Sam is Two!

On August 9, 2014, my oh-so-sweet, funny as heck, little dancing machine Sam turned two. We had a great day celebrating Sam. Jack and I stayed up late the night before, wrapping gifts and, per Sam's request, baking a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. First thing that morning, Jack gave Sam the gift that he picked out especially for Sam, a toy steamroller. When Marc got home from work and Sammy woke up from his nap, Sam opened his presents from Mommy and Daddy, and the four of us sang Happy Birthday to Sam and ate the yummy, if not terribly pretty, cake.

Going...

...Going...

...Gone!

That evening, we went to downtown Westerly/Pawcatuck for the annual River Glow. Marc and I had been to a similar event in Providence, but that was years ago before we had kids, so basically a lifetime ago. The kids really enjoyed themselves, although there had been a flyer for the event that indicated that there would be crafts for the kids and Jack was highly concerned that we found NO CRAFTS that evening. Still, the boys had a good time checking out the fires and all of the people, like some guy on stilts, as well as kid-friendly stuff like live entertainment and balloon animals. I'm so happy that Sam had a great 2nd birthday, although it's hard to believe that my baby is growing up so fast!

So here's to a child who is joyful and clever...Happy Day, Happy Year, Happy Always and Ever... Love you, Sammy Pajammy!

Happy Campers

This past weekend, Marc and I took the boys on their first ever camp out. Jack has slept in a tent before, at where else but Pachaug, but it's not really camping when you have access to a bed, running water, and cable television. So when Marc brought up the camping idea to me at 11:30 pm when I was getting into bed on Wednesday night, I thought it sounded great but that no way would we be prepared by Saturday morning, nor would we be able to find a campground on such short notice. I guess that's a good thing about living so close to rural life...there are campgrounds aplenty in fairly close proximity to our house. As is always the case with Marc, when he gets an idea in his head, there's really no stopping him, and so on Saturday when he got out of work, we headed out to a campground near Pachaug State Forest (not to be confused with Pachaug pond), about 45 minutes from our house. It may have not been very far away in miles, but we felt like we were in a different world.

What's the first thing the boys wanted to do? Eat s'mores, of course!

Easy like Sunday morning

Nighttime fun

Before we even left, the boys were SO excited to go camping. Jack couldn't stop talking about it, and would randomly blurt out, "I can't wait to go camping!!!" I was nervous that the actual experience wouldn't live up to the expectation, but both boys did GREAT camping and really seemed to love it. It didn't hurt that there was a cool playground with unusual things, like a huge wooden truck with a slide off the back. Both boys adored it, but Jack was obsessed. He asked every kid who climbed onto it what kind of truck they thought it was. Jack decided that it is an "adventure truck", and would not consider any other possibilities. After we got home, Marc asked Jack if Marc's truck is an adventure truck. Jack said, "No, Daddy. Your truck is a FORD."  Sam's playground favorites are always the bouncers, and this playground had a firetruck bouncer built for two, so he was in bouncy heaven.

Solo bouncing

Tandem bouncing

Sam hiding in the little playground "housh"

Jack on top of  the ADVENTURE TRUCK

But even without the playground aspect, Jack and Sam had a great time. We set up a large tent where we could all sleep, but we also brought along Jack's play tent so that he could set one up himself. He really took ownership of the experience, and helped us set up camp and settle into our temporary digs. Sam was the first one up on Sunday morning, and he was also a great helper. He gathered sticks and helped me start the fire. We all had fun exploring the grounds, and the boys found a little stream behind our campsite, where they "fished" with sticks and where Jack and I saw a couple frogs, and lots of interesting little insects and crawly creatures. Jack is already asking when he can go camping again, and wants to sleep in a tent every night. If he goes to bed as easily in a tent as he did on this camp out, I may just let him!

Firestarter

Happy hot chocolate-faced camper

Such joy!

Fishing

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Every few years, Marc's paternal grandmother's family holds a reunion for the members of its MacVicar clan, which hails from Scotland. GG, as she is affectionately known in our house, is a first generation American whose parents were both born in Scotland, and who has a lot of family remaining there as well as scattered throughout the United States, so it's a special treat when everyone is able to get together.

Kilt or beachtowel? You decide.

It was convenient for us that the reunion was held in New England this year (although exhausting because the kids and I had just arrived back from Michigan on Tuesday!), so we didn't have to travel far. On Friday night, we had a relaxing meet and greet up at Pachaug, and Jack and Sam loved playing with two of their cousins who joined us from Scotland (10-yr-old Megan and 8-yr-old Lewis), as well a local cousin who they already know (9-yr-old Melanie). The kids all had fun splashing about in the water, and took an evening cruise around the pond in the pontoon boat. No sightings of Nessie on this loch, though!

Sam and Jack made their own fun while waiting for the other guests to arrive.

On Saturday, we attended a lovely dinner at a golf course not terribly far from Marc's barbershop. We were greeted by the dulcet tones of bagpipes as we arrived, because what would a Scotch celebration be without a bagpiper? It really was a special night. The room was decorated beautifully with plenty of tartan plaid and heather, and the many branches of the family tree all mingled together. Some of the more talented members of the family even got up to serenade the group or perform a comedy routine centering on the family names...I mean, how many Archibalds and Roberts do you think can be in one family? Plenty, apparently. 

On Sunday morning, we all gathered for one last event, breakfast at another picturesque golf course. Once again, the kids all had a great time together, and especially loved checking out the course's pond and its many inhabitants, namely the huge bullfrogs. Goodbyes were said, and promises were made to keep in touch and visit again soon. There was a mention of a possible reunion in another couple years, this time in Alabama. We'll see what happens, but I'm sure it will be another good time had by all.

The boys and I hadn't attended a MacVicar family reunion prior to this; it was to see and meet many new faces. Although they were the youngest children in attendance, Jack and Sam loved spending time with their Scottish cousins. Jack still talks about them, and how much fun he had at the reunion. I look forward to future reunions with this wonderful clan, and would one day love to take our boys to Scotland, just as Marc traveled there for a reunion of sorts when he was a child!

The eldest generation of MacVicars with their spouses...

...The next generation...

...And the next...

...And the youngest generation, made up of Kody, Kasey, Jack, and Sam.

EVERYBODY!