Mass Trip- The McCarthy Homefront

The rest of the time, not spend at the lake, I didn't get many pictures because it was SO SO nice that I could just let the kids run wild and play with all the "new" toys around the house.  I feel like I rarely saw The Frog while at home, because he was off occupied by some new thing he discovered.  (and Peach is always happy to follow him around, or pet the dog or cat)  

I took naps most days, ate delicious food that I didn't have to plan and only mildly helped prepare, and had no todo list. Oh yes, and I got some sewing in too.  For me, that's the ultimate vacation :)

Something I did think to capture, though, was The Frog in the power wheels.  This is the first summer he's been big enough to push the pedals and understood how to steer.  He had SO much fun in these.

It looks like Peach is going to get in...

 The Frog wanted so badly for Peach to sit next to him while he drove her around (and I did too.  cuteness.) but for some reason, she was hesitant and never did.

 They have several, so he would often change cars and leave them all over the place.   He did get stuck a few times too...

This green "dumper" was for sure his favorite

One day, we went to Parlee Farms in Tyngsborough to pick blueberries and feed the goats- it's fun and close and cheap :)

 Unfortunately, it was sweltering and the kids didn't make it very long...

 Our goal was to get enough for a pie, but after The Frog picked this many, he was ready for some shade:

 Pam stuck it out and picked enough for us, while I took the kids to feed the animals in the shade.

 The Frog, as usual, was up for it, but I think Peach was still a bit traumatized by the aggressive baby goats we fed in Kansas City, and didn't want to touch them.

The McCarthy's have a very comfy movie-watching arrangement.  I wish in this next picture I had showed the angle where you can see the 2, completely unoccupied sofas nearby...

everyone wants to be with gampie

We also went to Davis Farmland, which is another one of those places you feel like you should go back when your kids no longer nap, because it is so big and there's so much to see.  You could go in next to all the animals they had and pet and feed them- goats, llamas, rabbits, sheep... probably others i'm forgetting.

petting the bunnies

 And they had all kinds of other stations, all outdoors- a grocery store, a "sounds maze", a little house, water play, "fishing" with magnetic fishing poles in real water, a bounce house, playground, face painting (the kids would paint their own), pony riding, probably others I'm forgetting.

The Frog painting his own face

The Frog playing in the water troughs

Peach, looking to get out a fishing pole

The Frog in the bounce house all to himself

The Frog filling his cart at the farmer's market

Auntie K on a pony

 Well, it wasn't too long before we were all dying of heat.  Luckily, they also had an awesome splash pad and even though Pam and I were not dressed for it, it was looking like a fabulous idea...

Peach and Nanie cooling off

I'm amazed the water looks like this in the pic!  Pretty cool

Next to the splash pad they had this super cool, giant blow-up area full of bubbles the kids could take turns playing in.  What a fun idea!  The kids are too rough for Peach but The Frog loved it!

They also had a big bouncy slip'n slide kind of thing that The Frog went on several times, but my battery died and I couldn't get any shots of it.  (or anything else the rest of the trip :( )

All in all, we had so much fun and are so grateful to how obliging and how out-of-the way the McCarthy's go to make us feel comfortable and welcome when we visit.  They let us drive their cars and even bought a crib, so we'd have a way to contain Peach (now that she can climb out of a pack'n play) and get her to sleep.  We really only take one family vacation each year, but it's always very worth it to spend it visiting the McCarthy fam :)