So true...

I was on Pinterest this morning (which you don't know about you HAVE to check it out) and I saw this and it made my morning. I am constantly having moments of confusion when it comes to time. Just the other day my boys begged me to take my dollhouse down from the garage. I haven't looked at it for years and years. I was telling them how hard I worked on it and that I hadn't worked on it for about 10 years. That sounded good. Then I really did the math and it was more like 20 years ago and I almost died. The 90's just don't seem that long ago!!!!

Urban Dictionary

When you get a chance go to the urban dictionary online and look up Barno. It's disturbing to say the least.

Six Flags

At the end of the school year last year Ty's school did a reading program. If you read 6 hours you got a free ticket to Six Flags. I think I posted about it before. Well, he did it w/in about 2 weeks and anxiously awaited the ticket. he got it around the last day of school. I told him that we still had to pay for the ticket for one of us to take him so I told him he needed to read 10 hours to earn that. Which he did in about 1 1/2 months. We decided Phil should take him b/c my last adventure at a theme park made me pretty queasy. So today Phil took a half day and off they went! These are pics they've sent me through out the day. They got there around 2:00 and it's 9:45 and they're still going strong! Phil said this is a Dad's dream to go on real rides w/ his son. I love it! and I'm glad they're having fun together!

The Battleship New Jersey

The boys are interested in all things Army. So when I suggested we go see a real battleship they freaked out. So I had a friend watch Eliza so I could go on a date w/ just my boys. Thanks Kaysha! Here we are at the Camden Waterfront waiting for a shuttle to take us over to the Battleship New Jersey.

Here she is! And it's HUGE!!! It was part of the Ohio class of ships and served in WWII, the Korean war, Vietnam war and the Persian Gulf war. She now is decomissioned and has been here for 10 years as a museum. It's so incredible and all that was missing was having my dad tour it with us.

There are 3 different tours and we chose the "fire power" tour. All of the docents are WWII Vets (which is seriously the cutest thing ever) and he showed us all the gun turrets and all things guns. I have honestly never seen my boys so attentive and quiet. I was surprised at how much they listened and enjoyed this. I have to take them again when my Dad is in town. This is the front of the boat w/ 3 of the 6 gun turrets. They're huge!

It still has the original teak deck and it's in pretty bad shape. It would cost about 5 million dollars to replace it so until they can raise that cash it remains in disarray. Other than that I thought the ship was in really good shape.

Me and my boys. You can see on the deck over the years guns have been removed leaving obvious marks on the deck.

We also got to see living quarters. These beds are actually 3 high. I'd feel smothered!

This freaked me out a bit. I forget all the names for everything, but we climbed under and up into one of the gun turrets to see how the huge ammo is loaded and shot. Tight stuffy quarters and these men were in the South Pacific w/ no A/C!

Inside the gun turret looking through the, um. What's that called? My dad must read this and tell me. You can see outside of the ship at incoming planes and such. I hate when I can't think of words...not telescope, right?

This is the area where the captain, generals and other high-ranking officers ate. This is the main table where the captain ate. No one sits or eats until the rank above them is doing it. There's also a really cool model of the ship.

There's cute Frank our docent in the background. All of them are wearing Navy hats and shirts and then the old-school sailor jeans. Loved it! Frank served in the Canadian Navy and then moved to the states where he worked for our Government until he retired. He's been a docent here since it opened and helped paint and clean and fix up the ship to get it ready to become a museum. He's pretty awesome! And this is Ty sitting in the captains chair. it has a pretty good view!

Mr. Chase. Or shall I say Captain Barno?

The Captain's View. That's the Ben Franklin Bridge to take you into Philly there in the distance.

I can't remeber what this is but there was alot of huge bullets in there and Chase was super interested. At the completion of the tour you could continue on your own and check out the post office, chapel, laundry, etc. We didn't have time so we went to the mess hall where the men ate and had a snack. They serve food there the whole time and it was really fun. It was completely renovated for the Persian Gulf war so it's not super vintage, but still very cool.

And when we stepped out this is what we saw. That's the BF bridge again and everyone was a little nervous. The docent had just been talking about 9/11 b/c this ship was supposed to carry all the living WWII vets that served on this ship from Washington to the Philadelphia Port in the end of September 2001. After 9/11 they weren't allowed to so it was pulled by tugboat w/out the Vets. So after discussing that we walk out to this. Fortunately it ended up being a chemical explosion in a building and I don't think anyone was hurt. Drama drama!!  So anyway-we had a great experience and the boys loved it.

Colorado! the second

4 of the five "little girls" had a lovely romp in the bath. Eliza the beast terrorized almost all of them by dumping water on their heads. Other than that I think they all had fun!

Addy's turn!

Eliza checking out the golf course behind their house I'm sure!

