Apple picking

Take a look at this picture, because I have about a thousand times.  He's not looking at me smiling for the camera, he's just smiling because he's happy.  What else is there in life???

Oh its that time of year again, time for the Old apple picking day.  Its a lot of fun.  The kids still have a lot of fun, at least they let us think they are having fun.  I think they are though. 

     With much apprehension I let him climb the trees. 

First day of skool

Jimmy started a day later and neither of us has had a morning chance to bother him for a picture.  He's getting a school picture next week so that will cover it.

Last day of fun at the Mill (for the summer)

     There was a ribfest at the Mill.  Actually, it was a good natured rib-off between Kara and Rich and we were all the beneficiaries.  There were some good tasting ribs and I really don't think there was much left over.  The kids swam all day long and played some corn hole.  Nana and Doe showed up for the fun and festivities.   I asked around but I really don't think there were many diet items on the menu. 
There was a competition for the kids where a piece of bubble gum was covered in whipped cream.  Whoever blows the first bubble wins.  It was Catherine and Erin to take home the shiny new dime award.
     Poor Jimmy had to work through it all....at the mill of course.  He snuck over to us for some food of course.

     This is our end of the year party at the mill.  It was a great summer for the kids, they went here all the time and had a great time swimming and having fun.

Guess where we went today....

     Yes, this morning Jackie boy and Catherine asked me to bring them out for a donut and a trip to Black Gordon.  I refuse to ever say no to a trip to Black Gordon.  So there we went and the trolley was there, Catherine still likes to take the ride and wave to people as we go by.  Ahhhh, i still have them.....for now anyway.  Its really fun to play wall ball but i'm thinking that its getting tougher and tougher to keep up with them

I didnt realize how cute this picture was till i looked at it again

Not a chance

My friend Leslie posted this photo on Facebook today.   She has three kids.  And yes, silence is golden.   Do you know that every fifth and sixth week I get the Friday off.  Its a big joke around the house that on those Fridays, something always happen.   If there isn't someone throwing up in the middle of the night, I am told the kids have a half day at school.  I swear for every day off for at least a year something happened to derail Daddy's day.  Laura loves to come home and tell me that there is a half day, or that I have to do something that day.  I have come to accept it.  I suppose if left to my own, I could get into a lot of trouble.  But don't we feel uncomfortable, or even guilty if we take that time and aren't with the little cherubs.  I've gotten so used to them that if I'm not with them, I'm thinking of them.  I have even gone to the schools and taken one of them out to go somewhere on days when I shouldn't.  I have to come to the realization that I used them to do the things that I want to do, but its just too immature to do at my advanced age.  I've gone and taken Laura out to go to Wahlburgers for her birthday, and then to tell her when we were going to Florida just so that I could tell her.  Jimmy and Jack suckered me into going to breakfast before so he could get out of school.  When I do have some time i like to bring them to the coffee shop and maybe over to this black train that hasn't moved in about thirty years.....sometimes just to sit there and drink our coffee and make believe coffee's.  Yeah, I guess we really believe in the fantasy of having our own time, quiet and away from life, but the reality is, we'd rather be with the little ones, they are what gives us our greatest laughs, our biggest frustrations and overall sound problems.  I've developed an ability to ignore a lot of the sounds around me.  Lyn actually wanted to send me to a hearing doctor because she told me I was going deaf.  I laugh alone at that one...it is pretty funny if you think about it.  It took some practice.

But sometimes it is nice to just get away without the feelings of guilt...but we do think of the kids.

This is Jack

     Its a poor quality shot, taken from afar...its of Jack doing his thing, eating from a bag of pretzels and watching his YouTube channel.  To me, its hilarious because I always say that I could sometimes just sit and watch him all night and laugh.  I have looked at this picture over and over again and just laugh and laugh at it.  He's like an old man just sitting on his chair, content with life and not a care in the world.  Love it!!

And now, this is koo koo bird Jack.  He sent this picture to ant jo while we were at vacation home

Vacation

Two weeks of vacation have come and gone...it was sorta like, nice to know you, see ya later....We went to North Conway for a bit and then to the lake.  We love this place, its very comfortable to us.

  You know, we have four kids and we are so used to having them all with us most of the time.  Its uncomfortable when we dont have all of them there.  Jimmy wasn't with us for some of the second week as he went and did his football thing with practices for the upcoming season.  Something was definitely missing...

so here is my pinterest addition.  Its these shelving things that I saw on pinterest for bringing items to the beach.  So we were driving one day and saw one in someones driveway with a FREE sign on it.  It was calling for me.   Lyn is not very fond of it.  I suppose one of these days i need to grow up...but for now, i'll just stay immature.   I stacked things around it in the car so she wouldnt see it...

We went to dinner at the lake in Wolfborough....It was a seafood restaurant.  I figured if youre by the ocean you might as well eat seafood....Yes, i know its the lake.  I saw the water and my palette was tricked so I ordered haddock and clam chowder.

  Back at the lake, Laura is loving the paddleboard and Catherine is getting much more comfortable in the kayak.

Oh gosh Daddy

Even Jack has scorned me now..He came into the bedroom this morning to tell me that on the chore list (yes, we have a list) I have to bring papers to Denise...he asked me who Denise is.  I tell him, she is the sister of deNephew.  He just turns and in his Jackie voice says OH GOSH DADDY and away he went

Painted twister

     First of all, let me just say that I think they are all crazy..  A good crazy of course.  Laura got this idea in her mind that she wanted her friends over today to play twister with paint.  What a fun group!!  It wasn't long before they were all covered in paint.  At one point they were going to walk to get ice cream...then it started to rain!!  I guess we will find out if the paint is really washable now because into the minivan we went!!

They are such a fun group of friends!!

Patriots game

     It was Jackies turn to go somewhere with Daddy.  He had never been to the Patiots before and for a couple of weeks he had planned that we would go to the Red Sox game Saturday but the opportunity to go to the Patriots came around and we didnt hesitate.  We left the house around 2pm and had to get the food for barbecue and then head out.  He insisted on Steak tips and hot dogs so thats what we got.  We got into the parking lot no problem and set up behind the car and ate up with alot of playing catch with the football in between.

Love this smiling picture....the picture below shows how we were cooking on top of our table.  Maybe that wasn't the wisest decision because the plastic melted away from the grill

     Umple Eddies seats are awesome right in the end zone.  Jackie was worried that he wouldnt be able to see because there was a guy with an enormous head in front of us but we worked our way around it.  A couple of large drinks of soda was all it took during the game.  That was mostly because the line for the ice cream was about a mile long.  We did end up getting ice cream on our way out at the end of the night.

     Here is what happens when you use a plastic foot stool as a grill table.  It's actually a piece of art now...how pretty those circles are