MA trip and other summer happenings

Another summer is hurtling by me, and my toddler has been keeping me very much on my toes, but I've been working on this blog a little at a time. We made our annual summer trek to Massachusetts from June 28 to July 5 -- already over a month ago.😲 It's always so great seeing everybody up there, and there's so much to do, which makes it a fun change of pace. Since I'm having a hard enough time finding the time for this blog -- at the moment I'm letting Thomas empty out a desk drawer -- it's going to be mostly a photo dump.

We hiked Purgatory Chasm again with some unsavory characters who thought nothing of bypassing the "closed" sign. (It was closed as a precaution after heavy rain the day before.) I said my kids would have been appalled had it been my idea, but they didn't bat an eye since it was their cousins.' They act like they're dying if I enter a store through the wrong door. 

Thomas and I went out to dinner with Grandma and hung out at home while everyone else did some game room and Go Kart place. 

I personally enjoyed the lake days best of all, and I was super excited to see that my first choice of activity back when my niece surveyed all of us -- the waterslide place -- made it onto the list. That ended up being second favorite for me this time, though, the first being the lake in Hopkinton where they could paddleboard and kayak. Carolyn, Thomas and I found a nice spot on the beach and just watched him play for the most part. It was VERY toddler-friendly, just a big puddle for him to splash in. Another family lent us a little truck for him to push around--they must have noticed I was very unprepared--but he was mostly happy with rocks and dirt. For me, being able to enjoy the outdoors in the summer is the best, especially if I'm in the vicinity of water on a beautiful day.

I recall now as I look through these photos again, that Thomas was not doing his best on this trip. He had a cough and sniffle the day we traveled there, a fever a day or two after that, which ended up being on and off for the duration, and he was not quite himself at any given time. It was too bad, but I do think he ended up having fun too, even if he needed more rest and cuddles than usual.

Tim participated in the Chris Foley Memorial Golf Tournament, along with other friends and family of Chris, who passed away a few years ago from cancer. Tim grew up with Chris and his twin brother, and the other guys in these pictures. The tournament raised money for Camp Sunshine, which is a retreat in Maine for families with children who have a life-threatening illness.

Funny story: You might notice that in the picture above, Tim is wearing his very weathered  Birkenstocks. His golf shoes, purchased who knows how long ago (he doesn't golf much), exploded at the first or second hole. He thinks the glue had weakened from being stored for a long time. He had to go to the car and swap them out for his Birkenstocks, which made him the object of ridicule all day, but he says they actually made for great golf shoes.🤣 In fact, I don't think there's a single activity he wouldn't do while wearing them. He wore them to work with socks for awhile, until he finally found some closed-toe shoes his feet could tolerate. I'm pretty sure Birkenstock makes shoes that are more suitable for work and golf, but you know they don't feel as good as some old broken-in Arizonas.

I donned a sundress, left Thomas with his aunties and cousins, and joined Tim and everyone else for dinner after the tournament. It was so nice catching up with everyone, and also strange to see us through their eyes. It is mindboggling to them that we have five kids, and that the last one was born just last year. Most of them have two, and they're all at least teenagers. 

We had perfect weather for the lake and waterslide park. Joey was on and off the waterslides nonstop the entire day. He slipped and hit his nose at the edge of the pool as he was getting out one of the times, and came walking up to us with blood running all down the front of him. He wasn't hurt that badly, but it was a very startling sight for us to see, as you can imagine. Tim was disappointed I didn't get a picture, but it was hard to remember to get a picture when I was checking him out and making sure he wasn't going to die.

Annie says her favorite thing we (they) did was the game room, and Timmy's was the Go Karts. The Go Karts were also at the game room, I believe. So that was a big hit with the kids. 

Annual wiffleball tournament

All the grandkids. Top row L-R: Juliana (20), Alexa (19), Sofia (18, almost 19), Annie (14), Thomas (1), and Natalie (14). Bottom row L-R: Delaney (15, almost 16), Timmy (11, almost 12), and Joey (7)

We celebrated Delaney's birthday a few days early. The aunties and cousins didn't want to miss the chance to spoil her on her "sweet 16."

"Sushi" treats made by Auntie Kathy

The challenge is always to see how many memories can be made in just five short days, until it's time to go home. I think everybody did a great job!

We had another easy travel day -- Tim with four of the kids in the car, and Thomas and I flying. We flew out of Providence this time at Tim Sr's request since he's the one taking us to the airport and he knew in advance about some major traffic problems Boston was going to have. After flying out of Providence, I have to say, where has it been all my life? I might never go back to Logan. Everything is nice, like really nice, even pretty bathrooms. And it was dead. The only gate that had anything going on was our gate, and the rest of the concourse was empty. I let Thomas have the run of the place.

Back here in New Bern, a busy summer is coming to a close. Delaney got her license right after her birthday, and that has been a gamechanger around here. Having her able to drive herself around, let alone anyone else, has been a huge help to me. Marching band has been a big commitment, and then I've also been delegating to her a few of the errands I would otherwise be doing myself. Yesterday after I asked her to go fetch Joey from a friend's house in the neighborhood when his mom wasn't answering my text, Annie said to her, "It must be fun having your driver's license." I said, "You'll find out yourself soon enough--you're next!" Delaney has also just been hired at Harris Teeter, so she'll be starting her first job soon. Cheer practice has kept Annie busy since we got back. It was one week on, one week off for July, but for August it's at least a couple days a week, including a day camp they hosted for little kids in the area. Timmy has been enjoying a very laidback summer of videogames and a couple soccer practices a week. Joey has been living his best life, swimming with one friend, going out with another friend and his family on their boat, and spending very little time at home in general. (But at least he doesn't need to be driven around because his friends are all right here in this neighborhood!) I'm actually feeling a little bad for him that school starts for him and Timmy this Thursday. Then there's my buddy Thomas who makes sure that I'm planning my days well and not wasting any time, and really cherishing my moments of reading or relaxing by the pool.

It is truly a wonderful life.