Ranch Camping with the Davidsons

 

After four days of being on our own, it was so great to spend some time with the Davidson crew!  They are living in Bozeman for the summer and arranged for us to stay at a friends camp near West Yellowstone. We spent the weekend fishing, boating, hiking, and exploring.

We had sunshine, rainbows and gorgeous sunsets.

NYC

For Cally's 10th birthday, I got her tickets to see the Lion King.  A date for the two of us.  The boys decided to join us in the city, but then head off to Brooklyn before the show.  We took the train into the city from Darien.

We worked our way up Fifth Avenue:

The Lego Store

Rockefeller Center

 Urban bouldering:

Finding Balto:

Eating a really disappointing Churro:

Checking out street performers in Time Square:

Checking out the Venue

Checking out Creepy Big Bear

The boys left us around 4:30 pm and Cal and I went on an early dinner date at a great Thai Place:

Eating Pumpkin Custard at Pure Thai

The M & M Store 

We were so fired up to go to the show:

It did not disappoint!  The costumes were amazing and it was just so cool to see a performance that Cal had been in just months earlier.  She was singing along during the show, as we walked to Grand Central and as we went to bed that night. We both loved it and I loved being able to have a date with my amazing 10 year old daughter.

By the time we got home at 11pm, her fitbit clocked us in as having walked 8.6 miles!  She was such a trooper.  Neither of us love the city, but we did love what it had to offer us.

Bumpa's 80th

 

Bumpa wanted a small gathering of family for his birthday.  So we all convened to make it as special as we could for a truly special man.  The party was on Saturday, but the rest of the families began arriving on Friday evening:

We awoke to snow and the kids had fun playing and building with it:

After some pathetic attempts to play paddle, we all got gussied up for the event:

Hot Grandma!

Sibling!

Cousins

Goofy Cousins

And headed to the Country Club of Darien for the party:

I organized a game of Kahoot and the winners lovely prizes, like apricots, oatmeal cookies & sardines:

After dinner the toasts began:

 Hazen’s Top Ten Favorite Things About Bumpa!

I love you because………...you play lacrosse with me.

I love you because………...you go on walks with me.

I love you because………...you bite my ears.

I love you because………...you visit me.

I love you because………...you get big cookies for us.

I love you because………...you take me on bike rides to where the tiger used to live.

I love you because………...you let me play fetch with Molly.

I love you because………...it’s fun to visit you.

I love you because………...you play Battleship with me.

I love you because………… you absolutely love me ❤

10 reasons Why I love bumpa:
I love going on walks with Zephy, Molly and you to the “tiger’s house”.
I love buying you giant oatmeal raisin cookies when we go down to see you.
I love when you call you talk to me on the phone.

I love when you make breakfast for me when i stay at your house.

I love playing on your trampoline.

I love staying with you when my parents are away.

I love going swimming at wee burn with you.

I love the stories you tell about my mom, Jamey, Nif and the otters.

I love when you visit us and watch my plays and soccer games.

I love when you make me laugh by telling me your corny Bumpa jokes.

(I love you in so many ways i stretched the rules and added an eleventh.)

I love you in many ways, but Most of all I love you because you  love me!

 A love poem for Bumpa:

Bumpa is loving,

Bumpa is kind,

He tries to bite my ears sometimes, but I don’t really mind.

He is the best grandfather that I could ever find,

That’s why i’m really glad that I can call him mine!

I love you bumpa!

Here's my Top 10 list for my dad:

Top 10 Reasons Kate Loves Her Dad

10. He’s taught me how to show gratitude.  

He has modeled this with his countless uninvited visits to restaurant kitchens in an effort tell the chef how much he loved a meal. While completely embarrassed by this as a teen, I’ve learned to appreciate this about him and make efforts to pass on the kindness.

9.  He lowered the bar for expectations when it came to getting into trouble as a teenager.

Because he’d been such an “adventurous” teenager, by orchestrating events like an elaborate panty raid at the Sacred Heart Convent for Girls, nothing I ever did as a teenager really came close.

8.  That said, he taught me to assume I’d get caught whenever I did partake in my own comparatively less risky adventures…..  

like letting my 14 year old friend drive my brother’s car around the driveway and then “crashing” it into a tree.

7.  He taught me to love animals.  

I can’t remember how many birds and small mammals we fed sliced bologna soaked in milk in an effort to rehabilitate them after a close call with our cat.  But this transcended real wildlife with his random honks in the night, as he claimed to be warning a chipmunk on a scooter to get out of the way.

6.  He taught me to take disappointment and defeat in stride.  

When I lost out on a run for senior class president in high school, he took me into the living room, the site of many lectures and pep talks during my adolescence, patted me on the back for having tried and explained to me that our failures have the ability to teach us so much more than our successes.  

