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!