summer 2016 fun!

This Summer has flown by much too quickly! It feels like just yesterday that the girls wrapped up the school year, and now here we are, about to start Kindergarten and 2nd Grade in just a few short weeks!  Even though it went fast, we managed to pack in a good deal of fun over the past few months. Some highlights...

Some of us went to Texas to visit family and to celebrate the Fourth of July:

While those of us left behind used their alone time to take up new and unusual hobbies, like cartooning:

We all went to Ocean City to soak up the sun and visit our friends (and to be artistically transformed in the sand as a gorgeous Merman by one of those friends):

Ryan and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary on a sans-kid trek around Philly:


What square are we in? We have no idea!

We sold our wee house in TX:

And bought a new one across the street from us (which means more work for Ryan, but more rental income, too!):

Elliott got her first pair of glasses:


"I look so scientific!"

We traipsed around DC on an uncharacteristically pleasant August day:


And we finally got around to cutting the girls' hair in an attempt to look presentable for the upcoming return to school:

This is what happens when you suck on your hair, kid!
She is pretty pleased with her new 'do, though.

Ellie was bordering on a crazy Rapunzel-esque look...not anymore!

In addition, Ryan worked his butt off running the Farmers Market (which continues through October), the girls attended the local summer camp, we played with lots of good friends, and I managed to keep my head above water helping run the hectic Summer Reading Program at my library! We are also planning a visit to Hershey Park the weekend before school starts, and we are all looking forward to our mini-getaway before Summer officially comes to an end!

the case of the missing summer

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with an existential question: if you didn't blog it, did it happen? Judging from my blog posts, or lack thereof, the Smiddleton Middlewartzes never had a summer this year! But I assure you, it did happen.

All ready for summer!

There were dance classes, summer camp, long walks, parks, farmers markets, dinners on our (new) deck, swimming pools, beach days, bbq's, playdates, ice cream, a visit from cousin Skyler, evenings catching fireflies and watching bats, a local music fest, countless hours on our playset, and even a minor league ball game thrown in there! And, for the record, it was the most beautiful summer I remember having ever experienced, with nary a day lingering in those dreaded high nineties or (gasp!) hundreds.

Our awesome Daddy-made playset

Splashing around in our "rooftop" pool

Summer "puddle-jumping" shoes!

Though I didn't bring my camera along with me much, I did snap a few photos here and there, enough to put together bits and pieces of our "missing summer" for you. I hope you enjoy, but more so, I hope you had an equally beautiful and enjoyable summer.

Disney World, nursery school, and Kindergarten...here come the Smiddleton Middlewartzes!

how does your garden grow?

I'm so excited! This year, we are expanding on our tiny cinder block garden...we've added more cinder blocks, and with them, lots more veggies and herbs! After this long, snowy winter, the thought of spending more time outdoors while tending our little garden (and playing with the kids on our now almost complete play-set) is simply glorious!

Bonus photo: Ellie drew some fairies with her chalk!

the history of our house

Ryan found this photo today while trying to dig up some more info regarding the history of our beloved house (which we have lived in for a little over a year now):

Wowza! On the right is our house around the turn of the century! The facade has a lot more detail than it does now, but hopefully we will one day restore it to its original glory. Note the stained glass windows in the turret - they still stand today!

Prior to this discovery - which we could have easily made had we just checked out this book a little sooner - we believed the house was built in 1907. Turns out there was a drugstore in our home in 1894! We of course were aware that it had been a pharmacy, as many have told us they used to frequent Blankenbush Drug Store back in the day (I think the store ran into the 60's or later). In its early years, it even boasted the quintessential old-timy soda fountain, but sadly that is long gone. What the space still does have intact are the old (but not original) cabinetry, apothecary drawers, and phone booth.

An example of the old drawers and cabinetry that are still in the commercial space today. These weren't original to the house but were added at some point during its history as the neighborhood drugstore.

And to think, just the other night I was going on and on to poor Ryan about what Centre Street must have looked like back in the olden days; this was indeed a timely find! I am especially digging the trees along the street, which have sadly gone the way of the soda fountain. But we are actually in the process of working with the Shade Tree Commission to plant a tree out front, for some much needed shade and a nice little buffer from the busy road Centre has become.

Ahhhhh, history and old things, how I love you. Creaky, comfy old house with an interesting past, I love you best of all!

zoey (finally) walks! | let's get digging! | our playground

First, the big news you've all been waiting for. Somewhere in the last few days, after just turning a whopping 19 months, Zoey started the transition from a few tentative steps here and there to actual toddling all over the place. We took this video earlier today as proof. We're so proud!

This next video is from a few weekends ago, when we gave Elliott the set of tools that Granny bought her (for Christmas, actually!) As you will see, she got to work right away helping Daddy with the play set he's been building in our backyard. Thanks again, Granny!

And I might as well add some pictures of the AWESOME play set (seen above in a more primitive phase) that is quickly on its way to completion. Ryan did an amazing job designing and creating our very own backyard play wonderland! Eventually it will have steps up to the platform, a wall and a canopy on the platform, and a rope climbing wall on the left side A-frame. The whole structure will eventually be treated with a red stain, since that's Ellie's favorite color. I'll post more pics as we progress!

our october

Wow, it's been forever since I've posted, so let me attempt to summarize the past few weeks via a series of expertly taken snapshots...

First, Granny and Grampa visited us from TX!

Zoey suckered Granny into reading lots of board books.

Ryan and his dad worked hard building a deck, and breaking in our new grill!

Granny spoiled the girls with lots of toys, including this Little People Zoo.

Next, we ventured off to DC for a few days, where we met up with some friends we've missed terribly.

Elliott and her bud Lily demonstrated their lovely ballet moves.

Our girls and Sam (son of our gracious hosts Patti and Jon) let us catch them smiling for a rare photo!

Elliott and "the other" Lily spent some quality time catching up...

...while little siblings Zoey and Arbor got reacquainted.

After our return to NJ, we took advantage of a gorgeous Fall day to go pumpkin picking.

The Smiddleton Middlewartzes rode in style at Johnson's Corner Farm.

It was a picture perfect day!

Zoey applauded one of her pumpkin finds.

Elliott chose a cute little pumpkin she could carry around.

Ryan and Elliott designed personalized Jack-o'-lanterns later that night.

Boo!

So there you have it; the most noteworthy goings-on in our lives this October. Now we're just riding out Hurricane Sandy and keeping our fingers crossed that she spares us a power outage and too much damage. It's sure getting windy out there!

car show

Love our town!  Had a car show with over 500 cars right down our street.  Funnel cake, petting zoo, and classic cars.  Not sure why some people want to show off their 1986 mustang, but whatever.  There were definitely some good ones out there.  Had to get a picture of the 1970 Mustang because Mom bought one new off the showroom floor.  Her's was candy apple red.  My brother had a green one in high school.  The white car below was the whitest car I've ever seen - a perfect paint job.  The last few pics you can see our house in the background.