Patrick first injury

OH MY GOODNESS!!! I'm NOT liking this "growing up- playing sports- getting hurt" part of mommy-hood!!! Patrick had a tournament this weekend in Newport News, Va. He played 2 games yesterday...which they lost :( And was supposed to play 2 today. Well, during the first game, Patrick was walked to first. The next batter bunted it and it popped up, Patrick started to steal but had to slide back to first, the catcher threw the ball to the first baseman who collided and fell on top of Patrick's ankle...with his CLEATS! So we have his first fracture! :(

M.E.A.D. Brunch

We met at a new favorite restaurant in Potomac Mills! Bamboo Buffet~ they didn't have crabs and beer, but the crawfish seemed to work just fine!!



see, Eric, if you hold one, you gotta hold 'em both!



Mead/Shrader/Harper cousins...



The whole fam-damily that day! well, except me and D and Kevin, and the babies and Christopher...so not quite the "whole fam-damily"...haha



who's beating who in rock-paper0scissors???

Amtrak to DC

We don't have any 'big' vacation plans this summer...so we're doing 'little day trips'! Our first one was riding Amtrak to Washington DC yesterday! We did this once before about 4 1/2 yrs ago...



Although we had a MAP...we wandered around quite a bit til we found what we were looking for :) The boys wanted to stop by the White House.



They couldn't understand why we couldn't just go up and "meet George Bush". haha



Next stop was the National Aquarium!



This was a ginormous lobster!



...and snake!...



on our walks, we saw lotsa big things we tried to take cool pics of...This flag was HUGE!



We had a picnic lunch in front of the monument...






Walked by the reflection pool, on the way to the Lincoln Memorial, where the boys kept trying to find THEIR reflection...haha



took a break to draw a little bit...



This is the WWII Memorial. Very touching. There were several WWII vets there...



Finally ended up seeing Abe. Zach thought it was sad because he's dead and said he meant to "bring a $5" to put at his statue...haha



more silly pics at the top of the Memorial...



Lots of other people were doing the same thing~ haha



Made it to the Natural History Museum!! The last pic I have of this, Zach was in a stroller!



At the reflecting pool, reflecting on our day.... :)

My Oriole

This was Patrick's 2nd year on the Orioles...His first year was T-ball and now he's AAA...



Catching is one of his favorite positions!



#6 on deck!



Swing batta-batta-batta!!!



He also tried pitching a little...
Patrick played his last game Friday 13th. It was a championship game and they WON!! :) His team is now first in their league!! YIPPEE!!! GO ORIOLES!!!

Zach's art show!

Zach's art teacher chose this piece to be in a county wide art show at one of the local high schools!! :)

Patrick's 9th bday sleepover

Patrick wanted to have a sleepover birthday party...so we made a sleepover cake!



He had 4 little buddies over...BIG mistake. However, I did come to the conclusion I don't like one of them...



Just a family pic with my baby :)



After the nightmarish sleepover, we had brunch at Patrick's favorite Chinese restaurant.



Christopher, P and Zach



D and da' boys...Lisa and Ms. Carol were there too but didn't wanna get in the pic!

snuggle bug

Auntie and one of her snuggle bugs!! :)

Zach's first loose tooth!

(I know, I know...It's been a while...I think I do a "binge" upload! haha)
Zach lost his first tooth in April...he's showing you the bottom middle one



He noticed it in the shower and screamed for Patrick to come help him! ...The expression is priceless!



We've moved to the livingroom now...still not giving up!



HILARIOUS!!! ...very determined...



Maybe you're wondering why you don't see a picture of ME, his MOM, trying to pull my baby's first tooth??? It gives me the willies!! So Monday morning, we went right to Mrs. Lewis, the school nurse! :)



...and she got it! Zach was so proud!!! (and I was so thankful! haha)