Rainy, Cold, and Yummy!

4th of July weekend around here is hit or miss when it comes to the weather.

Last year was sunny, hot, and beautiful.

This year was cold and rainy which, when you add the children pictured below,

 then equates to messy, dirty, and epidemic proportions of cabin fever.

What do you do when everyone's spirits need a little lifting?

S'mores!

While the kids hunted in the woods for suitable roasting sticks, Brian and Joe set up the canopy tent. Fortunately they were able to get a campfire started in between the sprinkling rain and drizzle. 

Megan savoring every bite!

JJ

aka; fang, viper

McKenna's s'more invention. Roasting a marshmallow with a piece of chocolate inside.

Sam and his marshmallow mess.

Everyone happy, having lots of fun and smiles....

that is until.....

(cue the dark, foreboding music)

Da da dum

Uh oh!

What do we have here?

Beth.... upset about something? 

No. It can't be. Not our Beth!

I can't even remember what it was about.

But something in my memory thinks it had something to do with the roasting sticks. 

Maybe hers was about 1/2 inch shorter than everyone else's?

Kristin, do you recall?

The parting shot.

She makes sure everyone sees her and tries to lay the guilt on pretty thick.

What do we do?

Nothing, it's just back to the business of s'more making!

Even JJ helps out.

(Note- the only one to play into Beth's drama was sweet Megan.)

Resourceful and creative Sam came up with the idea of setting his marshmallow on fire and heading back into the woods, using it as a torch.

It was like our very own "survivor" episode.

(Beth being the first one voted off the island! Mu haha)

Even caught Joe with one.

FYI.

Do not put Brian in charge of young babies.

He has some controversial ideas regarding teething and the use of certain pacifiers.

;)

Oh- there you go.

You redeemed yourself.

:)

Beginning of the holiday weekend.

Every year we head North to the Adirondack Mountains for the 4th of July holiday.

We stay and celebrate with our great friends, the Johnstons. 

Before we made it to their mountain house we stopped in Old Forge and had dinner at Slicker's.

We then made our way to the dock and fed the ducks.

Being in the mountains always brings out the simple pleasures.

Is he protecting her or getting ready to push her in?

You decide.

:)

The Grad Party

The Party.

This is my last post about Luke for awhile... I promise!

Danielle planned and executed a perfect party, lots of fun!

There was slip n slides, baby pools, bocce ball tournaments, great food, lots of frozen drinks, an INFAMOUS WATER WAR, new cousins, and lots of laughing!

Ashley and Beth.

Beth and Livvie were on her like glue! Danielle's nieces and nephews became our kids new cousins. They all bonded immediately. 

Bocce ball tournament.

Water balloons.

The "safe zone".

No water war fights were allowed here.

Lisa, Laura, Mom, and Dianne.

So I burned a few bridges this afternoon.

OUr plan.

I was to gather all the kids together for a group photo.

All the adults had water guns behind their backs.

When I counted to 3 the kids smiled for about 1/2 a second until they realized the adults had attacked! I could not get them to pose for me the rest of the weekend.

(It was worth it!)

;)

Patrick's matrix moves.

Luke with all his nieces and nephews, (minus the two babies).

Alan, Livvie, Ashley, Beth, Sam, Christopher, and Josh

(missing from picture was Timmy and Bree)

Luke opening his gifts and cards.

One of my favorite gifts given was from Danielle's aunt. 

She gave Luke a gift card to Dunkin' Donuts! 

It was so cute, Luke read each card out loud and was so appreciative of everything he received.

Danielle had these special candy bars made for all of us.

One of my favorite parts of the day was witnessed by very few.

L and D were such gracious hosts that they gave up their room and all their extra beds to their guests and opted to sleep in a tent in the backyard.

Watching Luke, and his friend Mike, set up a tent they have never set up before, in the dark, and  after having quite a few was worth staying up late.

It took them about an hour.

It was an hour that mom, Patrick, Rachel, Cody, John, and I spent trying to control our laughter. I thought Luke was going to kick us out. We kept laughing every time we heard them say,  "Feed the pole through..." 

Thanks L and D for having such a fun family weekend.

We are all considering it practice for a destination wedding!

(hint, hint... ;)