Life in the Hamptons

Sometimes I daydream about life in the Hamptons and then I remind myself - oh yea, that's not my life purpose. Oh - but it is SUCH a fun place to visit. Those verses of lust and envy and covetousness definitely hit home for me every time I go out there.

But, I digress.

A few weekends ago, we borrowed a friend's car and headed out of the City as far east as we could possibly go.

We passed through Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton (and every other Hampton in between) and kept on driving until we reached the end of land: Montauk.

There is something exhilarating about that whole as far as you can go on land thing. I highly recommend it. Here are some of my favorite pics from our day as a family.

Destination: Singing Hills Cabin

We just returned from nine days at the Singing Hills Cabin in Colorado. (well a few weeks ago now - where has the time gone!?) The cabin has such special memories for me, as growing up we would visit each year with the family and it's one my grandfather (and others in the family) built many years ago. David had not been away from the City since Christmas, so he was more than ready to embark on our family mountain adventure. To say I was too, would be an understatement. How thankful we were to have this opportunity.

This year was extra special because of three things:

1. Kate is now old enough to start really enjoying the cabin (& creek)

2. my WHOLE family was able to be together for the first time in a very long time and

3. our special, dear, sweet friends, The Roses, were able to join us!

Those Roses - they are part of our special NYC family. The kind of family that you can be real and raw with at all times. The kind of family that you never get tired of and look forward to being with again and again - even if it's the day after. The best kind of family, really, and we feel blessed and humbled that we also have the privilege of living life with them every day during this season of our lives. Little did they know what this vacation to the cabin was going to entail. They were troopers and we had a fabulous time together and a TON of laughs!

Speaking of...our adventure started out with a few laughs as we picked up our rental car, or should I say tank, below. (not planned) We city folks got a few laughs out of this during our trip.

Then continued with a reuniting of family (even more family!)...

lazy days of book reading and game playing...

an incredibly embarrassing amount of eating...

wagon riding...

mountain hiking (David and David did a 14er and The Roses and Sullivans climbed Devil's Head among many other baby hikes with Kate)...

wildlife spotting...

wild raspberry picking (and pie making)...

grass eating...

bug catching (shocking to me!)...

picture taking - as if for National Geographic (over 1000 pics)...

campfire singing...

wedding dress shopping (for Steph) - sorry no pics allowed...

creek playing...

wood chopping and BB Gun shooting (guys only)...

and most importantly... memory making!

Kate's Favorite Things

Now at age 2, here are a few of her favorite things:

1. Riding the bus around the City and singing The Wheels on the Bus song

2. Miss Murph's cupcakes

3. Eating popsicles at any time and eating lollipops after going potty.

4. Looking for horses, feeding the ducks, and exploring in Central Park.

5. Getting to walk aroun

d the City instead of riding in the stroller.

6. EARLY mornings. Sigh.

7. Dancing to music. Any music at any time - especially with the whole family.

8. Doing somersaults all by herself.

9. Hanging from the bars at the playground or from the scaffolding along the NY city streets. (She's a city girl - what can I say!?)

10. Playing outside in the back yard.

11. Singing songs all day long. Her repertoire includes: He's Got the Whole World; Lord, I Lift Your Name on High; This Is the Day; You Are My Sunshine; ABC's; Elmo's World, Jesus Loves Me and many more.

12. Reading as many books as she can. Any Dr. Suess books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Brown Bear, Goodnight Moon are some of her very favorites and she loves to read them to you as well.

13. Talking on the phone to anyone who calls.

14. Playing hide-and-go-seek and "Where'd it go?", to which she quickly replies, "I don't know!"

15. Wearing her "Bono" sunglasses.

16. Taking baths and blowing bubbles.

17. Going to the zoo.

18. Eating, snacking, eating some more. (I wonder where she gets that from.)

19. Watching Mary Poppins (on special rainy days) and Elmo's World.

20. Praying for the food, Mommy, Daddy, Kate, Murph and sunshine every night. Last night she made us pray for the food 3 times. It was very blessed. :)

So far it has been a very eventful few weeks in Kate's 2 year old life. She is now without the pacifier and is starting to potty train. She will tell you that she is NOT a baby anymore, but a "big girl". :) I agree, sadly but proudly...I do agree.

What a fun adventure we are on with her!