Road Trip...

The girls went on their first official road trip with mom mom and pop pop (Scheib) from September 2nd through the 4th. They departed from our house on wednesday morning and were headed to State College to visit Aunt Deb, Uncle Daryl, and Katie. The girls enjoyed playing with each other and visiting the Grange Fair. From the sound of it, everyone had a great time and can't wait for another road trip... which will be at the end of september when we go to the shore for a long weekend (with the scheibs)... So, here are some pics... enjoy...

last trip to philly zoo for the summer!!

boo hoo... can't believe the summer has come and gone in a blink of an eye!! We made it to the zoo several times, but this was by far the most relaxing trip possible. We met our friend Megan and her daughter Alex at the zoo and then had it pretty much to ourselves. It worked out well that Angela doesn't start school until the 14th... almost a week after most other schools start... so the zoo was deserted!! We enjoyed the day seeing all of the VERY active animals, riding horses and camels, the carousel, the girls rode the train... and sadly no hot air balloon ride today (guess it was too windy). But they had a blast... and we can't wait to go back again!!

some pics from the tree housepics from big cat falls, the carousel, and the monkey house

feeding the lorakeets the childrens zoo, the train ride, and various animals (and yes, the kangaroo on the top right hand corner was sleeping with all four legs in the air... too funny...)

hope you enjoyed... as you can tell, we sure did!! See you again soon!!

Glub, glub... bubble bubble....

what else is there to say... they love swimming... by the end of this summer I'm sure they'll have gills and fins... enjoy the pics of the cutest fishies!!!

The Reedell Artists

What kid doesn't love doing finger painting... well, the Reedell chicks sure do!! They enjoyed getting all "smocked up" in one of scott's work t-shirts, and then off to they went to the backyard. They loved mixing all the colors and made some really nice pictures. Then it was suncatcher time. We were given a set a while ago and they went to it. They did a GREAT job and didn't make a mess at all. I knew Angela would be able to do it without a problem, as she can paint and color pretty much within the lines, but Elyse, I had no clue what she would do. But she did great. She put different colors in each spot and the finished products were great. It was a pleasure to do this with them... now the next project will be to refinish and paint a table that Scott's mom had given us and then I'm going to have them put their handprints on the table each year with the date... it will be fun to watch them grow....

A GREAT visit with our Great Aunt and Uncle!!!

So, we were soooo glad to hear that my great, great aunt Connie and uncle Allen were going to be making the LONG trip in from North Dakota and doing "their rounds". We weren't sure they'd get a chance to stop by my neck of the woods, but we were VERY fortunate that they stopped over on wednesday, August 19th for lunch and spend some time with "the Reedell gals". It was a great visit, exchanged all of our "contact info", showed them the house (they saw our townhouse last time they were in for a visit), got to know the girls a bit more, and a great lunch. Then they were off to Virginia and then the Carolinas for a few weeks... so it was a quick but VERY nice visit... and here is a pic of my mom, the girls and aunt Connie and Uncle Allen!!!

Thanks Aunt Connie and Uncle Allen for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and visit us... and hopefully you'll have a great rest of your trip and we'll see you again soon!!!

Welcome to the Triathlete Club Angela!!

Congrats to Angela on finishing her first triathlon on August 16th, 2009. She competed in the "Dog Days of Summer Kids Triathlon" held in Doylestown, Pa. Most kids tris are for ages 6 through 14, but this one was the first I had seen that had a "weebee" group, for 3 to 5 year olds. Their course was a bit shorter (alot short than the 14 year olds...) and parents could "help" as need be. It consisted of a 15 yard swim, .4 mile bike ride, and .2 mile run. But it was a GREAT experience, and Angela had the BIGGEST smile on her face as she crossed the finish line in around 12 minutes (couldln't time her exactly as I was busy taking pictures and trying to juggle/control Miss Elyse....). So, now we get to look forward to this race next year, but with two participants... Congrats again Angela... we are soo proud of you!!

The Smallest Reedell Triathlete....

You heard it here first... Angela will be "tri"ing her first triathlon on August 16th. The local YMCA is putting together a "kids triathlon", mainly for kiddos age 6-14 years old. But they have a "weebee" group which is anyone under the age of 5, so that is what Angela is going to compete in. They'll be doing the same order of events as any triathlete, but MUCH shorter distances. She'll be swimming in a pool (with daddy right next to her for the whole race for safety reasons), then will bike (with her training wheels of course), and then will run. So, keep checking in for the "story and pics" from this weekend, it will be GREAT... and Angela is stoked... even more than mommy and daddy!! And no, Elyse wasn't entered, maybe next year....

Brigantine Triathlon, Beach, and Ocean City... August 2009

I think we've been at the beach more times this year than ever... and it never gets old!! The girls LOVE every second they are running into the water and playing in the sand!!! We always look forward to the Brigantine Triathlon, as it was our "first ever triathlon"... and that was over 5 years ago. We've done MANY since, but this one is our favorite!!! This was Scott's 5th year and my 4th (I had to skip the race the year I had just had Angela... not evenough recovery and training time!). But as always it was a blast... thanks to Grandmom Reedell and Erin for coming down to "herd the kiddos" during the race!! And as we have done for the past few years, it was GREAT to cross the finish line with our kiddos...