Another first for my girl. Grandma Joyce french braided Eliza's hair and it was just darling! She sat really well for her-I have to get better at doing it!

She's saying the word "cheese" and it's not all that cute.

Thanks mom!

She spent the next 5 mins. singing all the songs she knows to my mom. Show off. :)

Eliza got sick one night and I spent much of the night up w/ her. So I rolled out of bed at about 10:30 one morning to this. Huge tarp in the front yard and lots of happy kids!

Trav w/ Lexi and Chase

Noah's expression is priceless.

Ty took Reagan down. He couldn't get Eliza to do it so he adopted Reagan as his own.

Jeffinator

Benny Boy was missing his bikes so he took the kids bike out for a spin. Pretty great.

Ty 4-wheelin' it.

This pic is a hoot. My mom has a mild obsession w/ diet coke, light ice. The boys had a man-date to have sushi for lunch. And they came back w/ this drink. Firstly-I've never seen a drink, or jug, this big! She was thrilled and we all had a good laugh! We girls all think they're a bunch of bum-kissers!! :)

The Denver area has wonderful free splash parks all over the place. This one is right in Parker and you pay for it b/c it's bigger than most and has huge slides. In fact-Danny went down and hit his head and was knocked out! He doesn't remember what happened and he thinks he came to b/c he hit the water. Luckily Kennedy was there when he exited the slide. His side was killing him and he went to the doctor and broke 3 ribs! Pretty freaky!!

Mom w/ Eliza bird. The little girls had fun w/ this watering can pouring the water on everyone's legs and feet.

Eliza and "Goosey Goose."

The water slides. The blue one killed Danny. The kids loved it though! I quite enjoyed the red one!

Jeff w/ the girlies. Not to sound old-but I remember Jeffy being that small! So not pictured is our adults-only dinner trip to Denver where we at a Brazilian Restaraunt called Fogo de Chao. It was amazing! I've never had that much meat in my life! We then walked around the city which is so clean and safe. We perused a neat old bookstore and got some chocolate. Thanks Kennedy and your cute twin friends that babysat! I also took no tubing or knee-boarding pics-but we did that until Phil, Doug, Jenn and Travis broke it!! Thanks Jess and Dan for having all of us!

Colorado! the first

Documenting our vacations stresses me out b/c I only have the pics I took. All of my sisters also took a million pics and I feel like I am missing vital parts of the trip-b/c I am! I forgt my camera  a few days and so I have to wait to get pics from them. This is so my Grandma Shirley's issues coming out in me.

So anyway-we had a Dunlop Family Reunion at my sister Jessy's house in colorado. We were excited to see everyone and to see their newly renovated, new house in Parker. Here the kids are waiting for the plane. I have to note that when we left Newark it was 103* outside and I couldn't have been happier to leave!!

Waiting outside the Denver airport for Jess to pick us up. It was 4pm, and a lovely 80* out. Awesome!

Chase feeling a little frustrated w/ all the sitting and waiting and sitting some more.

Once we got to their house and all settled (the Wolfe's arrived about the same time as us!) we went to Luke's baseball game. Danny is the coach and Phil got to help. he loves that stuff. The kids preferred to play on the playground and had a blast!

Crazy Noah and Jeff doing the helicopter!

Hanging out and gabbing. That's what we do!

Again w/ Jeff being crazy. This, by the way, is Chase's future. Chase is Jeff when he was a kid!!!

On our walk to the ballfield something slithered over Stacey's foot. A freaking snake! And she picked it up to boot! I told her she's definitely a country gal now!

my kids kept their distance but Molly just shot up and touched it! Another country gal!

How can something so small look so fierce?!?!?

We spent 2 days at a local reservoir boating. It was such a good time. Here I am with my niece Kennedy who has obviously surpassed me in height. Jerk.

Some pretty cool boys. Jeff and Noah. Hey guys-YER MOM!!! (this is all they talked about the whole trip!)

Sleeping Addy-pot-pie.

Mom with some of the gang.

Dad with more of that same gang. The others must be on the boat.

Ry-Ry

We are pretty people.

2 little studs. Luke and Tyler.

These kids are just getting too old!!

Chase's partner in crime-Jack Jack. And Hannah bear in the background.

The girls. Lexi, Hannah and Rylee

Always the goof!

The Dunlop's!

This pic is funny to me. don't know why.

This one is better. Looks like Ken has no teeth!

The Barno's

Mortensen's

Kennedy And Rylee. Sisterly love. They never fight and always get along. Right?

Little twinners-Eliza and Reagan. It was impossible to get a pic of them both smiling at the same time!

Wolfe kids all tuckered out after the day in the sun! I also have to note that I was sitting in my truck with my sleeping baby w/ the windows down, it was 96* out and I was comfortable! That's not possible in NJ w/ that humidity!

Woops-out of order. More cousin shots!