4th of July on the Lake

We went to visit our oldest daughter for the 4th of July.  The kids had a blast.  It was a long day (driving 3 hours up and over 3.5 home..don’t ask) but well worth it.  So much fun.  I thought I’d share a few pictures. 

                                          Becca and my Dad in the canoe
Fun in the lake


                                                                  Connor is a fish.  That boy LOVES to swim.







There was a small boat parade on the lake in the afternoon. 


A great way to spend a hot summer day. Emma and Jenna on the left and Connor on the right.

                           
Our oldest daughter Rebecca and her boyfriend Justin.

Summer Bucket List

I've seen a lot of summer bucket lists this week on various blogs.  I thought it might be fun to make one for us too.

1. Go swimming at East Beach
2. Go to Mystic Seaport
3. Go to the Mystic Aquarium
4. Go to Southwick's Zoo
5. Visit NY city

6. Visit the State House
7. Go to VBS
8. Get clam cakes at Iggy's
9. Go swimming in the pool.
10. Make homemade ice cream in a bag

11. Make S'mores over a campfire
12. Build a solar oven and cook something.
13. Try ice cube painting
14. Make a butterfly feeder
15. Make homemade sidewalk chalk

16. Make a foil river
17. Walk to Napatree Point
18. Go to DQ for ice cream
19. Participate in a summer reading program...read lots!
20. Go to the fair

21. Go to NH
22. Eat supper at the beach
23. Ride the Watch Hill Carousel and walk to the light house
24. Science Experiments from Amazing Science DVD
25. Go to the playground

26. Make campfire cones 
27. Make homemade lemonade (and read Lentil)
28. Oily Fireworks
29. Go bowling
30. Make Ice Sculptures

31. Shaving cream cloud
32. crayon melting on a candle warmer
33. paint the driveway with water and paintbrushes
34. Make soap clouds
35. Ride the escalators at the mall (yes, my kids love this)

36. Make rainbow bubble snakes
37. Visit Becca in NY
38. Make Oobleck
39. Go to Boston and walk the Freedom Trail
40.



I think I'll keep adding to this and maybe I should cross things off as we do them too!


Besides our own family traditions much of my inspiration came from these first two links:
Homeschool Share Blog
The Home Teacher
Pinterest Summer Bucket Lists

Blogging Hiatus

Well, I guess I fell down on the job of keeping up my blog once we finished our Download N Go unit studies for the year.  I am gearing up for a new school year while we continue our summer vacation.  Here are a few pictures from our recent trip to New Hampshire.

the path from our condo to the river

swimming in the Saco

Ellie

Katie, Jenna, Connor, Emma and Ryan on the turtle ride

Ryan and Sadie waiting for the others on the flume

in the pumpkin house

My parents have a picture of me sitting here when I was little.

Ellie and Daddy in the swan boat

Cinderella's castle

3 pumpkins in a pumpkin

bending the bars of the jail

Emma

Jenna

Emma

Rebecca

Rob warming up by the fire...ha

The view (AHHH) from the top of the ferris wheel

watching some of the other kids on a ride

Jenna, Katie and Emma

tired baby girl and her Daddy

Rebecca (my oldest), Me and Sadie (the "baby")

Ho Ho H20!

cupcakes

Sadie LOVED this ride.

a picnic before taking the ride back to the condo

Ellie in her new bathing suit

I love the white mountains.

The church we attended while on vacation.

In line at DQ

Connor and Jenna at the Christmas Loft

Emma

Connor

Silly boy

We had a fabulous time on our vacation.  Can't wait to go back next year!

The Sun Shines Again!

After 4 days of rain (which we desperately needed and I rather enjoyed) the sun came out again.  Rebecca's (our oldest daughter) friend Joy was visiting with us on her trip from Maine to Texas.  We thought it would be nice to take her to the beach and out for some clam fritters.  We went to a beach that we'd only been to once before and it was a long time ago.  It's a nice little beach and we enjoyed it very much.  We found more shells at this beach than we've found on our many trips to other beaches this summer.

Today is a perfect fall like day but hot, humid weather is on the way again.  I love the crisp, cool days but I'm not ready to give up our evenings on the beach so I guess we'll enjoy the warm days while they last.

Enjoying clamcakes, french fries and onion rings at a small park near the ocean

Rebecca and Joy

A Night at the Beach

A dead jellyfish that Ryan scooped up out of the surf.  

Tonight we went to Misquamicut State Beach.  It was one of the cooler days we've had in recent weeks but still plenty warm for heading to the beach.  As it got closer to dusk it was even a bit chilly.  When we go to the beach it is in the evening because there are less people and it's free!  The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and riding the waves.

Ellie had a great time at the beach!

Ryan, Connor and Emma in the water with Ellie, Jenna and Rob in the sand.

Connor playing with sand molds.

Connor and Jenna trying to get warm.

The sunset as we left the parking lot.