Rest of July...

The rest of July wasn't quite as great as the start of the summer. ;)   We were all pretty run down, and the kids ended up really sick for a week... summer is not the time for laying around the couch with high fevers and no appetite.  Looking back at pictures though, it's easier to find the highlights. 

 

Mud run @ Killington... we didn't expect this July event to be sub-60 degrees and rainy. So cold!  That finish line photo was taken after we waded through a pool at the end, so we were much less muddy.  Very thankful for the health club hot tub after this. :) 

CCEF New England dinner at the Powlison's farm in VT.  Alden & on Adara both sat and chatted with Kyle on this swing.

Bradford playground & Whippi Dip with friends.

"I'm playing lacrosse-game!"

Community Group cookout at the Elliott's.  The kids & I got lost and almost didn't make it... I'm so glad we did!  Beautiful spot, and all the kids played so well and worked hard together to make this pathway to their little house. 

Amanda's bridal shower at Westford, and some time to swim.

 Meanwhile, the Taber's stopped in to visit Alasdair & Alden

VBS week

Adara & Fiona onstage

Alden on Ethan's shoulders instead of in the nursery where he belonged.

The Leanders were vacationing nearby and came for dinner!  Such a gift to see these sweet friends and at long last meet their son Aaron. Adara & Luci hit it off right away, the boys played whiffle ball, and all the kids chased each other in circles around the house.  I wish I'd managed a good group picture!

We got a visit from Will too! Poor guy arrived just as Adara was getting super sick, so I wasn't the best hostess... but he and Alasdair had a great hike up Mt. Washington.  The kids were enamored of Will's red motorcycle.

After Summer Celebration Camp... sick week. :(

 

So miserable.  By the afternoon after the last day of Celebration camp, it was clear this wasn't just exhaustion.  I dragged them all out of the house in the afternoon so we could stock up on gatorade... not wanting to face out hot stick house again, we drove around town and ended up at the airport, and had a sweet half hour watching planes take off.

  

3 positive strep tests = everyone's first brush with antibiotics.

I thought we might never leave the house again, but of course they recovered, and by the end of the next week we were at Treasure Island for a great beach day with friends.  We even skipped Alden's nap (gasp).  

cupcakes for Hannah's 2nd birthday.

  beach to farm to farmers' market. 

good summer day.  'brothers' sharing fudge.

 

Great day trip to MA for Shannon's baby shower and swim time with the Weylers.  Love watching these 2nd cousins bond!  All 3 of our kids loved jumping off the diving board, and it was fun for Alasdair to see how far they've all progressed with their swimming and confidence in the water.  Alden has a bit too much confidence - he jumped right into the pool without his floats on - thankfully Papa saw it coming and jumped right in after him.

Rosalie entertained these 4 little girls for ages with wagon rides up and down the hill in the backyard.

4th of July

We had a great weekend at Westport for the 4th.  This year is the 50th anniversary of the Lee Trust, so there was extra effort put in by a number of people to give family members a chance to connect and experience the property in fun and traditional ways.  Bekah and I took the kids on Molly Hale's nature hike through the woods from Betsy's Apron to Halfway Point (where I'd never actually been!) and the older cousins on the hike (Lilly, Bic, Anne, Robert) were really good sports about having our crazy little crew along.  There was a good turnout at the family meeting (my favorite part was Chris Joliffe's promise to put dad's treasurer's report to music!;), and at the Big House cookout that night, which included toasts by Mary and Matt Hale, readings of old letters and guest book entries by various people, and music by Chris.  Our kids were up way past bedtime and fading as we wait for the music part of the evening, so I asked Chris if he could play some for them.  I treasure those moments of holding my kids while they listened enraptured to "Gonna Life on Perch" and "Gone to See my Rose" and then watching their eyes light up as everyone sang "goodnight ladies" as we left to put them to bed.  Such sweet memories and a reminder of what an amazing gift that place is.  The next morning, cousin Dave hosted a big perch breakfast at the Big House.  Yum.

Steve cooking fish balls after the meeting!  Who knew everyone but the Bob Ware family crushes theirs with a fork to eat instead of dipping? 

so hard to leave on a hot sunny day!

Early summer fun

June started with a weekend away in Portland for us, and at Camp Eshbaugh for the kids.


  

Hiking with "Dosleela"


Thursday evenings at the Farmers Market

 Quechee Balloon Festival & Mallory's birthday

 
 my brave girl!

A date day on our anniversary thanks while the kids were with our artist friend babysitter.  We hiked Holts Ledges, swam in the White River and ate dinner outside at Jesse's.  

Soccer camp!  Adara was signed up for this preschool camp, but the other two had a great time tagging along.

Floating down the White River in the "Titanic" and "lifeboats" as Emily called them.

And of course, long afternoons at the pool.  The kids are all getting so confident and competent! Emily passed the swim test to jump off the diving board (not that she's thinking about jumping yet:), Adara is on the brink of being able to swim, and loves being underwater, and Alden is sure he can swim, and motors all over the pool with his puddle jumpers.

It's been a full 6 weeks!  Summer is short here, so we are trying to soak in every minute.  There will be time to clean the house in September.  :)