Enjoying the Lake

Summer is waning all too quickly, so we took the boat out to enjoy some lake time, and meet Gramps and Mim Aho for a Dreamland Dinner. 

Don't go, summer.  PLEASE don't go!!  I'm not done with you yet!!!!

Feast Day Fun: The Passion of St. John the Baptist

On this beautiful late summer day, we remembered the Passion of John the Baptist with an outdoor picnic, complete with honeydew melon head on a silver platter.  Morbid, I know, but hopefully memorable!  We read about John's life (and death, obviously), and had a great discussion on baptism.  Then we sliced open the "head" and ate the insides.  UGH.  But... tasty. 

A morning at the Blueberry Farm

So, the first time my friend Renata and I tried to take the kids blueberry picking, we were rudely yelled at by a cranky man because we were unwittingly picking in the wrong place.  And then, about 15 minutes later,  his house blew up.  Literally.  How's THAT for karma???    Amongst the smoke and the 40 foot tall flames, and the wail of fire engine sirens.... we didn't get a whole lot of picking done.  But we did see THIS, a little too close for comfort:

 

 

So, attempt #2.

 

THIS time, we went to a different farm, where we were warmly greeted, got a personal tour of the place, scratched some pigs, fed some llamas, chased some chickens, and were serenaded by a group of minstrels.  Plus, the place was refreshingly free of both crabby owners AND exploding houses. WIN!  Unfortunately, I dropped my berries right before we left, so my yield was pretty pathetic, but it was still a very pleasant way to spend a morning!!  As an added bonus, Rob and Quinn flew overhead while we were there, circling the field and tipping their wing at us!

 



A Day at the Fair

 

 

A Narnian Garden Party

The 4th Annual Mom's Night Out Storybook Garden Party took us through the wardrobe to the magical land of Narnia.  My friend Liz once again offered us her amazing, forested back yard for our shin-dig, and we all had a fabulous time.