Fleet Week and Slip and Slide

Yesterday afternoon Stu, Brandon, Wesley, and I went to Fleet Week. We decided to go see the boats that were in Staten Island instead of the boats that were in New York since we thought there would be less traffic. The drive there wasn't bad at all. We found a spot on the street and walked to where the boats were. We even got to see the FDNY Marine boat that is there all of the time which made Stu happy. We just didn't get to climb on it. We waited in line for a long time to get on the USS Cole and get a tour of it online. It was very impressive to see. Both boys said they had a good time.

When we got home we went outside to play. Brandon started talking about wanting to try to go on a slip and slide and asked if I could buy one. I had actually bought a different brand one years ago on sale that I never opened so I got it and opened it. Both boys had so much fun going on it. They especially liked the water that was spraying from the side of it like a sprinkler.

Walnford Day

On Sunday, after the race, we went to Walnford Day. Walnford is an old estate in Upper Freehold. There were several historic buildings on the property that we got to tour. There were also horse drawn wagon rides that all of us except for Wesley and Stu went on since Wesley was too scared. They had kids races too that both boys had so much fun doing. They first had to roll a hoop, then carry corn on a spoon, then put a hat or bonnet on, and last ride on a stick with a horse head on it.

West Long Branch Michael Thorne race and kids race

On Sunday Stu ran in a 4 mile race in West Long Branch and Brandon ran in the 5 year old kids race. He was so excited that he got a medal when he finished his race. Stu had a really good time in the 4 mile race that he ran too.

Radio Room Tour

On Saturday we went to the new radio room for a tour. It is a 42,000 square foot building and was very impressive. After the tour of the new radio room we got to see the K9 dogs. Then we got to see the county helicopter.

6 Years

6 years ago today I went through one of the hardest things I will probably ever go through. My sac ruptured on Brandon's twin sister. I was only a little over 19 weeks pregnant. The doctors didn't know if I would lose both babies or one baby. 8 days after my sac ruptured I delivered Brandon's twin sister at 20 1/2 weeks and miraculously stayed pregnant with Brandon for almost 6 more weeks until he was born early at 26 weeks. I still think about Brandon's twin often. I wonder what his relationship would have been like with her. I wonder what she would look like. I wonder if they would have had a twin bond that so many twins have. Losing your child before he/she is born is something I hope most people never have to go through. I can't believe it has been 6 years already. I still remember everything that happened that day and the 8 days in between then and losing her like it was yesterday. At other times it seems like it was so long ago. We didn't talk to Brandon about her today. We will wait until the day she was born to talk to him about her and look at the pictures of her that we have like we do every year on her birthday. I know one of these days, if not this year, he will have a lot of questions about her. And I will do my best to answer them. I love you baby girl.

Mother's Day

Yesterday for Mother's Day we went to my parents beach house for brunch. Stu's parents came too.

After brunch we went to the boardwalk. At the boardwalk we went to the aquarium and then to the rides. Brandon and Wesley both loved the aquarium.

It was a beautiful day and everyone else had the same idea so we only stayed at the ride area for two rides. Wesley decided to go on the rides which he has never wanted to do before. He went on the boat ride with Brandon because we told him it was slow and he went on the bench on the merry go round with me.