Tanglewood

We're heading out early tomorrow morning for a two+ week vacation in California with Collin's family.  We are beyond excited around here.  Clothes are flying in and out and around suitcases as everyone pitches in to "help" (I'll finish for real after kids are in bed).   iPods and the portable DVD player and a Kindle and a camera battery are all charging.  Kid backpacks with coloring books and stickers are awaiting.  We've cleaned up the house a little, too, so we don't come home to utter chaos.  Just chaos.  That's my realistic goal, anyway.

I thought I'd better take this chance while the baby is snoozing to post a bit about this past weekend.  We went with some friends to the Berkshires to attend a Boston Pops concert (well, matinee dress rehearsal) at Tanglewood.  It was so lovely, the whole thing.  The locale of the summer home of the Pops is like a fairy land, with rolling green hills and lush trees and flowers.  Hearing gorgeous music in the middle of the woods is a wonderful way to spend a couple hours on a summer morning.

Though the kids didn't necessarily agree on our way to spend the couple hours.  They were a bit bored . . .

. . . Luckily our friends were there to keep them happy.  And the lawn was much bigger than I'd thought, so they were able to run around in back without bothering anyone.

We brought lots of goodies from the grocery store to make a picnic.  A huge blanket made everyone comfortable.  I think Collin even took a little nap before waking up to this:

Davy and his friend Brigham are such cute pals.

We loved playing for a couple hours at the hotel pool with all the kids.  Eliza even got in for a while--way longer than I thought she'd enjoy, considering she does not love baths.   

I think the hotel and a random park we found close by were some of the kids' favorite parts.  That includes Collin.  In the "kids" category, I mean.

Eddy was his funny self.  He got bits of popcorn all all over himself in the car ride and (because it was kettle corn with sugar) stuck everywhere.  Brigham and Davy dubbed him "popcorn man" and Eddy ran around after them throwing pieces at them.  Every now and then he would pause and eat a piece off his shirt.  You know, to keep his energy up.  I thought this would be an awesome Willy Wonka invention.  Edible shirts.  Hmm, or maybe not.

Then Eddy would not go to bed for hours after bedtime.  He kept rolling around on the bed, bugging Davy who was trying to sleep.  Then he rolled around on the floor a bit, found this sticker that had come off the sofa bed, and put it on.  Good label, don't you think?

Eliza is now betrothed to Hyrum.  They are such cute babies.  Hyrum was the one due a week after Eliza, but born two weeks before her due date.  She was late, so that makes him older by a whole month.  (I'm not bitter about that anymore.)  I love her little smirk in this one.

We also got to do another thing on my personal Boston bucket list.  Edith Wharton's home, The Mount, is in Lenox, MA, and is where she wrote many of her novels.  She designed the home--architecture and interior design and gardens.  I loved it!  I even got to take the guided tour while Collin watched the kids outside.  What a treat for me. Someone saw him with the three kids and stroller waiting around and said, "What a perfect picture of a patient husband."  I agree, he is the perfect husband.  Patient, too.

Eliza and Edward were crashed in the stroller.  David was not, but he was so grumpy I think we all wish he was.  He is so sick of pictures.  I've already used up his lifetime quota, so sad.  But he's always happy to man the camera, so sometimes I can get a snap or two of him in exchange.  I liked this one he got of me, though every technical thing is wrong (my fault with the settings).  I just remember clambering through ruins during those college days when I see this one, so I'll indulge in a little bit of the past me for a minute.

And no Lambourne family vacation would be complete without some ice cream.  Obviously.  We stopped in at a place on the road out of Lenox, on the way back to the hotel.  It was called Lucky's, and in addition to having delicious homemade ice cream in some fun local flavors (like Lobster claw, with red caramel-center candies) had two play structures that I just adored.  Someday where we are uber rich we will have a pirate ship and a train just like these in our backyard.  For the great-grandkids.

Peach Picking

The kids (ha!  I almost typed "boys" but thought better of it) and I went with a friend from church to Carlson Farm in Harvard, MA.  We picked two varieties of peaches (one white inside, one yellow) and raspberries.  There is nothing in this world like raspberries fresh off the bush and warm from the sun. 

Today for our traditional breakfast-for-dinner Sunday meal we sliced up peaches for a pancake topping.  Delicious.

Eddy's Getting Funny

He's always been cute (excuse me, adorable.  He refuses to be "cute") with a funky spunky personality.  But as his verbal skills are picking up he is getting funny that way too.  Not always on purpose, obviously. 
 

 The top three this week:

1.  In the middle of the sacrament being passed last week, Eddy broke into song.  Loudly.  The song?  "I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bikinis." 

2.  We were having a discussion about the different colors of people's skin.  Holding my arm out I asked, "What color is my skin?"  Eddy answered, "Polka dot skin, Mommy!"  All those moles and freckles from years of not applying sun screen are catching up.

3.  Collin in a public restroom helping Eddy finish his business.  While pulling up his pants Edward broke (into yet another most inappropriate song), "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

 

 

Down on the farm

We recently renewed our year membership to the Massachusetts Audubon society, which includes admittance to Drumlin Farm in Lincoln.  I love this place.  It's not the same as going to the barn and riding horses, like I did as a teenager, but it's close enough to get my farm fix.  The boys love being able to run down the long pathways, see the animals, play in the dirt, pet a kitty, climb on logs and rocks.

 

One of my favorite moments this most recent visit was while the boys were playing in the horse stall (where there are some saddles to sit on (one was named Lighting McQueen and one was Francesco, according to Davy) and a horse tail to brush and a fake cow to milk), I was sitting just outside nursing the baby.  Up above my head there was a nest with three little baby birds tweeting away for their lunch.  The mommy bird kept flying in and feeding them, then flying away to get more food.  It was the cutest thing ever, and I loved thinking that I was part of this great big world of mommies feeding their babies.

Throwing rocks is always a favorite pastime with boys.  Eddy told me that he was going to the bomb store to buy bombs and proceeded to pick up rocks from the ground to throw.  Where does he get this stuff?  Bombs?  I'm sure I've never talked about bombs with them.  I suppose I'm going to have to get used to having information come into our house that is from friends with older siblings.  Or maybe from DNA? 

Luckily, though, in addition to bombs we also have butterfly admirers.  Davy saw some butterflies around the flowers and tried to catch one for me.  They were pretty!