Into August!

August, I think, goes by faster than any month of the whole year. Crazy month. Summer vacation is almost over! And right as I was finally over the 'transition' of school-to-summer....haha...#firstworldproblems....

Amanda has been really working on her sewing lately, at night, after the kids are in bed and she has run out of things to do on Facebook and her cell phone (haha). She just finished this beautiful quilted table runner; she took a class on it a couple of months ago. Callum went with her to the fabric store some time back, and he picked out all the fabric and helped design the color sequence....

We've been getting together with friends and spending as much time as we can outside. It seems like each morning the kids and I have a routine--get up, watch CuriousGeorge, eat some blueberry (it HAS to be blueberry) Greek Yogurt, get dressed, go outside, ride bikes from our driveway around the corner to Cindy's driveway and back....and then repeat. Sometimes there are bubbles mixed in there a bit...

We had the Carltons over for dinner the other night, and, whenever I/we sit out back on the deck or whatever, the kids always get out their scooters and bikes and ride up and down Cindy and Dana's driveway. Cindy and Dana are great; plus, they are out to their cabin on China Lake all summer. Below, Hannah and Emily play the game "telephone" with Callum while Maira does her "bike lessons," as she calls them....

Been trying to get out fishing whenever I can--and I have been trying to get the kids really engaged in it! I have such fond memories of my dad and grandfather always taking me fishing, and I really want to pass it down. It is definitely something I have put off too long, but now I try to get out with the kids all the time--I think it is a good way to teach patience and following directions....and respecting nature. Plus, it is neat to go check out a variety of places. Below, Callum and I try out the town boat launch on the Kennebec River (right behind the police station). The water moves pretty quick here though, so we didnt have much luck. A guy walking his huge chocolate lab came down to talk to us, and he gave us a few other spots to try on the river that would be great for kids....so we went to one...but also had no luck....but we DID have luck this past Saturday....Callum and Maira caught a bunch of little, fun fish, and I will post about it later. You cannot tell from this picture, but Callum was actually casting the spin-caster all by himself; he cannot cast it FAR....but he gets the hang of the mechanics!! Smart kid.

DaftPunk goes for a bike ride.....or, Hannah and Callum ditch their bike helmets for two of our snowmobile digs and prepare to journey to faraway places....

A rare picture of Amanda and her thoughtless, cruel, belligerent husband.....isnt Amanda looking great??

As I write this, Sally is up at Baxter State Park...she left this afternoon....with Beth, Lisa, Pete, and another woman....some of them are going to do Kathadin tomorrow.....Amanda and Beth are gonna meander around the Chimney Pond area...cannot wait to see her pics and hear her stories! Be safe Amanda!!