Friday we went to Ocean City (NJ) for some rides and boardwalk time.

The girls LOVED every single ride and we thought the views from the HUGE ferris wheel were breathtaking....

Pictures from the race... both Scott and I did great... and the girls always seem to finish twice....
After the race we showered up and headed to the beach with "aunt Erin" for the afternoon... EXTRA fun!!!
In the evening we headed to Smithville with Aunt Gerry and Grandmom Reedell for some shopping fun. Elyse enjoyed a ride on the carousel (she picked a bunny...) and was all smiles!!
We picked up some wine and cheese and went back for a great evening at Aunt Gerry's house!

(pictures in the collage above!) Sunday was a very "questionable day" weatherwise... it looked like it was going to rain all morning, but we went to the beach for one last time (for this trip)... and of course the girls could care less about the weather, the beach is ALWAYS fun.....

Another "junie" meeting

A little background would probably help with this one... so when I was preggo with Angela, I was working and didn't know many other pregnant people, so I went online and met up with a group that was called the "Junies". We all were due in June of 2005. So, it's nearly 5 years later from when we all met up and I've met many of these "online friends".... and the girls and I got to meet another great family at Sesame Place (on August 10th). We met up with Melissa, (Matt the daddy), Natalie (the Junie) and William (who will be 2 years old in January). It was great to have Angela meet another Junie and to get to finally meet another Junie in person. Here is a fun pic of the moms and kids in "ernie's wave pool"....

left to right (Elyse, Megan, Angela, Natalie, Melissa, and William... )

yahoo... we LOVE our new windows....

So, we LOVED our house immediately, but very quickly we began to REALLY dislike our windows. The house is 31 years old and the windows were original, single pained, with storm windows. At first it didn't seem to be a HUGE deal, but over the winter you could tell there were some "drafts" and they were a "pain" to use.... So, finally we decided "it was time for new windows". We had a few people out, and ultimately went with Castle Windows. Their product seemed VERY good and their warranty is the BEST (it covers EVERYTHING as long as the windows are in our house, without ANY money out of our pocket!). So, we had expected the work to be done in early september, but we got a phone call saying the windows were in and they could do it the next day (if we could swing that). So, that worked out for ALL of us, the girls and I went to Sesame Place for the WHOLE day (from 10am till 4pm... the no nap thing was a challenge in the evening....) and the windows guys were here until around 6pm. We "camped out" in the basement and ate dinner, and then came up to a GREAT looking finished product. We are BEYOND happy with our new windows... and already notice a HUGE difference temperature wise near the windows, ease of use, and of course aestetically!!! So, if you need a window job done, call Castle Windows, they were great!

New Jersey State Olympic Distance Triathlon

This past sunday both Scott and myself competed in the NJ State Tri. This was his 4th time competing in an olympic distance triathlon, but my first time ever!! We had followed a training plan for the past 16 weeks and felt we were pretty well prepared for the 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and then 10k run (6.2 miles). Scott was very happy with his time and I found out why he looks like death by the end of this race each year!! It's a VERY tough race... especially the run. Luckily I found a very nice lady to run with (thanks much Dafna) for at least half of the race. By the last 1/2 mile our "posse" was 5 strong and that made the run soooo much more tolerable. But it was a great experience, I finished in 3 hours and 21 minutes, was hoping for 3 hours, but it's my first and now I have a benchmark to beat next year!!! So, here are our pictures... enjoy!!!!

Visit with the Beibers (2009)

The girls woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at mom mom and pop pop's house (we stayed overnight since it was VERY late and we had plans the next morning for a playdate...) and were greeted by the Beibers coming for a visit!!! Joelle (my mom's co-worker) and her two kiddos (Corinne and Weston) came over to play. We had intended on swimming, but the weather did NOT cooperate and it rained almost the whole time. The kiddos did enjoy playing outside on the riding toys and then had a yummy lunch. As soon as they headed home, my two were sacked out... they were tired... tooo much fun....

Kimberton Fair 2009

Each year Kimberton Fire Company puts on the "Kimberton Fair". It's a "country fair"... and this year they even had pig races. We all got unlimited ride bracelets and went on tooo many rides to count. I was VERY excited because for the FIRST time in a long time I actually got to go on the "adult" rides... and realized I really missed those alot!! The girls even rode some rides with Sammy and came home with two fish (they named them "yellow" and "silver" ). So, we now have some "new pets". I had entered a few photos into the photo contest and was VERY happy to find out that I had won first, second, and fourth prizes... We finally got home after 10 pm... and everyone was beat....

Our trip upstate to visit Shirley...

