Day trips are easy and fun!

With 3 weeks of summer left, we are trying to squeeze every bit of fun that there is to be had. Today we are hanging out at home with a friend. There is a big thunderstorm going on, so this blog entry may end up getting lost to mother nature. And then I will have to entertain 3 boys with no power. We are dog-sitting little Dexter while our friends the Reeds are off to New York City for a few days. We seem to be attached at the hip since they left this morning, or should I say ankle? He's a dachshund so he can't reach my hip.

Last weekend we ended up not going to Moira because of health complications with my aunt and my parents needing to concentrate on that. I think we'll try again next weekend, or at least just me because I'm getting a little homesick. So we did a lot of day trips that were fun for the kids. Last Friday, we went to Natural Stone Bridge and Caves in Pottersville, NY. It's a little walk that includes going over a large, natural stone bridge with a river that runs underground under it. There are several caves to explore and rock formations. The boys loved it. Last Saturday we went to Great Escape at night because the boys wanted to see it with the lights. That was hot and stinky, but of course a blast for them. And Sunday we took Chris' mom to an outdoor concert of Hair of the Dog (local Irish group). So all these day trips really make me appreciate where we live and all the fun things there are to do within an hour away.

This weekend we are supposed to go to a cookout at a friend's camp on Sacandaga Lake, though I'm wondering if the weather will permit it. And Sunday we are having friends for dinner. I feel like we've really paid attention to our friendships this summer. We've reconnected with college and high school friends, and made time to see all of our local friends too. It's what summer is all about...being with family and friends.

So school is right around the corner, and I think I'm beginning to look forward to it (though I would love to get one more camping trip in!). We got all of our school supplies and finished most of the summer work that needed to get done. The boys could use some sneakers and clothes, but I think I might wait until later September when fall stuff goes on sale. I'm hoping the summer weather is going to last longer since it got a late start, so they won't need long sleeved stuff for a while yet, or at least I hope! A lot of people are asking me what I'm going to do now that both kids are in school all day. As if being home isn't work enough! Chris says I should tell them I'm going to start growing pot! But I guess there is a curiousity to what stay-at-home moms do when working moms seem to get it all done while maintaining an outside job. Well, I like to think I do work but don't get paid. I will most likely spend 3 or 4 days volunteering at different places and spend the other 2 doing chores and errands. I'll get all that stuff done during the day so I can focus on helping the kids with their stuff when they are home. I think Chris and I really feel a peace in our family living this way, keeping it simple.

So that's what's new in a nutshell. Also August 19th was our Gotcha Day--celebrating 6 years that our family was made complete with Thomas! Well, we haven't actually celebrated yet but hope to this weekend. The boys want to go to a McDonald's Playstation and get the new Lego racers. Sounds simple to me!

Fun in the yard

The boys and I have spent a lot of our summer playing at home. I've been playing in the garden.








Green peppers and 1 lone cucumber plant with no cucumbers yet. Corn and zucchini. My sad attempt at a scarecrow has been successful in keeping the rabbits and birds away! I have some little cobs and zucchini. The peas already finished and weren't very plentiful. The basil and lavender I have in the front yard are doing well, and my new perennial bed is looking awesome! The coreopsis just started blooming. What pleases me most with the perennial bed is that I grew most everything from seed. Other plants in there were gifts. The whole garden cost me about $5.00 to do. Most people spend more on that with just one plant! So I'm proving you don't need a lot of money to garden. I'm thinking of filling in the sandbox next year with dirt and expanding my veggies. Although it is a little sad that the boys have outgrown it.

The boys have come up with all sorts of creative things to do at home. We've rigged a hose on the slide to make a cool and fast slide. Thomas did that with his friend Leo yesterday and it was hard to get a picture...they went so fast! And they've re-discovered their skateboards. In the photo, Thomas is pretending to be a bowling ball!








They have both had some friends over, Thomas more than Nolan. When I asked Nolan if he wanted a friend over, he said, "No, I'm not a people person." I thought that was the funniest thing, the way he said it! But he is a quieter person than Thomas. He seems to have just a few friends that mean a lot to him, as opposed to Thomas who seems to know everyone. But what's been great this summer is that they really enjoy playing with each other. Of course there's the fighting too, but mostly they love to be goofy and play together. It's great.

So camp ends this week and then we're off to Moira and the Franklin County Fair. We're hoping to go to the Newcomb Interpretive Center on the way there to check it out. We'll be using our new GPS to find the place, thanks to mom and dad! I will never get lost again!

You just won...a new car!

