Cousin Camp: Day 2

Short on photos for day 2 due to the professional photos done in the morning. The boys still don't like having their picture taken, but we managed to get one with all of us in it. None of the adults were dressed or ready for the occasion so I think it turned out pretty well! The other picture is of Akie singing "All Around the Mulberry Bush" and dancing with the kiddos. Long day - glad we all made it through no matter how ungracefully!

Third Annual Cousin Camp, 2010: Day 1

For those who don't know the back story, Cousin Camp was officially begun in 2007, the year my parents became grandparents of 3 all in the same year! Myrick was born in March in New Hampshire, and Maddox and Nixon followed six months later in October in Florida. Since it seems unlikely that we'll ever live in the same state (although we are getting closer!) we needed to have a time during the year that could be dedicated to the new cousins, thus the birth of Cousin Camp. This is the 3rd year that we've gathered them together and now with the addition of Pender! It also seems like this is the first year that we can actually "do" stuff. Akie is the director of Cousin Camp and the creator of the menu and the schedule, and boy, has she packed it in this year! Day one was held around the house creating our tee-shirts and washing the car - a nice mellow start.

All done - time to play!

Poppy the supervisor

Maddox detailing the front bumper

Nixon helps out

Washing Akie's car

Pender taking it all in

Cooling off in the SC heat

Maddox playing in the tent/tunnel in the living room

Handprints in puffy paint!

Making our camp tee-shirts

SC Visit 2010

Putting those swim lessons to use!

Helping Akie water her lawn

Playing with my feet

Bro and Sis

Old friends :)

Joanne, Zachary, and John come for a play-date

Beky and Gabby visit us!

Kaylie and Myrick in the splash pool

Three Years of Kitchen Work

While we all love stained-wood decor (Em in particular), the kitchen we found in the house when we moved in just couldn't stay. It had places to go, things to do. The faux bronze-brick backsplash, as much as it added that certain je ne sais quoi to the room's atmosphere, needed to leave. And the enigmatic column--was it simply a display case? was it load bearing? did it house the disco ball?

With considerable assistance from our parents, we slowly began to tame all that polished wood. First Paula helped out with a generous coat of paint. Then we discovered a granite countertop in the barn that only needed a 6-ft cabinet to go with it, which Dad built. Next followed more cabinets from Dad that we managed to hang (which surprisingly haven't fallen yet!), a few more family painting days and we were a little bit closer.

And then the column came down and the island was removed. Fortunately it wasn't load bearing, but unfortunately there was nothing but sub-flooring underneath it. Dad's new island required some plywood underneath, and it was almost finished. Last touch went in yesterday--tiling the remaining footprint! I added some grout today for good measure, and we've got ourselves a totally new kitchen.

Much thanks to our indefatigable parents!

Down to the fens

Father's Day and Dad's birthday: what more reason does a family need to go to Fenway?

Of course, in this day and age it's never quite that easy without considerable foresight, which we lack. So instead we pulled together two different groups of seats in the bleachers on what might have been one of the hottest, sunniest afternoons of the year. But it was the series in which Manny made his (un-)triumphant return to Beantown in a Dodgers uniform, so it was worth it. And add a walk-off victory by the Sox as a bonus!

After a visit to Grammie and Papa in Boxboro, the whole family met up in Acton for a fantastic lunch and then took the T in from Riverside to Kenmore. Myrick was enthralled. And exhausted. She didn't get into the game as much as the hot dogs, ice cream, ramps around the right-field upper deck, and singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' during the seventh-inning stretch. Oh, and dancing with Rachel!

Presenting Pender: Part II

Presenting Pender: Part II