2nd Annual Big House Weekend

After our family Westport week, our friends joined us at the Big House for the weekend.  The same group as last year, and the same perfect weekend of swimming and paddle boarding and tubing and frog catching and kids playing well and sitting on the piazza talking after the kids were in bed.  It makes me happy beyond words to have these people in our life and to share this place with them.  

We had 14 kids ages 1 to 12, and they all got along and took care of each other all weekend.  The older kids offered the youngers rides on the paddle boards and included them in games. They all dote don Alden, who could often be found in Ethan or Micah's arms, pointing where he wanted to go while the whole crowd of elementary schoolers followed. 

Austin's 7th birthday

I love these sweet girls!

Every single adult spent some time holding Alden.  I felt very spoiled!

The best hour of the weekend: floating here and then all 5 women relaxing on a flotilla of paddle boards 

Lake

We spent 5 days at the lake with my parents last week.  Highlights - lots of quality cousin time on the Palace Rocks, and trips to the Wild Center and the Essex County Fair. 

I love the view of the Crown Point Bridge!

 Katy took some awesome pictures with her real camera.  

This boy.  My heart.

My happy place.  I could spent hours on a paddle board in the middle of the lake.

Classic.

 David & Kat had us all to the Big House for dinner.

Emily was quite proud of herself for mastering the inflatable dolphin after everyone else fell off.

Chatting with Valentina.

Early morning iPad time with Papa. :)  He spent the first hour of the morning with the girls every day and let us sleep a bit.  So lovely.

Rob & Katy brought this "Champ" float.

Practicing walking on the rocks.

We took a great rainy day trip to the Wild Center!

 the girls loved the otters

outdoor wild walk with suspension bridges, giant model birds nest and spider web to climb in

art center

a little lower deck time.  my other happy place.

Dad & I took the girls up Merlins, which was more of an adventure with half the trail being hidden because of brush piles and downed trees.

 Alden adopted Nancy as his new best friend.  He pointed to her right away, and spent most of the week crawling over to her to be held.

Ice cream sandwich = happy baby

And a morning at the fair!

 

"merry go-a-round"

top of the ferris wheel with my girl!

 heading back for a 2nd ride with Mimi

Maple ice cream & maple cotton candy.  Yum!

August 2

My birthday this year was such a sweet day.  Sitting in the grass and chatting with friends after church for a long time, relaxing in the sun while Alden napped, a family hike and swimming at Balch Hill, dinner at Boloco and gelato for dessert, and arriving home to a bag of Yorks from my mom.  August birthdays are the best! :)

Adara & Alasdair

 our little water boy.
(videos here & here)

This might be my favorite place to swim.  Adara offered for my birthday to turn me into a mermaid so I could live here. :)

 perhaps our first successful restaurant experience - all 3 eating happily and independently

First time at gelato since Adara's 1st experience 3 years ago... same seat, same color shirt!

 

my people. :)

Oh, and the kids were all well-behaved all day.  That in itself is a birthday gift!  Emily was very intentional about it, explaining that since it was my birthday, she didn't want me to have to tell her to do things more than once. (I'm not sure why that has to be saved for special occasions!)