The Nature Trail

We call this part of the bike path "the nature trail" because although it is paved for bikers, it feels like you are surrounded by nature.  The best part for the boys is that it leads to the park!

Goin' to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo

Bucks Lake 2017

After skipping the annual cabin trip last year, we were all excited to go back to spend the weekend with the Gallaghers. For the first time, all the kids were finally old enough that we didn't need to watch them so closely and they could just have adventures out on their own.

The part of the trip that eclipsed our normal cabin experience was the nearby wildfire that started the morning after we arrived. We could see and smell the nearby smoke, but the scary part was that it was burning dangerously close to Quincy and moving in that direction. Jeremy and I were ready to stay with the kids in case the Gallaghers needed to go back and help family members whose homes were possibly at risk. Fortunately, the wind changed, Quincy was fine for the moment, and everyone could breathe a small sigh of relief. Two weeks later, the fire was almost entirely contained.

When the weekend was over and it was time to leave, Owen, in his normal fashion, said he wanted to stay there forever. Even with all the fun activities we did this summer, Owen says going to the cabin was the most fun he's had all summer.  "Because you just get to EXPLORE stuff!"

The a-cabin, as Owen used to call it (and still does sometimes, with a smile)

"Exploring," building a hiding place, and playing with charcoal

Playing hide & seek and tag

Walking to the lake

Logan, happiest at the lake playing with a bucket and some rocks

Those goggles are everything

Beach reading

'SUP, Jeremy (see what I did there?)

Check out the giant plume of smoke from the fire

Throwing rocks

Every few minutes, planes would fly by and dip into the lake to get water for to help fight the fire. This man was recording it on his phone.

Rock collection

Dinnertime giggles

Coco, oh Coco,
Logan loves you.

S'more time

Vintage Toys

In our small outside storage closet were 7 large containers filled with Jeremy's old toys from childhood. And from early adulthood (*cough* Star Wars prequels *cough*). He had talked about one day letting Owen and Logan play with and/or keep them, and now seemed like just the right time.

At the School on a Saturday

Owen's school is a great place to ride bikes, with its flat, wide open space.  The boys love to ride down the wheelchair ramp to the playground. The weather was nice when we arrived, but it quickly got HOT, and no one even wanted to ride bikes anymore. Instead, we took our pink cheeks and rested in the shade.

Poppers

These poppers were a suggestion sell at the fireworks booth yesterday.

Lady at the fireworks booth: "...and the kids love these.  You should definitely get a box for each kid. They're only 99 cents."

Okay, fine. 

Fast forward to today...obviously they were a good buy.