Hard Work

This week, I've had to go here:

and here (the pond is up in the saddle to the left of the high peak):

Hard work, but someone has to do it.

Lunch at the lake

Today was one of those perfect June days: warm, sunny, a little bit breezy. The perfect day to pack lunch up and take it to the lake. Eating between splashing, jumping, and digging, the girls had a grand time and I was able to get my first outdoor swim of the year in.

Rain, rain go away

We'll get our boots on to stomp in the puddles, but we're looking forward to running in the sunshine again soon.

Crazies

With the end of the school year, we have to say goodbye to a great friend. Claire was a fantastic caregiver for the girls and their buddy Carson this year. The girls looked forward to each and every visit with her, and she made sure that she brought plenty of crazies with her to share! She's left behind some other funny little expressions that pop up in conversation.

We feel so fortunate to have such great people spending time with the girls. The students that they interact with at nursery school, playgroup, and especially at home are all fantastic, but Claire has really been outstanding. We wish her good luck in the coming year, and hope that she can come back for a quick visit in the fall!

When the Cat's Away

While Doug was having a grand time in Newfoundland, the girls and I treated ourselves to all kinds of field trips closer to home. Last week, a friend called to let me know that there were brand-new twins at her place. Twin kids. Goats, that is. We don't have any pictures of the new arrivals, whom we visited the next day, but the girls loved seeing them walk a bit inside the barn. Outside, they intently watched the chicks, hens, and older goats.

Asking for a smile is rewarded with this:

Make Way for Ducklings

A springtime classic! As enormous fans of the book, today was a very special trip to Boston. Can you find us on the swanboat ride?

With the duck statues:

Watching the swanboat tour and the REAL ducklings and Mr. and Mrs. Mallard! This is the best time of year to visit - the story comes absolutely alive.