Happy 9th Family day!

Hard to believe this sweet quiet little man has been with us 9 years now!

Maky you have come such a long way!

It has been a blast watching you grow and change. 

You march to the beat of your own drum. You are strong, smart and creative. 

And even though you will soon be as tall as me, you will always be my little mush and I will keep trying to snuggle with you!

Thank you for the love, laughter and insanity you have brought to this family. 

From the day we met you on your first birthday until now, you have kept us on our toes and we are forever grateful we are your parents!

Happy 9th Family day!

We watched an outdoor hockey game in Murmansk during that cold November trip. 

And now we get to watch you on the ice.
We love you to the moon and back!

Goodbye summer, hello school

After a summer full of baseball, we finally got our relaxation time in August.  You guys got to spend your week at Camp Pop and Noni with your cousins and as always, you had a blast!

You had kayak lessons, played on the beach and in the water.  Hit the trampoline park and children's museum, enjoyed the boardwalk and rides and of course just riding around the beach with Pop.  

Right from there we headed to Nags Head.  We had extra fun this year as JoJo came for a few days and so did Mike, C and the girls.  You guys enjoyed having the extra company. 

The weather was perfect except for one day.  We had a blast on the beach, the water was warm, and perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing.  

We had some awesome meals out and Maks you were obsessed with snow crab legs, we had to cut you off!  We loved having the ice cream place right behind our house.  You guys enjoyed playing in the pool and hanging in the hot tub.  

We had an awesome last night eating oceanfront and then heading to Jockey's Ridge to take in the gorgeous sunset. You and the girls loved running and flipping and rolling down the dunes and we have some fun videos to show for it. 

This year you started school before Labor Day which was a little weird, but at least it was only 3 days.  We still were able to head to Sobo for weekend and squeeze in one last beach time!

Alek you started the school year off with a bang or collision.  Recess fun of flag football, tooth vs head.  Tooth one and you got 4 stitches and a nice egg and black eye.  

Alek its Hard to believe this is your last year at GS!  Can't believe you are a 6th grader.  This has gone way too fast!! I know this will be an awesome year ruling the school.  You are enjoying your classes and enjoying your new baseball team as well.  You are lucky to have an awesome coach this fall who is teaching you alot.  Maks, you are in 4th grade--how is that possible?!  You have grown so much this summer, both physically and in your maturity.  You are enjoying school and all your new teachers.  You are having a good time with hockey and are splitting time between goal and defense.  It is amazing to see how far you have come in goal, you are doing so well.  It is very exciting to watch!
Keep the good work in school and sports, you boys make us very proud.  Here's to a successful and fun school year!!
We love you!

11 years ago we held you for the 1st time!  Look how stinkin cute you were!

Our first official picture together. I never wanted to let you go!!

August 16, 2004, you officially became a Harkins and we are so lucky and blessed you made us parents!
This was you and Daddy waiting for our flight out of Moscow!

Our vist to St. Basil's and Red Square before we left for home!

You have made our lives exciting, fun, stressful and filled with love and laughter!

We love watching you play baseball!

It always amazes me how much like Daddy you are!

No matter how big you get or how cool you think you are, you will always been my little man.
Happy 11th Family Day Aleksandr!
We love you to the moon and back. 

Summer of baseball and some hockey!

As always summer is filled with baseball, from rec right to tournament! Keeps us busy every weekend!

This year Daddy helped coached, which was fun and stressful!

Alek, your catching really took off this year, it was exciting to watch how much you improved--like father like son?

Thankfully no tournaments this 4th July weekend so we managed to sneak a trip to the beach and test out the new kayaks at Pop and Noni's!

While we didn't win games in Cooperstown, you guys took 1st in the skills competition for around the horn, it was very exciting!

Baseball aside, the memories you make on these overnight trips with your team will last you forever!

We started summer with a small wedding at our house for Lexy and Steve. Despite the rain it was an awesome time!

Love this team pic, if you build it they will come! Your field of dreams!

Fireworks at the beach are always the best!

More kayaking fun with Noni!

Oh Maks, you started off the summer with a bonehead move of borrowing a teenagers bike and trying to make a jump with no helmut, nothing.  We knew you were hurt bad as you never cry like that.  Road rash, concussion and broken thumb!

But thankfully you managed to recover and get back to remainder of spring hockey season!

You had fun and did well in goal!

And you guys one the champs and you got tackled, it was hysterical to watch!

Love your bright orange cast!

So while summer is officially winding down, I feel like it is just starting as we have a break from baseball.  You guys have been enjoying lazy days at the pool and little side trips mini golfing, batting cages, and trampline parks.  You are looking forward to spending the week at Camp Pop and Noni with your cousins and then right to our vacation in Outer Banks. I cannot wait to sit on the beach and relax before the insanity of school, fall ball and hockey start!

Alek and Maks, I am sorry I have been very bad at keeping this up and running for you.  But in my defense it is because you keep me so busy with all your sports and activities!  So I am going to try again. Can't believe the last time I wrote on here was December 2013-Yikes!  Well obviously we have been very busy since then. School, baseball, basketball, hockey, vacations, etc..  So we will fast forward to now.  June 2015.  Another school year is in the books. Alek  you are going into 6th grade and Maks you are going into 4th!  WOW, where has the time gone.  You both had a great school year and we are really proud of you.  Great report cards and recognitions.  At awards ceremony, Alek you were recognized for 24 Club.  Maks you received the art award for 3rd grade and your painting is being framed to be hung in school! That was really exciting!

Maks you are in the midst of spring hockey and playing full time goalie. It has been fun watching you progress as you get more comfortable and stronger in the position.  I know you have been enjoying playing on the same team as your buddy Alex.  It will be interesting to see what team you wind up on for winter!

Alek you are in the midst of another baseball season. Rec is in the books with a decent season for the Indians, I know you wish you could have gone further in the playoffs, but I am personally enjoying a little break.  Hawks are in full swing. You guys have had a few pre-season tournaments and done well.  Dad is coaching this year which has made it more interesting!  Your first official tournament in next week.  We are all looking forward to the long baseball weekends in Cooperstown and down at Ripken. 

This summer you guys have a new summer sitter, Lindsay.  So far you guys love her.  Hopefully it continues and you have lots of fun at the pool with your friends.  I know you both are looking forward to your baseball and hockey camps.  We have a nice long 4th of July weekend at Pop and Noni's to look forward to.  And also ending our summer in a great way down the Outer Banks!