Family Reunion!

My oh my, what a busy weekend! Here's the whole crew at mom and dad's house after lunch at the Whale's Tale:

I think we were 27 in all. Uncle Lee didn't make it because he was sick, but fortunately he's home now and much better.

Everything started on Friday when Erik and Isabelle, Jen, Gabriel, and Luciana, and Uncle Vito and his new girlfriend Veronica arrived. We had a lovely fire pit

in the course of which Nina, Maggie, Wyatt, and Luciana ate about a bagful of marshmallows.

Then on Friday, Maggie, me, Erik, Isabelle, Jen, Gabe and Luciana took the boat into town and met everyone at the restaurant.

Then it was back to my parents' house for ice cream (lots and lots of ice cream, I'll explain another day!), cake, beer, and another bonfire. This morning we took a trip to town for some iced coffees, swam in the pool, and ate more ice cream.

Whew, it's no wonder I'm exhausted!

Lots of photos

This one is from a few weeks ago. I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but one of our neighbors was having some work done on his dock, and this house-like thing was down there for a week or so. Then one morning, it just floats on down the rivah! There must have been some kind of outboard attached to it, because first they came south, then turned east towards where the Ponderosa campground used to be. I think some bad weather was moving in the next day and they were moving it to safety. It was a very funny sight.

Here's little Mr. Ray on the swing! He's the mellowest guy, and happiest when he's crawling around and pulling himself up on whatever's nearby or being pushed in a swing.

 Here are the four dogs, chilling out. They're a good-looking quartet, don't you think?

 Maggie has really been expanding her look beyond pajamas for the last few days. Yesterday it was an old dance costume fairy wings for a bit, then a skirt and shirt for the evening out. With underwear even! Who is that child?

Nina's grown another few inches in the last few weeks I think. She's almost eight!!

Dance Party at the Halter House!

We've got three kids rocking out to the Chipettes covering Destiny's Child's Survivor over here. Too adorable!!

Tea Party anyone?

Nina made a fruit salad and put together this absolutely gorgeous tea party for Tante Vanessa:

Besides the fruit salad and tea (of course!), everyone got one marshmallow. So cute. Unfortunately, Vanessa was taking a nap (she'd had to get up at 4 am the night before to catch her flight here), so Unk got to enjoy the party in her place.

Oh, I almost forgot! There was one other treat at the tea party. Cool whip!

I took this one this morning. It's Nina's nervous face. Wyatt was playing with something and Nina was unsure about whether he could break it.

The heat has finally broken and we had a lovely day today. Much cooler, mostly cloudy, and a little rain in the afternoon. 75 has never felt so good!!

Hot! Whew!

We're enjoying the last day of a nice summer heat wave here in Maine. It's been humid and 'bout 90 every day, with a blazing hot sun. Thank goodness for mom and dad's pool, which with the new solar heater heated right up to 85 degrees. Perfect!

The girls and Wyatt have been spending the mornings jumping in the trampoline, swinging on the swings, and playing in the house. And tormenting the dogs. Poor little dogs.

The guys took the boat out on Friday night for some dusk fishing. It was going well, until the boat didn't restart. They had to paddle home. That was the fourth time we'd taken the boat out though, so in the boating world that's considered a very successful rate of operation. THEN we sold the kid, our old but working boat, so now we have extra money to sink right back into the new boat (tentatively named "the grown-up").

Happy Fourth of July!

And God Bless America!

Lots and lots going on. Vanessa and Ray got in today, so we finally have everyone. Eight adults, five kids, and four dogs. Whew! At first I wrote "ten adults," thank God Nina is reading over my shoulder because she set me straight. At least one of us can count! It's hot and humid too, but I'm not complaining. It was a great day for boating, swimming in the pool, and throwing the ball for Marley.

My eye is much better. My girlfriends all made fun of me for putting the world's worst photo of myself on Facebook for the whole world to see, but what can I say? It was epic. Behold:

Actually, it looked even worse than this. I unintentionally opened my eyes more than is natural, especially for me first thing in the morning, so the swollen eye is more open than it was. But, you get the idea.

Later, to make up for it, I took a much better picture of myself. But, alas, kids and dogs were running around everywhere and I didn't get to upload it. I will right now though. Hang on.

But did I put this picture of me on Facebook? No. And do you want to know why? One simple word. Fidelity. It's a lot easier to stay married when men are horrified by you. Ha!

Anyway, the eye is all better. Now Vanessa and Wyatt are here so more later!

There's a fire house in my basement!

Wyatt gathered up all the trucks in the basement and made a fire station. There's even a dalamation!

He and Maggie are playing really well together. Her ponies are down there too, probably up to no good... setting fires maybe. Ha ha!

Earlier I took the 4 kids (Ethan's still a kid!) to Ocean Point. They were playing in the water and then alternating between chasing and trying to feed a seagull. After a bit, two young women came walking towards the water and Wyatt said to them, "Watch out for that seagull!" in his adorable, squeaky little voice. It was too cute!

Then I dragged them all through Hannaford, which was in full summer swing. Whew, is it bedtime yet?