Tobey Family: July 2007

Monday, July 23, 2007

Plymouth Rock or Plimouth Rock

This weekend we went down to Plymouth Ma for a baby shower and quickly went to view the Plymouth rock to say we had been there. It was a beautiful day and so much going on it was the 50th anniversary of the recreated Mayflower. On this special day they took it out into the harbor for a mini cruise. It would have been only the 11th time it had been out of port since it was rebuilt. Not to mention the free cake that was being given out in honor of the special day.

Mayflower

And we did see the rock. Such a fun day we brought Izzy with us too.

Small Rock Big Story

They say today it is only 1/3 of its original size. This is the rock that the Pilgrims landed on and used to bring all of their goods to land from the boat.

Although we love the Cape, we hate the return home traffic on a Sunday! What can you do it is summer time in New England.

Farmer Enver and his Crew

Selim got a new toy and just loves to use it at any given chance to play in the yard. I call my love of my life "Farmer Enver" and his partner "Farmer Ally". The two of them are always in the yard picking up rocks to create rock walls or moving dirt from one spot to another, or just picking up sticks. I find this all very funny for a guy from Turkey (in the city) to be so into having a large yard and enjoying every second of it. There are many mornings that I will wake up and look out the window to find him out playing in the woods cutting down trees or filling a tractor wagon up with dirt. Now when I say in the mornings I mean before work like at 6am. I do think he is off of his rocker some times but what can I say he loves it. I think he does love it more though when we all work in the yard as a family.

Ridding thru the sprinklers with her buddies

Now Ally is very excited because she has her safety ear muffs to wear when she rides the tractor with her daddy.

Can you hear me?

You can never be to safe when it comes to our angles hearing. So she is very excited to start to wear these ear muffs while riding the tractor with Daddy.

Look at the Hamiltons

Well my parents are really into the Mini Horses now. Last weekend we joined them at a horse show. All sorts of mini horses walking around being shined up for ribbons. We are so proud of my mom and sister they worked very hard at preparing their horses and did come home with ribbons. Here are some shots of my mom and sister in action. It was fun for Alex to see all of the horses that were just her right size.

My parents have gone from Boaters to Farmers. To funny Selim just have to sit back and laugh. But every one is having fun and it it great exercise for my sister. I do feel it is teaching her responsibility and respect. I hope that she goes far with her horse Chance.

Now let me introduce you to the new Hamilton additions;

There is Nikki and "Chance"

Mom and her "Lady"

And my Dad's Casanova or we call him "Nova"

6 Years Married!!!!

Selim and I went away for a very romantic anniversary weekend to Virgina. We stayed at an absolutely amazing hotel called Keswick Hall, it was part of the Orient Express Hotels, just stunning. Loved every second.

View at the endless edge pool

Main Entrence of Keswick Hall

We got to do every thing we had been hoping to do, swim lots, play some tennis, ride bikes, go for walks, and eat great food. But most of all we had alone time together. We eat dinner by this pool one night it was so romantic.

All of the rooms were decorated individually, and designed by Laura Ashley. It was such a treat to see all of the unique rooms.

Our Room over looked the Golf Course

But one of our favorite parts was the food tastings. When you first arrived you were first greeted with freshly squeezed lemonade, then when you arrived in your room there waited for you was a warm soft almond cookie(wow that was great, Selim wanted all of mine but I would not give it up)(the next day I had to ask for a second helping, to good to pass up). They served high tea each day and then at 5pm they would serve a sampling from the chef. Just a mini bit of delectable treats to leave the taste buds asking for more. Every where you looked on the grounds it was just so tastefully landscaped, from the 18 hole golf course to each individual garden.

TJ's House as Selim liked to call him

On one of our adventures we visited Thomas Jefferson's house, what a visionary he was. He was so far ahead of his times. The man had almost every thing we would have today in a modern home. Indoor pluming, Ice box, sky lights, dumb waiters, Smoke House, and so much more. Not to mention all of his books in his library, the man loved to read in many languages. Don Qihote was his favorite to read in its original language and he would give his grand children all goals to read it at least once fully in its original language.

Over all we had a very relaxing and restful vacation the two of us. And we have renewed our contract for at least one more year, up for negotiation ha ha.
We could not wait to get home to our little angel Alex after being away for such a long weekend. It is always so nice to get home.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Welcome Drive Visitors

Since we have moved to Welcome Drive in Concord we have had a chance to really get to know the local wild life. We have a huge family of Turkeys that come thru almost daily. At one time I counted 26 wild Turkeys.