Each summer we try to get upstate to visit some of my mom's family and we made the treck earlier this week. Angela and Elyse had a blast with Caitlyn and Madison and everyone enjoyed just chatting it up over a yummy lunch. Thanks for a fun day!!

another weekend of fun at the Scheib's

The girls got to enjoy a weekend at "camp mom mom and pop pop" last weekend... and of course it was a GREAT time for everyone involved. Scott and I got to enjoy some quiet dinners and the girls enjoyed pool time, all kinds of fun trips, and playing with Sammy (their neighbor's daughter).

beauty in our backyard...

just a few pics of the lilies in our backyards... it's still SOOO exciting seeing all of these flowers just "pop up" in the backyard... too cool....

candid pics of the Reedell chicks...

And as we all know I love to take pictures... so I always have my camera out for an opportune moment..... Inside this collage are some of the girls "painting"... they love being creative, and they LOVE showing daddy their pictures when he gets home from work. They also made pizzas one day for lunch and were VERY proud of their accomplishment... and didn't even make a mess - bonus!! Plus just about every warm day we are in the pool after lunch and they have a blast...

Lymes Disease...

Did you know, Pennsylvania is second only in the nation to the state of New York regarding the reported number of Lyme disease cases. ”

We have first hand experience in the Reedell household with Lyme disease. I was just diagnosed with Lymes on July 2nd. I was VERY lucky to catch it early. I wanted to share as much info on the subject as possible for you to protect yourself and your familes.

What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is an infection that is spread by ticks. You can get Lyme disease if you are bitten by an infected tick. But most people who have had a tick bite do not get Lyme disease. It’s still important to see your doctor if you have a tick attached to you that you can't remove.
Lyme disease is common in the United States. It can also be found in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
What causes Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria. Infected ticks spread the bacteria by biting people or animals.
Remove ticks as soon as you notice them. Infected ticks usually don't spread Lyme disease until they have been attached for at least 36 hours.
What are the symptoms?
One sign of Lyme disease is a round, red rash hat spreads at the site of a tick bite. This rash can get very large.
Flu-like symptoms are also very common. People in the early stages of Lyme disease may feel very tired and have headaches, sore muscles and joints, and a fever.
These symptoms can start at any time, from 3 days up to a month after you have been bitten. Some people don't have any symptoms when they are in the early stages of Lyme disease. And they may not even remember getting a tick bite.
How is Lyme disease diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms. A round, red rash may be a sign of Lyme disease. Your doctor will also ask about your activities to try to find out if you have been around infected ticks. You may have a blood test to see if you have certain antibodies in your blood that could mean you have the disease.
How is it treated?
The main treatment for Lyme disease is antibiotics. These medicines usually cure Lyme disease within 3 weeks of starting treatment.
It’s important to get treatment for Lyme disease as soon as you can. Talk to your doctor if you have had a tick attached to your skin, especially if you live in an area where Lyme disease has been reported. Look for early signs of the disease, such as a round, red rash that gets bigger or symptoms like those you'd get with the flu. If it goes untreated, Lyme disease can lead to problems with your skin, joints, nervous system, and heart. These can occur weeks, months, or even years after your tick bite. The problems often get better with antibiotics, but in rare cases they can last the rest of your life.
Can you prevent Lyme disease?
The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to protect yourself from ticks. Cover up as much skin as you can when you're going to be in wooded or grassy areas. Wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants with the legs tucked into your socks. And keep in mind that it’s easier to see ticks on light-colored clothes.
Use a bug spray that has the chemical DEET to repel ticks. You can spray it right on your skin. Check your pets for ticks after they've been outside. You can't get Lyme disease from your pet. But your pet can bring infected ticks inside. These ticks can fall off your pet and attach to you.

and here are some pics (the top two are of "the spot" on my side the first day it was diagnosed... and the bottom two are three weeks later...)

Philadelphia Women's Triathlon (7.12.09)

yes, the triathlon season is here... and this was the first of 3 in a row for me!! Today I participated (there were 1500 people total) in the Philadelphia Women's Triathlon. I was sort of "sceeved out" by the idea of swimming in the Schylkill, but it turned out no one was able to. We had ALOT of rain overnight and there was too much debris, so the race was now a duathlon. But the weather was PERFECT, and I was VERY happy with a new PR, and had a gret time!!! I placed 10th in my age group and 323rd overall... which is a GREAT finish for me!! But here are a few pics, I'm sure I"ll add more when the "professional pics" are published... but enjoy and hope you had a great day too!!!

Beach, beautiful weather, and the family... what could be better??

So, we went for another trip to the beach, but this time Scott was able to join us!! We had a blast... played the afternoon away at Brigentine Beach, then we went to AC with aunt Gerry for the evening, then to Wildwood to visit our friend Jen (and Elyse's friend Gianna) for the day, then to a GREAT habachi restraunt with Aunt Gerry. The girls LOVED the "entertainment" and dinner... champions I tell ya!!! Our last morning was a "bit on the chilly side" so we went to Lucy the Elephant in Margate, the Brigentine Mammal Stranding Center (in Brigentine) then to lunch in Brigentine. Our "last stop" was to go and play on the beach one more time... the girls had a BLAST running into the water and Elyse did a "bellyflop"... she's very talented!!! Then it was time to pack up and head home... we packed ALOT into a few days... which is typical for the Reedells!!! Until our next trip, enjoy these pics!!!