For the rest of our stay, we lived next door to Aunt Colleen and her four girls.  The girls call me “Aunt Shanda” because Colleen (my mom’s baby sister) and I are practically the same age.  The girls  are creative and busy and are so good with little children.  Seth and Sarah love visiting there.  They have a wonderful back yard with lots of room to play, AND a swimming pool, so the kids went swimming every day.

Seth with his “bugs bunny” teeth, being kissed by mama.

We piled into the van one afternoon for a trip to the park.

It was a hot day so we splurged on coolattas from Dunkin’ Donuts for the kids and iced coffee for the moms.

Reesy (the kids love him but he nips so they couldn’t get too close).

Aunt Colleen removed Seth’s stitches over his eye.  She’s a nurse.  And awesome.

Molly painted the cool rock that Seth has his hand on.

We went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house one evening after mom was done with work.  Seth relaxed on the hammock.

Mom took this photo.  Dave looks strong and manly and tough and he is, but he’s also a super-sensitive and caring guy.  We text each other at least once a week.  He’s great.  He and Maria are devoted to their nieces and nephews, too.

We saw a mother deer with two babies when we were driving back to Colleen’s that evening.

Perry’s ice cream is the best!!!  There is a stand right down the road from Colleen’s house and I think we went there 3 times over the week.

Blueberry sundae for Sarah Joy.

Perched in a perfectly splendid apple tree.  This small bird.  🙂

We sat together on the wooden swing for a while one evening.  Such a dear girl.

I wandered throughout one of my favorite local shops one morning while the kids were at VBS and had to take a photo of one of the “corners”….Mary Poppins, Little House, hello sacred life, markers, Beatrix Potter, all such good things.  The shop owner is always warm and friendly, and while I paid for my selections we had a nice little chat, I told her that I visit every time I can and how much I love her store.  With tears in her eyes, she gave me a free chocolate for being an awesome mom and told me to “Rock On”.  We even hugged over the counter.

We met Mom for lunch on Thursday.  Seth and Sarah gave her flowers, too, which I had picked up from a florist.

Outside the courthouse where his Grandma works.

As we were walking from the courthouse to Boscovs (where I had parked the car) I ran into a friend from High School!!  I hadn’t seen her since graduation!  (The skirt I’m wearing is one of the things I bought at the General Store…it’s organic cotton, so comfy! and my favorite color, too.)

Boscovs sells fiestaware so naturally………

Also, a note about Seth’s shirt.  He collects baseball cards and recently sent one to Derek Jeter to sign.  He wrote a fan note that began, “You’re my biggest fan……” (SO SO CUTE).  While I was out shopping with Colleen one day we found a wonderful second hand store where I found the Jeter shirt for only 2 dollars.  🙂  It was fun.

The new color is that yellow in the bottom left…DAFFODIL…I took home two of the smaller bowls.

Seth and Sarah were invited to spend the night at Uncle Nate and Aunt Melissa’s house on Friday.  Seth adores Tyke, their little doggie, and by the look on Tyke’s face the feeling is mutual.

At the playground with cousins.

The cousins went to VBS, too, so these kids had lots of time together last week.  What a blessing!

Saying goodbye to VBS!

They absolutely loved it.  On the first morning Seth said he was nervous but when we left  after the last day he was sad “because it was only five days long”.