Dallas & the Luannes! (Lucy’s full name is Luanne.)
Sarah photobombed the birthday candle photo! (Sarah, Luanne, Adam, Ron, Marty, Jan, Molly)
Dallas’s Cake Creation
Lucy tasting whipped cream for the first time.
Of course, she loves it! (She is also doing her signature wave here.)
Adam by the pool.
Adam & Sarah
On the Fourth of July we drove down from New Hampshire with Matt, Molly,Lucy, and Buddy to Norwell, MA. This is where Matt’s parents, Luanne & Marty, live. Dallas has spent many an Independence Day at Marty & Luanne’s house. Looking back, I spent the 2004 holiday and 2007 holiday there. It seems like more. As I told Luanne, in our hearts we spend every Fourth of July there. It’s what we tell people. We go to Norwell/Boston for Fourth of July. In reality, we get there as much as we can. It’s the effort that counts, right?
We spent the day swimming in the pool, playing a little bit of frisbee game, and relaxing. Marty made his kielbasa that he is known for. The secret ingredients are mustard and honey. Then he just keeps it hot in a pot. So good. He also grilled up some delicious cheeseburgers, which were served with potato salad. Very traditional, it sure hit the spot! I hadn’t had a cheeseburger or potato salad forever.
Aside from the holiday, it was Adam’s birthday on July 3 and Molly’s on July 4, so Luanne made her family’s traditional blueberry crumbcake. It was so delicious. She also served strawberry shortcake. Dallas took the strawberries from that and put them on top of his blueberry crumbcake and then topped that with whipped cream. Also, Matt gave Lucy some of the cake with whipped cream. She loved it. They really try to restrict her sugar intake, so I think she was just amazed!
On this holiday the party was smaller, mostly family, a few friends. But that does not mean it was not fun. It was great to be able to see Marty and Luanne again and to hang out in the sun and in the pool and with all of the family for one more day before heading back to Chicago.
Dallas and I were out on the East Coast for the long holiday weekend. We planned to catch a flight to Boston after work on Thursday, meet up with Matt, Molly and Lucy, and drive up to Ross’s lake house in New Hampshire that night. Sure, it would be late, but it would be worth it to get there around midnight and be there, rather than waste time on Friday driving. Of course, since we had this timeline in place, that means that our flight had to be delayed. We sat on the runway for hours wondering how this was throwing all of our plans off. Still, in the end, we drove up to New Hampshire that night, not arriving until almost 2:30 a.m.! Luckily Lucy just slept the whole time and made the ride easy.
Ross rents in Boston, but bought a house on Lake Wentworth, near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire last year. I’d never been to New Hampshire and wasn’t sure what to expect. When we woke up in the morning, the views were so gorgeous. And it smelled great. I couldn’t get over it. The water, and woods, and evergreens, and grass. YUM.
Also, we couldn’t see it at night, but when the sun came up? Ross’s house is beautiful. I’m used to people’s lake houses being cottages or older second homes, but this being Ross’s only house… and this being Ross…. the place was gorgeous. The four bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 pullouts, lake, laundry, sun room, yard, hot tub.. perfect for hosting a bunch of friends. Over the course of the weekend, Ross comfortably hosted Chelsea, Matt, Molly, Lucy, George, Tommy, Marinella, Colleen, John, Adam, Sarah, Dallas and I. So, 14 people! Plus 3 dogs: Koukla, Nookie and Buddy.
Ross’s new toy this year was a water trampoline. On Friday morning, after Matt made us a big breakfast, we all helped assemble the water trampoline.
Ross and Dallas carried it over to the lake, being careful not to drag it on anything.
Then a bunch of the guys helped get it onto the dock and into the water and secured with a rope to the dock and a rope to a weight. Chelsea and I supervised.
Ross had the first go on it.
And then Dallas had a turn. I think it was not as bouncy as people expected, but we still had fun on it over the course of the weekend. I liked swimming out to it and just laying on it like it was a raft.
One day we decided to go for a hike on Mount Major, a short drive away.
I’m not sure if this is a very strenuous hike or whether it was just because I wasn’t feeling well that day and also drink 5 beers right before going on the hike, but I took a rest just below the summit and did not motivate to make it to the top.
Lucy, Molly, Adam, Dallas, Ross, Chelsea, Tommy, Marinella, Matt
Still, the views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding areas were pretty great.
I set the timer to get in a group photo and even the dogs made it into that photo!
Matt, Chelsea, John
Over the course of the weekend we spent a lot of time in the lake, playing games in the yard, relaxing, sitting in the hot tub, canoeing, kayaking and even had one crazy night of charades that got pretty intense.
Matt, Colleen, Ross, Chelsea
We, of course, spent a lot of time playing the frisbee, cup, pole game. Ross also got us into a lively game of beer die. I only watched, but Ross and Chelsea won 4 games in a row against Matt and Dallas and Tommy and George. The thing is, winning means you keep playing, and spending all day winning may not always be a good thing. Let me just say that the 5th game was not finished and that some people disappeared until the next morning!
While all the beer die craziness was going on, I was hanging out on the sidelines with Lucy, 10 months, and Koukla, Tommy and Marinella’s dog.
Lucy has grown so much from the last time I saw her. She is such a great baby. Matt and Molly keep her on a pretty strict schedule and it works. She hardly cries and is always so happy. Her thing now is to do a twisty wrist wave at everyone. She loves it!
