Aleen

Our girls weekend this year ended up being a duo instead of our usual trio because unfortunately Sallie couldn’t make it. We headed to Charleston, which we both have only been to briefly and a while ago. Aleen used her amazing talent in finding great Airbnb’s and we stayed in a cute house close to downtown, but not too close. We basically ate our way through the city and it was amazing! The weather was a little iffy at times, but we made it work.

I also enjoyed all of the amazing architecture and took a different route each morning to check out the different areas. It’s a town I could definitely spend more than just a long weekend.

Read more

In June Aleen, Sallie and I got together for our annual girls weekend. The last time the three of us got together was in Florida in March of 2020, literally days before the world shut down. We decided to keep it easy and they came to Rock Hall for the weekend. It was a fun, relaxing weekend, like it always is. I love how we just pick up where we left off.

We lucked out with an absolutely beautiful weekend!

I love these ladies!!

Read more

The weekend after Sophie’s birthday I headed to Clearwater, FL for my annual girls weekend with Sallie and Aleen. We went to the same resort in Florida we did last year because it was spectacular. We went earlier in the year so that we were there for both Aleen and Sallie’s birthday month. Turns out Florida is actually a little chilly in March. But, it was still fabulous.

These pictures basically sum up the weekend. Lot of lazing around, sipping cocktails by the pool, and watching sunsets over the ocean. It was heaven.
The girls!
Read more

The sound of cicadas has been replaced by crickets chirping, so that must mean summer is coming to an end. It was a pretty great one though.

In July Aleen and I road tripped it up to Mass to visit Sallie. It was a long drive (preview of what was to come a few weeks later for our Maine trip) but so worth it to hangout with some great, old friends.

Sallie, Aleen & Me
And then in August we headed down to Va. for the weekend to drop Sophie off, who spend an entire week with my parents. We had the annual high school friends BBQ at my parents house with the whole gang, and most of the kids
Becky, Ari, Sarah, Jenny, Aleen, Lauren, Me, Bracy, Samantha
Lexi, Parker, Darby, Kaylee, Darby
 Sophie was also reunited with Lexi. Sarah and I are really forcing this best friend thing on them. We’ll see where that ends up…
Lexi & Sophie
And then for the very last week of summer we trekked all the way up to Maine. All four of us packed in the car and headed to Bucks Harbor in Brooksville, MA and picked up a 40 ft. boat that was our vacation home for 5 days and nights. We sailed/motored around to Swan’s Island, Mount Desert Island, and McGlathery Island before heading back to Brooksville.
We did a lot of exploring in intertidal zones. They were teaming with cool creatures, like these start fish that Sophie found. 

Sophie at the helm. It was tough navigating the waters with so many lobster pots, but there were a few spots where Sophie (and I) could steer for a bit and give Dave a break. 

Dave and the girls

The fam in Acadia National Park. Beautiful hike and breathtaking scenery. 

Sophie in front of a very cool, very big rock that was only visible at low tide. The tides were huge there. On this particular hike we started having to wade thought water and ended with vast rock to walk on (you can see in this pic). But the tide also comes back in pretty quick, so we couldn’t linger for long. 
And that’s it. The last hurrah of the summer. We tried to pack in as much as we could it and was a great one! 

Read more

Unbelievably we’re almost half way through the summer. We’ve packed it with a lot of trips and friends and tried to enjoy every last second.

Over Memorial Day weekend we headed to The Sharps’ house in MD with friends John, Crystal & Bella and Pete, Leslie & Hudson.

Here’s he crew picking’ crabs.
And of course there was sailing. Here Sophie is helping John steer. 
The first weekend in June we headed down to DC to meet John, Crystal and Bella again. 
 
Here we are in front of the White House. This is as close as they would let us get. But we did see Obama come in on his helicopter, flanked with two others, and land on the lawn. He had just given the eulogy at Bo Biden’s funeral in Delaware. 
Dave and Sophie also spent a week together on the boat sailing around Maryland with our friend Carl and his daughter Gianna.  
Sophie and Gianna. 
We’ve spent a lot of time down in Maryland. The Sharp’s house is only a 2 hour drive from our house, and Rock Hall is a town that the whole family loves. Lots of time on and in the water, bike riding, and of course crabs! 
We have two kayaks down there, and Sophie loves to go out for a spin the bay.

The girls acting goofy on the beach.

Benson has been getting a little braver with the water. He’ll wade in about chest deep – but still prefers to sleep on a towel on the beach. 

Dave and the girls. 
Aleen also came for a long weekend visit. We went to Morris Arboretum which was in full bloom and beautiful. 
Selfie
 And when we can’t make it to Maryland, there’s always the baby pool in the back yard. Hardly a substitute, but the girls love it anyway. 
The girls and our neighbor Maya.

And we just got back from our annual 4th of July week in Ocean City, NJ. This year the extended family was there as part of the year long celebration of Nana’s 90th birthday. 
All of the July birthdays: me (36), Maithili (30), Addison (16), Mom (60), Becky (33), Graeme (33), Vicki (51). And Lauren, who would not let me put her down.

Quinn and Sophie. 
Cousins

The girls on the beach after our family picture 

Some of the crew on the beach house steps. Uncle Dick was there, so of course there were balloon hats.

Read more

Last weekend Aleen and I went up to Boston to visit Sallie, Andy and their new baby Langston (who is 4 months now, so I guess not that new). We spent a few days just catching up and hanging out. It was excellent.

Sallie, me and Aleen

And I also got to see Sallie when we were down in Virginia (what a treat!). Here are us with the kiddos. 

Read more

This weekend Sophie and I took a quick trip down to Va. We flew in on Friday and out on Sunday and in between got to visit with family and friends. Mom and dad set up a little pool in the backyard, and Sophie had a blast splashing around in it (in the nude because I forgot her bathing suit, oops).

What you can’t see in this pictures is that Sophie is watching Kaylee and Parker play in the pool. She just couldn’t quite hang with the big kids, but really, really wanted to. Next year. 

 Mom and Kaylee rolling around in the grass

Sophie & Lexi. Shortly after this picture they officially became “spit sisters” by passing a pacifier back and forth. It was very civil actually – if not a little gross. 

Sophie getting a hug from Parker

Me & Aleen
Read more