A Fun Weekend

Swimming pool!

It has been a great summer so far--we have done so many fun things!  I'm sad that it's coming to a close.  Though, the weather is usually the warmest and sunniest in September and October (plus the beach tourists have gone home....GOODBYE, "ZONIES" (the Arizona folk that take over our beach towns every summer)!   

We've had family out here visiting and helping us the entire summer except for a couple weeks in July.  Myke's mom has been here seven weeks (split into two trips) and my mom was here for nearly 4 months before that!  Our dads have been here for shorts visits as well.  It has been wonderful having all the help and being able to get out and about.  The photo above is from a pool play date I was able to take Chloë on last week at a friend's house.  Maureen stayed back with the boys so it was nice to get out with just me and my girl while I could.  I know those times will be few and far between starting this week!  I also took Chloë on a bike ride for a couple miles down the boardwalk the other day.  I hadn't ridden a bike in over a year due to bed rest, pregnancy, etc.   It was a fun time and nice to ride along the beach.  

Myke's parents leave tomorrow to head back to PA.  We'll be sad to say goodbye but looking forward to our trip to the east coast in October.  We'll be spending close to a week in Richmond and a week in Philly.  We have the dates set, have our plane tickets (bought 4!!), have a dog/house sitter lined up...so all the "big" things are taken care of.  Now for the details and logistics of taking 3 small children across country on an airplane...and carting car seats, etc.  We need 2 infant seats and a toddler seat in Richmond and then again in Philadelphia.  Not to mention a stroller...and a car that will fit all of that.  We also need to figure out how to get from Richmond to Philly...and to stop in northern VA to visit Myke's sister and family..and our college friends.  Eeeks.  I'm getting gray hairs just thinking about it all!  

Hold on...Eli crying in crib...will finish later!  

Okay, back.  Boys up.  Fed.  Now swinging in their swings.  It's an hour and a 1/2 later.  Meal times still take a lot of time- though they are much more efficient eaters than they used to be so that's a positive.  Chloë is at Sea World with Mom-mom and Pop right now.  They texted these photos to me so far:

Looks like Chlo is having a blast riding the rides with Pop.  She is a BALL of energy lately so I hope she is running all over and tiring herself out for her afternoon nap.  I'm sure Thom and Maureen will be ready for their naps as well!  

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We had a really fun weekend this past weekend.  Thursday after Myke got off work we rode bikes down to Belmont Park, a little carnival on the boardwalk.  It has a carousel, rides, games, cotton-candy, a historic old wooden roller coaster, etc.  Chloë was so excited to ride the carousel, but then even more excited to go into the game room and sit at video game car and just steer the wheel.  I think she was in there nearly an hour.  We couldn't get her out.  She didn't actually play the game.  No money was put in. She just played on it.  After that we all went to get some appetizers and drinks at The Wavehouse- a restaurant/cocktail place right on the boardwalk.  It's outdoors and the floor is all sand.  There are beach chairs to sit in, hammock chairs, and fire pits.  There is also a huge surfing wave simulator where you can try surfing in a big barrel wave.  

The Hines boys

Elijah

Friday night Myke and I went on our "summer stay-cation".  We checked into the Hard Rock hotel downtown and headed straight for the pool.  It was a beautiful day so we lounged with our feet in the water and had a mai-tai.  Okay, I had a mai-tai.  Myke had something else...not sure what it was but I'm sure it was manly.  :)   Then we went for an amazing dinner at Nobu, a restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel and to a couple of places downtown.  It was a nice overnight getaway.  Thanks to Myke's parents for watching all three kids for us!!!  :)   

Maureen and her 3 Cali grandkids

Chloë and Pop

Pop and the boys

Maureen and Chloë making my birthday cake

(I finally got a cake 2 weeks after my actual birthday!  It was worth the wait though)

Sunday afternoon we had a pizza dinner and then birthday cake to celebrate my birthday.  My actual birthday was 2 weeks ago but we waited for cake until Thom was here so we could all celebrate together.  A vanilla gluten free vegan cake was made and (believe it or not!) it was pretty yummy!  Chloë sang a Happy Birthday solo to me which was really sweet.  She is still VERY into anything birthday and anything relating to cake.  She was on cloud 9.  Before she ate her cake she looked at me and said "Happy Birthday, Mommy.  I love you"....with no prompting from anyone else.  It was the sweetest thing!  :)  Made my day!  

Owen & Eli ready for church