The Lake House

This year we decided to try something different...we love to go to the beach but had been thinking we should try out a lake. Turns out some friends from church rent out their house at Deep Creek Lake complete with private dock and enough beds to invite our Pittsburgh pals to come too, so off we went...

Rafal and his mini-me hanging out on the dock...so paranoid Tavish would fall in...

Cousin Katie was visiting and Tavish loved hanging out with her. And I loved having a girl around!

Before we even considered going to the lake, Tavish had been asking to go fishing for months. I have no idea what brought this on, but we made sure to get some fishing in...and by we I mean Rafal. They never actually caught anything and tried out lots of different lures, including Swedish gummy fish, but the closest thing to catching a fish was the dead one floating near the dock.

Every day we would head out for an adventure near the lake...one day we went to Swallow Falls where in one spot you can actually climb on the rocks into the river near some small falls.

The lake house had access to the community pool so Paxton had his first dip in a pool. As you can see he loved it.

We tried again the next day, eased him into it, and then he loved it!

We rented a boat to take the kids out on inner tubes but guess who had the most fun???

I think Rafal thought we rented a speedboat. But Paul and Susan and Rafal and I traded off with the kiddos to have some "date time" on the boat. Totally gorgeous day. 

Another day we headed over to the mountain resort to ride the mountain coaster.  Its awesome because you get to control how fast it goes. The sucky part...getting stuck behind slowpokes.

Rafal and Tavish coming around the last turn...

Also at the resort were obstacle courses with zip lines! Tavish got to go on the "Chipmunk Challenge". 

Look at how big my boy is getting!

There were some brief tears in one spot but we were able to talk him through it and this is what he thought in the end.

Katie and I did the grown up version and she was awesome at it! She just climbed her way through in no time.

I thought it looked so easy from the ground and then I climbed up. The first obstacle wasn't so bad, but then the rope got twisted on one obstacle with the guy controlling it going "oh crap this isn't supposed to happen" and me hanging there in the middle of it. But I persevered until the second to the last obstacle where I totally froze. I just couldn't go. And there was a group of people watching below including Rafal shouting up really helpful advice, the guy behind me trying to encourage and then finally, after what seemed a very long time, I just went. And made it to the zip line which was the whole point in the first place. Next time I'm skipping the obstacles and just going for the zip line.

The kids got to hang out...we saw wild turkeys and deer in the yard.

The babies got to hang out...(check out those thighs!) while the moms hung out.

And there was even swimming in the lake.

Five Months

Paxton has discovered his happy shriek and surprises us when he chooses to use it because he is still normally pretty mellow. But now he gets pretty excited and has found a way to express it vocally.

He rolls over too-front to back (and 2 months earlier than Tavish did).

The fingers, and everything else, are in his mouth all the time.
He has started on solids and loves oatmeal.

Sweet, sweet  boy.

Solids

Paxton has started solids...if you can call oatmeal solid. But he loves it.

Lots more yummy food to come...

4.5

Now that Tavish has been four for half a year, here are a few things about being four...

-he is calming down more and more which makes him more fun to be around

-he is very perceptive and inquisitive

-he still loves to collect random objects and carry them around

-he has an invisible friend "Wormy" who seems to be responsible for a lot of the naughty things Tavish sometimes does, he has had several talkings-to right along with Tavish

-he still loves to stick his open mouth under the hand dryer in public restrooms and let the air blow in his mouth

-he loves to give hugs

-his favorite game is Tackle Daddy...they go in the basement, Rafal kneels down and says "ok tackle!" and Tavish runs head on from across the room and tries to knock Rafal down. this is strictly a daddy-only game.

-he will eat three breakfasts but has a hard time eating lunch or dinner

-he likes to show us his "tricks" which usually involves jumping off something and landing crazy-fashion
-if we are travelling in the car for a long time and he gets sleepy he covers his head completely with his blanket and falls asleep that way...I often wonder what people think who drive past us

There is a lot more to being four, so far it has been a lot of fun!

UltraMan

Ever since running his first marathon a couple of years ago, Rafal has wanted to run an ultramarathon.  Enter shin splints and a long recovery. But once those were under control, Rafal was ready to rock it. Most people who run their first ultra go for the 32 mile distance...not Rafal, he went straight to a 50miler.

And dedicated it to Auntie Lana who has been running her own marathon of sorts...

The week before the race the weather was perfect for running, cool at night and 70s during the day. The day of Rafal's ultra was hot and humid, well in to the 90s. He started running at 5am and we caught up with him at mile 35, ice in hand...which he poured in his hat, down his shirt and loaded up his water bottle. A quick shoe change and he continued running while we went to lunch...and then headed to the finish line.

Waiting....

and waiting...Uncle Joe makes a very good lookout because he can see above everyone else...

He also makes a very good shirt model...

And after 10hours 47minutes 59seconds of running on the hottest, most humid day of spring, Rafal crossed the finish line. 

The strongest man I know running for the strongest woman I know.

Before and After

Four and half months later...here is what was in those big bellies.

For the record, Susan went in to labor first and baby Landon was born in a pretty spectacular way.

Baby Paxton chose a more calm entrance to the world a few days later.

Babies are opposite of the mamas in the pic.

Rolling Thunder

Every Sunday on Memorial weekend, hundreds of thousands of bikers (the motorcycle kind, not the Rafal kind) descend upon DC for a ride honoring those soldiers who have and those who continue to defend our freedoms. Lucky for us, on their way in to DC, every single biker passes under the bridge near our house. So here we are this Sunday morning welcoming them on their ride. It is truly an awesome sight. The freeway is shut down to regular traffic and motorcycle after motorcycle rides on by, waving and honking to our sweet boy waving his own little flag. Proud to be American.