I also formed a soft spot in my heart for Koukla, who always listens and is such a sweetheart dog. So cute, too!
During the beer die game, this unnamed Adonis did a straight-armed beer chug. Said person may have then disappeared for half the night. Such things cannot be confirmed or denied and should not be discussed in the public forum.
Koukla, George, Matt, Sarah, Marinella, Tommy
The sunsets on Lake Wentworth were breathtaking. One night we all just gathered on the two docks to take it in.
Matt & Adam
Koukla & Adam
Koukla spent the weekend walking down the rocks or the dock steps til she was ankle-deep and then drinking the water. She loved it. And the water was so clean and clear. Not muddy or gross at all, like some lakes can be.
Dallas trying his hand at fishing. All he did was lose lures. The next morning, though, Adam and Sarah took the canoe out and caught some fish.
Koukla, Nookie, Marinella, Matt, Molly, Adam, Tommy, George, Ross
Sarah & Dallas Fishing
What a fun and relaxing extended weekend we had at Lake Wentworth! Big, huge thanks to Ross for being such a gracious host! Can’t wait to come back for another visit!
When Dallas lived in Boston Matt was one of his best friends. In the time that Dallas and I have been together I’ve gotten to know Matt and his wife Molly. On the last day of August this year they had a baby girl, Lucy. So, I couldn’t go all the way out to Boston and not arrange to meet their new addition.
From my hotel it was pretty easy to get out to where they live, just south of Boston. I took the Silver Line bus to the Red Line T and it was just a few stops south. I hadn’t been on the T for probably at least 3 years, so it was interesting. I always find other cities public transit systems really interesting… to contrast and compare to the one I use every day.
So, Molly was having one of those days. I don’t know she handles it anyway. Newborn baby who picked that day to be cranky, remodeling the house, trying to cook … wouldn’t it be just her luck that she’d get into a fender bender on her 1-mile drive to come pick me up from the train station! I felt so bad. But once I got there it was great to see everyone. Lucy was sleeping when I arrived so we visited and caught up on everything that’s been going on since the last time I saw them, last Thanksgiving. Lucy’s schedule is to get up at 9 and eat then go back to bed at 10 then she sleeps through the night. So at 9 she got up and I fed her a bottle.
Isn’t she the cutest? Such a chubster. Perfect olive-toned complexion and tons of dark hair. You can see where she gets her looks from. Her dad! Molly showed me a baby photo of Matt and Lucy looks exactly like him.
After her bottle, Lucy was content to just sit on my lap. She is in a stage where she is really studying faces. She must have stared at my face for 20 minutes. I wonder if she’ll remember me next time. ha!
It was so good to see everyone again. I wish we lived closer! And that I could have caught up with Ross, too. Next time. It was kind of sad when Lucy was going to bed and I was leaving. I probably won’t see her for quite a while.. and you know by then she’s going to be a totally different baby! Still, it’s exciting to watch all of our friend’s babies grow up!
On Halloween Sunday I was up in Oak Creek, WI visiting with my brother and his family and my parents. At 4:00 p.m. Oak Creek’s Trick or Treating started. My niece Jessica dressed up as a witch.
Stephanie is too old for trick or treat so she just had her friend Molly come over.
Amanda took Jessica out to the neighbors’ houses to trick or treat. Steph and Molly were going to hand out candy but were off in the bathroom or in Steph’s room or somewhere doing something (applying makeup?) and the doorbell started ringing so I handed some candy out. I probably haven’t passed out candy for….. ? …. 10 years? I can’t even remember.
Soon enough Stephanie and Molly took over handing out candy on the front step.
There was a good, steady stream of kids that came by the house.
At some times the driveway and front were packed so there was a line to get candy.
Some of the parents got in on the action and dressed up, too. I loved this couple’s old-timey Wanted costumes.
Some of the kids were so cute!
Check out this Pooh-
And Dumbo-
After about an hour I had to get back on the road and head back to Chicago. I had fun trick or treating, though!
Front: Killian, Dallas Back: Lisa, Jess, Brian, Stephanie, Andrea
Stephanie & Rachelle
Crazy Tall Bike
Bike Powered Bubbler
Sign at the crazy bike corral entrance.
Rachelle
Stephanie
Stephanie & Rachelle
Stephanie & Rachelle
Rachelle
After the Tour de Fat bike parade, Jen and Quinn had to head out but the rest of us went over to Palmer Square for the Tour de Fat festival. Last year we had just a few people with us at Tour de Fat, but this year we had something like 10, plus we ran into our condo neighbors and hung out with them. Last year Brian, Dallas and Killian’s friend from college, drove in from out of town for the event and has so much fun that this year he brought his wife with him.
There were a few new things at Tour de Fat this year, but generally things were the same as last year. Same crazy bikes, some of the same music and performance acts. Dallas wished they had switched it up a little, but I still had a fun time. It had stormed in the night before the fest so the grounds were pretty muddy. And while it didn’t rain the day of, it was so hot and humid. My hair was wet with sweat. Kind of gross, but still a good time.
After a while some of our friends headed over to Dunlay’s to check in on World Cup soccer. Steph and I walked around a little bit then met them at Dunlay’s. We sat outside, though, with all the other people who didn’t care about soccer. Then a bit later on Jess (my friend, not my niece!), Dallas, Steph and I had dinner at Rocking Horse.
