Pontoon boat riding and the bump makes an appearance

It was Grandma's birthday this weekend so we had a lovely picnic at Black Hill Park and then went for a ride on a pontoon boat around the lake. It was super hot and muggy so we were glad not to be doing anything that required exertion, like walking or even canoeing around the lake! The pontoon takes you around to all the little inlets, there is a breeze, beaver lodges, dragonflies and other fun lake things and all for just $4 a person! The captain of the boat gave us a little history of the lake, but more interestingly, he pulled out furs of the creatures that actually live in the park around the lake. It was fun and a little creepy to touch beaver pelt, coyote, squirrel, fox and even mink! The kids had fun putting the smaller animals on their arms and freaking the parents out.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Family Photo taken by Uncle Travis

HOT

Wearing a groundhog. Much hand sanitiser was used after. 

Summer holidays some more

Last week was another busy one but lots of fun. We rode in a pontoon boat to look for dragonflies. We found just a few but Emma had a lot of fun looking at the provided charts and guessing which were the dragonflies we were seeing. We also spotted a couple of great Blue Herons skimming along the lake away from us, a number of turtles sunning themselves and a lone deer in the woods. We also went to play at Cabin John playground and picnic area where there is a mini-train. This was with a couple of other Butler School families and it took her a while before she was ready to play with the kids instead of me. On Saturday, Keir took Emma down to a fun day of all things Civil War. General Stuart (a re-enactor on his horse) and his army marched into Rockville and arrested a whole bunch of Northern traitors. We had been talking at breakfast about generals, armies and such and I had mentioned how the army would requisition people's livestock and food for the war. Emma completely fixated on this, I suppose as something she could understand. When she saw General Stuart ride in on his fine steed she stuffed her water bottle and snacks behind her so that he could not get them! K explained to her how the General had told the assembled crowd of 300 people not to "fear for their belongings" and so she allowed him to lift her up to his shoulders for a better view of the handsome fellow. I have a few photos here of last week, and also some random ones off my phone as it slowly recovers from it's toilet dunk. Included are some pics of Grandma in civil war costume. We didn't have a good one of her face, but she is the lovely lady in the pink with hoop skirts! Just one more reason Grandma is awesome. Also included are a photo of a friend Theresa, who we met in Kenya and is now living back in the States, a picture Emma drew of K on her board, the cat being patiently tortured with hairbands, feeding the chickens at the farm-share whilst wearing protective headgear and marking on the star-chart when she had slept through the night.

Dear Emma, 2 July, 2013

Dear Emma, In the car today you asked to play the kid and the monkey game. I said I didn't know how to play and you would have to teach me. You told me that I had "teached" you the game and then you proceeded to sing; " I wrote a note, I wrote a note and then I dropped the note. A monkey found it." I realised you meant the clapping song "I wrote a letter to my love". You loved that we clapped during the game and then when it came time to catch the monkey you had to run screaming all over the house. Of course we couldn't do that in the car so instead we just sang the song over and over again. You soon became bored of the lyrics and made up your own. "A little monkey picked it up and pooped on it. Then he squished it with another note and put it in his pocket." Which led naturally to a discussion of how one would get monkey poop out of the note and also out of a pocket. Hugs Mom

Dear Emma, 1st July 2013

Dear Emma, Today you had a high fever all day and did not feel well. You actually opted to lie down quietly every now and then in a "nest" of pillows on blankets on the couch. During one of these sessions you were quiet for a while and I thought you had fallen asleep. Then you chirped up and asked me "Mom, is the baby naked in your tummy?" I responded that she was and you then said to me: "Well, you share your chocolate with the baby, you should share your clothes too." Hugs Your Mom