Summer Slowly

Summer...for me is not about computer time.

I'm hardly ever on this thing anymore.

And I have to say I love the break.

There are blogs 

that I miss reading

but I'm sure I'll catch up in the fall.

The fall is always my favorite time of year and

I don't think there is a  more beautiful place to be in the fall

than New England.

And usually, by this time of our summer vacation

I start wishing for it.

But, not this year.

I am embracing every day of this summer we're having.

Aside from our 4 day heat wave...the weather has been fantastic.

And just as important as the weather..

the kids have been getting along.

I'm not whispering under my breath,

"I cant' wait for the bus to come"

I hope I didn't jinx myself by saying that.

:)

Hannah and her friend Madeline

jumping off the bridge.

Another thing checked off the summer list

Stay slow Summer.

Simple Summering

Sewing...My AWESOME neighbor Kate taught Hannah how to sew.

She made this puff for her bedroom. 

It is the cutest thing ever.

She's going to teach me to sew now.

I can't wait.

Painting...Griffy loves to paint.

My kitchen table has been covered with newspaper for 3 days. 

Cooking...simple meals. Mussels with bread and wine. 

Total Yum.

Reading...Hannah is reading The Secret Garden

I'm reading Anne of Green Gables

Then we'll switch.

Oh how I love that Anne with an e. 

Beaching...

that'll never get old.

Today Around the House...

I'm down 2 kids....and it feels weird. Really, Hannah is the only one that's gone. Stephen is gone all day at drivers Ed and then baseball at night. So we barely see him. And with Steve gone too..the house is just strangely quiet.

Will spent all day drawing....he's been devouring the Big Nate books lately. Today he drew a caption from the book. He was so proud!

Great job Will!

We baked...banana muffins from our new Family Meals cookbook.

So good with a cup of tea. Yes...I'm drinking tea in the middle of summer. It's a million degrees out but my house is freezing. 

I'm reading...these. I liked The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. I had planned to read Anne of Green Gables aloud to the kids..but Hannah is gone and doesn't want to miss out. So I started reading it myself and I can't put it down. 

I Made...Kale chips. Finally. I know they're all the rage lately. I don't know what's taken me so long to try them. I used Gwyneth's recipe..although, they're pretty much all the same I think. Kale, olive oil and kosher salt. I LOVE them. I ate them all right off the baking sheet. Not only do they taste REALLY good...(after the initial crunch..they just melt in your mouth)...but they are GOOD for you!  I hope my kids like them...cuz they're going in the lunch box next fall. 

That was my day.

Stephen just got home from baseball...he hit the winning RBI. My dad was there to watch. Thanks for going Dad.

Hannah is having the time of her life on the Vineyard with my mom and her cousin Sophie and my sister Jen. Thanks Mom and Jen for taking great care of her!

Steve is halfway across the world.

Looking forward to my little family being together again. 

Vineyard Weekending

We are loving summer!

Except for all the sickness these past two weeks.

Hopefully that's behind us...

cuz we got a lot more summering to do!

Sunday we went to the Vineyard.

Hannah goes for a week every year to stay with my mom.

My sister and her family live there too so she hangs out with the cousins.

That's my (crazy) brother David.

He's single.

  

Both my brothers came over with us.

John and his wife Jaimie and their 3 girls.

We really have a great time when we're all together.

David called me later that night and said,

"We have a great family."

:)

John and Hopey

Hannah, Sophie and Nunk.

That's what they call him.

Time to sing Happy Birthday

Sophie and John!

We barely caught the last ferry home.

And we don't just sit and enjoy the ride.

No...we're loud

we laugh..

a lot

and David will talk to anyone.

He usually meets a friend or two on the boat.

So, (lucky) Hannah is on the Vineyard for the week.

My mom treats her like a princess.

She also makes THE best Bloody Mary's.

Thanks Mom and Jen for a great day!

Scones, Sick and Skaket Beach

Lots of sickness this week.

Monday Will had the stomach bug and a fever.

Luckily...so far..no one else has gotten the stomach bug.

I was sick for two days and then Griffy woke up with a high fever this morning.

It's no fun being sick in the summer. :(

I bought this cookbook at William/Sonoma recently.

My new favorite!

I want to make everything in it. 

Started with the cream scones... :)

Griffy likes helping.

The kids have been working on their summer journals.

While listening to this.

Yesterday..during our one day of no sickness..

we were able to meet up with these guys.

We spent the day with them on the Cape.

Sometimes I forget that there are so many other great beaches around me..

not just mine!

