Summer Cincinnati trip

On the last day in Topsail, I thought it was goodbye to my parents and siblings for six months; but a couple weeks later Tim and I talked about it, and made a spur-of-the-moment (for us, anyway!) decision to book a trip for the boys and me to Cincinnati in July. The girls were already headed to Massachusetts for the rest of July and first part of August. I looked forward to seeing everybody this time, including Anna and Sophie and their newest babies.

Screened-in porch goals

Boy cousin heaven!

The timing of our arrival was perfect, as it was the tail end of that dreadful heat wave that had a huge swath of the country sweltering. For the rest of our week there, we enjoyed pleasant summer temps, and Mom and Dad even turned the air-conditioning off a couple times. We went to the zoo on Tuesday morning, along with apparently everyone else in a 15-mile radius, but that was OK. The kids were well-behaved and we didn't lose anyone.

We all wanted more time to stop and smell the flowers, but the crowds pushed us on.

Grace's Elise just turned four.

L-R: Taj, Grace with Elise, me, Joe, Timmy, Rosie in the stroller with Evie, John-Paul, Miles, Anna and Lizzie

This is David, Sophie's littlest. He's 5 months. He was OK with being on my lap as long as he didn't have to look at me.

On Thursday, we spent the morning at the Cincinnati Nature Center with Anna and her kids.

Anna with her youngest, Evangeline or "Evie" with a short 'e'

He's 8!!

Georgie was very tolerant of Timmy and Joe.

We all went over to Scotty's house Friday afternoon. He's very busy with work, so it was the only time we could see him. 

Anna lives right around the corner from Mom and Dad. Her (older) kids are always running back and forth, and so was Timmy all week long. There are some boys who live on the same block, and one of them was connecting a wagon to a riding lawn mower, and giving rides. Mom said, "Only in Newtown." On Timmy's birthday, I drove the quarter mile to United Dairy Farmers (UDF) for a couple gallons of ice cream, and as I was driving in, a little boy was riding his bike out of the parking lot. With no helmet.* It made me super nervous, actually, and then I chuckled at myself for being such a ninny. I felt like I'd jumped in a time machine back to 1985 the whole time I was there. Either that or a Norman Rockwell painting. Contrast that with this little snapshot of life in our little golf course community, shared a few months ago in the neighborhood email: 

To the female neighbor in the black Escalade who stopped to ask my children if they knew my husband and I. Thank you. 

Our kids (8 and 10) wanted to walk home from dinner at the club. We allowed them to, but drove slowly to make sure they made it. We were in the other black Escalade. You stopped and asked our kids if they knew us. They confirmed they did. 

We tried to speed up and let you know that we are their parents. My husband is a deputy and he was driving my car. 

We appreciate your concern and are glad we have neighbors like you. 

That sums it up. Beautiful houses, extra-wide sidewalks and well-manicured lawns with nary a child to be seen, except under close guard. We encourage our big kids to ride bikes to the Dunkin Donuts at the entrance to the neighborhood, and then I hold my breath the whole time they're gone -- not because I'm worried about them being run over or kidnapped -- but because someone will be "concerned" and feel the need to do something about it. We usually see our neighbors only as their car disappears into the garage. Timmy long ago gave up knocking on doors looking for another boy who wants to play with him. It is a lovely place to live, but in some ways I am happy we'll only be calling it home for another 11 months.

The highlight of Joe's whole week might have been riding to Mass in Papaw's Mustang. Joe is crazy about Mustangs.

Then it was goodbye again until Christmas. That feels like a long way away, but with the way time's been flying (hurtling, more like), I know it will be here before we know it.

Another thing I wanted to mention was that flying was way easier this time, because I didn't bring a car seat for the plane, along with that silly caddy I used last time to pull it along. Instead I dug up our old Maclaren umbrella stroller, which Tim scoffed at. He couldn't believe I wanted to bring that old thing, but it kind of saved my life. During our layover in Charlotte, it allowed me to cover a lot of ground quickly. I was able to get us from the "E" terminal to the USO lounge (a considerable distance), and back again, without having to worry about the time. Gate checking it and retrieving it after the flight was no problem. It always feels like we walk a mile at the Cincinnati airport, but it was no sweat with Joe in the stroller. The stroller also proved its usefulness at the zoo, where Joe would hop in while we walked the hilly terrain from one exhibit to another, then get out to look at the animals. 

*For the record, I think that kid should have had a helmet on, especially during rush hour!