5.  He modeled following your heart & not being afraid to make a life change.

When he quit his job at Dillon Reed because he wasn’t happy,  I personally benefited from the impacts that lifestyle change had on his life.  He not only became a much mellower and happier dad, but he suddenly had time to be a major presence in my life (even if, at the time, I was a 16 year old who didn’t necessarily want that….  I did really love the fact that he was able to be one of my number one fans on the field hockey field).

4.  He modeled having passions throughout his life-- like boat building, running, sailing and biking.  

While he may have really wondered if I’d ever get a “real job” because I was busy following my own passions throughout my 20’s, he showed genuine enthusiasm for my life choices and always encouraged me to follow my dreams.

3.  He taught me to love nature.  

His curiosity about the natural world was contagious. I bet he never thought that all those Forced Family Outings to Waveny Park would turn me into someone who would major as an undergraduate and go on to get a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies.  It’s now my mission to pass that love onto my own kids and students.

2.  He taught me that we all need cheerleaders-- someone to encourage us and be there for us especially when we are down.

He has always been that for me, making me feel like I am the best daughter, mother, teacher or friend, even when I’ve felt far from that.

1.   Most importantly, he finds the best in everyone.  

Throughout my life, I have been reminded by friends who have met him, that I am lucky to have him for a dad.  He has a gift. He leaves the people he touches feeling better about themselves, their situation or their place in the world.  He’s done this for me and has taught me to do the same.

John's Top 10 Traits I Appreciate Most About Phil on his 80th!

Insatiable Curiosity: Phil is always wanting to know more about the world around him and IS the epitome of the lifelong learner. He consistently demonstrates that all knowledge and expertise lives within our grasp…if we’re willing to do the work of going to the library and reading, conducting a google search or finding an expert in the field to guide us.

Generosity: In addition to continually providing his kids, grand kids and extended family, vacations, birthday and anniversary donations, incredible meals and abundant libation whenever and wherever we gather…what Phil gives most abundantly is his love and appreciation for his family and the joy they bring him!

Social Mobility: My grandmother once told me that the mark of a successful man is someone who, regardless of social privilege or education attained, is as comfortable dining with a pauper as he would be a prince. Phil has the innate ability to make all in his sphere feel respected and his interaction with them important.

Loyalty: In addition to his unending love and appreciation for all that Mary Lou has brought to his life and family, Phil has maintained friendships with a number of buddies for decades (his Wednesday afternoon lunch crew for instance) and is still available for meaningful relationships for those he finds interesting and admirable (the pastor at the Congregational Church).

Playfulness & Sense of Adventure: Phil understands the inherent value of the ways in which outdoor recreation and exploration both builds character and depth of experience. From sailing boats, to riding bikes, to skiing, to hiking with his dogs and playing golf…Phil understands that these experiences keep us young, fit and able to maintain a “can do” attitude.

Grasp of Modern History Rivaled Only by a Ph.D. Level Professor: Phil’s incredible grasp of, and passion for history, is deeply connected to his curiosity. He wants not only to know how history has unfolded but why and to understand the human narrative of those that have impacted our civilization most. Of equal importance to Phil is the understanding of the knowledge that, to know the best path forward we all need to have a clear understanding of our past.

Compassion and Empathy: It’s not just the larger ways Phil commits his time as a volunteer to those who are less fortunate and unnecessarily living in poverty (his micro-lending and community development work in Haiti, the poorest country on earth) but also the smaller, every day deeds (dropping off donuts and coffee to Latino day workers in Stamford) that can make a difference in the lives of others. Phil, using his connections

to get a better job for the person who found his wallet at the movie theater, is emblematic of his inimitable gratitude for those who, like him, see honesty and integrity as their true North. Phil believes in the importance of thinking globally and acting locally.

Sense of Humor: Phil is quick to joke, quick to laugh and most importantly does so at his own expense..and, when things really get rocking, a snorting good time ensues!

Have you seen those ship building skills? For someone with such an active life & active mind, Phil amazes with his ability to slow it all down, apply meticulous hand-eye coordination, understanding of sail boat design and history, in pursuit of creating perfectly scaled and beautiful replicas.

Being an Incredible Dad & Grandad: It’s become obvious to me over the years that Phil has been an unwavering supporter to Jen, Jamie and Katy, throughout their lives. He embodies the best of what great Dad’s should do: support kids in seeking their passion & purpose, be quick to offer praise for a job well done, highlight their accomplishments and, most importantly, provide unvarnished advice, love and perspective, even when he knows it may not (necessarily) be that which was wanted. For someone who has accomplished great success in his 80 years, Phil selflessly communicates to anyone interested that his greatest point of pride is reserved for his children, the families they have grown and his grandchildren. His greatest interest and passion is continuing to support all they do and will accomplish.