Memorial Day 2012

Memorial Day traditions continue.  Every year for as long as I can remember, we have been going down to my aunt and uncle's house in NJ for Memorial Day.  It is kind of a kick off to summer.  We look forward to it every year.  It is tradition that someone has to go in the water no matter how cold.  Well we certainly lucked out this year because we all ended up in the water.  It is nice with the girls being older now that I don't have to be so worried about them near the water.  I know they can swim.  They know they can swim.  It makes it so much fun to be there.

Organizing stamps with Gramps.  Right up Rebecca's ally.

Emma taking a turn at it is well.  Of course she is all about learning about each person on the stamp.

This was a true full circle moment for me.  I was the one sitting on the boat watching my kids having a blast tubing with Uncle Bob behind the wheel.  At one point my eyes filled up with tears at the joy that my kids get to experience this fun with my uncle just like I did when I was a kid.

As is usually the case, my aunt "found" a duck egg and decided to raise it as a pet for a few months.  Of course Emma took to it like a duck in water :)  She was and continues to be all about the life cycle of Marco the duck.  This was another joy my kids have gotten to experience like I did when I was their ages.

It becomes the kids' responsibility to decorate the annual Memorial Day cake.  It usually ends up like some sort of flag.  And we can't let the leftover Cool Whip get wasted so there is usually a taste testing to be sure the Cool Whip doesn't taste bad :)

Always a good time feeding the seagulls off their dock.

More tubing fun!

A knitting lesson with Nana.  She is really hoping one of the grandkids will pick up the knitting bug as it has brought her so many years of joy.  Unfortunately it skipped my generation.  Hopefully Emma will enjoy it enough to want to learn.

Now it is Emma's turn.

Nana always stops whatever is going on to sit down with a book and read to the kids.  One of the many things I love about her.