A sisterly vaca

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Tessa

This weekend I went on a much-needed vacation with Rosy. We rented a place on Lake George and enjoyed a weekend of wine and water. She had the brilliant idea of a hike (seriously, not sarcastically) that ended up being quite a climb!

It started like this…

… then like this …

… and like this …

… but it ended like this!

Happy hikers!

It was a beautiful view and a beautiful day!

I love all the islands in Lake George.

It was a 3.3 mile hike UP with 2000′ ascension. Then, of course, 3.3 miles back down, but that was the easy part.

After our hike and some rest time back at the motel, we gussied up (kidding, of course!) and headed out for a dinner cruise on the great Adirondac.

The Adirondac

The Adirondac up close. We were joking because the life jackets are all up high on the ceiling on the lower deck. First things first, make friends with a tall person!

We had a great buffet dinner with summer veggies, eggplant parm, potatoes, salad, etc. Delicious. Then we headed to the top deck to enjoy the view.

There’s our motel!

We are pretty sure that high peak in the middle is where we climbed.

Tents on the island. The islands are all public parks, so people leave their cars somewhere and boat over to their campsites.

It was a beautiful sunset for a beautiful day.

The cruise lasted two hours. It was fun to leave in the daylight and return after dark. Someone turned on the party while we were away and we returned to bright lights, loud music, and a real party atmosphere. Rosy and I are such wild ones that we got some ice cream then headed back to the hotel for a movie and frosty bevs. :)

Sunday was an overcast day, which fit well with our plans for shopping. We checked out of our hotel and spent the day at the Outlet stores, looking for back-to-work clothes for me! I haven’t needed that sort of thing in awhile.

Both mornings I had breakfast in the sunshine, sitting in a (fake) Adirondack chair, facing the lake. Gentle sounds of lapping water. Cool breeze. Just what I needed!

Of course, like any job, when you go away for a few days the “work” just piles up behind. The family was happy to see me last night, but today I got the full force of my absence with not one, but four giant fights! Two from each of them. Sigh. I’m about ready for another vacation!

New maps of the house

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Tessa

Lex reread “There’s a Map on My Lap” at lunch the other day. When he got done he sighed and said, “I remember when I was younger and made a map of the kitchen. Do you remember that mom?” I said “Yes, in fact I just took it down a few months ago.” He said, “Yeah, I always liked to look at it. I didn’t put any spaces between the words at the top. Isn’t that funny? It reminds me of when I was younger.” I didn’t know he looked at it still! I guess I should have left it up longer than the three years I did. Instead I grabbed the tablet and pulled up the blog post about it. He was pretty happy to see it again.

Then he decided to make a map of his bedroom. This time he used a grid and a scale. And spacing between his letters. A more sophisticated map! He did his bedroom and the living room. Acknowledging, but completely disregarding, my suggestions for refinement. He even used a tape measure to measure the rooms, though I think he mismeasured the living room furniture. :)

Meanwhile, Eve “plugged in” her headset to her Highlights magazine and pretended it was an audio book. Then she “listened” to the story while having her yogurt. All naked. ‘Cause why not, right?!

A family-filled farewell

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Tessa

The extended family gathered last weekend to say a final farewell to Grandma’s ashes as we scattered them into the lake. It was a sweet, low-key event that gathered much of the family together.

Friday night Greg, Kathy, and Heather got into town. They brought Grandpa and came over for dinner. They were kind enough to eat lots of squash and zucchini from our CSA surplus! They brought some turkey and salad and we had a great evening!

Eve got stories from everyone she could!

Saturday Mema and Grandpa Tom arrived. We drove around to a few parks, location scouting, then ended up at the farmer’s market. A Vermont tradition we rarely partake in.

Saturday afternoon Rosy came and then the party started! :)

The black raspberries are ripe for the picking!

Berry boy

Lex and Alan, fashionably dressed in matching attire.

The next day we all gathered on the rail trail for a short walk to a bridge over a river feeding into the lake. Grandpa and each of his kids got to scatter ashes and say their own privates goodbyes. Some fond reminiscing, a family photo, and then off to breakfast at Grandma’s favorite diner.

Pretty ladies

Pretty girls

Lex the camera man

Lex takes the camera and starts with a group shot.

Then a shot of the other photographer. :)

Saying goodbye to Grandma.

Pretty river. The lake is just around the bend.

Grandpa and his kids.

The family (missing a few)

Eve, happily tucked between two aunties. :)

Lex took my pen apart, again!

Kathy and Heather playing clapping games. Gotta keep busy while waiting for breakfast.

I don’t know what’s going on here, but Eve looks pretty happy about it!

After breakfast (brunch, really) Rosy suggested a hike on the rail trail. The kids agreed (they are the ultimate decision makers, right?) and off we went!

Happy hikers

A lovely day for a walk on the rail trail.

Eve, sitting quietly. I had to snap the picture quickly!

Pretty family. :)

Eve was doing a dance pose in these pictures. Silly girl.

We found a sweet little beach belonging to a totally run-down lake house. Anyone want to go in on an investment with me and Rose?! :)

After our walk we went home for rest. We were all pretty hot and tired. After rest and snack we packed up and head back to the party at Grandpa’s. Actually, the grownups were all napping over there, so I think we brought the party to them!

Back at Grandpa’s house we busted out the slip-n-slide.

A short (very short!) while later we literally busted the slip-n-slide! High quality item it was not.

When the slip-n-slide broke we moved on to a water balloon fight.

Eve gathered her balloons and hid behind a tree.

Greg brought a squeezy water bottle to the water balloon fight!

