the squibix family blog

Usually when they see water the boys jump right in, but here the boats were a potent distraction.

Harvey did great on his second time on a boat, and then also on his third, fourth, fifth... etc. I was glad to head out with him each time. Zion wasn't sure about being out on the water, but he loved the miracle of buoyancy, which let him push his big brother around.

Then it was on to the wedding itself, which was also outside.

It took some climbing to get up to the site of the ceremony, but the view at the top was worth it—as encouraging home-made signs along the way proclaimed.

Outside weddings are well suited to our children's temperaments. Harvey could get some private time when he needed.

Zion distracted himself by lying down and kicking his feet in the dirt. It was dry enough that the dust brushed right off.

The reception was back down the hill by the lodge. After a little acclimation (and a lot of hors d'oeuvres) Harvey jumped right into socializing.

Those two were well matched, and spent a happy hour carrying dirt, swinging sticks, and knocking each other down. But even new best friends were no competition for cousins.

After hours of partying we started to feel bad for Rascal and made an early exit, unfortunately before pie but just in time to get on the road to our hotel while there was still a bit of light.

Good thing because there's no cell reception up there so navigation was by paper map, and there were some wrong turns in the empty wild darkness before we found our way to refuge at the Best Western in Mt. Sunapee. Relative refuge, at least, because fireworks and a loud party—with bonfire!—right outside our window kept us mostly awake until about 1:30: in solidarity, it turns out, with the folks back at the wedding who similarly partied long into the night.

This prejudiced us against the place a little bit, but Harvey—who slept through all the commotion—was thrilled in the morning both by the big tv and the complimentary continental breakfast. I would have taken some more pictures but my camera ran out of batteries moments after the sunset shot above; and forgetting my charger meant that I couldn't document our second day of boating and lakeside relaxation, supplemented by a second breakfast-slash-lunch courtesy of the wedding establishment. It was all great fun, and it felt much longer than the 31 hours we were actually away from home.

There was also music.

And, new this year, hula hooping!

Leah did some pretty good work with the hoop as well, which might be presented in video form at a later date.

We also enjoyed hanging out with friends at the picnic, which was also new this year: it turned out that half of our Watertown-based church small group was there, some at our invitation and other by pure coincidence. Much fun, except when Harvey hit Timothy with a hula hoop, an accident which necessitated the application of ice.

Such is the fullness of our social calendar that we had to leave a little early in order to make it to our next engagement, a party at Grandma and Grandpa Archibald's to celebrate the 4th as well as Uncle Tom and cousin Nisia's birthday. The kids had a great time playing together, especially when Grandma brought out the water.

Of course, when Zion sees water you know what's coming next.

The other kids each had a turn in the tub too, but they weren't as enthused: neither Harvey nor Nisia even sat down. I think Zion must have stayed in there for an hour.

And since it was Independence Day, we finished the evening in the appropriate fashion.