We went to Skaket beach down in Orleans.

We had the best day!!

The kids all got along fabulously...(Stephen didn't make it :( 

A few neighboring beach-goers asked if they were all related

or if Hannah and Abby were sisters.

Sarah and I just laughed...but Jeff told them the story...

how we met through our blogs. 

It was kinda funny.

Once the wind died down

and the tide went waaay out

all the kids went out to skim board

and Jeff took Griffy and Patrick out too.

(that's him in the middle...Steve had to work :(

Sarah and I got to sit for a bit in our beach chairs and talk.

Then we went back to their cottage for pizza.

The kids did not want to leave!

We talked about how fun it would be to go on a family vacation together.

Maybe someday!

Thanks Jeff and Sarah for a great day!

We love your family!

Weekending..

Friday

I went to my 25th high school reunion..

Wow!

It was a blast!

Saturday

I recovered.

Baseball games

And a good friend stopped by with her family :)

Sunday

On the beach from 10-3

Came home 

packed up dinner

and went back to the beach for sunset

Today

stomach bugs

fevers

yuck.

I cleaned

ALL day.

When any of my kids get sick

I clean.

Like crazy.

Praying this stomach bug doesn't make it's way throughout the house.

The 4th

Our 4th of July was pretty low key.

Steve took the kids to the town parade 

I stayed home while the baby napped.

I may have shut my eyes for a minute or two as well

Trying to regroup after our NYC trip

So, since the family didn't celebrate Hannah's birthday with a cake

we made a flag cake and the celebration of her 13th continued.

It's good to be Hannah.

My dad and Roxie came later in the day for a cookout.

She made this amazing Quinoa salad with toasted sesame oil

oranges, cherries, dried cranberries and cashews.

I need the recipe for it!

Plus they showered Hannah with more gifts.

Will helped decorate the cake

Thanks Dad and Roxie for coming!

We love having you!

We left the dishes in the sink

and went to the beach to watch the sunset.

And the fireworks.

This is our favorite spot on the beach.

It's on the bay side and hardly anyone goes there.

We usually have it all to ourselves.

And it's the best place to watch the sun go down.

Wicked Weekending

We had such a great weekend! 

Hannah turned 13 on Saturday so..

instead of gifts and a party..she and I took the train into NYC for the night and saw Wicked.

It was awesome!! I don't think I'll ever watch the Wizard of Oz the same again.

And we both decided that this should be an annual event..this mother/daughter weekend!

We stayed here.

And can I just say....So Me. 

The history

The decor

The artwork

The wallpaper (Old New Yorker cartoons)

The tile on the bathroom floor!

The hospitality (for 2 days Hannah was showered with gifts from the staff, a cake and singing and someone saying "Happy Birthday" every time we came and went....maybe I'll go for my birthday.)

The resident cat..Matilda. (if you know me..you know I am NOT a cat person. Probably due to the severe allergy I have towards them...and that they remind me of snobby girls sometimes. :) 

The location.

Loved it here.

Here we are at the famous Blue Bar at the Algonquin.

Who can turn down complimentary drinks?

Not me apparently.

The first of THREE of these over 2 days.

Singing to Hannah :)

Off to shop in SoHo!

At the theatre

Wicked is sooo Good!

I want to see it again!

db Bistro for dinner...post theatre. 

Which means 11:30

AT NIGHT.

WAAAY past my bedtime.

But so fun. :)

Oh look another cake.

Steve called this one in.

After sleeping in and breakfast in bed on Sunday we started our trek here.

This was the only place Hannah wanted to go to. 

After walking 47 blocks

in the rain

5 blisters

and a small argument 

(because I wouldn't buy the sad puppy in the window)

we made it here.

Apparently we walked 13 blocks too far.

Dylan's portait in jelly beans.

Of course.

(Dylan is Dylan Lauren...as in Ralph Lauren's daughter...a hipper, prettier Willy Wonka.)

And if you plan on visiting her candy bar...

start saving your pennies.

It ain't cheap.

Although, what is in New York?

:)

Although for a dollar you can pick any of those sweets to dip in the chocolate fondue fountain.

Hannah chose the pretzel.

How much fun would that be at a party?

We didn't make it into the Met.

:(

I was so bummed.

Because we walked FORTY SEVEN blocks to find the candy bar...

and the line was out the door at the Met..

we would have missed our train home.

Next time.

Happy Birthday Hannah.

I know we'll always remember this trip!

I love being your mom.

:)