Summer Fun

Since our last update a few weeks ago, the Northern clan has been busy having fun. Well, as much fun as one can pack into days of work and weeks of rain....

We bought NB/T a bicycle trailer to ride in (because he was just complaining too much when we made him run along behind...!) and have taken a few spins with the little guy in tow. Here we have a photo of Northern Mommy and NB/T rolling. (He really is in there - it's just hard to get a good picture as we're moving)

It's been raining most every day this summer. One day, Northern Dad and NB/T got sent outside after a storm to "splash around in some puddles". Northern Mommy thought it would make some cute pictures if Levi was stomping in puddles with his big ol' boots. We got our boots on, but puddles were in short supply - this is the only one we found. I'm not sure if the water is even covering the treads on his boots! But we did splash in a puddle!
We got invited to a wedding a few weeks ago - held at a beautiful location on Joe's Pond, it was a really cool wedding. (Almost as cool as Northern Mommy and Daddy's wedding, but I'm pretty sure no wedding ever could beat that one!) There was a good time had by all. NB/T got spun all around the dance floor by one of his cousins, Northern Mommy got to laugh at her little boy dancing all night, and Northern Daddy got familiar with the open bar (followed by a really looong ride back home with Northern Daddy scared witless by Northen Mommy's driving - which was fine as usual - Northern Daddy's perception was just a little messed up!)
It was a really good day - we got to see two good people finally get to get married, NB/T got to dance with his mom and dad, and fun was had by everyone.
The one picture that I wish I had but don't is of the 16' canoe filled with ice serving as the beer cooler. (That was the coolest idea!)(No pun intended!)

Grandpa Peter will notice that the picture of NB/T sitting in the old Jeep M38 is missing from this post...so you weren't right when you predicted that picture would make the blog! (It really isn't that good of a picture. Now, if Levi had stolen the Jeep and hooked it up to that big ol' smoker trailer and driven off.....that picture would've made the blog!

We got around another rainy afternoon by visiting Pizza Putt for fun and food. (You didn't really think that you'd find an entry in this blog without a picture of Levi eating, did you?!) Below, he stuffs his face with some most excellent pizza.

After the food comes the FUN!

NB/T pilots a Star Wars pod racer while Northern Mommy hangs on!

Watch out for that wall!

Our big fun last Saturday morning was to take out a kayak. It's been almost two years since we've had them on the water. NB/T recently got his very own PFD and got to try it out in Mommy's boat. He sat for a few turns around the cove before he decided that he wanted out of the boat and into the water. He and Daddy waded in the shallows and threw rocks at other boaters while Northern Mommy paddled out along the shoreline and meditated on the happiness of paddling.

Saturday evening, the Northern clan and Northern Father-in-Law and Northern Father-in-Law's girlfriend and Northern Father-in-Law's girlfriend's son (sheesh, that's a lot of words to say Frank, Shannon, and Kenny!) went to a Vermont Lake Monster's game. NB/T got to eat all of the french fries he wanted and we had really good seats (third row back, behind home plate). The weather was good, the food was good, and our team won - doesn't get much better than that!

NB/T is slightly obsessed with the Lake Monster's mascot, Champ. Levi kept an eye on him every time he came out for the crowd. Below is Levi's reaction after Champ disappeared down a ramp; "Where'd He Go?!"

Note that the Budweiser bracelet belongs to Frank. Levi attempted to purchase a nice draught beer to go with his french fries, but his fake ID was discovered and he was turned away. (I told him that Fisher-Price doesn't make the best fake IDs...)

Sunday, we went to watch the DragonBoat races and support Northern Mommy's team as they paddled the competition into the waves. Unfortunately, we showed up for the first race, where Northern Mommy's team finished LAST in a strategic move designed to lull their competitors into a false sense of security. It would have worked, too, if the second race wasn't cancelled due to waves the size of elephants and sinking boats (I believe that the sinking boat was my workplace team - good thing I opted out of paddling..."ummm, I gotta watch the kid"!)

A lot of money was raised for the kid's camp that was this year's beneficiary, and a whole lot of people had fun paddling and watching paddlers, so it was a good end to a busy weekend.