Great Time!

For those of you that have kids or access to kids, make a date with them to do some fun things. These are my youngest neice and nephew, Savannah and Seamus. Aren't the cute! this was just before the fireworks this last Saturday night at the park.





We had lots planned but had to play it by 'rain slicker' as to what we could do. On our first day, besides lunch at "Steve's" here in the center of town (it's now a tradition), and a trip to the Lucy Robbins Welles Library for some books and movies. Each of them signed up for the chores around the place so we could always have plenty of time for fun. I couldn't get out of the cooking and driving, they kept the baths cleaned, bedrooms pickup, did the recycling and trash. They did assited in meal preparation and with the planning and the grocery shopping. Though we did have to use my MasterCard.





Our first full day had a detour in the morning to one of my clients for couple of hours at Steve's School - not to be confused with Steve's for Lunch. Then off for our picnic at UConn and to see the Barns and animals. There are some 200 cows, 35 pigs, great horses, and assorted other livestock and poultry. Here we are checking out the Holsteins and my favorite, the Jerseys. After all our viewing, it was off to the UConn Dairy Bar. Husky Trak for me and Savannah and chocolate for Seamus. YUM YUM! On our way back we took a Ferry, mind you the oldest continuous operating ferry in the US no less! We were the only passengers on our crossing and the kids thought that was really special (lucky Aunt Patty!).

Saturday was a big day - we ventured into the past, how life was lived back in the 1830's, so many years ago. The simple life, in a simple town, Old Sturbridge Village. The kids were really cute when asking about no running water, and they had a chance to see it being pumped out. No indoor pluming, though they visited the out house. We picnicked on the grounds, and had our big jug of lemonade with us! That was really good as the day was quite warm - like being summer. (those of you readers not in New England - this is our first couple of days of summer!). We saw the blacksmith shop, saw how the grain was milled and even went below to the water wheel to see how a tiny stream of water could move such a great wheel. The Potters house was filled with all sorts of wares and the kids were right up front with the wet clay. Thank goodness for the wet-ones handi pak! Around one corner we were met with some sheep and took a time to baaaaa with them. We took a boat ride on the river, and then we were off to the craft house. There they each got to make dipped candles.

We were on a tight schedule - while I drove they napped and upon arriving at home we unpacked with military precision and repacked the car so we could have another picnic and see the fireworks. Parks & Rec does a great job and it was a wonderful show! It's about 40 minutes long - ask the kids it was so wonderful. (Mark the calendar now - it's the 3rd weekend in July).

What was one of the best parts of the trip was "thankful time". At dinner and just before bed, we did a few moments of sharing what we were thankful for in that day. I hope they take home "thankful time". I have been doing thankful time, I don't remember when it started so it was a long, long time ago. It was fun to hear their perspective of the same day and see from their eyes what it was important to them. Here's some Thankful thoughts... for the blue bubble gum ball, pickels on the tuna sandwich, Miss KC didn't run away, Mac&Cheese, mommy and daddy and brother and sister, oh yeah all the realitives and we actually named all of them, lots of cousins and aunts,uncles and grandparents. leggos at the Library, "yellow" - don't ask!, for the little toys in Aunt Patty's grab bag, really good treats like blue jello. I guess you can see we had lots to be thankful for - most of all - we were all thankful for the time and memories we could make together and they are already booking more time with me. Priceless.