My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

We had a busy, full day with our extended family, so I didn’t get a chance to take out the camera very often.  But in lieu of new pictures, I’m posting a video I took on Sunday of our girls singing along with their dad to a Sunday School song.  For those keeping track, Susie is the quiet one in the video and Becky’s the one cracking up at the hilarity of it all.  I think she’d rather be a comedian than a singer!   

Okay, I know the glasses already made their blog debut, but I couldn’t help but post a few more pictures of the girls sporting their new eyewear.  Especially because the girls found red purses to match their red glasses. 

Susie: “Do my new accessories make me look like a big girl?”

Susie: “Or how about artistic?  Do they make me look like a trendy Magnadoodle artist?” 

Becky (on right): “Nah, you still look like normal old you.  But brighten up – you also look like me!” 

Becky (on right): “Don’t be upset – it’s a good thing!  I think I’m pretty cute!” 

I feel like a real New Englander now, thanks to a trip Jim took me on today (and thanks to my in-laws for taking such good care of the girls while we were gone).  I can officially say, along with New York’s elite, that I was a “weekender in the Hamptons.”  Of course, when I say “weekender,” I mean to say we spent a few hours there; and when I say “in” the Hamptons, I mean to say we drove through while ogling the massive mansion-lined streets.  So even though I may be reaching a bit with my definitions, I can still say we had a lovely afternoon in a beautiful place. 

Here we are on one of the Hampton’s famous beaches.  We snuck onto the beach after hours and tried to peek into a few of the luxurious backyards of the oceanfront properties.  However, we were slowed down by our lack of proper beach footwear, a driving wind, and the sheer distance between the houses due to the size of the lots.  And our lack of physical fitness.  We were huffing and puffing after the first house.  Don’t I look a bit winded?     

Of course, these weren’t exactly small places we were trudging past.  Below you can see the only property we made it past on the beach, which actually included three individual structures, each entirely covered in glass along the backside.  I shuddered to think of having to clean all those windows. 

But that building really wasn’t my style.  I figure if I’m going to spend twenty or thirty million on a weekend place, I want it to look like it’s been there a couple hundred years, not like it was dreamed up by some architectural grad student who wanted to impress his professors with his daring avant-garde designs. 

No offense to architectural grad students.  I think I just don’t like flat-roofed houses.

Here is one of my favorite houses we came across in our drive.  Although I don’t know if I can classify the building as a “house.”  I guess it’s more an estate, and a jaw-dropping one at that. 

We capped off our wonderful outing to this classy neighborhood with a dinner at a classy restaurant.  Because nothing says a meal fit for the rich and famous like a burrito from Chipotle.

Okay, so maybe we’re a little too fond of fast food and chain establishments in general to be considered a blue-blooded Hamptonite.  But it was sure fun to visit! 

I appreciate our library’s efforts to make itself child-friendly, from the buckets of Legos and train sets to the oversized stuffed animals and bean bag chairs.  I am especially grateful that the librarians aren’t concerned about the noise level in the children’s area.  But I sometimes wonder if making the library into a free-for-all play zone has its drawbacks.  After all, my girls now associate it with toys, not books.  When we went there this afternoon, I kept waving different books in their faces in an attempt to remind them that we are at a library after all, but they just ignored my eager selections and dove back into the Legos. 

Every once in a while, they would acquiesce to at least hold a book in their hands (along with a handful of other items), if not crack it open.

But overall, I suppose I’m glad that the girls have such positive associations with going to the library.  They view it as a place of enjoyment, rather than stuffy boredom.  Time will tell whether the girls will transfer their excitement from the toy bin to the bookshelf.  In the meantime, we’ll just enjoy the fun!  

The bug has struck again!  It seems that Becky must indeed have had some sort of virus last week, because Susie was sick this morning.  Fortunately, it’s only been a one-time event so far, even though she was weak and clingy all morning and afternoon.  But two long naps, lots of Sesame Street and extra cuddle time perked her up by this evening.  Need proof?  Here are some quick pictures I snapped – you’ll notice that several are blurry because the child wouldn’t hold still.  That was a welcome change from this morning, when all she did was sit in my lap and suck her thumb.  I’ll take a blurry, busy, goofy girl any day!