First day of School - I really cannot believe it!

The summer is filled with so much adventure - a parting with the normal schedules.  An opportunity to try different things.  Its such a balance of experiences and down time.  Overnight camp, work, day camps, sports, friends.  We packed SO much in - I hope they remember all the good!  Now they are ready to grow another year in the classroom.

Nick's Sophomore year

Shane's 8th grade year and final year in CMS

Can you tell I opted out of asking for back to school collared shirts?  Heck they didn't even match top to bottom.

This guy is on his own for one last year.  Its Drew's final year in CIS.  Cheers to 6th grade.  You are the leader of the school  Go be a big kid!

Not even close to matching anything!

May you bring curiosity and kindness to those you meet.

 

Final weekend bucket list items

Yes, the final days of summer are here.  Another bucket list item was a night at the lake house.  The Briggs truly have a resort just 20 minutes away from real life.  We got to have the night here all together.  We talked about an early morning swim but Rebecca had a few bonus drinks so I tipped toed out to this blissful morning solo.  The lake was SO CALM.  Perfect for paddle boarding.

This was the afternoon before - the colors and wake boarding were the true definition of perfect.

Anyone feel the true summer vibe in this photo?

Look at Drew drop the cool factor.

love when 2 girls grab my phone this is what I get!

Surfing Smooby do!

Thank you Thank you Thank you for this wonderful evening and day at the lake.  I am honestly NOT READY for real life, schedules etc...

This is the final morning - the LOBSTER LOOP - anyone remember the days of strollers, packing kid snacks, sippy cups?  Chris passing everyone while pushing 2?  Well guess what, they are all pushing me now!  Not quite literally.....yet......

Drew met up with some buddies from his soccer team.

Off they all go

This guy is like lightening.  22.31?  I mean seriously.  Chris said everyone he ran by said - your son is WAY in front.  You don't say....

I was blessed to run with these 2 ladies.  Meg and her youngest daughter Hannah who is in Drews grade.

I am not sure there is a better photo in this WORLD!  I LOVE everything about this capture!  

Thanks for letting me run with you ladies!

After breakfast we cleaned up a bit and headed over to Oma Sue and Goombas for a few chores before a delicious meal.  We filled the dumpster with the old garden ties, other items from under the deck, sadly said goodbye to the gerbil cage that grandpa made - photos are a better treasure than the rotting cage.  Mom is doing good at purging, dad still needs some training.  

Love this capture of Drew with his toes in the water and Nick working on his swing.

Dinner is served everyone!

Thank you for hosting us - feeding this motely crew is no easy feet.  I hope we helped enough to make it all worth it!  Love this new deck and how happy it makes you all!  Here's to many more back deck dinners.

 

Quassy - and Rebecca's birthday

The bucket list continues.  

This week there were no camps (refershing)- so this camp counselor took the day and took these fun to be with kid to Quassy.  I am hoping this Wednesday would be LOW attendance.  I was WRONG.  Lots of folks had this idea.  Parking was backed up to the point I had them walk in without me.  Nick came back for me and we all linked up.  This ride was my fav!

Kids were happy to ride it all.  Teacups included to which Nick realized why WE don't ride the teacups.

We remember being here 6 years ago - they served miller lites than too.

Seriously I love doing thins with these kids.  They don't want for much, they don't mind the lines, they are fun to walk to.  They are polite and just want to check it all out.  I was blessed to have the day with them.

They were the ones requesting the train ride that went twice in this circle.

The carrousel was a bonus with the Boo Boo

We came home, dropped the kids, showered up and went out to dinner to celebrate REBECCA!  Grand finale was the cake that Ashley made.

Life is busy, but man, moments like these are worth it!  Lucky to have each of these ladies and their families in our lives!

Happy Birthday Rebecca!  Thank you for all fun and adventure you bring to us all!

 

Yard Goats - Boat - summer bucket list

We keep checking things off the summer bucket list.  Yard Goats game was submitted by Shane. Here we are!

If your going to go, you may as well fill the car right?  Life is better together.

Jaiden's first sleepover!  What an honor for us!

Chef Frankie making Hennington Famous French toast sandwiches for Friday morning!

Later that night we grabbed drinks with the Mays and Nick had a bonus buddy to hang with.

But first he may want to move his golf clubs.

Saturday night is rocking with Acoustic Marsh pit at the Canton Lobster fest.  I felt like I was twinning Tara!

Sunday a day on the boat with the Mays!  A peaceful place to just be together.

This is MRS. MAY!  She is doing it!  She is the fun mom!  Love it!

Lots of flipping, fishing, funning

And M&M eating.  Who knew that wasn't the best boat snack.  Sorry Dr. May!

The evening ended with a dinner at Bohemian Pizza playing battle of the sexes (with the rather sexist cards!)  Slow down summer!

We are so blessed with good people!

 

Walker Hayes!

Hitting the bucket list items for summer right now.  CONCERT was on my list.  Walker Hayes is a favorite and family friend IMO.  He is playing in New Haven.  A new venue on the Yale campus.  Apparently it was a tennis stadium?  So the seats were great not matter what - and we opted for floor general admission.  Getting there early helped too.  WE tried to stop at a local pizza joint, but the line was too long and the food hear proved to be fab. 

Love being here with this whole crew!  This photo was actually taken by a buddy from Canton ALSO at the concert who spotted us up there.  Thank you Becky!

This is a traditional selfie

A mid music selfie

Walker had 3 opening acts - guess he is getting big.  Here is the list mostly so I remember!

Matt Stel - great music and covered the Killers!  Love it!

Lily Rose - NOT A PRINCESS - total rocker!

New England native Jordan Oaks - first of the crew and did great!

He was great, fancy like, AA, U Gurl, you broke up with me, Craig, it was all awesome!  His family even joined him for Fancy like.  LOVE LOVE LOVE.  Monday morning might hurt just a bit.

 

Ashley's Sweet 16 combined with Sweet Shane

The first and sweetest of our kiddos to reach this sweet 16 milestone!  We were blessed to share a slice of this day with her!

Doesn't everyone want a light up tooth brush for her birthday? Love the sweet, kind, smart confident girl she is becoming.  Her friendship with our boys and us is truly a treasure.

The next day we were helping with some stuff at my folks house and disturbed a bunny nest.  Shane caught this sweet one with gloves on and I captured this sweet photo.  He almost looks 4 here to me.  Those cheeks and all.  Love this one.

Not the same sweet face, but similar.  The many faces of Shane.

 

We stayed in a Yurt

We had a feeling we wouldn't want to rush out on Thursday morning and we didn't want to get home excruciatingly late - so we opted to grab a yurt in Freeport.  It was a lucky find as they are often fully booked.  The site was great, private and the yurt was well equip.  With just about everything BUT a fan.  And it was rather stuffy that night.  This is the separate outhouse.  Rather similar to lobster lake, just closer.

Here is Shane in our kitchen

ONly hiccup - I locked the keys in the car.  Better here than Lobster Lake - but admittedly no fun anywhere.  USAA was on their way - meanwhile these 2 went looking for fishing opportunities.

Here is the set up - The grill Chris used for dinner.  The picnic table I took a few meetings from Friday morning.

It was a rather steamy day to walk around Freeport.  The dogs were HOT.  But we found Lobster and this cutie with his lobster shirt got to have some.

Sadly it came back up on the way home - amen for dog poop bags!  We blame it on the butter, not the Lobster!