Part III and Life Goes On

Life goes on.  Vacation pics have had to be side-lined!  We've started school--all of us.  JB is teaching a journalism class, I'm teaching two sections of Brit lit, and Benjamin is working on his first book.  It's called "I am Growing," and so far I think it consists of a print of his hand in paint on a piece of yellow construction paper.  

B is doing great in the two-year-old class.  I was a little anxious because he's not *quite* two, but really I knew he would be fine.  One of the teachers, Miss Mel, said that she was impressed by how eager he is to help and to participate in all of the activities.  I like to watch him from the door for a minute before he sees me when I pick him up in the afternoon--he's this little independent person in a world I only know the surface of.  He seems to love it and so do I.  

B's class started two weeks after mine did, so we had to get other arrangements for childcare.  Those two weeks actually turned out to be a great blessing.  Aunt Mary, who lives in Temple, about thirty minutes away, was able to come up to watch B for four of those days.  I love that she got to know Benjamin better by spending so much time with him, and Benjamin got to know her too.   She made a little photo flip book one day of all of the things in Benjamin's daily life--cup, blocks, car, piano, Brazos, parents, etc.  He is just tickled to see all his stuff and his people in pictures.  

The two weeks before B's class started were also the two weeks I needed to work hard on an article I am revising for a journal.  So B got to bond with his Grandmommy during her three day stay with us too!  And JB and I enjoy having her as part of our daily life for a few days. I love special occasions, but I think a special kind of bond is formed by letting folks into our daily lives.  

And that is one thing I loved about our long trip to NY this year.  I think we achieved that daily-life feeling more during a two week stay.  

But then we had our all-too brief visits with Stephanie in RI and Amy in CT.  A highlight of course was B's first time in the ocean.  He was so enthralled with everything about being on the beach--the waves, building sand castles, even eating a bit of sand with his lunch.  

We ate well one our little jaunt to New England.  Here is our contribution to one of the meals--we took a picture for Karen.  We used all of the vegetables you gave us from your garden--beets, onions, cucumbers make a great salad.  

And I got far too few pictures from our visit with Amy.  Maybe we would have gotten more if the mozzarella we tried to make had actually worked out.  What a disaster!  Two batches down the drain!  We followed all of the directions!  Good thing we'll be friends long enough to try again some day, huh?   

Benjamin's new favorite game (still) is giving treats to dogs.  Zephyr and Gatsby are well-loved.  

And finally, on our last day in the North East, I became a godmother.  And, more importantly perhaps, Jack got baptized.  Here is the happy family with Father Sal.  It was a beautiful service. You wouldn't have known through it all that Sara had laryngitis.  I've never seen such a trooper.  

And finally (really this time) here I am with my godson, Jack Brennan.  I am proud to be an important part of his life--even from far away.  (And I love the fun dress Sara got me to buy--she has such a better eye for clothes than I do).  Here's to you, Jack!  

Summer in NY Part II

It was certainly a joyous reunion when JB joined us in NY after we had been away for 1.5 weeks.  Greeting family after a time away feels even better than Christmas.

We spent the first day of his visit up at Mohonk with (almost) the whole family.  Too bad Karen couldn't be there.  I think Sara and I have finally gotten over the strangeness of visiting there after having worked there and knowing way too much about the world of Mohonk employees.  It's such a beautiful place; I'm glad it's not spoiled forever.

Benjamin helped paddle us around the lake.

Then we went with grammy and pa on their favorite hike.  

The massive weeping beech tree above was better than a playground for wee ben.  

And we spent lots of time in the big tree house with Auntie Sara, Unc Sean and Grammy. (Sorry about this picture, Sean..it was the best one of everyone else: ) )  I think we figured out that building one of these in our backyard might be possible, right, JB?   

Mohonk is such a relaxing and fun place to spend time together as a family.  

We spent the next morning out at Karen's homestead.  Benjamin loved meeting her blue horse, turkeys, and chickens.  We loved getting to see where Karen lives, and had a lovely hike  with her and her dog Chip along the beautiful stream that parallels the road she lives on.  I miss lush places deep in the woods like this when I am in Texas.

I think I have one more set of pictures to post from this trip.  I just can't get over how many fun things we did without getting burnt out. With all the pictures I have, I'm in danger of forgetting the things we didn't take pictures of :  a bike ride on the rail trail one evening, an evening in Ellenville to see a play with dad, many afternoons in the backyard with B in the pool, Hudson Valley Shakespeare festival at Boscobel, afternoon tea at the Tea Room with Sara and Mom, and Sara convincing me to buy a dress that I never would have picked out myself : )  And a great trip to Bear Mountain state park and zoo with dad during which my camera ran out of batteries after I took just one picture.