The A's come to VT

Before kids, we had groups that would come for weekend adventures to the family estate to revel in the natural beauty, enjoy my folks amazing hospitality, and just escape the city. It hasn't happened in a few years, so somewhat spur of the moment we headed back up this weekend with some good friends. For only being there 24 hours, we packed in a ton of stuff: long walk, apple throwing, dirt digging, swimming, hill rolling, fire, dance party with a DJ (the neighbors had a wedding and thoughtfully kept the music at a decibel that allowed the whole town to participate), fireworks, shooting star gazing, s'mores, croquet, crab apple picking, wandering downtown Middlebury, art gallery browsing, and then stuffing ourselves at Otter Creek Bakery. We parted ways here and the A's headed back home while we went back to my folks for kids naps, then swimming again at Grams, and the evening with my family. Up early this morning to head home with plans for doing it again in the fall???

Hen refused to walk. Somehow the basket was more comfortable?

My only picture of Gemma! She was a doll, spent most of her time climbing the picnic table or the stairs

This pump....the kids (and adults) could spend hours playing with it

A minor miracle, but all 4 kids were asleep by 9. For everyone being in an unfamiliar shared space (my kids weren't in their normal Grandma room either) this was pretty impressive!

Late summer meadows

Also a miracle that no one got deathly ill. This is basically pasture run-off...

The machines and a gravel pit. Pretty much all they wanted

Steve doing his Pied Piper impersonation

Late evening is the best time for runs around the yard

And then I taught them how to roll down the hill. 

Why did I not think of this years ago???? They would have stayed out all night doing this if I'd let them.

Half moon

Checking out the construction in Middlebury

The sunset on clouds was lovely

And then Papa took on Steve in Scrabble. The rest of us refuse to play this game, so he was pretty happy to find someone who'd play him :)

Today was taken up with driving home, the normal Monday cleaning and laundry, and getting 8 pounds of crab apples converted into juice to make jelly. Steve had the first of three finals games and they won, so hopefully just one more and the season will finally be done! I have one week left of the summer schedule, and then starting next we resume "school" and I'll be attempting to incorporate Hudson as well as get back on my normal cleaning and chore schedule. Looks like we'll be having a relaxed weekend to end out our summer. Very much ready for the fall to come!

True summer weather is here

Just about this time of the year we start to take advantage of the weather, to presume on the niceness, to assume the day will be spent out of doors in rambunctious play. So to remind us that we live in New England, the pattern shifts, and this week we find ourselves in the worst of all weather, the 95 degree and high humidity one. UGH. Thank goodness the Farmers Almanac is calling for a harsh winter, it's the only hope that's getting me through. That and AC which was unwillingly allowed into the house two years ago but has made life in a poorly insulated adobe bearable. We can't even cool off in our kiddie pool, some creature (the kids are voting rabbit, I'm guessing raccoon) snacked through it last night and the holes are too numerous to repair. (On a side note, what a weird thing for an animal to chew on!). So we're only venturing out in the early morning, and then getting in our practice of cabin fever for this winter.

Early walks to a park

What a difference a few months make! He was fearless on all the ladders and slides (this particular playground is designed for folks older than 15 but he handled it all great)

His favorite was the two story twisty slide. You could hear him scrabbling down it for a long time before he appeared.

"More!"

They didn't have a ball, but Hudson brought along a baby doll so they improvised

Hen and I ran errands on Sun while Hudson napped, so we swung through S$'s for a treat (I made hers decaff, it was too late in the day for another energy spike!)

I love little tu-tu rumps. He was dancing and watching golf with dad

Hen's Sunday School teacher gifted her with a bunch of hand-me-downs which will fit in 2 years, but one of them was a Frozen dress so I said she could have it now for dressup. It hasn't come off since. She's never seen a movie but she still talks about it all.the.time. Pretty sure Disney could rule the word in a few months time if they ever wanted to....

We're off on another super busy week. Steve's softball championship playoffs are this week (and next....and maybe the next?), Hen has a dentist appointment, the furnace guys are coming, Meg is coming to visit before jetting off on her honeymoon, I'm helping with an event at church on Friday (ok, ok, I'm just making fudge sauce and setting up chairs, but I still have to be sociable on a Friday night), and we're spending the weekend with friends so I need to menu plan, shop,cook, pack (and be sociable for a whole weekend), Phew! Unfortunately for productivity, I started reading Far From the Madding Crowd for the first time and it's hysterical. The house will just have to crumble till I'm done :)

"Dew!"

How Hudson proudly proclaims his age when you ask him how old he is :) That's right folks, there are no more babies in the Schoeffler household. I had a really hard time approaching this date, there might have been daily negotiations for months for just one more baby; that perhaps this time the pregnancy wouldn't have me puking for the whole thing, that the shots wouldn't hurt, that I'd go into labor and after 6 hours (or even 24!) pop out a baby the way normal people do, that we can totally fit 3 carseats in the back of our 2-door Honda Civic, that 3 kids in a tiny room isn't going to scar them (look at the rest of the world's living situations!), Hudson adores babies and he'd be a fabulous big brother, that I've already lost my mind so what's one more.....Anyway, there were counter arguments to all that and that's what makes a good marriage work; when one goes off the rails, the other nicely reminds them of the pact they've previously made. All that to say, on Friday Hudson suddenly seemed like a big kid to me, and I was totally at peace with it. Excited even. I genuinely hate the baby days, why would I want them back again? (Answer: I always want what I can't have). I have kids that love each other, that sleep at night, that we can do stuff with. I'm not a fan of change, as in I just changed the shower curtain that I've had for 10 years, but once it happens I usually love it. So, welcome to the toddler era! I really do love 2 year olds!!!

