How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Friday night (day 0 - 21Aug09):
We had dinner out while Aunty K and Memere watched the kids. Then a little trip to B&N for book research on what we were going to do this week.

Saturday (day 1):
I insulated and dry walled the new windows in the entryway while DaMom fretted over her car dying that morning when she tried to go to the Y.


Sunday (day 2):
I removed the starter from DaMoms car in the morning and then went to a pond in Springfield with her "Supper Club" friends and families. Afterward I put the new starter in her car while they went to have dinner at Memere and Peperes' house.

Monday (day 3):
Got up early to walk the kids and the dog while DaMom slept in a little. We loaded the bikes and kid trailer into the truck and went to a parking lot just over the Coolidge bridge and rode the bikes from there to Look park.


The kids played on a playscape, ate snacks, and played some more. Then we went to the snack bar and had some ice cream. The kids played on a different playscape and finally we road back to the car and truck with two overtired kids screaming. When we got home we ushered sleeping kids to bed while I did some more work on the windows (sanding and more joint compound), then started cutting trim.
If all that wasn't enough we went to the car show at Atkins that night.

Tuesday (day 4):
I went to the dentist, got a haircut, drove to W. SPFLD for the dogs meds, ate lunch out, went to the Beechgrounds splash park, and worked on the window some more.

Wednesday (day 5):
We packed the car and headed to the beach. Rocky Neck beach in CT. DaGirl was so excited to be going to the beach she didn't sleep...at all. She was up from 7am until 9pm with only a brief 1/2 hour nap at 4. They loved getting battered by the waves and playing in the sand. We went for a walk down a nearby boardwalk then had dinner at a fish house.

Thursday (day 6):
Stayed close to home Took Memere and Pepere out for pizza, and after putting the kids to bed I went to over to Canoez for a primer course in his latest boatbuilding foray. I'm intrigued but not yet sold on it, the design appears to be a bit tight. I'm sure it will be fast as hell, but I need the SUV, not the Sports car these days.

Friday (day 7):
Painted the entryway and primed one wall in the living room while the kids were asleep. After they woke up we went to the Cummington Fair, DaGirl had her first pony ride, ate fair food, watched the magic show , got wet when the skies opened up, and watched the Demolition derby on the side of the hill. That was the highlight of the night for DaGirl, sitting on daddy's shoulders, watching cars bounce into each other laughing and clapping.

Saturday (day 8):
Played with the kids until naptime, painted the primed wall in the living room then primed the remainder, took the kids out for cookies then to Memere and Pepere's for the evening, while we went home and finished painting and installed trim in the entryway. DaMom and I went out for dessert and came home (~10pm) to sleeping children and chatty grandparents (they finally left at 11:15).

Sunday (day 9):
DaMom woke up crabby since DaGirl has been climbing into bed with us between 2 and 5 looking for cuddles and DaBoy NEVER sleeps past 7, ever. We took the kids and dog for a walk around the pond and put them down for naps. when that got up DaMom was still snippy with them so I put her on the lawnmower (her first time on the WheelHorse) and put her to the lawn that really needed to be hayed (4 weeks of growth. eeeww).

And that's the readers digest version of how I spent my summer vacation.
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