the house like an old man because he used some muscles that haven't been vigorously exercised for quite some time.  But if he has a sports-related injury he's not allowed to complain about it.  I figure it's self-inflicted, so he gets no sympathy.  He's in pain, but he's happy.

I have the best family...

Today Dylan did some writing. 

He wrote "mom," "dad," Dylan," and "Edith."

Ok, so it's not Shakespeare.  But he wrote "mom" without even asking us how to spell it.  He did "dad" all on his own as well.  He's got hos own name down pat.  He had to have a little bit of help with "Edith," but it is a tricky one.  He thought you spelled it with an "f" at the end.  He's gone from completely uninterested in reading and writing to the star pupil pretty much overnight.

Edith just keeps getting cuter.  As she gets older, her personality becomes more apparent.  She's a bossy little madame, but she's so kind and caring as well.  Oh, my little ginger firecracker!

And my husband...well, I am seriously lucky.  He does it all.  He's loving, devoted, hard-working, and a great father.  I mean, sure he has his faults.  Don't we all?  But I love him to pieces, even though he's completely incapable of cleaning up after himself.

I had a slightly surreal moment in Tesco on Monday.  I had a person I've never met turn around and say, "Oh, you're Jamie.  And that must be Dylan and Edith."  Turns out, she's a friend of Emma and Lewis and she reads my blog, which is linked to theirs (I didn't get your name, but it was nice to meet you).  That's never happened before.  Most of the time, this blog just seems like I'm talking to myself and putting up pictures for my mom.  I've always thought I was kind of a private person.  Except now I publish most of the details of my life on-line.  Is it strange that I never really thought of it that way before?

Family photos

A few weeks ago we had some photos taken, and I am just now getting around to posting a few--what a slacker!  I'm really pleased with the way they turned out.  We got some particularly lovely pictures of the kids and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Over the river and through the woods...

Museum Gardens, York...

It was a beautiful day when we went to York.

There was some sort of special event going on, and Martin got to climb a big rock wall for pretty cheap.

We had a good time watching him.

Edith got to spend some quality time with her daddy.

Dylan thought the pigeons were too noisy!

And here it is--my favorite photo of the day.  Grandma and her grandchildren, all having a wonderful time!

A full English breakfast and Normanby Hall...

Took mom for a fry-up at Barney's cafe.  She liked the bacon and the fried bread.  The kids pretty much got the rest of her breakfast.

Dylan kept chasing this peacock.  He was trying to give him his feather back.  Adorable.

Words aren't necessary.

The Deep

Dylan loves the Deep.

Mom seemed to really enjoy it, too.

And these two, well, they always have a good time together.

A day at Cleethorpes beach (with the kids this time)

It was kind of a chilly day last Tuesday, but we took the kids to the beach anyway.  Edith spent most of her time on the dry sand, climbing all over her daddy.

Dylan went right in, despite the cold.  What a relief, considering how he freaked out the last time we took him to the beach at Mablethorpe.

She did actually go in the water for a while--with Martin holding her!

Dylan ran around like a mad man and wore himself out.  Hooray for exhausted kids.

And here is my proof that I was there.