Visit with Aunt Teddy, Uncle Tom and Cousin TJ

The boys enjoying salted canteloupe with Grandpa Stu.

My favorite things

The way Theo's eyes half roll back in his head when he takes a bite of something he truly enjoys

When Beck locks eyes with me for minutes on end, gazing at me with such love and trust that it makes me cry

Watching the boys spontaneously start playing catch with each other

Hearing them ask for mama cuddles or mama "kibbuhs" (kisses)

Waking up in the morning to giggles, squeals, and the sound of crib springs creaking under the weight of jumping

Green Lakes

Auntie Tara and I took the boys to Green Lakes for a walk (the goal of which was to shake that baby out of Tara, who is now 41 weeks pregnant) and some time at the playground and beach. It was a little too chilly for us to swim and the boys didn't have much interest, but we enjoyed digging in the sand and eating hot dogs from the concession stand.

Visit to Cayuga Nature Center

Sunday we went to the Cayuga Nature Center for a rainy-day excursion from the cottage. Mama hadn't been back since she broke her arm on the ropes course in approximately 1990. This trip was way more fun. Daddy especially enjoyed the realistic animal puppets.

Turtle! Turtle!

Nina the Hedgehog.

 

Grandma Joanie impersonating a moose.

Bearded Dragon!

Theo found the front loader here, too!

Theo and Daddy enjoying the butterfly garden.

Looking down at the falls from the six-story-high tree house!

Theo enjoying the business end of a skunk.

Piggery Tour

First thing Saturday we headed to the Trumansburg playground for a meet-up with Mama's high school tennis partner and good friend Louise and her fam, including daughter Charlotte. Theo and Beck practically fell asleep in their swings because they had slept so badly the night before but they still had some good fun at the playground.

Later Saturday we joined up with a Cornell Alumni tour of the Piggery, local pork producer in Ithaca. The boys liked seeing the pigs but, as always, the front loader won out for Theo. These pictures are thanks to good old Linda Lavine, who happened to be on the tour with us.

I also got some pig kisses, which turned into pig bites.

Auntie Tara visit and present

Look at the awesome present Auntie Tara brought the boys! Needless to say, the miter saw and drill press have been big big hits. Beckett also enjoyed touching the baby in Tara's belly (40 weeks yesterday!) but Theo wanted nothing to do with it.

Trip to Jersey

Somehow Mama's cousins Alex and Kelly are old enough to have graduated from high school and to have been admitted to college. Wow! How did that happen? We spent a short but fun weekend visiting the new grads and their families.

Cousin Alex is a real ham.

 Tabi was very patient with the boys all weekend, regaling them with stories, reading books, and showing off her trampoline.

Even Dada got in on the trampoline action.

The boys also enjoyed the neighborhood playground, especially this big red car on springs.

We also got to swim in their very warm lake. Theo enjoyed peeing in the water.