Summer Catch-Up: the photos

engrossed in Harry Potter

4th of July - ready for the parade

Happy 4th!

run, Julia, run

the energizer bunny

all about the ribbons

an ice cream sundae with ALL the toppings really makes you lose your inhibitions!

fries with friends

perfecting his dive

more fries, audio books, and solitaire

finishing the mile

books, sand, and sun

scientist examining our drinking water... looks pretty clean!

Summer Catch-Up

I'm currently sitting in Maine, on the edge of a lake, watching the kids kayak, swim, fish, race to the hot tub, race back to the lake, play hide and seek.... And that was all in a half hour period!

That's a bit what this summer has felt like. Like we have been wringing out every drop of summer. And it's been wonderful. Some things have been sacrificed - there has been little time to spend in the kitchen or the grocery store so meals have been cobbled together out of sandwiches, chips, and pickles and lots and lots of orders of french fries from the pool snack bar; bathing suits and shorts have been the daily uniform, and our hot water bill is minimal as showers and baths have been replaced by swims in the pool - but none of us are complaining.

This summer has been the summer of Harry Potter, read in big gulps throughout the days by Julia and smaller sips by Benjamin at bedtime. Its been days at the pool starting at 7:30am for swim team then returning in the afternoon for hours of soaking up sunshine and jumping into ice cold water to cool off. Its been time for new experiences - running summer track for the kids, learning to shuck oysters for the adults, and all learning how to surf together. Its been sticking it out through cold downpours on the pool deck, cheering on Julia. Its been hours spent pouring over Pokemon cards, debating the best card to add to a deck and then more hours playing, testing the decks, and re-building them.

It's August and summer is starting to wind down. I have an inkling that things will feel a little different when we return from the lake. That it will be a little more fall-ish. In a couple of weeks the pool will be closing, the school buses will be circling the streets, peaches and plums will give up their spots for apples and pears.

But for now I'm going to go put on my uniform and jump in the lake.

Strawberry Season

I couldn't ask for a better sidekick!

Camp Week 2017

We found the perfect camp this year, the New England Science and Sailing Foundation Marine Adventures camp in Stonington, CT. In 5 afternoons Julia and Ben:

• took a boat ride to an island and used a seine net to examine marine creatures (Julia)
• paddle-boarded (both)
• examined a dead spiny dogfish (Ben)
• kayaked (Ben)
• snorkeled (Julia)
• dissected a scup
• boogie-boarded (Julia)
• examined live eels (slimy!!!) and eel babies (Ben)
• surfed (Julia who now wants surfing lesson!)

They were pretty much in heaven the whole time! And I got to hang out and enjoy this view:

and enjoy this adorable-ness upon pick-up!

shark day!

Quahoggers!

We kicked off our summer with a true RI experience - clamming! Our class was held at North Kingstown town beach and was organized by DEM and taught by a 20 year shellfishing veteran. We learned a little about the background of clamming in RI, the shellfish industry, and the teacher's background and then they handed us rakes and sent us into the water.

In the hour we spend searching we hauled up about 40 clams of all sizes! The kids had a hard time with the rake so we teamed up: they rake lightly and found the clam, I used my muscles to get the rake down into the seabed under it, and then we dug them up together. I had no idea what a workout it would be -- I could barely move my arms the next day!

But we were rewarded with our own locally caught dinner!

Our haul!

Jodie, the instructor, demonstrating how to shuck them and his method of cooking... our new favorite recipe!

the instructor's haul!

FLIP!

Julia's latest stunt off the Greenwich Club diving board!

Heard Around Our House

Julia's first word play(!):

Julia: Mom, why do some animals have eyes on the side of their head?

Me: Well, they were created that way or evolved that way for some reason. Having their eyes in a particular place served some purpose, or gave them some advantage.

Julia: Like what?

Me: Well, think about a flounder. Where are their eyes?

Julia: On the top

Me: Why? Where do they need to see?

Julia: So they can see up.

Me: yup. 

Julia: yeah, they can see up and then when they need to they can flounder off! Get it Mom??? flounder off?! because they're a flounder!

hahaha

***********************

Discussing Ben's experience with fish dissection at camp:

Me: So what did you think of the dissection?

Ben: It was disgus.... I mean it was sooo interesting!

Me: Really, it was interesting?

Ben: Well, they told us to say that it was so interesting.

Me: what? they told you to say it was interesting?

Ben: No, they told us that whenever we think something is disgusting that we should say "so interesting" instead.

Me: so how was it?

Ben: It was sooo interesting!

A good life lesson!