Tom's 70th Birthday Weekend in MA

This year Tim's dad, Tom, turned 70.  In order to celebrate the momentous occasion, Tim and his sisters decided to plan a surprise birthday celebration.  The plan was that we would secretly go to MA for the weekend and surprise Tim's dad on Saturday night with a limo ride into Providence and dinner at Ruth's Chris.

We drove out to Millis on Friday night and stayed at Kim and Jeff's house.  On Saturday morning, Jack had a flag football game that we all went to.  Jack is the one right in the middle - what a sweet move!

Jack is the speed demon in white at the front of the pack, I am pretty sure he scored a touchdown on this play.

Leah spent the whole game following Ella around where ever she went.  She loves Ella!

After Jack's game, it was time to head over to the soccer field for Ella's game.

More good moves by the Borst kiddos.

There was a playground right behind the soccer fields so Cameron, Jack and Leah spent most of their time playing over there.

On Saturday afternoon we headed down to Swansea.  The limo picked us up at Nana's house so that it would be a complete surprise to Tom.  The kids were super excited about getting to play in and then ride in the limo.

More fun in the limo.  The kids got to ride with us from Nana's to Tom and Joan's house, about a quarter mile, and they loved it.

Walker siblings ready for the big surprise!

We pulled into the driveway and Tom was out there burning some yard waste.  He walked over to the limo driver to tell him that he was in the wrong place, and then everyone piled out of the limo.  This is his surprised face!

He was so surprised, didn't suspect anything at all.

Hugs for Lucia

Picture of the whole bunch

While Tom and Joan got showered and ready to go out, we got all of the kids set up in the house for the night.  Tim's friend Megan came over to watch all of the kids for the evening.  Tim and Jeff went out to get pizza for the kids for dinner and once we got the kids settled down for dinner, the rest of us headed out in the limo.

Limo picture - Cathy, Ron, Tom, Joan, Kim, Jeff and Tim

While we were riding to the restaurant, Kim read a toast that she had written (with a little bit of help from Tim, Jeff and I).  It went over great, Tom thought it was hilarious.

For dinner we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  The food was amazing, so delicious!  Here is a smiling Tom right before he got his surprise birthday dessert.

Yummy!

Kim and Joan

Kisses from Cathy

Kim, Jeff and the kids slept over at Tom and Joan's house that night.  The next morning the kids had fun playing outside in the leaves.

Handsome Jack

There was a whole series of Ella and Leah playing together in the leaves, but I especially love this one because of the look on Leah's face!

Jack joins in the leaf jumping

Leah about to be covered in leaves

Cute cousins

Jack and Brinkley

More Ella and Leah cuteness.  It makes me so happy that despite their age difference, they still have so much fun together.

Hello Brinkley!

A tree in the yard has these giant leaves. Someone had the fun idea to turn them into masks so each kid poked some eye holes and voila, instant mask.

Lucia joins in the leaf pile fun

Great shot of the cousins - Leah, Cameron, Jack, Lucia and Ella

It was a great weekend with such a fun surprise for Tom.  I think he really enjoyed the limo ride and the fancy restaurant, as well as spending time with everyone together.  Happy 70th Tom!

Fall Walk in the Woods

The weekend we got back from Europe, fall had come to our house!  The leaves had changed and the air was much crispier than it was when we left.  While I did a bunch of work around the house, including two weeks worth of laundry, Tim took the kids on a walk in our woods.

First, a comparison study - this is Cameron "mowing" the new grass that Tim put down this year.

And here is Leah mowing near the shed - this is what most of our yard looks like!

Walking along the easement

Handsome boy!

Daddy and Leah

Walking down to the river

Cute kiddos

What a good big brother, helping his little sister down the hill.

A few flowers were still hanging on

The kids picked some flowers for Mama

Showing off their flowers.  Leah's looks a little less alive than Cam's.

Cam looks cute, Leah isn't paying attention.

 Almost to the river

 There it is!  The water was pretty chilly.

Headed back up to the road

Handsome boy, pretty fall colors

Our house from the street

It was a very nice day for a walk!

A Walk in Our Woods

That same weekend when Meg and Ryan were here, we also decided to go for a walk in our backyard woods, down to the river. We started off walking down the easement drainage ditch at the back of our yard.

Ryan, Wes and Meg

The whole bunch, again minus poor Tim, who never gets in pictures because he is always taking them!

Cameron found himself a stick and, like a true boy, proceeded to hit everything in sight with it.

Leah got a nice ride in the sling.

Making our way through the woods.

I'm not sure what we stopped to discuss at this point, but we did make quite a few stops so that Cameron or Wes could check something out.

We made it to the river! The Tuttle family.

Cameron looked so cute looking out at the water

We got him to turn around for a picture, but not until he was done looking at the water.

Mama and Leah

On the walk back, Cameron found an even bigger stick and used it to poke and hit everything he could find.

We love having such a great nature center for a backyard!!