John's buddies from Bates invited him to join them in Colorado to celebrate a few different folks who had just turned or were about to turn 50. Since it's cheaper to fly out to of NYC, the kids and I decided to spend the week in CT with the grandparents (and some friends).
First stop was a night with Nana and Grandpa in Farmington:
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| Nana playing ball with Hazey |
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| Cal being a "Silly Gal" |
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| a delicious dinner on the porch |
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| Reading "Charlotte's Web" with Nana |
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| Big hugs on the front steps |
Next stop was Bumpa and Grandma's. We were excited to get right out on Bumpa's most recent indulgence, a 28 foot day sailing boat:
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| Captain Philip |
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| Captain Hazey |
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| Goofy mates |
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| xoxoxo |
We were lucky to overlap with James and his family for a night. These are the outfits that Jamey and Bumpa picked to wear for a day of sailing-- great minds think alike:
On Monday morning, John caught a super early flight. The kids and I got to spend the day at the zoo with Bumpa and Grandma. Having never been to a zoo like this, the kids were thrilled:
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| on the monorail with Grandma |
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| a mama gorilla and her nursing baby |
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| Riding on the Praying Mantus-- insect Carousel |
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| Checking out how big the kids are compared to a tiger! |
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| Hanging out with the red pandas |
The kids had a ball all week. We spent time at the neighbors pool, riding bikes in the neighborhood, playing at various playgrounds, swimming at wee burn, visiting with friends, and actually playing really well together.
John returned on Saturday morning and we went straight up to Cheshire to celebrate Mark Jones' 50th birthday.
We had such a lovely trip. The kids adore their grandparents and loved all the time they got to spend in the water, riding on pavement, and being with people who love them so much. A perfect first chapter for our summer!
