Happy Morning Under the Climbing Tree

We've had a couple of beautiful days up here on the hill. And have spent hours in and around our lovely oak trees. Today I managed to take a few pictures as we collected acorns, sticks, and leaves; poked around in squirrel holes, explored dry ponds and creek beds, and climbed a bit in our favorite tree. (this isn't our "climbing tree" but another nearby oak). 

Animated Livvy, telling me some wonderful story.

Asher, playing panther:

"CHEESE"

posing.

Planting acorns.

A Typical Good Day

 No big adventures, nothing special planned, but a nice day -- I didn't take pictures at every activity, but here's a sampler:

Cat lounging on the windowsill at breakfast.

We baked some banana bread, very fun project, the girls were great little bakers, but I did not choose to take my hands out of the project long enough to get the camera involved.  Until after! 

We had several hours of paper play (coloring, cutting, tracing, ripping, writing, etc...) and some fun time outside. While I was making supper I chanced to look out and see Livvie  playing on the patio in her life jacket, (one of the foot stools was a boat... she took me for a ride!) then she started chasing seed puffs across the yard. sweet stuff!

A little music play after supper...

Asher was so worn out she fell asleep grooming her self. LOL

And everyone got to try on Mom's beautiful new rain boots! :)

(different dress, must have been the following night...)

"Painting-Palooza" Playgroup

I lost my mind for a few days last week and invited everyone up to the house to paint. I'm so very glad I did and so happy that so many of my great mommy friends and their well-behaved, creative children came to play! We all had a great time! 

Then we all played in the sprinklers for a while!

Thanks to Angie Bodas for many of these pictures!

Follow-up play: 

learning about the color wheel.

Cranberry Lake (part 11: Pecenco Cousins and Bear Mountain)

We were so fortunate to have Annette and Dave and their beautiful daughters, Molly and Megan make the trek out to Cranberry Lake for some lake house fun - including a great hike to the lean-to on Bear Mountain.

I believe it was my uncle, Peter Mayberry, who remarked upon visiting this part of NYS after living in Colorado Springs for a couple decades:
"a thousand shades of green"
(even at the tail end of summer)

Liv (as do all kids and most adults who hike this trail) hopped from rock to rock for the first half mile or so - making the trail significantly longer and more arduous than the trail guide would suggest. ;-)

pretty ladies! 

Cranberry Lake (part 10: Swimming)

We had some good fun in the water this trip to the lake. And I think there are lot more good pictures on my dad's camera, that I neglected to capture before we went our separate ways.

Even though Liv took swim lessons earlier this summer, she's been a bit hesitant and progressing at her own pace this summer. Last week, when cousins, Molly and Megan, were here liv had her big breakthrough and decided that she would be ok getting water in her ears and face.

She lay down in a few inches of water. And then deeper...

I was astonished, and so happy for her! Hooray, Livvy!

I still couldn't get her to jump off the dock -- maybe next summer.

Asher really wanted to go swimming and play with the ducklings, but not enough to actually get all the way wet. LOL

And the Grammy hook-up of hot chocolate after a nice long swim in a cold mountain lake!

Patterson Airport Field Trip

We're home. Over our jet-lag. And trying to get back into the swing of things around here. 

This is our first MOMS club outing and WOW what a treat!

Cranberry Lake (part 9: Another Fun Day)

 Another great day with some time at the beach, collecting of treasures in the forest, 

and a fun boat ride to town for a late lunch, a trip to the park and ice cones, too!!!

Camila pushing Grandpa on the swing.

Liv playing on the slide.

A game of leap frog.

:-)

! ! !   ICE CREAM  ! ! !

Campfire.

Liv dancing with the flames, Grampa playing rhythm sticks.