Eve switched teams to defend Greg. She’s a crafty little bugger! :)

The “water balloon fight” included squeezy bottles, cups, the water balloon filler pump, and the hose! Half the family got wet and the other just enjoyed the entertainment. :) When everyone was sufficiently hungry we headed down the hill for dinner at The Baited Hook.

While waiting for dinner Eve decided to put that bathing suit to use and take a dip in the lake.

After dinner Daniel took the kids down to the water to feed their leftovers to the ducks.

This photo needs no captioning. :)

After dinner at The Baited Hook.

Everyone headed home the next day. It was great to see so much family again. I think Grandma would have enjoyed it.

Merry Christmas from Eve

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Tessa

Eve decided she wanted to take pictures of her special things to make Christmas cards this year. Here’s what she came up with. She requested I print them for her tonight, so perhaps she’ll be handmaking holiday cards tomorrow. What better time than mid-July! :)

Merry Christmas from Eve and her toys.

PS. I owe you all a blog post on our awesome family weekend last weekend. I just haven’t had more than two minutes to sit down at the computer, so instead you get these quickies and phone posts. Sorry. I haven’t forgotten!

A return to chaos

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Tessa

We unorganized the Legos today. Sorry Joyce, it seems we just can’t maintain order without you around!

The cabinet still needs to be emptied, then we will use it to display FINISHED pieces only! The rest will be returned to the sheet and then into the giant bucket!

PS. Joyce, Lex told me the other night that there is a small, half-built car in the Lego pile that you built. He said he never takes pieces off of it because it reminds him of you and make him feel happy. :-)

Rumbling

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Tessa

“What is that noise?” I say. “Is it an airplane?”

“What noise?” Lex replies. “That rumbling?”

I nod.

“I think it is something called the washing machine,” he says, with a grin.
Funny boy! And, of course, correct.

More free entertainment

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Tessa

Look what stopped by this afternoon.

Unfortunately we were at the lake this morning and missed the “raise up the sewer grates and manhole covers” process. I think that would have been interesting to see! Now they are filling in the huge hole around the raised manhole cover with cement. Tomorrow or Friday we should see the pavers again.

Free entertainment!

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Tessa

We had the best free entertainment this afternoon!

It started innocently enough with this strange truck zipping down the road. It did not go unnoticed by Lex and moments later we all had our shoes on and were heading down the street to check it out.

Then we came home again. Our friends Elizabeth and Alistair came over to visit. Then the big rigs came rolling in! Pavers and steam rollers and all sorts of interesting vehicles! Mema and Grandpa Tom headed home asap before getting blocked in by the big trucks. The temps were well into the 90s and yet we were outside watching the show.

Lex noticed the temps and how hot the guys looked and he suggested maybe we should set up the ice cream stand again and sell some popsicles. With a bit of gentle suggestion he came around to the idea that maybe we should just give them popsicles instead of charging for them. :)

They grabbed a few boxes of popsicles, put on their shoes, and we headed up the street.

This guy told the kids that the asphalt comes out really, really hot! I think he said 210°. He showed them how to put their hands near the pavement to feel the heat radiating off it, but don’t touch!

Some of the guys were able to stop for popsicles, but a good many of them were working on the paving process and had to complete the circle before stopping.

The kids waited patiently and enjoyed the show.

When they did take a break, one guy asked the kids if they wanted to get up on the paving machine! The kids were a bit awed and nervous and excited – all at once! Lex went up first, then Eve, and Alistair. For a few minutes they were all up there together checking things out, with the driver and another guy. Lex asked to get down, but Eve and Alistair were enjoying “driving” together. Eve even made herself at home, putting her smoothie in the cupholder. :) The actual driver decided to keep working and while Eve and Alistair sat up high and honked the horn, the paver started moving and they crept along for a few minutes doing a bit more paving.

Lex at the wheel!

That thing is huge. See their tiny hatted heads up there?!

We’re sure to have top-notch paving work with Eve and Alistair at the wheel!

The construction crew very much enjoyed their popsicles. One guy said no one has ever done that before. I think everyone was pretty happy. :) We were feeling lucky at the end that we got to go back to our air conditioned house while those poor guys had to finish our road and do the next one, all in sweltering 90°+ temps!

Quote of the day

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Tessa

“There’s an elephant and a giraffe quarrelling in there,” said Eve after letting out a very noticeable fart in the kitchen this evening. I said, “WHAT?!” She shrugged and said, “Dad has a duck in his pants, I have an elephant and a giraffe quarrelling in mine.” Like that’s no big deal. She seems to have inherited both her flatulence and her sense of humor from her father!

Cheesey

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Tessa

We had a family filled, fun-in-the-sun day today. We got home at 8:30pm and Eve headed up for a shower. I went up to help with her hair and get the sand off her, but she adamantly rejected help. Unusual, for her. When she shut off the water I was there with a towel, but she suddenly remembered she needed to turn the water back on. I asked why. She said, “Umm… I forgot to rinse my hair.” With some convincing she let me look at her hair, which had no shampoo in it at all. Then her eyes started roaming, looking for another reason to stay in the shower. I told her she looked like she was lying to me and asked her to please be truthful with me. After another moment of shifty eyes, she said,

“I snuck a cheese stick into the shower.”

How do you not laugh at that?! I asked her if she finished it. No. I asked, where it is? Under the big blue cup. I laughed and picked up the cup. Half a cheese stick and the wrapper fell out. I popped it in her mouth and sent her to get dressed. She is too funny.

Calm and Chaos: Life with kids

Monthly Archives: July 2013