They are the most wild thing to see just walking thru as if the own the place. Some times on really hot days you can see them taking dust baths behind my flower beds. They don't really seem to have to much fear of us. We have been able to walk rather close to them before the start running for the woods.

Then we have also seen a baby fawn in the woods still its white spots on the back. Unfortunately we did not have our camera when we saw the baby deer. Alex did not get to see the baby either because she was napping and Selim and I were trying to put to there her new play set.

But most exciting of all we have a couple of full size deer that do frequent our house as well. Each time they come Alex has spotted them out in our back yard close to her play set. She is convinced that they come to play on her swing set and slide down her slide when she is not watching. Although she is very aware that you need to be very quite went they do come to visit because they scare off very easy. Daddy scared them away when he was taking photos of them last time.

Summer Catch up II

Alex finished her Gymboree Classes that she had been taking for a couple of years now. Where it is summer there is just so much to do outside with the nice weather it is hard to have so much inside time for classes. It was hard to say goodbye to the class since she had been having so much fun for so long but this fall all sorts of new adventures will follow, SCHOOL. We had most recently been taking Gymboree and Art Class with some really great kids so it was hard to leave, but we have all committed to try to keep in touch and keep the play dates coming. So far so good. Luckily one of the girls from Gymboree, Madeline will be joining Alex at her new school in the fall. We are very excited to have a friend already in school.
Here are some shots from her last Gym and Art class.

Alex and Madeline as Teddy Bears at Gymboree Art Class

Play Dough Any One? Now lets Create!

A Day at Bear Brook Park:
As to make sure we keep up with most of our friends we also have been having park play dates. Here is the day we meet up with Caroline, Maxine, Alexander, Julie, Jamie, and Nicole at Bear Brook Park. Such a sunny day. Every one had a blast playing in the water and making sand figures. It was fun to see all of the kids get so involved in the sand creations.

Alex Now show your shinny teeth

Alex's Beach Buddies

Left to Right

Maxine 2.5, Nicole 2.5, Jamie 4, and Alex 3

Sand Art any one?

Summer Catch Up I

Sorry to every one for the delay in posting on the Blog. I know to all of you that have expressed your thoughts on my lack there of updates. As you all know that as soon as the good weather comes there is less free inside time to work on the computer.

So let me see if I can back up a bit on what has been happening with the Tobey Family:
End of May:
Memorial Day Weekend Trip with Johnson Family

We drove up to Bar Harbor Maine with the Johnson Family for a fun filled road trip. We played a little bit of 80's music trivia, munched on all sorts of goodies (Robyn's Brownies yumy), and made tons of stops. Some for food and refreshments, and others for the boys to hang it out of the side of the car to let it go. I never knew that young boys had to go to the bathroom so much and how convenient it could be. Just pull to the side of the road and let them go out of the mini van. What a comical sight it was for Alex and I to see. We made it up to Bar Harbor by mid afternoon and got all settled in. It gave us plenty of time for a dip in the pool (which you could see the ocean from very cool) and get all cleaned up for a nice walk thru town and get a bit to eat for dinner. We tried to keep it authentic to Maine so we eat right on the water at a true lobster restaurant. The kids even got to see the fresh live Lobsters in the pools waiting to be cooked.

The next morning we all had a nice breakfast which was included(bonus) then Robyn and I got our feet a bit of well needed TLC. I had the best seat. While we were getting our feet done I had a seat over looking the outside where the kids were with their dads. Dads were in charge of the kids while moms got pampered. I could see them all run to the pool swim, swim, swim, then one by one they all had to go to the bathroom at different times. First it was Grady, then Connor, then Alex, then Alex once again. I understood that because she just can not do both functions at the same time. It is either on or the other. And the issues usually come with in minutes of each other. I truly found my time in the pedi chair very amusing watching the kids running back and forth from the pools to the rooms to use the potty with dads in tow.

This is the Bar Harbor Inn we all stayed at

Look at these great Dads with the Cute Kids

Next we adventured out to Acadia National Park, for lunch and what a lunch it was. Out side over looking a beautiful lake. The restaurant was known for its pop overs so we all indulged our selves. Over all we had a perfect weekend the weather was amazing but most of all the company was the best. We always love our Tobey/Johnson Family trips. Even though Shawn thinks that Selim does not like road trips, he does it for you Shawn and loves every minute of the trip, truly. It was just amazing how fast time flew and it was time to go home. I can say we all have great memories from the trip to take with us for ever. From hiking up to Thunder Hole, walking thru down town looking for "Got Moose" shirts, to pop guns with Grady in the Gazebo, and who can forget Diver Dave, crazy guy he was. I can say we all had a n amazing time. We are all looking forward to the next trip.