Probably the best birthday ever. He was just so happy about everything, thrilled that it was for him, and so in to all the traditions. Dad got him a balloon, and I made him the ubiquitous Pinterest felt birthday crown.

Gift opening. Aunt Allie and Siena got Henri a gift too, which was perfect because there was a wee bit of jealousy/impatience and this nipped it. 

Reading a new book. He was so happy with everything he got (and little guys are SO easy to shop for!); books, trucks, musical instruments, magnets, a baseball glove...he played with everything.

Henri's gift to Huddie

And then we went down to the pond and kayaked with the kids. They loved it! I stuck Henri in my hatch and she enjoyed having her own spot. Next time we'll do the same with Hud since it looks like we can trust him to sit well enough (the life vest makes it a bit tricky to hop out without a hand). So many things to see, water to play in, races to be had....I see many years of enjoyment out of these.

Hudson got his own box of his favorite snack in the world, raisins. And next time we need to remember a hat for him. Despite lots of sunscreen he started to pink up. 

Oh dear, the cake. It was a box mix doctored up, and canned frosting. Cakes are my kryptonite. I just can't make a decent one. Looks like it'll be bakery from now on. But he was thrilled, knew exactly how to blow out his candle, and talked about cake all day to anyone who asked. 

We had fixing for sundaes too, but he wanted his ice cream plain. Easy to please!

Looking forward to what the coming year brings us. Hudson is a super affectionate love-bug, shares my sense of humor, adores his sister though he's starting to love tormenting her almost too much, prefers to have everyone close around him, is a terrible eater, is passionate about baseball and construction vehicles, doesn't miss a trick, and is the best gift our family could have been given. He just woke up from his nap, so we're headed outside now to eat leftover cake. :)

Home

Steve took last week off so after a day of housework and such we headed to VT. The forecast wasn't promising, but it ended up being perfect weather every single day. We went to Field Days, swam in Gram's pool, walked around Middlebury and acted like tourists (hit up a great chocolate shop for some mochas!), soaked up the quiet fresh air, and enjoyed being with family. It was the perfect combination of rest and doing stuff. I'm trying to wrap my head around returning to normal tomorrow, there's still a list of things we'd like to do. Maybe another week of vacation???????

Had to document the journey of my hot sauce. It's gotten so that I have to even bring it on car trips to liven up snacks. 

VT rest stops have gorgeous scenery

Went to Field Days and they were cutting winter rye with a horse-drawn mower. Very grateful for all the modern conveniences we have!

Steve's first time here! We hit up the maple barn twice :)

We watched two classes of the ox pulling. That's almost 2 hours of watching cows, people. And we would have stayed longer if there'd been more. Hudson loved the tractor adding weight, Henri loved the ox's names....it's just a great event.

A favorite cemetery up the road from my folks. It's not weird to love burying grounds, right?

Wednesday night Steve and I went on a "date" back to the fair to watch the Dermolition Derby. After subduing my panic that these weren't bad accidents, it was really fun! The minivan heat was hysterical.

I did mention the weather was perfect, right?

We attempted to hike some of the TAM. Turned around after one pasture. Hudson refused to be put down, the no-see-ums were horrible, and there was this large crashing shape vaguely defined ahead of us on the trail that looked suspect. We called it a day and went downtown instead.

Got lunch at Costellos and then watched the falls while we ate. Well, some of us watched. As you can see from the disappearing rump, Hudson has become a bit independent of late. "No ME!" is a favorite phrase....

Henri teased Mom in to showing her how to spin

I guess we're in for another hard winter, the apple trees are loaded. 

Gram says the crab apples are all ready ready to be made into jelly.

Steve has been plotting for a long time to bring my kayak home. After looking at all the options (renting a truck, ($) buying a roof rack system for our car ($$), buying a second car that has a roof rack($$$)) we just bit the bullet, stuck the thing on top of our car with a zillion straps (I'm sure the massive dent in our roof will pop out at some point....), breathed a number of prayers on the mountain passes, and.....got it home uneventfully. So much so that, while barreling down the interstate, we decided we really should have a second so we could all be on the water at the same time. After a quick trip in mine on the pond down the street, we headed out and bought a second. Bringing our fleet to 3. We got an extra large cockpit to make paddling with kids easier, and based on some sketchy online advice I'm going to stick Henri in my rear hatch. Really happy to be out on the water again, and excited to have another family activity that doesn't include running. 

And then back to the daily grind. As it stands we have no plans, but the weather forecast is promising a great weekend, and of course I need to get the crew into seafaring shape (Steve actually asked where the stern was?!?!?!! A remedial course is clearly indicated). Does anyone know how to use signalling mirrors? Thought that might be a fun and useful skill to learn....