Random Recap

We are almost to the end of our Summer (I guess you can say that officially when you have a kid who goes back to school), and it has flown by! We haven't had a lot of down time, which has probably kept me somewhat sane. Between sports, camps, lessons, family vacation, playdates and visitors we haven't had the chance to actually be bored! Here's some photographic evidence of our last 2 months.

Ethan finished off his first year of tee-ball.

Ethan graduated from Pre-K.

Hattie has grown up. A lot.

We've spent a lot of time with friends. Like these nut jobs.

We made the kids take obligatory porch pictures for the holiday.

Aunt Natalie came to visit/help paint our house. She's the best!

Powder Room: Before

Powder Room: After

Dining Room: Before

Dining Room: After

Family Room: Before

Family Room: After

Hattie is busy filling out her thighs and at the same time working off the chub.

Not pictured from the last 2 months are swim lessons (where Ethan finally learned to swim), music camp for Eleanor, Vacation Bible School for Ethan, art camp for Ethan, many trips to the Y, a trip down south to North Carolina for myself and Hattie to visit a college roommate, and another trip down to North Carolina with the whole fam for a Mudrick family reunion (that's a post on it's own), my 30th Birthday, and the day to day musings of our 3 crazy kids. I'll try to be better.

A Mudford Weekend

We spent last weekend with both my family and Ben's as we celebrated Natalie graduating with her Masters in Liberal Arts, Ethan's 5th Birthday, and Harriet's baby blessing. It was a 3-for-1 kind of weekend, plus we always love being able to spend time with family. It's always an extra bonus when the kids get to see both sets of grandparents! 

We drove down late on Thursday night so that we could  go to Natalie's graduation on Friday afternoon. The kids were troopers, especially Harriet. She slept for at least 6 of the 7 hours on the way there. Dream baby. We left the kids the next day with Ben's parents and drove out to Georgetown to see Natalie walk for graduation. After her graduation we went out to dinner at a delicious Indian restaurant.

Nat in front of the building where she walked for graduation.

"Way to go, Aunt Nat!"

On Saturday we trekked out to the C&O canal to go on a barge ride through one of the locks. It was rainy, but since the boat was covered we didn't mind. Afterwards we went to Glen Echo park to walk around and ride the carousel. Later on we went to Natalie's place to have a graduation party. The kids loved roaming around her house and being the center of attention. One thing Ethan didn't love is when Eleanor pushed him in the beverage ice bucket. He got stuck and came out with ice cold pants. Luckily we had an extra pair of clothes in the car for him!

Eleanor and Grandma Mudrick

You can see the mules pulling the barge in the background.

This was after I asked Ethan to smile as if someone had told him a funny joke.

Last day being 4 years old!

Rainy weather called for this rainbow umbrella that Eleanor loved!

Little ham.

Riding the carousel at Glen Echo park. 

On Sunday it was Ethan's birthday. He got to spend the night at his cousin Luke's house which he loved! He woke up in the morning and got to eat Trix and then his Aunt Julie made waffles (maybe we should leave Ethan with his cousins on every birthday!). Ethan chose to go to the Natural History Museum for the afternoon so we headed to DC while the cousins went to church. The museum was packed and it was almost impossible to find a parking spot. We didn't end up staying at the museum for long before we headed back to make dinner for Ethan's birthday.

Cousin Naomi loved Hattie.

Mudrick cousins.

Ethan requested spaghetti with meatballs and cheese for his birthday dinner so we set the kids up at the table with paper and markers while we got cooking. The kids ate inside while all the adults ate outside, which was perfect. 

Baby James was sitting in his high chair by himself in the house as content as can be.

The young ones went shirtless so as to not stain their clothes. 

Everything was fine until Eleanor got hit with a stick. She was fine.

The girl cousins admiring their newest baby cousin. Such sweet girls.

Grandma Mudrick's infamous chocolate cake for the birthday boy!

The men who blessed Harriet.

Family of 5.

Daddy daughter shot.