Wedding fun in Martha's Vineyard

Me, Erin, Laura, Kristin, Nell, Janinne and Katie

At the end of September, I was so excited to go to Martha's Vineyard for a long weekend to celebrate the wedding of my good friend Katie to her partner Kelly.  All of my college roomies were attending the wedding and we were all looking forward to getting together. Since Emily was only two months old, she was making the trip with me.  However, Drew and Katie were going to stay home since Drew had school.  I left on a Thursday and came back Sunday so Mom and Dad came to Maryland to help out while Andy was at work.   Of course Drew and Katie loved having Grandmom and Poppy with them!

James and Janinne

I arrived in Boston and was met by Janinne and her son James!  I was so excited to see James since I hadn't seen him since he was just a few weeks old.  James seemed huge next to Emily!  It was so strange for me to not have Drew and Katie with me, but I loved being able to spend all my time with Emily and my friends.  Kristin arrived from Colorado and the two of us (plus Emily) stayed at Janinne's house in Boston the night before we left for the Vineyard.

Emily and James

Our car ride to the ferry.

Once we arrived to Martha's Vineyard, we met up with Erin from California, Nell and her husband Brian from California and Laura and her boyfriend Aaron from Boston.  We were so lucky to be able to stay at Aaron's parents house on the Vineyard. It was really nice to just hang out and talk.  

Erin holding Emily. 

Nell holding Emily.

The morning of the wedding we went for a walk on the beach. Me and Emily, Laura and Nell.

Katie looked so beautiful!

The happy couple!  The sun broke through the clouds just before their ceremony was about to begin.

A pregnant Kristin and Janinne (my original roomies and two of the reasons why I loved Amherst!)

Janinne's parents had a room at the  Lambert's Cove Inn, which is where the ceremony and reception took place.  It was perfect! Janinne and I just ran back and forth checking on the babies and nursing them as needed.

Janinne's parents sat on the front porch, rocked Emily and James and enjoyed the beautiful night.  

Even the kids came out and danced a little.

National Arboretum

SO CUTE!

I love wide open spaces where the kids can run around, act crazy and get lots of fresh air.  I read about the  National Arboretum and decided to go one weekend morning while Andy was rounding.  It was so fun!  The kids loved the koi pond and spent about an hour watching and feeding them.

Giant koi fish!

So happy!

Watching them eat.

Emily slept in the stroller. 

Showing me her BIG SMILE.

There were lots of fountains to find...

and lots of exploring to do.

Train show

One of Andy's best friends from high school, Roger,  lives in the area with his wife Yvette and their son Xavier.  We spent a lot of time hanging out with them on our deck in August, but of course I didn't get any pictures.  Well in September, one day while Andy was working, Roger called and invited me and the kids to a train exhibit.

Drew still loves trains!

Roger, Xavier and Yvette

Studying the exhibit.

Three kids.  Emily was in the ergo, sound asleep!

Drew loves hanging out with Xavi.

Sweet Emily. So pretty.

Two months old! 

Sleeping in her crib.

Cutie.

They love cuddling on the bed together. 

Sisters!

A cool playground

We love visiting new playgrounds and I heard from a few friends that the Clemyjontri playground just a few miles away in Virginia was one of the best in the area.  So one Saturday in early September when Andy was working, we took a little drive.

The playground was awesome and the kids didn't want to leave.

I love this picture. 

Emily slept the entire time.  See a trend?

First day of school for Drew!

On September 6th, 2012, my little man had his first day of school.  He was SOOOOOO excited.

Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake

Just before school started for Drew in September, I planned a fun day trip to Annapolis with the kids and our good friends from HSS who had also both just moved to Baltimore.  Drew and Katie were excited to see their friends and I was happy to see mine!

Our pirate adventure was awesome!  Since Drew and Katie were going through a pirate obsession at that time, they were so excited to go on a real pirate ship, look for buried treasure, shoot water guns at a a bad pirate, and wear their costumes.

They were so excited to be pirates!

Emily slept almost the entire voyage!

Katie had a mermaid painted on her arm.

Drew had a skull and scars painted on his arm and face.

Elyse, Jenny and Charles

Anne-Blyth, Blake and Addie

Ahoy matey!

Katie was selected to help hoist the flag!

Looking for buried treasure!

Fighting the bad pirate!

Getting some loot!

Drinking pirate grog.

The entire crew.

It was such a fun day trip with friends in beautiful Annapolis.