3rd Annual Backyard Campout

At sunset.  Gabe is already sleeping soundly.  And yes, that is a 2 man tent in the background. Time to upgrade?  Anyone?
Abby and Ron......doing flips.

And just so I am completely honest.....Gabe and I snuck in the house at 11 pm.  You did see the 2 man tent, right?

Family Pic

Bathroom Break

This morning as I was cooking breakfast I hear Lauren calling out from the bathroom,

"Mommy, could you come and get Gabe out....... of........ here?  This is my bathroom time!"

A few seconds later it was followed by, "Uh, and could you come and wipe me?"

Throwback Friday

Looking for an explanation?  This would be the (completely generic) B*arbie doll that my brother John (sorry to call you out on that bro ;) dropped off for Madeline on his way back to college a few years ago.  The thought was there - I'll give him that.  

Unfortunately (and just after he jetted, rather quickly, out the door), the doll's head popped off and the tears started flowing.  Soon after, came one leg and then another.  It was a disaster.  I took this photo and sent it to my brother with a note letting him know how much Maddie enjoyed it.  ;)  

For anyone that might be wondering, UDF is not the best place to purchase a toy.

(and in case you think I have just totally outed my brother, he and I have shared many laughs over this.....love you John!)

Crash Scene

Whenever we are on the road and we see an ambulance or fire truck whiz by we stop and say a prayer for the family.  Ron and I have always done this and now our kids will start to pray before we even realize what is going on.

....Lauren's prayers are the absolute best.....but that is another entry.

So, we are on the road yesterday and we hear the sirens.  Lauren starts to pray (this is where it really starts to get good but I could never do it justice) and Abigail says, "You know.  Instead of praying that they are able to arrive fast and help the family, we really should pray that when they get there the family doesn't need help."

Hmmmm.  A very fine point.

Costello Family Vaca!

Yes, that would be me......tubing.
Craft time on the lawn.....thanks Grandma!

Our Little Prince

Family Pic
19 of us....we missed you Beth!

She's Her Mother's Daughter

....that is a saying isn't it?  A strange one though, right?  Who else would she be?

Anyway, I thought of it today as were baking cookies.  As they were coming out of the oven Madeline said, "I'll get the wax paper!"  

Now, I know, most people use cooling racks, or just leave them on the cookie sheet, but my Mom always put our warm cookies on wax paper to cool.  She would tear the largest sheet ever and spread it out on the counter and start scooping cookies onto it. 

 

And so, of course, I do the same.  

And for the past 2 days (Wait, did I just say that out loud?  My mistake.                       Ok, fine.  We made oatmeal cookies yesterday and chocolate chip today.  What's your point?) Madeline has grabbed the wax paper and started ripping.

That's my girl.

You've Got Mail!

On occasion, I have mentioned to Madeline that I don't get many letters in the mail anymore. With email, cell phones and all the "instant" ways to talk,  its almost a lost form of communication.  I have no idea when the last time I mentioned this but it has definitely been a while.

Anyway, we arrived home from vacation and today the Postmaster delivered a huge bin of mail at our front door.  As I brought it in to start the madness, I noticed an envelope sitting at the top: "To Mommy, Love Maddie."

 

The letter inside read:

Dear Mom, 

I now you only get taxes so I'm righting a letter for you.  Love Maddie.  

P.S. Please get right back if you can.

I am off to compose some snail mail.

Throwback Friday

This time last year - Madeline keeping Gabriel occupied while I packed for Costello family vacation.

This year we are off to Silver Lake.

Dancing Matt

I have no idea why this made me cry. It just did.
Something about the togetherness of dancing. It unifies. It makes you laugh. You are young again. You can just be.

Comments

Couple fun comments from today:

Abigail: holding a Gospel Bill VHS (yes, VHS, they are from when I was a child)

"Gospel is the Bible guy and Bill is the one that is really sly."

(And just to clarify, Gospel Bill is one person)

Madeline: after sneaking down to watch Abby and I pull summer shoes out of the "Size 9 shoe bin" (yes, that really exists)

"It just really made me smile to see my little sister trying on my old shoes."

Throwback Friday

A little gem (or 3 of them) from 2006.

He's Walking....

It's Time

You know it's time to buy your son a toy truck when he steals the mouse from your computer and starts "driving" it along the carpet.

This, after I caught him driving his sippy cup along the grocery cart at Whole Foods.

It's time.