Home for the Weekend

Despite the fact that I've lived in the Boston area for the last 10 years (?! gasp!) when I go up to Vermont I always say I am "going home". Now that I am on my summer schedule (Fridays off, woo!), and Jason was going to be at work all weekend, Ashton and I decided to head home last Friday. As an added bonus, Kari and Ben were there visiting from Boulder and John and Patricia were up from DC so we had peeps to see.

Expected total napping minutes on the 3.5 hour car ride up: 60.
Actual total napping minutes on the 3.5 hour car ride up: 0. It was a long one.

But our first stop was Poppy and Mema in Colchester, we arrived around 5 pm and hopped right into the motorboat for a little bay cruise:

We relaxed considerably and the fresh air felt so good! Here is my sister Kari and I (not exactly a Nautica ad, but about as fabulous as I get these days):

The cottage in Colchester is a 6-month temporary home for Poppy and Mema while their new house is being built, but has a great view of the boats in Malletts Bay. Ashton had tons of fun watching them coming and going. Vermont is so beautiful.

After dinner and around 8 pm, we headed back to GG (my mom) and Grandpa Pat's in Williston. As expected, Ashton fell asleep in the car immediately and basically didn't wake up until the next day. Which was fiiiiine with me because the fun was just beginning!

Saturday was a big day. He played with Grandpa Pat on the iPad and then practiced his golf swing (with a stick, naturally) in the backyard:

He then went to the Farmer's Market in Shelburne with GG:

I'm told he was a total star. I did not go and it was amazing to be baby-free. Ahhhhh. 

And THEN we went to Erin's farm! I am so mad that I left my phone in the car for this- Kari got a couple of pictures but it was the coolest experience. Erin is Kari's oldest friend and has been a big part of our family. She got married last September, is expecting her baby girl in about a month and helps run the Farr Farm in Richmond - she has a barn full of dairy cows and a field full of tractors (ACK-ter is one of Ashton's main words). Here he is on a ACK-ter and an upclose of a one Miss Henrietta :) 

So we got a tour of the farm, how everything works, the milking machine, etc. and it was just incredibly neat and very fun. (Erin - wonderful to see you and thanks for our own personal guided tour :) Can't wait to meet Baby Farr! xox)

The day marched on. Home for lunch and naptime (during which I went to Marshalls, baby-free again, and was so blissed out I bought everything in sight) and then Ashton, GG and I were off to Lake Iriquois for some sun and sand. It's a little kiddie beach and Ashton played and played and played! It had clouded up a bit which was a welcome relief from the heat. 

In the above left picture, that is indeed three shovels in his right hand. I can't decide which is worse: the fact that he has a hoarding problem or that he stole from other kids to support his habit.

After his dinner and bedtime, I got to sit outside and have dinner with John and Patricia. It was a lovely evening and we all chatted and got caught up. And then yesterday, time to drive back :(  I busted out the kiddie pool when we arrived because it was 94 degrees, but it wasn't the same as being on the motorboat with Poppy or at Lake Iriquois with GG.

We heart Vermont! Oh well. But then Jason got back from work around 4:30 pm and came into the backyard. Ashton said, "Da-da! Hiiiiiiii."and smiled. It was so cute. And then we had some fun together as a family out in the yard - the first time in awhile that it was all three of us considering how crazy Jason's schedule has been. And it felt good to be home.