Fun Times II

Finally, a week later, we are almost fully recovered from our trip to CT to visit the in-laws, although there is still one suitcase left to unpack...(Notice how I try to make it seem less of a deal by implying that it is one of many suitcases?  Really, if we're to be honest, it's the big one that is still unpacked, out of only two.  I've just been busy and mixed in with my procrastination, it just has yet to be done!) 

Just a warning, though - I blogged about the beach out of order.  I was so excited to get those pictures up, that I couldn't wait to put it in at the right time. So, lets all just mentally place the beach on the backshelf for a while and I will tell you when to bring it out -

Moving back to Thursday night - Jenna & Lucas joined us at my mother-in-law's home and we had a great time.  Arriving late that night were also my sister in law and her boyfriend.  They are a lovely couple and I wish we had been able to visit even more, but they only were able to stay that one evening. (It was a very full house.)

Friday morning, we all woke up and lazed around and prepared a yummy breakfast.  (Is it possible to laze and simultaneously prepare breakfast?  Seems improbable, but trust me, I did laze and also help prepare breakfast, so apparently it is indeed possible!)

Then, we got ready and left to go apple picking. We went to a little farm right by my mother-in-law's house and luckily, we arrived on the very last day of apple picking.  There were also several animals, a pumpkin patch and a little country store with all kinds of homemade jams/jellies/other wares...

The animals were pretty fun for the kids, albeit a little sad.  You know, all these farm animals clamoring for food and penned up - it seems like sheep should be wandering/grazing some idyllic hillside (and this was not that!)  but it was still fun to see them all. 

Jenna & Lucas had to return home (about a two hour drive), so they left shortly after we arrived at the farm - it was so hard to say goodbye - but at least we had something fun to occupy our thoughts instead of sitting around moping & missing them. 

Then we picked apples - something I totally miss here in the south.   This was a little bit of an adventure - the apple orchard is built into the side of a hill, with some "terracing" to help anchor the apple trees to the ground...It was a little dicey getting into the trees to pick the apples, but Cooper & Melody both enjoyed this part - Cooper really filled up his bag, while Melody had a little harder time.  We headed home and everyone laid down for a little nap. 

After apple picking came the beach.  (So go, retrieve it off the backshelf and insert here!)  \

When we got home, my mother in law made some apple pie with our freshly picked apples and we ate it for dinner.  That's right, people - apple pie for dinner!  Not only apple pie for dinner, but apple pie for dinner on a blanket on the floor (picnic style) with ice cream while watching Lady & the Tramp! 

Saturday morning, we woke up, had a light breakfast and headed to a different beach with my father in law.  We had another great time throwing rocks, counting sailboats, looking for dead crabs, & racing along the seaside walking trail.  By the time we left, both kids were tired out, so we headed home for more naps (and a little lunch).  We laid low the rest of the afternoon - just hanging out at my mother in law's house and playing.

Sunday was pretty fun - Alex's cousin just had a baby, about a month ago, and he and his wife were so kind - they drove two and a half hours to come visit us.  So after church, we went back home and waited for them to arrive.  It was the perfect New England fall day - chilly, gray, rainy...My mother in law built a fire in the fireplace and I made a yummy stew (Chicken with quinoa and butternut squash). 

That fire in the fireplace was perhaps my second favorite part of the trip - after the beach!  I remember so fondly when Alex & I lived in New England - he would always build a fire in the fireplace...In fact, when our boiler/furnace broke on New Year's Day one year, the fire in the fireplace was the lone source of heat for our house for the three days it took to get it replaced.  Here in the south, that doesn't sound like a big deal - but when it is about 10 degrees outside, it is a little more of a feat!  Those are such wonderful memories - so, they all came roaring back when the fire was lit in my mother in law's living room. 

We all sat around and visited all afternoon - and I got to hold the baby A LOT which made it even better.  Of course, I was too busy holding the baby and cooking lunch that I did not take a lot of pictures.  But we did get a couple group shots of all of us together.  Plus, Paul & Marika (Alex's cousin & his wife) were so thoughtful to bring presents for my kids - the Legos kept Cooper occupied all afternoon - and he especially enjoyed building things with "Uncle" Paul. 

Sunday night was spent doing laundry and packing up all our belongings and getting ready for our 3 AM wake-up to get to the airport on time.  And then it was 3 AM and we were on our way home. 

Here are the pictures from the remainder of our trip:  

 Farm Animals

 (Cooper was way too excited and wound up to stand still for a picture.  In fact, both kids seemed to be totally uninterested in posing for pictures of any kind.  Thus, the resulting back-of-head pics.  These only seem like valid photographs to mothers and grandmothers, so Mom - these are for you!) 

 Cooper & Melody in the pumpkin patch...Again, totally uninterested in any sort of picture-posing...

 On our way up the hill to the apple orchard

 The second beach...It was a little colder that day, so we did not put our feet in, plus, there was really very little in the way of sand.  Cooper was undeterred, though, and would have gotten in to swim if mom had let him.  Luckily, throwing rocks is a fine substitute.

 Dan, my father in law (who is as elusive in photos as any endangered species!), was showing the kids how to skip rocks.  But, as you can see, he is difficult to photograph!  I like the one below of him & Cooper, though - the student and teacher...

 Searching for the perfect rock...

 Melody and Mommy! 

 What little sand there was, we had to dig in, of course!  (And bury our planes, cars, trucks, etc...)

 The visit with "Uncle" Paul, "Auntie" Marika, & Baby Aleksandra... (Notice the blurs in the photo - that would be my camera-shy bundles of energy.  Seriously, I would imagine this is what the atom would look like if you tried to photograph it - just a bunch of protons, neutrons & electrons spinning endlessly - infinite sources of energy...Cooper is like the electron cloud here!) 

Could any of these family pics be considered "good"?  I don't really think so - but this is the moment, right?  The photograph captures life and right now, my little atomic energy clouds are life.  So, even though I look pregnant (try wrestling a wild hog, and you will look pregnant too!) in all these photos and my kids are messes, I enjoy looking back at these photos b/c they are real.  And our reality right now is that we are being held in the hand of the Lord.  What could be better and more beautiful than that? 

Thank you so much Bestemor & Gidgio, for a wonderful, beautiful trip.  We all had such an amazing time - your love and generosity to me and the kids never ceases to amaze me, and I am so thankful that we were able to spend this time with you both.