Apple picking

We took our yearly trip to Tougas Family Farms for apple picking...

I'm almost sure that Nicholas has to be standing on something in this picture...because honestly...is he really that much taller than his sisters now?!?

He loved lifting the girls up high to reach the apples...

The orchard was hit with a hail storm a few months back and all the apples were a little scarred from that. They may not have looked perfectly pretty but they tasted just fine...

Another big reason we choose this place...

They pop kettle corn right there on-site and they have lots and lots of fresh apple cider donuts. Yummy.

Oh...and forgot to mention it was really really HOT.  We were all sweating!! Very different weather for apple picking this year that's for sure.

Oh and I also wanted to make note of something Nicholas said because it was just classic. The night before apple picking he was doing his usual teenage thing where he was saying he didn't want to go, etc., etc. It makes me really sad when he does that (which is often), but at the same time...I totally get it. So then he goes, "Mom. When you turn 16 you stop doing things with your family."  Oh my goodness that gave me the best belly laugh ever!!! He was laughing too thank goodness. But you know what? He did go with us and he did have a good time. Sometimes you just have to tell those teenagers...you're going!! It's all good. I'm loving reliving the teenage years right along with them.

September doings...

We celebrated CeCe's birthday. This picture just cracks me up. She is so silly...

Gianna is just overjoyed to finally be old enough to volunteer at the animal shelter down the street.  I go with her once a week for an hour to sit and talk and play with the cats. We brush them and give them treats.  It's very important to socialize with them...especially the ferals...so they can get adopted too like all the young cats and kittens do.

The young ones move out rather quickly which is awesome...

Gianna loving on one of the older cats...

These two have been there for quite a while.  How I wish I could just take them all home so they can sit on my screened in porch and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air...

Gianna brought her Dad to the shelter on Saturday to show him all the cats (which she knows practically every one of them by name now) and they got to walk one of the dogs that is up for adoption.

And here's my beautiful boy KoKo.  We adopted him eight years ago from that same shelter.  He's such an awesome cat. We've given him a very happy life. I wish that for all the cats still there waiting for homes.

And on to other happenings...we got Julia this new desk for her princess room which functions way better than the old tiny desk she had before. I bought her a pretty new desk chair to match her headboard. That will be here next week. And then we just have the closet left to be painted and the princess room will be finished...

But then it's on to the Prince's room.  Nicholas has been patiently waiting for his turn for some fresh paint on the walls and a new bed and desk. He is currently sleeping on a very old mattress on the floor.  Stay tuned.

The weekend of parties

Gianna went to an overnight camping birthday party for her dance friend Makayla. Looks like they had a ton of fun!

And Julia went to a "Sweet 16" birthday party for her dance friend Sophie. They slept outside in a tent too.  And it was a very chilly night!  I hope both of my girls stayed warm!

Beautiful

Julia's friend took these pictures after school yesterday.  Such cute friends.  I think they came out beautiful!

And this is the awesome photographer behind all those fun pictures!

Random end of summer pictures

This cracks me up. When the weather is chilly I leave the sliding door open just a crack for the kitty cat...because he panics when the door shuts and he is left out on the screened in porch all alone!  So just to be sure that doesn't happen...he sits nice and close facing the door...that looks relaxing and enjoyable, doesn't it??

Back to school shopping with Julia is always fun. I love her taste in clothes. Oh what I would give to be a size ZERO with a 24 inch waist...say what???

Julia and her friends, Annie and Kaylah, at a sleepover at our house. They were sitting on the stairs chanting Nicholas' name with their hair covering their faces trying to freak him out. It was funny! Nicholas was trying to figure out a way to get up the stairs to go by them and he says "Mom, I'm going to do a little "parkour"! Well we all died laughing just picturing him doing something fancy and taking out the railing and falling down the stairs in a heap. Nicholas is loving all the attention from Julia's friends...let's just say that... 

Julia has only about one more month with the elastics and braces!!  October 11th she gets the top braces off.  Yay!! Then life with a retainer begins.  It's a good trade off though...

I always find pictures like this on my phone.  Julia saying "I"...

"love"...

"you"...

and this face always...always...makes me laugh...

Look how much Nicholas has grown this summer!  Last summer he was just about an inch or so taller than his Dad...

Forgot to post these pictures from the day Julia spent with a group of her friends at Brownstone Park in CT.  It's a water adventure park and they had so much fun zip-lining, rock climbing, cliff jumping, swimming, etc...

Yup...that's Julia...she said it was really really high!

and that's Julia again on the top of that thing...

Julia and friends at her friend Arianna's house for a last backyard movie night before school started...

We went to Nantasket Beach over Labor Day weekend and it was quite chilly. The girls decided to hang out in the car for a bit to warm up.  I laughed so hard when I saw this picture on Julia's snapchat (that's Gianna by the way)...

It was a great day with some of my best friends from high school...

me, Patty, Marcy, Christine and Michele...

Julia and her bestie, Lizzie, celebrating their "friendiversary".  They've decided that every year on (or around) September 4th they will spend the whole day together to celebrate their longtime friendship. How cute is that??



Gianna's face that makes us all laugh...

and one of Julia's classic ugly faces...

Well that's it for my summer randomness!!  Fall...here we come!