Enjoying the show

Isaiah listens to a recreation of a Sherlock Holmes radio broadcast. We'll have to go back to hear the full show because we had to leave to catch our ferry, train and paddle boat.

Essex Steam Train

 Aunt Liz with movie star Bernadette

 Magda and Peter

 Mama

 Isaiah

Isaiah, Uncle Paul and the engine.

She is 2

The Birthday Girl

Wearing the brand-new outfit that was a birthday gift from our next-door neighbor, Rose, and her kitty, Sadie.  (I wish you could see the bows on the back! :) )  After consenting to be photographed, Bernadette insisted on holding the camera but allowed me to help her scroll through the photos.  "Boodette!" she exclaimed when she saw herself.  It was the first time she had ever said her name.

Here is a sampling of the photos she browsed, taken over the last few months:

Happy Birthday Bernadette

A look back at your first day on the outside.

Dialogue

Matt: Do you call them underduckies or underdogs?
Marian: Underdogs.
Isaiah: Undercows!

Bernadette: It hurt?
Matt: Isaiah just has to scratch an itch.
Isaiah: No, I have to scratch my leg.

Goggly eyes

Bernadette and Isaiah, who are skeptical of the water, have lots of fun with the swim goggles at home.

Anniversary date

 Dinner

 A night at a B&B

And breakfast without the kids.

Building a road

 The dump truck follows closely behind the bulldozer.

 Around and under the play structure at the park.

It's hard to not step on the road that's already been built.

Floating along

 Isaiah has taken whole-heartedly to using objects to float in the water.

Bernadette remains suspicious that the water may just be a bath.

Trucks

Trucks by daddy, decoration by Isaiah.

Spiral cone

Frosted

Poor child ...

Speaking of Numbers...

Isaiah has decided we need some pets, and he has it all planned: two goats (a blue one with horns and a white one without), two parrots, and ten alpacas.  They will "wander about" outside in the shrubs by our building, and every morning we will bring the goats and the alpacas oats and water.  Not the parrots? you might ask, as I did.  No, they eat insects.

Countdown

Bernadette: "8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 6 ..."

Hiking

Heading up the trail with Olivia and Fred at Zion.

Jumping into the river

Shortly after I made this jump, I meandered downstream to where our packs were stashed and the smaller kids were playing. I suddenly noticed I couldn't feel my wedding ring and panicked, thinking I had lost it in the water (too deep to touch) where we had been jumping below the dam. A couple of bad words and a few moments later, I decided to check the pouch in my hat on the shore, where I had stored the ring for earlier jumps. It was there! Saved! Not as stupid as I had felt for a few agonizing moments.

Mahopac

Therese, Bernadette and Isaiah on Rody's dock.

Summer sky

Pool party

Cooling off on the Fourth of July.