Strawberry Picking

Strawberry picking this year was a little different than usual. Sam didn't come and it was hot. Wearing masks was required, so after being in the sun, it was a little much. The kids had to stay within arms length, 6 six feet away from other groups, etc, etc.

They lasted about an hour though and we got a lot of strawberries, which got mushy very quickly. Now we have lots of frozen berries for smoothies and popsicles!

Scooter Crashing

I never walk to the park that is three/four blocks away, partially out of laziness and partially because I know when I do, they will inevitably get hurt, sick, or we will need the one thing that I don't have. I remember hiking home once from somewhere when Sam was around three, after he had wiped out and was bleeding and I was carrying him screaming, a scooter and pushing a stroller. Which doesn't seem like a big deal until you have to execute such a feat.

So last night the kids hadn't been out a ton during the day and I decided it would be a good idea to walk/scoot to the park to burn off some energy. All good until their "five minute warning" to go home, when they decided to do races around the basketball court. The girls on scooters got a head start.

Obviously we had a wipe out and Vivian screamed bloody murder. Her ego was more wounded than her body. To get her to feel better Sam asked her to race again. Because how could that happen twice?

Naturally she went down harder the second time and freaked out more because there was blood (and her wrist hurt). It definitely was a big fall and must have hurt a lot. I ended up calling Chris to drive us home.

Nothing a few Band-Aids and ice-cream couldn't solve in the end. Poor kid.

Vivian Reading

I told Vivian to go and practice her reading, because they were completely on each other and gearing up to fight for hours. I heard her reading from the kitchen and came into check and found her like this, not missing a beat.

Strawberry Festival

We went to a Strawberry Festival last weekend and arrived in the morning to find a lot more patrons than we anticipated being there, and also possibly than the farm anticipated being there. Parking attendants seemed to be directing traffic to any open area, including, apparently, areas not owned by the farm. When we pulled in, we were directed into an area that had deep tire marks which appeared to be made by farm equipment, after a few rainy days. As we parked I wondered about the possibility of getting stuck in the mud.

We picked strawberries, luckily a friend arrived before us and stood in line and got a container, so when we appeared it was handed to us. We did find some good strawberries, but we really had to look for them, as it was already picked over.

The kids seemed to have fun though. We left as the festival was beginning as the lines for food and drinks and pony rides were extensive. As we walked to our car and loaded in, I watched a minivan, identical to the one we recently had, get stuck in the mud.

I'm not entirely sure why, but they unloaded the entire extended family from the van and then got it out and left it to the side which they directed more traffic out. The family still stranded. When it was our turn, the front wheel drive vehicle I was driving went back just fine, but as I put it in drive, got stuck. The attendants told me to "rev the engine and step on the gas" when I asked them for a push. Obviously that drove the front tires further in. When we were good and stuck, and had drawn a crowd, and their efforts to push us out were fruitless, someone finally got the tractor. They hooked us up and to the kids' delight, we were pulled from the mud by the tractor. My friend took photos for us. We left to the applause of a small gathered crowd. The kids waved to the audience.

Pool Time

The pool in our town is perfect for the ages the kids are at.  It's zero entry and so Lanie can splash without being submerged (though she does forge ahead until she is gulping water).  Vivian is just starting to swim (doggy paddle) independently, and Sam just passed the test to swim in the deeper pool.  The drawback is, it gets crowded and I get nervous chasing Lanie and trying to watch Vivian and Sam in two different locations.

Kids playing while Lanie floats along with the swim instructor.  (note all the other kids are with their mom's, but she wants the instructor, I am only there to adjust wardrobes such as sunhats).

Garden

Our little garden is yielding some vegetables!  We have cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and a solitary eggplant.  Rabbits ate our kale and some other plants.  There wasn't much here except evergreen shrubs when we moved in and the soil isn't great.  The soil has a lot of clay and it also hasn't rained much this summer, so I am pleasantly surprised.  Vivian has helped me with the garden so she's excited.

Sam at the Beach

A few years ago and now.  

              

              Not much has changed!

Fourth of July

My friend got Vivian to put on this dress for all of five minutes (she refused when I asked her too).  Just long enough for a photo or two.  She much preferred to wear as few clothes as possible all weekend.

Rowing to no where.

Boat with Sam

Sam and I went out on a friend's boat last week to Rainford a Island in Boston Harbor.  Sam absolutely loved it and got to help "drive" the boat.  Great time!

July 4th

This July 4th we actually celebrated on July 3rd and 5th, as Hurricane Arthur rolled up the coast and through Massachusetts on the fourth.  The city of Boston rescheduled  fireworks to the third, and didn't even play the traditional 1812 Overture as a conclusion, as a thunderstorm broke as the fireworks ended.  I taught the morning of the fourth (international program!) and we headed to Cape Cod and into the storm.  It was slow going, very wet, and extremely windy, but well worth the drive.  We enjoyed a great weekend with friends and all the fireworks that were not lit on the fourth were shot off on the fifth.   We watched on the lawn, overlooking a bay and we had a view of at least four towns.  All the kids stayed up for the fireworks, though Vivian clung to me.  

Visiting Thomas the Train

We journeyed down to Edaville over the weekend, where Thomas the Train makes an biannual appearance.  Chris and I were totally overwhelmed by the mayhem of strollers, toddlers and preschoolers, and general noise and confusion.  Sam handled it better than we expected.  I don't think he was completely taken with Thomas.  They hook up one "Thomas" car to the front of their usual train.  Sam kept asking us while we were on the train, "where Thomas is?" but he enjoyed the park until we made a hasty departure around lunch time.

                         
Thomas among the crowd, where you could pay for a photo taken with him.  We choose not to.  There were about 10 regular train cars behind him, which was the deceptive part.



There are a number of mechanical rides, but other than venturing on one, we stuck with the shady park area where there are more stationary old vehicles to climb on and less crowds and noise.

Slide Fun!