New Year's at Olivia Beach

Just a few photos from our first New Year's with friends at Olivia Beach.

We had our goods friends, the Hickerson's come stay for the first two nights. Then the Lillard's and the Mannhard's came to celebrate New Year's itself. Aside from sharing our cabins with close friends for the first time, the best part was the weather...it was amazing. Cool and crisp, but gloriously sunny. We got lots of beach and park time in, and simply enjoyed the relaxed pace of life that being at the beach brings.

Hopefully I'll get some more photos from friends to share, but for now, I want to make sure this memory is at least captured in our family blog. :-)

Santa too!

One last post for the holidays...a few classics with Santa!

Makenna told Santa she wanted to be a ballerina for Christmas...I think she was mixing it up with Halloween...any occasion to dress up is a holiday for Makenna.

Kieran went on for several minutes telling Santa how he wanted him to create a force field around his bed and raise the ceiling above his bunk bed so that he could then get his wish for an X-box 360...the force field is so that mom and dad don't see him playing video games all the time. He also wanted ice cream in his stocking with a force field so it wouldn't melt. At the end of his long request, Santa told Kieran he thought there would be a place in the software industry for a mind like his. :-)

I surprised the kids and took them to Pioneer Square downtown while Kevin had a holiday happy hour. It was a really fun evening. We ate at our favorite Mexican place that we used to go to somewhat often before Kieran was in grade when Daddy had night meetings...Makenna loves the black beans and it's around the corner from the bus stop. We capped off the evening with some Ben and Jerry's. Both of the kids know their way around downtown, and Makenna was quick to say "Mommy, I really need to go potty...ooooh, we can go at the ice cream place!!" Mommy is a sucker for fun holiday memories, so we pushed bed time for a post-Santa treat :-)

Is it just me, or are the kids getting ready big?!

Another Christmas Over...

Christmas is officially over. Today we danced the last round of Christmas carols at an Epiphany service, and yesterday we took down our lovely Christmas tree. Even though we didn't trek to the forest or a tree farm to chop it down ourselves, I have to say that it was our most beautiful yet. A blue noble fir, it was the perfect shape for my beloved Danish ornaments. 

This morning Makenna played on the harmonica, although it sounded nothing like the blues. The lyrics went something like "I love my Christmas tree! I love my Mommy! I love my Daddy! I love my Brother! I love the Whole Wide World!" 

Makenna made the loveliest dancing angel at the church pageant, and Kieran was a handsome first King...I wish I had photos.

Olivia Beach...beautiful early fall day

Our family is very excited to have a beach we can visit again and again. We love throwing the football or frisbee, and Kevin will venture into the water if it's even near eighty degrees out. At the bottom, Kieran drew "I heart Mom" in the sand and I'm sure there are lots of sandcastles in our future here. :-)

If you haven't seen our new website, check it out: www.oliviabeachcampcabins.com 

Beautiful Bat Mitzvah

Our niece had the most beautiful bat mitzvah, and we were so thrilled to celebrate her with the whole Cronin Clan! Such a beautiful family :-)

Jakey, Amanda, Audrey and Rob, Kevin's big brother!

Cronin Clan at the candle lighting ceremony for Amanda

Cronin's in Beth El Temple

Cronin and Mann cousins

After a delicious luncheon, before dancing...

Amanda's stylin' entrance...such a beautiful young lady, both inside and out!

Jakey and Amanda dancing (Makenna and I in background)

Amanda and her lovely mom, Audrey

Amanda and her Daddy, Rob

Such a gorgeous family and a stunning day together!

East Coast Cronin Trip

Several afternoons were spent at the Doylestown Country Club, Makenna loved the pool.

Kevin loved the pool too...too bad I didn't get any water  shots...

The carousel was a great intro to Dorney Park, Makenna loved picking out her horse!

The kids' favorite helicopter ride!

Kieran was the perfect age, big enough for the big rides, but not to big for the kiddie rides :-)

Aunt Kathy with some happy kids :-)

Celebrating 10 years together!

Celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary has been a bit anticlimactic. Both kids woke up sick, Kieran with a fever and Makenna with diarrhea. But it still feels great to have reached this milestone in our relationship. 

Despite the daily realities of life, we still are in love. Our values are still the same, and we have the same dreams. Most of all, we are working as a team to raise our children, support each other's careers, and plan future fun for our family (already making mental plans for Australia/New Zealand in 2014!) We each have our flaws, but we both know each other so intimately that there are few true surprises. We have high standards, and we know that requires teamwork and communication. Best of all, we take the time to share our affection with each other and our kids at every opportunity, although Kevin does sometime get jealous of all the "snuggie time" the kids crave from me. Yet, for all the presumed sacrifices, we both realize how good we have it and are in awe of how our life together is turning out...

Here a post to thank everyone who helped at our wedding, and everyone who has helped us keep our vows!

 Thanks for 10 plus wonder-filled years, Kevin, the best is yet to come...!