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....

Party Weekend

The much-hyped and very anticipated social event of the year has come and gone. There was carousing, feasting, drinking, and the majority of the attendees crashed for loooong naps afterwards. I refer, of course, to Gemma's first birthday party.
When Gram is a renowned caterer who has flown in from France to supply authentic victuals, and your mom is the reigning hostess of the church, you know your day is going to be a special one, and this did not disappoint. The theme was Marie Anoinette princess, and Pinterest had nothing on it :)

A small sampling of the food

Those are chocolate cameos on that exquisitely decorated strawberry cake

There were feather fans, gold bead necklaces, ribbon streamers, crowns, and bubbles for the kids to wear

The princess! She had a great time being adored and just being her normal cheerful self

Haha, she gives the best "cheeeeeese" faces when you tell her to

Hudson enjoying his PB+J sandwich. That was cut in the shape of a crown. Of course. 

She was so not in to posing nicely

Hudson had a blast. There were white and gold balls everywhere to play with as well

I think her favorite part was when she entertained herself under the table playing peek-a-boo

Bubble blowing

The sugar levels were a bit off the chart

Hudson was thrilled that a friend who's been gone for the summer has returned. Actually, we're all very happy to have them back!

And then David moved in to his new apartment, so we made him a toilet paper "cake" with some necessities (and fun stuff too) and brought it over last night. It will be good to have him around :)

We're having a bit of a staycation this coming week, so we've been writing up a "to do" list. Let's see if any of it gets done :)

Repeating June

Looking through the photos, it looks like July has been a bit of a repeat of June. Sue came for a visit, we went camping (albeit in the backyard this time), yard play, the occasional crafting. Routine can be nice sometimes :)

Tomatoes and basil from our garden!

Portraits by Henri

The carrot and radish harvest (Hen's hand for comparison)

She's graduated to letting a few drops hit her head. "Massive" progress in three years. 

This is as close as Hudson would get. And yet he begs to go to the spray park every day. I just refuse at this point. It is SO MUCH WORK to get them sunscreened, dressed, walk in the blazing sun down there, sit on a hot bench for an hour while they refuse to step foot on the blue, and then haul them home while they scream about the unfairness of being pulled away from all their "fun". If they really want to get sprayed I'll turn the hose on them. 

We went to a fun parade for the 4th

Barnabas being all festive

First time willingly sitting for me to do her hair decently

Lots of houses getting torn down recently, so we shamelessly plop ourselves down on neighboring sidewalks to watch.

She seems to be over it, but Henri went through a little "write on everything during naptime" phase. Rubbing alcohol is amazing!

They play great together. 

We got a bubble machine since I was practically passing out every afternoon for their pleasure. Now that it doesn't require mom to over-exert herself, the kids aren't all that in to bubbles. Go figure. 

Followed TheVegan8's recipe for some amazing soft serve vegan "ice cream" using as its secret ingredient sweet potatoes. Sooooo delicious!

The Molitors were back in town so we got them for an evening of happiness

And then we met up with Kelsea and Reid later in the week to wander Cambridge while our car got fixed

I know it's just nostalgia, but I can not remember why on earth we moved out of Cambridge. Best place on earth, and so much easier to raise kids in the city than in the suburbs; great parks, tons of people watching, dedicated walking paths that go for miles, sidewalks to everywhere that get plowed, great eating and my favorite grocery store, bus and train outside the door.....yeah, it was good to be home if only for a few hours. 

Lesson; don't photograph at night if you want the color to show up. But a really cute (I thought) reversible baby bonnet for the newest baby Molitor girl to be arriving in the next few weeks. Other than burning my fingers on the iron steam, this was a fast and fun project. EDIT: Totally forgot to give credit where it's due. I followed exactly the amazing tutorial here, and just made a second one during nap time with even better results.

This is a happy leopard. 

We had friends over on Friday night and "camped" in the backyard. It was pouring while I set up, hence the tarp to help with the screened porch part. 

Easiest way to camp, all the fun. I put Hudson in the house in his own bed so he slept great (we kept the monitor with us so I could get him if need be). Grilled hotdogs, made s'mores in the firepit, the kids had a blast staying up WAAAAAY past their bedtime and playing with flashlights, and then next morning we went out for brunch. 

And the girls did their nails in the morning, lol. Teenagers already. 

With just a few days left, I think our month will close out quietly. Plans for the weekend are taken up with birthday parties to attend, and then next week is the last game of the regular softball season. Why yes, it has been an extremely long season this year, But there's still the playoffs, so there's the potential to go yet another month. Yay.

Camping

I've been a bit MIA, but you haven't missed much. We went on our annual "Two Kids Club" camping trip at the end of June, and other than Hudson being so overtired that he wasn't tired, it was as much fun as the last. Perhaps even more since Hudson went swimming me with so I had an excuse to get in the (heated) pool, and because we simplified meals even more (open flame cooking for every meal!). This time only Deepa and I could make it for the ladies, so we sent the kids off with the guys (four adult men to 8 kids seemed a reasonable ratio) and we sat at camp and drank coffee and chatted. Best vacation I've had in...years. Looking forward to a repeat soon!

I guess it's more "glamping" when you use a queen mattress and down duvets. Super comfortable though!

The playground was a hit again (all that gravel to throw!)

This was attempt #1 to put them to bed. At 9:45. Note the exhaustion....of the photographer. He finally fell asleep in our bed at 11:30. Stinker.

Coffee thief

The most work for this trip was trying to get my cast iron skillet I'd found at a garage sale into shape in one afternoon. But it was perfect!

He totally missed the point of bocce but loved the chance to throw heavy objects.

Ahhh, they stress me out, but they make me the happiest. 

Ridiculously proud of this fire I started. And then couldn't get to go out. Perfect ratio of flame to coals.

Home sweet home. Perhaps larger than we truly need, but soooo comfy that we don't regret the size at all! Will be great as the kids grow and want a larger sleeping area too. 

Just call me pioneer girl. Cooking our omelets

Bye campsite till next year!