North Country June, Part I

These pictures are, like, SO old-- it's almost two weeks since we headed up to Vaughans for an extended weekend. It was a glorious weekend, both weather-wise and people-wise. That was one of my few regrets about having a baby in June last year-- I didn't get to the North Country during my favorite month!

Evan was working out of town that week, and didn't get home until late Friday morning.  I'm very proud of us, though, we were breakfasted and on our way by 7:30 Saturday morning!  (Probably the first time in ~8 years that I've had a McDonald's breakfast!)  It was a beautiful drive up, and the kids wasted no time in playing with their cousins once we got there.

Cheyenne and Orianna gathering the grass into Orianna's wheelbarrow.

This June baby is growing up!

Marilla and Lily got the metal swing rocking.

Saturday was Olivia and Tori's piano recital.  Maybe Cheyenne hopped in the picture because she'll be a piano genius someday?

Cute picture, except Olivia and Tori's hair flowers want to fight with each other.

My baby sisters!

One of whom will be driving in a little over a month.  Yikes!

Elegant Tori.

Livie is wildly surprised by the camera.

Pretty dimple girl.

High heels, of course!  I keep showing her pictures of Victoria Beckham's feet, to no avail.

Lily, rocking the ponytails.

This kind of sky is why I love the month of June.

Owen, heading out to cut hay.  (On a sad side note, Ashley was in Maine this weekend, so the kids didn't get their Aunt Ashley fix.)

The piano recital was in a church, giving Elliott lots to look at with his new glasses.

The lighting was horrible in the church, and Livie and Tori nixed the idea of me running around to the other aisle of pews to take pictures in a conspicuous manner, so here's my only picture of Tori playing (note the red skirt.)

And, here's Livie.  The black flower wants to fight with the stained glass window now.

We stopped to go shopping on the way home, and Lily put her waiting-for-Mommy time in the dressing room to good use by practicing her smile.

She's holding a red balloon that they got at the piano recital.

I can't wait until she outgrows them-- dibs for Rilla!

Out in the store, she got to explore all the nice, dangly necklaces.

Father's Day morning, and Elliott was helping Evan unwrap his present.

It was a new watch, so Elliott had to drink in every detail as Evan set the watch.

He winds his fingers together like this all the time.

Lincoln with an... interesting take on piano playing.

Owen being all literary, Sunday afternoon.

The summer living room-- under the maples.

Owen gave the kids four-wheeler rides, which were a hit.

Tori holding Gilbert, who was DEEPLY interested in what was happening with the four-wheeler.

Getting his own ride!  Although his choice of safety wear was a little lacking.

Visits at Vaughans' sure have changed for Evan, now that there's cell service in Moira.  Well, and since he joined in with the crowd and became addicted to Angry Birds.

Chatterbox Rilla.

This child is a joy.

As is this view.

Lily using the table under the trees as a stage.

A fat little Gilbert hand, petting the dog.  The dog who has about five different names, so I'll just call him The Dog.

Rilla and Lily on the swings.

These two are closer in age than any of my kids are to their other cousins.

Enjoying the ride.

I like how Owen is using the four-wheeler here as an easy chair.

Dad returning from a visit to Urgent Care, where they confirmed his bronchitis had morphed into pneumonia.  Yeah, Dad, Mom AND Olivia had all gotten bronchitis that week.  Thankfully, Mom and Olivia were responding to the medicine, but Dad was not.  He hasn't died in the ensuing 12 days, though, so I guess he's getting better now.

One of the PR games that weekend.  Probably the most pathetic game I've ever played.  I didn't get to lay down on the second round, which is really... pathetic.  Trust me.

Dad, coming back from working on the hay Monday.  Because farmers don't get sick days.

Elliott, casually waving, because it's no big deal that he got to ride around with Grandpa.  No big deal at all.

Dad told me Elliott did have one panic-stricken moment when he noticed the blackness of Dad's hands, and then the blackness of the steering wheel.  He spent a few minutes trying to levitate so as not to touch any of it, but then he gave up.  Farms are good for finicky little boys.

The hay-hauling crew.  Although it was sort of staged.  Livie and Tori had been riding in the back with the kids, and Lincoln was just there for the photo-op.

Pied Piper Owen.

Evan, manfully about to swing some bales.

Lincoln, playing with the fan Dad keeps beside his chair.  That fan draws kids like flies to honey.

The excitement of air blowing in your face!!

I have lots more pictures that Olivia and Bethaney took on my camera while I was up there, but those are tomorrow night's post.  Now to finish a few jobs around the house and get to bed!