Winnipesaukee - Paddle boarding & Weather Photo

Weather! I LOVED paddle boarding. Love love loved it.

Winnipesaukee - Kayaking & Ice Cream

First: Kayaking!

Second: Ice cream! One of my vacation goals was ice cream every night. I got 6 out of 7 nights. Acceptable. This was the best place. Their mocha chip was amazing. Their mint chip less amazing, but still good.

Lake Winnipesaukee - Girl pictures!!

So, the week of July 19 to July 25 we headed to Wolfsboro on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. G38 kept telling us that What about Bob was filmed there. Well, it wasn't, but it was SET there. And I can see why. The town was super cute, Wolfsboro bay was fantastic, and all in all it was a great place. Our house was just about 1/4 mile from the center of town, so the big girls (K10, C9, Q8) could walk there by themselves. Which was cool for them. They could go do things: shop, eat candy, go to the library, without us. Always nice.

These are the best of the silly girls photos.

  

4th of July weekend

It had been a long time since I'd been to New England for the 4th of July, so this year we decided to go. First stop, we visited K & T & J in Easthampton. Fun, of course, as always.  They have a backyard salt-water pool that was very attractive to our kids. They played in there a great deal, but at one point there was a little ... I don't know, J8 got hurt, then they had a hard time getting back to having fun ... so I decided to spice things up for them. And jump in with my clothes on.

Gloucester. I didn't take any photos at the party, but this is what I wanted to do, and nearly all of the extended L---- family was there. It was great to see nearly everybody, even if for just a few moments each We also walked to Brace Cove, which I used to call the sea glass beach. Not nearly as much sea glass as I remember, but that of course is a good thing, even though I did think about smashing 10-15 blue bottles into the sea to create some sea glass. We did find a good bunch, though, which we brought home.

On the 4th we had ice cream. At Cherry Hill Farm. DEEEEEE-licicous!!!

Here we are! Me, M45, G38! We all look great!

And ME68. She's looking awesome.

Q8 and K10 enjoyed the beach a lot

C9 went to Good Harbor Beach with other family members, so we didn't get any photos of her!!

And if you are interested, ask C45 about him taking a car, a bus, a plane, a train, and a hike to get to Gloucester!

Tax Day -- I mean Q8's birthday!!

It seems to me as if we are travelling for Easter or spring break or something every year around April 15. Maybe I'm just imagining it, but of course this year was no different. Our little road trip sat squarely around April 15, and Q asked if we could be home for her birthday. So for that reason we lopped Charleston off our itinerary, and drove home on Q's birthday. Which really was enough of a visit for her, anyway. She was glad to be going home.

For a little while now, however, Q has been talking about a surprise party. Surprise party? She wanted a surprise party.  But of course she would not tell me what she wanted to do, because it was supposed to be a surprise. I was thinking of taking a pack of girls to get their nails done, or go to a pool, or something. But I really had no idea what would work. So on the 14th, in Charlotte, at the raptor center, I had the inspiration to throw Q a party THE NEXT DAY. Yes, we were driving home. Yes we wouldn't be back until 2 pm or something. No, I couldn't make a cake. No, I had no idea how many people were actually around. But I was going to make this work.

First, I called C44, to see if he could order a cake from Shortcake Bakery. He said they were closed on Mondays, and they needed two days to do a cake, but he'd try the next morning, the morning of the party. If they couldn't do it I suggested a cake from Giant, or an ice cream cake. And ice cream, if we did get a cake cake. All of which C44 did admirably. AND he pre-made dinner for us, which was great.

I'd been in contact with H8's mother already, and we'd planned to have H8 sleep over on her birthday, so when I did ask Q what kind of cake she wanted. A vanilla cake, of course, because H8 doesn't like chocolate. With strawberries.

So, then I texted a bunch of people and told them I was going to have a surprise party the next night, and could they come??? All except one family could come.

So the next day we arrived home. Dinner was made, and eaten, the cake was in the kitchen.

Q8 knew that H8 was coming over at 6:45. So I sent her over to our neighbors with a pile of magazines for my friend E. And I told Q8 not to come back until 6:45. And could she bring the D family over to share the cake with us??

Q9: "I don't want to share the cake with the Ds"
Me: "Well, I actually already asked them, so ..."
Q9: "Why do I have to stay over there until 6:45?"
Me: "Well, because I'm cleaning up after dinner, I don't want you to get dirty, and if you come back I'm going to make you do chores, H8 isn't coming until 6:45 anyway."
Q9: "Ok, I guess"

So, she did stay. And promptly at 6:30 her friends showed up and started practicing jumping out and yelling "SURPRISE!!!"

Which was funny, but did get old after a while. (above see from left to right H8, P8, C6, and S7)

So, then we were watching outside. It was POURING rain, so the Ds drove her back. Here is me looking out the peep hole. I think this photo is just funny.

Then they arrived, Q8 opened the door and we yelled "SURPRISE" and were rewarded with this big, giant smile:

And the hugs began!!!

 

Great party, best and only surprise party I've ever thrown, and Q loved it. We are good til next year.

Charlotte

Charlotte was lovely. J & C live on a stream. that the girls were old enough to really really enjoy. I think they spent a few hours down there. That is really what they wanted to do. I don't have a picture of them down there, because I was enjoying the screen porch too much to walk through the forested area to go see them. Until ONE of them hid the OTHER of them's shoes, so she couldn't walk back. Then I did have to go down there. But for the most part, they loved the little stream.

Monday we went out to a raptor center in Charlotte. Charlotte really is sprawling; it took 40 mintues to get there! And through rural areas! We saw all sorts of raptors, owls, vultures, eagles ...

J at the raptor center. I love this photo. He's just the right height. We all did this, but J did it best.

Q was really ready to go HOME home while we were at the raptor center, partly because she was hungry (it was around noon, and school lunch is around 11) and partly because she just was ready to be home. This was actually her best trip yet, I was very pleased with her ability to go from house to house and have no problems falling asleep at all.  But because of her attitude, and the fact that her birthday was the next day, I started organizing a surprise party for the next day while at the raptor center. Thank you smart phones!!!! More on that coming up.

Last photo at the raptor center. I love this picture.

But we went to Panera Bread for lunch at Q7's request, since she had gone with H8 sor H8's birthday celebration in Baltimore. Q7 really wanted me to get the broccoli-cheddar soup (which she kept thinking was cauliflower-cheddar), which was, I admit, delicious. And she got it, too. And C9 got mac & cheese. Also apparently delicious. So delicous that C9 thanked the staff for making such delicous food.

Then we hit a Ben & Jerry's for dessert. Mmmmmm. Mocha chip. I can't recall what anybody else got because mine was the best.

Later that night we celebrated Q7's birthday once again, with a delicious frozen yogurt cake. This is the last picture we have of Q7 ... everything after this is Q8~

We had such a good time with J & C, it was relaxed and wonderful. Thank you!!!

Georgia! Sunday

Sunday, our last day in Georgia, but we had a great morning. A took us to a local green space where we could bring the dog and basically let loose. We all flung the buoy for Duke. Some of us (A, A10 & L10) better than others (C9, Q7, and me). But Duke loved it all.

Best photos of the four of them. 

We headed a little further in and went to a natural waterslide. Wow, was this fun. And very dirty. Q7 ripped her shorts (whooooops), C9's skirt is permanently stained, but we loved it anyway.

   

Then we had to go to get to Charlotte. Back north a little bit! We had a lovely wonderful time in Georgia, special cousins visit.