Beach Day!

One year ago Tobi and I had a May beach day at Ogunquit.
She was barely able to stand and toddle behind the lowest bar of the stroller.

 She was sitting up but not moving around too much.

 And she fell asleep easily in her stroller on our beach walk.

Last Friday we made our first Ogunquit trip of the season.  And what a difference a year makes.

She was running, jumping crawling in the sand and chasing birdies all over the beach.

She was making friends everywhere...never shy about walking up to anyone on the beach. (Side note, one of the moms that was with this girl's family was named Toby...what are the chances?  2 girl Toby/i(s) on the same beach and they met!)

She spent sometime yelling "No!  Mine! No! My water!" at the boys who were splashing around in the ocean.  Apparently she has claimed stake on the whole Atlantic, even though she wasn't that excited about putting her feet in the cold water.  She preferred to splash around in the smaller pools.

What a beautiful beach day...but we were both exhausted when we got home.  Naps all around!

On the road again... Where we've been lately!

It seems like we have been going and going lately.  One, two or three of us have been away almost every weekend since April began.

Here is just a glimpse of the fun we've been having:

I already posted about our trip to Islesboro, ME. I'm already getting excited for our full week vacation there in September. 

The next weekend we were in RI helping my dad clean out my grandparent's home (I already posted about that as well).

It was a bittersweet time, but as you can see there were some of the usual antics we experience any time this family gathers. If there's a wig, someone will be wearing it, guaranteed!

The next weekend I was back in RI, this time in Newport where my college roommates and I had a mini reunion. It was so great to get together with these amazing women.  I am so thankful that our friendships have lasted over the years.  We shared such a blessed time together...emotionally encouraging, spiritually enriching and, of course, joyfully uplifting!  Love you, ladies!

The next weekend it was Ben's turn to get out of Dodge (yeah, I don't know exactly what that means but it seemed like I should put it there.)  Ben went out to Vegas (Pahrump, to be more accurate).   He met up with his uncles for a defensive handgun training course (yes, apparently they have those).  Since Ben was away for 5 days, Tobi and I decided it would be a good chance for us to take a road trip.

We headed down to Pennsylvania...

to see some dear friends...

...and to play trucks and babies with Uncle Rick and eat some ice cream with Auntie Carole....



...and do some coloring with Kaden and Kira....


....to spend a hot morning at the school fair with new friends...

As a surprise treat we were given some tickets to go see Jeremy Camp last minute.  It was a great concert. 

Tobi got to have her first sleep over away from the parents (thanks to Monica and Eric and their superior parenting skills!). 

It was so much fun seeing the Hughes and Mangins... I'm so blessed to have kept these friendships through the years and the miles!

Ben didn't take any pictures of his time out west...he was too busy shooting guns.  But he did bring me this to add to my collection!  See, he was thinking of us in between rounds. 

It's been a fun month but I'm glad to home again for bit.  I think Tobi is, too.  She was talking about her toys and babies and her cousins a good portion of the way home!