new england trip

i love the summer.

i love being able to travel as a family when daddy has to go away on business.

our latest getaway was a little trip to new england. 

we started off in the cape cod area. 

although at times it can be a challenge trying to amuse 4 littles when daddy is at meetings...it always  works out just fine. 

i try to pack a couple of toys for each child which seems to help.

i pack levi a truck and a truck book.

ella packs her DS

and sophie always has a plethora of toys packed in her suitcase...this trip her horses really seemed to keep her occupied.  (apparently i zoomed in on the chair rather than my daughter...oops)

and then there is abbie.  i usually pack her a princess figurine but in true abbie fashion...she will usually gravitate towards something other than what mommy has brought for her. 

waiting for our seafood. :)

we found a little beach to take the littles one day after daddys meeting.  the littles liked it.  mommy wouldn't let them go out very far given all of the shark sightings in cape cod. 
scary stuff!

the progression of these pics makes me smile. 

it started with just sophie...then ella snuck in...then abbie wanted to join.  i love those girls.

oh i could just eat this little guy with a spoon!

no lie!

i tell him that all the time.

levi  spent a great deal of his time digging (very deep) into the sand

then dropping it. 

and then he would repeat this sequence of events over and over.

this pic reminds me of a police officer overseeing a work release program. :)

i typically sleep very well in a hotel. 

but for some reason this night i didn't...

hmmm...i wondered to myself

why didn't i sleep well?

oh that's right. 

because I had exactly 13 inches for my body that of which exceeds 13 inches by... a lot!

crazy littles! :)

for lunch we found a great seafood restaurant right on the ocean in plymouth. 

we loved it so much we went back there for dinner

feeding the seagulls

mommy had her sweet little crew.

i love this pic.  they lined up in order without even knowing it. :)

*and if SM or JP read my blog by chance i have one word for you...

really?

mommy's 2 favorite guys.

after lunch we headed to the pool (in a hurry!).

then it was back to the restaurant for dinner.

that is our typical day when we travel with daddy

eat breakfast.

play

eat lunch.

swim.

eat dinner.

swim some more.

that's my kind of day! :)

daddy ordered sophie a lobster (mommy would of never!  I am much more frugal!) :)

we wrapped up our little getaway with a game of jenga.

and then we were off.

have a i ever mentioned that i love my family? ;)

4th of july festivites

we celebrated the 4th with a lowkey little picnic at our house.

it was a beautiful day so i pulled out the folding table and set up shop right under a nice shady tree.

perfect.

after lunch the littles got on their suits for some pool time.

i have no idea what this pose is about. 
i think it was kenzies idea.

everybody was having a good time...until...

daddy came.

daddy was definitely one of those super annoying kids when he was younger. 
you know that ones that you never wanted by you in the pool because they thought it was funny to dunk you or splash or just be darn right annoying even when you tell them to stop. 
sorry daddy...
of course i still love you.
abbie figured she mine as well enjoy daddy's annoyingness because he wasn't going to stop.

all that fun left one little guy very tired!

 

then the weekend following the 4th my aunt and uncle once again graciously invited the family over for a get together at their place. 

it started off a tad rainy but ended up being a gorgeous day.

the littles loved the pool!

our sweet nephew brayden