Spider Lake 2012

Following our Cape Cod adventure we made the trek up north to see Grammy and Grampy at their 'camp'. We were blessed with more great weather and many gorgeous sunsets. The only thing missing was the blueberries - the dry summer made for a small crop this year. Fortunately Grammy had frozen lots from last year so we were still able to enjoy a pie!

Here are the boys off on a fishing expedition. This was Carson's first time in the fishing boat with Grampy, hopefully he will learn some of Grampy's fishing secrets. But on this trip the only thing Carson caught was the end of the boat!

Rachel and Carson each caught a fish right off of the dock. Here is Carson showing off his catch.

Boys and their tools! Here is Carson helping Grampy make some dock repairs.

The weather was warmer this year so we spent lots of time in the lake.

Uncle Paul was able to join us for a few days early in the week. We all enjoyed his humor and fun. Here he is just about to cannon-ball right next to Grampy, and below that the Uncle Paul motorboat is giving Carson a ride.

Only a couple campfires this year since the wind did not cooperate. Just enough to enjoy some smores. Below that, play time in the hammock with Daddy.

The Andrews family takes their first canoe ride! We were hoping to find some wildlife but the kids got so silly, there was no way we were going to sneak up on anything. Below that, the girls went for a canoe ride together too.

Uncle Paul taught Rachel how to play the card game War and she loved it ("Mommy, I like that game more than eating candy!", she said). She and Grammy played many games during the week.

Rachel's other favorite pastime at camp is playing with the dogs. She is good at being gentle with them so they have grown to love her too.

Pine Lodge 2012

We had a wonderful two-week stay at Pine Lodge with Grandad in July. The hot weather prompted lots of swimming in Slough Pond. One of the kids favorite activities was swinging in the hammock and the most common question was, "Can you push us in the hammock?". We even tried croquet for the first time this year. Amazingly enough the old set that I used as a teenager is still in the barn and in good shape.

We enjoyed a kids program about crabs at the National Park visitor center. The kids learned about lots of different kinds of crabs and got to see some live crabs crawling on the tarp on the floor. Rachel loved the craft at the end.

Another first for this year, we tried mini-golf! We discovered that the kid's meals at Arnold's come with a discount coupon for a round of mini-golf so we decided to give their course a try. I think Carson enjoyed wading in the waterway more than playing golf, but who could blame him on such a hot day.

Here are the kids in front of the town hall in Wellfleet after we stopped for some groceries. Below that are shots of the playground in Wellfleet, conveniently located next to our favorite used bookstore.

We finally caught up with Aunt Ginie on our last night for a yummy dinner at Moby Dick's followed by a life-saving demonstration at Race Point. When they asked for volunteers to help put things away at the end of the program, Carson jumped right up and pitched in. Below that, Rachel and Grandad are checking out the knot display inside the Old Harbor Life Saving Station.

June 2012

With the kids out of school by June 1, we had a free month in June and took advantage of the time for some swimming lessons and some camping. We have a tennis club nearby that offers wonderful swimming lessons to the general public - an outdoor pool, great instructors, small classes, and a place for Mommy to sit nearby and watch. After the two-week class, Rachel and Carson both advanced to the next level!

At the end of June we ventured up to Idaho to try a camping spot near Ketchum. Pete & Jen met us for the weekend which made it even more fun.

We even did a hike together! Rachel and Carson are getting to be very good hikers. There was a sign-in book at the trailhead and Rachel was the one to sign us in.

After Ketchum we headed north to check out Red Fish Lake, a gorgeous lake which surpassed our expectations. Beautiful clear water, large sandy beaches, boat rentals and docks everywhere, and snow-capped mountains in the distance. Imagine finding a beach in Idaho!

Surrounding Red Fish Lake are pine forests, running rivers, and some amazing hiking trails. What a beautiful spot.

Wishing puffs - make a wish!