From Sea to Shining Sea

This is a summer vacation photo dump post. Just a little memoir for my children to look back on. Those days that will reach way too far back into their memory to recollect. In a months time, we headed west to San Diego for my brothers wedding, back home and then north to Long Island, only to cut our vacation short and drive 15 hours home as a result of Hurricane Irene. The three hour time difference was not Benham's friend and as a result, was not my friend either. Kid is rockin' it now though! 12 hours at night, 1 hour nap in the am and 2 hour nap in the pm. He even adjusted to the end of Daylight Savings Time and woke up at his usual time.

Princess Laramie...I mean Aunt Laramie and her flower girl

It's not a trip to the west coast without spotting a VW Vanagon

Uncle Phil meeting Benham

wet fingernails, wedding manicure

Uncle Shawn

Rehearsing her flower girl duties...daddy had to assist her down the aisle:)

A diaper change by the fire pit

Uncle Bryan found a little buddy

With each year, my brother looks more and more like dad

San Diego Zoo was A-Zing!! And somehow our monkey, Maryn, ended up in Benham's seat.

August 5th was a special day at the zoo. Panda bear, Yun Zi, celebrated his 2nd birthday and we were there to watch him open his presents.

Doesn't he look so cuddly? I just wanted to jump the fence and give him a huge bear hug until I realized that he could probably fit my entire head inside his jaw.

And that's what the ape thought about Maryn tickling his toes. Maryn said (really loud) "that's his hiney!".

A trip to the zoo will do this to any child

We weren't even out of the parking lot when I took this picture!

Three weeks later, we found ourselves on Long Island, waiting for the ferry boat to take us to our little slice of heaven on earth, Point O' Woods!

I think Bode actually wants us to leave him behind when we leave the Island.

Uncle Tim really knows how to crack this kid up.

breakfast by the bay

Great Grandma showing off her fishing skills.

The Great South Bay

This shot will have to go in the baby book...she really caught her first fish!

The boys with Grandma and Poppop

Cousins Blair and Dom :)

watching Grandma play a little tennis

I totally recommend this Kelty beach tent! We got it at Dicks and it was a lifesaver this summer. The perfect place for babies to nap, toddlers to snack and mommy's to nurse in private.

His idea of fishing

The Candy Store!

This guy was just crossing the bike path. Apparently, he had been in a race.

A slow race.

I'm actually watching the NYC Marathon on television as I type this and I think I just got inspired....to put this package of Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies back in the pantry.