How did the time pass?

Like this:

The County fair on J's birthday

Lots to look at - but the goats and sheep are the clear winners

They like eachother too...

Another great carousel ride - just before the meltdown....we all had at least one that hot day

Momu had her 90th birthday party

a rainbow of gladiolas

everybody's teeth are showing - this one is the shot of the day

a family dinner party

I don't know when we will all be together again, but we made the most of it all week: the amount of liquor consumed is mind-boggling.

A visit from the Rhoads'

All aboard

PA

He knew he was going to get caught walking thru Mimi's garden any minute now.......

Playground in Gretna

Ok, just so you can see what I am talking about when I say how big my not-yet-3 yr. old is - here he is next to a 6 year old. See?!

Too bad we don't have a guitar any more - J really liked it when his dad played for him.

Now this is what it's all about - we hit the the cousin jackpot this weekend

also there, an Uncle who is very into fun

he understands what it's all about:

a big toss! And now he is a favorite.

10 more days in VT

This is one of my favorite shots - here at the playground.

Land, air, sea: It's all about vehicles.

"Good painting, Paul" he praised - and loved going up the ladder to help.

It is rare that it gets really, unpleasantly hot in our valley - there is almost always a breeze - but some of this week was a little uncomfortable...air conditioning weather, even.

Good times.

Hat head & alliteration

Reading hour at the local bookstore (aka the books' house). The lady behind him is about to get clobbered by 2 colliding children. It was mostly beautiful out - we got to do lots of exploring

This bucket had a considerable amount of dirt in it the first time he put it on. Outdoor bathing was big this week.

Actually, he told me this was his bike hat and he insisted on wearing it every time we took the tricycle down to the (dirt, and v. uneven) road, and he needed it - after much tipping, he learned to ride! So proud. Using whatever you have for play is SO my childhood in Vermont: flash back to benignly bathing brick babies in the brook. FYI: We did get him a real helmet, folks.

He loved exploring in the very wet lower meadow - something I have not done in a couple of years - all of those tall ferns tickled his body as he ran through, laughing.

Paul came and painted every day last week - we may just have the whole thing done this year! Dare I think it?

Happy, happy day

I am so glad we rediscovered this place (on the 4th of July we came, for the fiddawoks), because it has given him hours and hours of hot, sticky, sandy, toe stubbing enjoyment. Years ago, this was just a place where my sister and I bummed cigarettes, and while that sounds kind of gross, it is a really good memory. But not as fun as all of this, to be sure:

"Yes, Climbing!" he yelled. Lots of ladders

and some baby show-downs

and joining the big-boys-day-camp

made for another great romp in VT! There was also a girls field hockey practice he kept getting in the middle of, but I was busy getting him away, so got no pics - which is a shame, because he was a hit with the girls and had to have a high-five from all 15 them. Super cute.

Cold Spring Depot

Looking lovingly at his dadAnd then the trains came!

and they were grand

and they were hilarious

and it was almost too much to bear! This was an especially good sleeping night in our house.