OK, so it's not new and I didn't win it. But I am striking a "Price is Right" pose! After a LLLOOONNNGGG pause of me not having a vehicle and all the headaches dealing with the garage and the insurance, we now have 2 cars in our driveway again. The garage declared the Subaru totaled on Saturday, so we went camping and came back to car shop with a vengeance! We found this lovely 2003 Pontiac Vibe and it fit the bill. It even has some perks...it came with a CD changer and a remote car starter! So Mathew...what should I name it??

I won't blog much about the camping trip since Chris did. I will post this one picture of Mike and I because it is just the EPITOMY of our relationship and I love it. I'm always the happy, flaky one and he's the "oh, please, give me a break" one! Of course, I think that cup has wine in it so that could be part of the reason for being happy, but I digress. Mike, you're the best. It was a great weekend, despite the rainy outcome. I hope it becomes an annual event.

So we going to continue sucking the life out of this summer and ignoring the back-to-school ads. Not having a car, I got a lot of homey projects done and now having a car, I'll start doing all the errands that didn't. The kids are still in camp in the morning this week and next. We have a blissful weekend at home coming up, and then it's off to Moira and the Franklin County Fair (Almanzo Wilder went to the same fair!).

Adirondack Vacation Photos

My heart is in the ADK's

Nolan at Owen Pond, off Rte. 86. Chris says it looks like his foot is touching the sky.










This tree was also near Owen Pond. It's amazing how resilient nature is. Life finds a way.










We went to a magic show in Lake Placid and Nolan got called on stage. Chris did too! They have no inhibitions, these men of mine!








We went for a walk around the Wilmington Flume.








Here we all are at the top of Mount Jo. A beautiful view for not a lot of effort. We also hiked Mount Baker in Saranac Lake.








We had a terrific vacation getting away from it all in Silver Lake. We are just so thankful that my uncle lets us stay at his camp for a week every year, so we can be in such beauty. It was cool and rainy most of the time while we were there, but it didn't deter us! In addition to all these hikes, we got to visit with my uncle and my folks too. We also took a trip into Plattsburgh and walked around the campus. We tried to hike at the VIC in Paul Smith's but it started to thunder and lightning. We got ice cream at Donnelly's instead--much better choice anyway! Although they are getting commercial with everyone else--$2.50 for a baby cone! We hiked the Brewster Peninsula while in Lake Placid too. I love doing that hike because most tourists are blowing their money in all the shops there, but not us. We opt for the woods. What was fun about our Silver Lake trip this year was that the boys are getting older and easier. They could explore outside without us for bits of time. We swam some towards the end, but it wasn't the best swimming weather. It was just nice to be away, just us as a family, and be reminded again that our cup overfloweth.

So it's back to reality this week. We will still be 2 more weeks without a car, but we're keeping busy. Yesterday, Nolan turned 9 ...wow! Half way to being an adult! We celebrated with Gaba and Louis Saturday night, and then he, Chris and a friend went to see a ValleyCats game. Nolan told me he didn't want me to go because it was guy's night! I guess he is getting older (sob!). Thomas is at Vacation Bible School this week and Nolan is at the town camp. Nolan has some practices and a game this week. So life is back to normal in Niskayuna. Whoever is reading this should let me know how their summer is going too!

Chance of showers

Here's a video from a recent trip to the Great Escape, where Nolan and Thomas wait for the water to spill from Paul Bunyon's Bucket Brigade.

There was an earlier one where they took a much more direct hit. Thomas actually got knocked down by the force of the water!

This time they stayed out on the edge a little more. Watch for Nolan in the green swim trunks and Thomas next to him the blue and white Hawaiian-style suit.

Summer is here...with a crash!

Our first lemonade stand...made more than $8 in 2 hours!







A makeshift sprinkler







So our summer vacation didn't start out that great, but we're making the most of it and taking it on as a challenge. We literally are turning lemons into lemonade!

I took the kids to Troy to meet Chris for dinner, got lost, ran through an intersection and a car broadsided us. Everyone is okay...just got a ticket and the car is in the shop for a month. And of course, I am still humbled by my act of stupidity and the fear of what could have happened to my kids. But it's also making me realize again how dependent we get on our cars. I mean, 50 years ago, most families only had 1 car.

We have been trying to figure out what we're going to do with a trip to Silver Lake coming up and kids going to camps, baseball games, etc... But fortunately, we live in a place where a lot is walking/biking distance. We can get to several playgrounds, church, store, post office and library all within 15 minutes by bike. Not to mention the fun that can be had in our own backyard (see the pics to prove it!). So we're sucking it up and having a true "staycation" this week. Next week we get to attempt packing Chris' little 2 door Honda Civic for a week in Hawkeye. It's a challenge we plan to conquer! We Rooneys are hardy folk!