So much done, now lets relax!

We’ve been busy.

Where to even start? We’ve got house projects in the works…

a garden planted and growing (I hope I’m not jinxing myself and it all dies tomorrow)…

Leah made sure the soil was good quality!

celebrated Leah’s first birthday,

it must have been good – two hands! …..wonder which one she preferred – dirt or cake?

and then we traveled to New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

checking out the progress on the Freedom Tower

chance encounter with Cardinal Dolan at St. Patrick’s!

one of the best sandwiches EVER at the Carnegie Deli (a must go in you’re in NYC)

had a blast at our friend’s beautiful wedding and reception in Jersey

hung out with my brother and his beautiful wife in Bellefonte, PA where we ate delicious cupcakes (I had two – they were good!)

and watched mother ducks with their broods of ducklings

Then of course we decided to take a group shot in the park and as Tyler set up the camera I realized that after gorging myself in New York (see above), eating like royalty at the wedding and then just having consumed two (rather enormous, but delicious) cupcakes my belly was looking like a little Kolden #3 might be starting to grow…

…alas that is NOT the case (did I have you going there?) and I realized then that some crunches would be in my near future!

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to suck in my gut and turn to face the camera for the actual group shot so you get to see me in my full glory again!

To much information? Probably, but I like to keep it real!

So after our glorious trip without the girls (did you notice?) we flew home,

hugged and kissed our girls that we missed so much, threw them in the car and drove all the way to Illinois. Where is our sanity?

I don’t have any photos to share from our trip to Illinois, mostly because it was CRAZY! We were there almost a week with 150+ other FOCUS missionaries and their growing families, living in college dorms, eating college cafeteria food and having a really good time catching up with old friends from across the country.

 

I take that back… I found this picture from L’Angelus’ Facebook page (awesome performers btw) of our all FOCUS Staff Block Party in the park. Can you see me and little Leah in the bottom right? She’s reaching for a beer can – never a dull moment!

So, now we’re home and glad to have a bit of a lull on the horizon as we hopefully finish our patio table this weekend and then can actually sit out on our deck (maybe with a drink?) and enjoy watching our garden grow and grass go to seed – again!

Oh, and remind myself not to wear my new favorite coral cardigan so much… because it’s in almost every picture!