Grandma's pool

This past weekend, we visited my Inlaws for the weekend. They are about 3 hours away - and we go up there often or they come here to visit. They have a real nice pool and huge deck - so it's perfect to go visit in the summertime!

"No pictures please!" 

Testing the water at Grandma's pool 

This kid loves the water. She enjoys sitting on the side of the pool with her feet in (much like Mommy)

... And she hates her swimmies. Big time. Meltdown screaming 'rips them off' hates them! 

Putting on the flipflops can be challenging - but she got it! 

Playing ball with daddy in the pool. I think she was about to get hit in the face with the ball - oops! 

Playing with daddy and her cousins in the pool. 

And then she figured out how to jump into the pool into daddy's arms. Mommy had a heart attack. 

This kid has no fear of the water yet. Ugh! 

Climbing out on the latter is so much fun ... 

Julianna loves the dolphins that spit water - they are fun! 

"Yes? How can I help you?" 

Golden Girl 

This might be one of my favorites lately. 

And now... 

Some pictures taken with my iphone from this past weekend at Grandma's house 

No fear of the corkscrew slide anymore! 

Snack time! She refuses to take off the sunglasses. Diva. 

My beautiful girly-girl! 

Wonderful & Wordless Wednesday

Some photos I took recently .... Enjoy.

Atlas in my Mother-in-law's garden. 

Pretty sunset clouds 

My husband went golfing last weekend - He loved it and now wants to take lessons. 

Julianna getting her flip flops on at the pool 

Julianna buttoning up her cover-up at the pool 

Beautiful Purple Clematis 

Rose arbor 

Gotta love Lightroom's ability to isolate just one color and BW the rest. 

Have a great day! 

Fathers Day - Play Ball!

I surprised my husband for Father's day (yes I'm a week behind here!) with NJ Montclair Jackals baseball tickets. They are an independent minor league baseball team about 45 minutes from our house. For Father's day, they had "Family day" so that dads could come with their families.

The stadium is geared towards kids & families, so I was so curious to see how Julianna would be. We love baseball but I totally know she is not ready for a NY Yankees game yet. For the Jackals game, we never actually made it to our seats. We found a bench up top by the walkway and food, and sat there most of the game, then moved onto the huge grassy area they have for kids and families in the outfield. They had $1 hot dogs for family day. Even the beer was not expensive! Woohoo. We also got our Free Jackals hats for being 3 of the first one thousand people into the park. Score!

Brian loved his surprise and said he would like to go back for family day again soon. Julianna was well behaved & had a great time. She even clapped when one of the jackals hit a home run. And the best part was, she got to run the bases at the end of the game with daddy (I ran with them to snap pictures & for moral support).  It was a fun day!

Julianna loves her sunglasses. 

But loves her new Jackals hat more!

Julianna loves drinking water out of a bottle like a big girl. 

The Jackal mascot 

Snuggling with Daddy during the game

Watching the game from the outfield 

Run those bases! 

Touch em' all! 

Nice park; Bad park.

On my day off last Friday, I took Julianna to a local park that we like and have been to before. I really like this park because it is the town's recreation center. There are baseball fields, soccer fields, walking paths, a huge dog park, and some open fields along with a decent size playground. I am trying to go to all the local playgrounds lately and try them out. I also try to rate each playground (in my head) so I know whether or not I'll ever come back. This one is a keeper. We have been here before. It's clean, well kept & safe.

I tried another park (in the town of Byram) a couple weeks ago that looked nice online.... But when I got there, the parking situation was horrible. You had to walk up a ton of stairs to get to the playground. I guess the person who designed it did not give a thought to little kids, old folks or strollers. Trying to get a toddler up all those stairs (especially a toddler that insists on climbing EACH stair on her own taking her grand old time!) is less than easy. When we finally got to the actual playground, it was filthy with trash, cigarette butts, food and other unidentifiable things. There was no excuse being there were 3 large trash cans in the playground perimeter. It was also a big mud pit. The wood chips were all washed into the corners and the wooden jungle gyms were in need of repairs. No wonder no other kids were there. Pretty sad considering the community it's in pays come pretty high taxes. Glad its not in my town.

Do you try out different parks in your area? Or do you stick to the same one that you or your kids like? I have tried a few different parks & playgrounds here for a change of scenery and to get away from the 'same old- same old". It's fun too! Sometimes you hit big and other times (like Byram) you know you are never returning. There is a cool "Playground" website for New Jersey.... Check it out HERE. I'm sure there are ones like it for each state. 

These pictures are from the nice park that we like. 

Julianna insisted on getting on the big kids part of the jungle gym, but then wanted to get down immediately 

Julianna sat there wondering if she should go down the tunnel slide. After much consideration, she opted out. 

She loved spinning on the spinny seat thing. 

A great day with fluffy clouds and blue sky! 

Loving the swing. Julianna could go on the swing for hours... no no ... for days! 

More sitting in the spinny seat thing - she loves it! 

This was from that "OTHER" park/playground that we are never going back to. Here are the steps to the playground. 

Can you imagine trying to get up this with a stroller? hahaha! 

Have a great day !! 

My Day Off & the Terrible Two's!

This past Friday, I spent my day off with my daughter Julianna. I posted some pictures from Instagram on Saturday but here are some pictures from my normal camera that I took of our day. They are mostly from the Arboretum. I love taking her new places & letting her run around to discover new things. she is at a great age for discovery. 


But first.... a quick TERRIBLE TWO'S story: 
I can honestly say for the first time, Julianna had a serious major "terrible two's" moment ... well, more like an hour... at the food store tonight. She normally is very good in the food store, especially since we've been taking her shopping from week one. She has always been pretty good. NOT TONIGHT. 


She started off with a low dull whine... working her way up to a whiny annoying cry with fake tears... then graduated to a full blown screeching (and I am talking about the ear piercing scream that breaks glass) crazy horrible meltdown. Full on tears, major snot and crying. This was the night I had planned on food shopping and I was NOT about to leave my cart in the middle of the store. I told myself, "I can do this. I can do this. Be strong. You can do it". Yeah ok. I decided to walk down each isle, continue my shopping with this screaming thing. After a few minutes of shrieking, and shoppers running in the other direction while glaring at us, I was desperate. 


I resorted to bribery with the following: goldfish, banana (yes my child can be bribed with fruit - her favorite thing!), animal crackers, a toy story bouncy ball... and last but not least, a balloon. All of which gave me about 30 seconds of no crying each. I just kept repeating over and over in my head "These people don't know you - screw it! Head down, no eye contact & plow through with the screaming child." - Yeah, I was THAT mom that everyone stares at with the screaming kid! We've ALL been there. Don't deny it. 


Nothing made this girl happy. Nothing. I finally paid for my groceries and made it out to the car, where I was able to wrestle the animal crackers out of her hands {more crying and screaming} but at least I could shut the door so no one could hear her! I then proceeded to put on some nice easy listening music - Metallica - and turned it up on the way home. THIS calmed her. Yeah, Metallica calmed my child. What?! Now I know for next time. 

And now for some pictures of my sweet baby girl at the Arboretum from Friday