Stardate 63911.87 - Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we went to the beach house early Thursday morning. As we were getting ready to go, Kate started cooking her version of Thanksgiving dinner and Loren was busy working her sticker book.


Before Thanksgiving dinner Loren told me she "wanted to go for a walk". I suggested the sea wall, to look at the bay, or perhaps around town to see what houses were up for sale. She took my hand and started up the street and said, "No, Daddy. The school playground." So that is where we went.


There is a great view from the school down to the town of Highlands and Sandy Hook bay, then Sandy Hook and the Atlantic Ocean beyond that.


We apparently never got the camera out during the dinner at Elaine and Dave's place, probably because we were too busy chasing the kids around. On Friday we hung around the house, played with chalk outside on the back patio, and went to Cheryl's Grandmother's place for dinner. On Saturday we took the kids to the Monmouth Museum where they had a great time in the aquatic and space rooms.


Here Loren space walks...


Here Loren and Kate visit the Moon.


I don't want to spoil the illusion, but I see little pink fingers floating next to the space helmet.


We came back into the city early Sunday to beat the traffic, but not before snapping a few photos in the beach house at breakfast.



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Stardate 63905.03 - Nana and Kracker Visit

The weekend before Thanksgiving Nana and Kracker came up to the beach house for a visit with the girls.






Saturday night they watched the girls and Cheryl and I went for an early dinner at Bay Ave Trattoria. It was fantastic!! Must go back some time. The appetizers were especially distinctive and tasty. Being NJ it is a BYOB establishment, however a licquor store is just across the street by the gas station, and I was able to quickly procure a bottle of wine for the meal. Special thanks for the babysitting, Nana and Kracker!!!

On Sunday after they left we had to rake up some leaves in the side yard and so Loren got to jump into her first leaf pile.



On Sunday Loren had a play date with a boy who also lives in the city and has a place here at the beach. Here she is waiting for him to arrive.



We had a great visit and Nana and Kracker didn't hit too much traffic. We'll be seeing them again at Christmas.

Highlands, NJ

Stardate 63873.7 - Loren Rides Her Bike (Video)

The audio is the funniest part.




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Stardate 63873.64 - Loren's Birthday

Loren's Birthday has been in continuous operation since last weekend. Last weekend (on the 8th) we got her a bike - her big birthday present from us.



For someone who really hadn't ridden very much before, she really got the hang of it pretty quickly.


On her actual birthday we had a little family party at home, and Loren opened all the presents that had arrived.

From the Arkansas Chriss Clan she got Thumbalina.


We got her a school set she has seen at Nana and Kraker's place for a couple of years.


Cheryl picked up cream puffs on the way home and we had those instead of cake.




Saturday night we had a little dinner party with Cheryl's parents and Grandmother at the beach house. Cheryl's Grandmother baked a cheesecake for Loren's birthday, and brought a Cars candle (one of Loren's favorite movies).



Sunday we came back early from NJ to get set up for a little party for Loren in the city. In order to keep the cost and chaos down, we told her she could invite 5 friends from school (and she already had a school party on Friday with all her classmates). Loren picked out the theme - Strawberry Shortcake.


Kate enjoyed strawberries as well, but was a bit startled when the doorbell rang.


Loren also picked out potato sack racing as a game she wanted to play at the party. The kids enjoyed it a lot more than I thought they would.


Late lunch / early dinner was pizza for everyone.


Followed by cupcakes, with the kids decorating their own. It was a lot less messy than I anticipated.

After the party I went downstairs to pick up two packages and it was two more birthday presents for Loren!! Another one from Nanna and Kraker and one from Aunt Lucy and Uncle Mike!

And now, I think Loren's birthday is officially done! Whew!!

NYC