MA Part Two, and the rest of July

Where did we leave off...?

Tim went golfing with his friends and most of the cousins went to do a ropes course with the aunties and grandparents spectating. Everyone had a great time except when Delaney overheated, and then a little while later got stung by a yellowjacket. Juliana might have overheated too at one point. The summer heat and humidity were back in full effect.

Thomas and I sat this one out. We needed to save our energy because the next day was a BIG Day. Six Flags. The last amusement park I'd been to was Disney in 2013, and I really don't like being in crowds and being hot, but I was hopeful that maybe there'd be enough fun to be had that it would make it worth it.

We had an AMAZING day. We couldn't believe our luck with how not crowded it was for being the day before the 4th. A few of us rode a rollercoaster within the first few minutes; we brought Joey along too, thinking maybe he'd like it. Poor kid, he didn't like it at all. Fortunately for him, he had aunties who didn't care for coasters either, and were happy to push the stroller and watch them go on kiddie rides.

Matt said that he goes to Six Flags for one rollercoaster and one only, and that is Superman. We (Tim, Delaney and I) all said OK, let's get in line, thinking it would take forever. That's their best one, the biggest and fastest. But we rode it twice in 10 minutes. It was crazy. We rode everything we wanted to, and there was only one long line the entire day (that was for the water ride around the hottest couple hours in the middle).

The first aid station had a cool room with a couple beds and a chair, that they allowed me to stay in with Thomas for awhile, just to nurse and take a breather. I was very appreciative. It would have been pretty tough to get through the entire day without some kind of break. 

We rode what was supposed to be an easy roller coaster with Timmy, but it jerked my neck this way and that with every movement, and I screeched and laughed the whole way, like this thing is going to kill me! My head was literally thrown back after I thought the ride was over, and I still think a trip to the chiropractor might be in order. So we told Timmy Superman was much easier than this, and we were not lying. He was convinced, so we headed that way. There was no line, and Timmy had no time for second thoughts before he was being cinched into the seat. Before we knew it were on our way up, up, up, and looking at that nice river view over the side. Tim sat next to him behind me and Delaney a row or two. When the ride was over, I looked at Timmy to see how he was doing, and he looked a little sad, maybe disoriented. "Oh, buddy," I said. I had so hoped he would like it. Then Tim told me that Timmy had actually passed out during the ride! He looked over at him after that first drop, and saw him slumped in his seat, out cold.😬 Poor kid. Needless to say, he got a pass the whole rest of the day from riding anything that wasn't his idea.

Sam was on this ride with Joey and Thomas for a REALLY long time.🤣

Obligatory cousin photo that could almost be an album cover

Sam wanted to go to Purgatory Chasm the next morning, and I surprised myself by saying, "Sure, as long as we get some sleep tonight." 

I had been admiring Sofia's hair, and then I heard her say that she'd gotten in the car with it wet, and the drive over with the top down had done the rest. I'm only a little bit jealous of that. 

We celebrated the 4th of July, and had a little joint birthday dinner for Delaney and Timmy, whose birthdays are on the 8th and 25th respectively. Then Tim and I and the boys left for home early Saturday morning, and the girls flew home the day after. I wasted no time diving right back into my laundry, pool, plants, and all my homebody things.

The gloriously unscheduled, entirely free portion of summer is definitely over. We enjoyed it while it lasted. Delaney and Annie are back to marching band camp and cheer practice, Timmy has soccer practices, and we have been hosting ISR lessons at our pool on weekday mornings for the last three weeks. Monday will be the last day, and although Thomas has demonstrated he has skills, he does NOT like to have to use them, and he protests the whole time. I just ordered new uniform clothes for Timmy and Joey, and they will be starting school on the 15th. I'd like to say I plan on enjoying the last full week before their first day, but I see on the calendar I've got a DMV appointment, haircuts for the boys, and a couple dentist visits thrown in for good measure. What in the world was I thinking?

Tim, Delaney and Timmy made a quick visit to UNC Chapel Hill. I don't know if it made much of an impression on Delaney, being as it was a ghost town of a campus on the hottest days of July, but it is still among the schools she'll be applying to.

The local American Legion made this generous donation to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, and I got to give some of it away the next day to my Budget for Baby participants in the form of $100 Commissary gift cards. It is really uplifting to be involved in something like this; to see veterans helping those who are where they once were, navigating life in the military while taking care of a family.

Another teenager!

Fresh flowers from the farmer's market

It's senior year for this one! She is the clarinet section leader in marching band this year. The band kids work hard, but they look like they have a lot of fun too.

MA part one: wiffleball, Boston, and hydrangeas everywhere

After our annual visit to family in New England, I'd be happy to not leave my house for the next three months; but I can simultaneously say that I really enjoyed myself. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this was the best one yet.

Getting here was not the best though, at least not for me. Tim was pretty confident that we would have a 12-13 hour day since that's how it has gone for him and the kids the last few times (Thomas and I have been flying since he was born). But this time we had the girls fly up a few days ahead of us, and we made the drive with the boys. It took us SEVENTEEN hours. It was a slog from about New York City on, and this was due to a lot of road construction. But we ate well throughout, thanks to Tim, and the kids--including Thomas--did incredibly well. I started to go a little bit insane myself towards the end, and when I got out of the car, my feet were swollen and sore in my new Birkenstocks. That really helped to break them in!

This was at a Wawa in Maryland or Delaware. For a place that sold so much food, it had no place to sit down and eat (very inhospitable!). So we got gas, used the bathroom, and then partially unpacked the car in order to have a picnic.

On Friday we had our customary wiffleball tournament and pizza, with the addition of a few more Bradys: Aunt Chris, Joe and Melissa, and their two kids. 

The next morning we went to Hopkinton State Park for some paddleboarding, kayaking, and just poking around the beach (Thomas, Grandma, and I). It was a little chilly that day, but for me it is a nice change to be chilly in the summertime, and I'll take it.

I could not get enough of the hydrangeas. They are all over in North Carolina too, but not in so many shades and in such vividness and abundance. This has been an exceptional year for hydrangeas everywhere, due to a mild winter. The ones in the second picture are Tim's parents', and they were really just starting blooming while we were there. In another week or two, they will really dazzle.

Karen hosted a Just Dance party for the cousins. Thomas was in his glory.

He also enjoyed his downtime with Grandpa.

We went to Karen and Matt's one night to celebrate Tim and Carolyn's 80th and 75th birthdays, as well as their anniversary (let's see, which one would this be?...the 55th, I'm pretty sure). We took family pictures in the back yard as we've done the past couple years.

The phone was hanging on a tree branch with the timer on.:)

You can probably imagine my reaction when I saw this table. Well done, Karen!

This called for sparkler candles!

Natalie and Annie--twin cousins

We took the train to Boston one day. Some of the group went to TD Garden to see Celtics and Bruins stuff. We toured a Bruins heritage exhibit which was to commemorate their 100th anniversary, I think. The rest of the group went shopping at Faneuil Hall. Then we all met up for lunch at Legal Seafood, then headed home. I remembered that the last time Tim and I ate there, I was eight months pregnant with Delaney, and we ran to the car in the rain afterward. She turned 17 a couple days ago!

What I enjoyed most of all was the scenery, being outdoors on a mild summer day, getting exercise, and of course all the beautiful plants. 

There was a lot of silliness on the train ride home. 

And there was some napping.

And there were a couple of us who were wishing for a nap.😴 

Stay tuned for part two...