Lake George Paddling....

Look at this kid!!! Since we have had a total of two non-rainy days this summer (seriously...) we decided to take advantage of one of them (Monday) and go canoeing. Amanda had Monday off as a mandatory state unpaid "shutdown day" so there is money to give all the irresponsible people the welfare they deserve, so we made good use of it. In all seriousness though, I actually love the mandatory shut down days (there are ten coming up). One day of unpaid wages pales in comparison to the time we get to spend together as a family during that day....that is my reasoning, anyway! The above picture is of Callum getting ready to paddle; his old high chair makes a perfect canoe-seat, and he is donning the new lifejacket Cindy and Dana got him for his birthday (the ones you got him, Papa, are too small now....Jackson can wear them in the kayaks!)

I've written about Lake George before. Its a beautiful spot in Canaan, and there is a little park, hiking trails, and a beach. Plus, its less than one mile away from Oak Pond Brewery. Below, Amanda takes a MUCH deserved break from all the paddling she had been doing, while CS points out Elmo, who happened to be swimming there that day. Seriously though, he was fascinated by the water, and, as we stayed close to the shore, he loved pointing out all the rocks and trees with his "ooooooohs" and "wasshas?" (Callumish for "what's that?")

He did very, very well in the canoe, and he seemed to like it very much. The only thing he hated, however, was the restriction of the lifejacket; it prevented him from sucking his thumb, putting cookies in his mouth, and drinking from his sippy cup. The reason we cut the trip short, in fact, was because he was getting really upset about this.....

We love this picture; look at that smile! And check out his "Mee-owwww," which came with him on the trip. Callum is obsessed with two things: Elmo, and this silly little cat. It is so funny....Look how Volvo-Cat just sits there on the yoke...priceless....

And what could be better after a good paddle on the water than some homemade Gifford's ice cream? Even if it did cost over 6 bucks for two dishes of ice cream, who cares? The counter girl asked us if we would want a "free infant cone" for Callum. We said "sure," and asked for blueberry. This is what we got....isnt it the funniest little thing ever??

I am marvelling at how cute the little cone is, while Callum eyes his treat. And he enjoyed every bit of this!

A great day, and we're looking forward to a lot more time on the water. We're a canoe family! We bought the Old Town Camper for this reason...it is roomy and very stable on the water. Maybe we'll tackle some of the Kennebec next time!

And maybe it will stop raining....