Over the River and Through the Woods...

In August the kids and I spent a couple fun filled days with my sister and her kids 

at my parents' house on Lake Champlain.

My parents at the lake.

Myles and Merlyn took these pictures of some of their activities, which included fort building, wilderness exploring, and bike riding.  Some of the pictures were actually quite nice, some were a little random, and some weren't worth posting.

Signs of civilization in the wilderness.

Isaac the explorer.

Merlyn on her bike.

Berkleigh multitasking.

Berkleigh's belly and bike.

The kids got  to swim, play, and skip rocks within sight of the ferry.

The girls

The boys

All six kids (even Merlyn and Berkleigh!) jumped off the end of the dock.  That was pretty impressive, since the dock was about five feet above the water.  Notice how each pair has a similar style of jumping.

Elizabeth

Carter

Isaac

Myles

Merlyn

Berkleigh

Synchronized cannonballs from Isaac and Myles.

I think they were huddled together for warmth, although they'll never admit they're cold!

All six cousins.

We got to see the full moon rising over the lake.

Myles

Carter

Myles and Carter had fun trying to "hold" the moon.

Of course, kids get pretty tired from all that activity, and with exhaustion comes crankiness.  Berkleigh threw a fit about where she wanted to sleep, and when I left her bedroom, she went out on the couch:

How Berkleigh's fit ended.

The second day we went to the wonderful town beach.

Carter and Elizabeth

Myles

The kids swam in the lake, ran through the waves, and played in the sand.
They buried each other...

Carter/Elizabeth

Myles/Merlyn

... which led to taking some of our favorite funny beach pictures.

Merlyn/Berkleigh

That night, instead of witnessing fits from Berkleigh,

 my mom and all six grandchildren got to participate in one of their favorite activities: 

Reading together.

The girls had time for a little tea party before we left for home.  

Based on their body language I'm thinking that Merlyn was

 trying to persuade Berkleigh to do something she didn't want to do.

Tea time!

I thought this picture perfectly illustrates the difference between a family's vehicle

 and the empty-nesters' mode of transportation.

The van and the Harley

Now that my parents are officially retired, 

they have more time to enjoy their grandchildren and their Harley!