October 8, 2015

Memories of summer...July 2015

BOO! 
Scared you, didn't I?
You probably thought I was a goner! But no, I am here...at least I think I am. 
I'm just running out of time for blogging in this crazy life! 

Teenagers, take heed: you may think that you are busy now...but it gets even busier!
 It's fascinating how when you're in school and highschool you have like two things to think about: school and after-school (which could still be school, depending on who you are)...and you think your life is busy. 
Then....then....
the Rest of Life starts. 
And it there is so much to do! 
And Worse, there is so much you Want to do!
 Even worse, what you Want to do is generally Good to do....you just don't have time....

And suddenly, when you thought summer had just begun, it disappears and is swallowed by the intense sunshine of Autumn.
And you are left with another group of memories...

Our fourth of July meal together (minus Valerie who was off dining on lobster and ice cream and taking walks with kiddies by the sea! and got paid for it.) 



Yes! I tried it! I tried it! And it only slightly fell apart :) So pleased. 
Note how I added blanched almonds in the blue portion to account as stars. Nobody else had that idea, but think I ''what is the American flag without stars?'' so I adds stars. 


Summertime= homemade hamburgers :) They may be impossible to eat in one piece but they sure are yummy. 


We went to watch the fireworks as we always do. Our oldest sister Valerie was in Massachusetts as a part of her job but the rest of us were together and we relaxed on the cool grass and watched the explosions of light. 
We had brought along a package of glow stick bracelets and handed them over to the youngest two choose a couple. 
 After a few minutes, we look over and Laura-Lise had cracked every single one.
  every single one 
She was surrounded by a glowing mass of colorful hoops and I am so glad none of us had thought to put a limit to the night's amount of glowstick beauty. 
Because mistakes like that are a part of childhood. 
And they make childhood beautiful. 

If you've never been to the Old Courthouse at the Jefferson National Expansion memorial around the 4th of July, you should go! It's really impressive...




fascinating shot, Elodie!

Nikola

city streets (love!)

water!


Another event in July was a gathering at Art Hill where we picnicked and watched the classic Sound of Music film on a large (inflatable- recipe for a semi-disaster if you ask me!) screen....

eating

racing with a friend

because we always bring a random ball or two...they played ball. forgetting what movie we were about to watch and how apparently the climatic scene in the film involves playing ball. A stranger came up to our group and pointed out with delight that they were playing the same game as in the movie! How...sweet. 
It was an absolutely perfect evening! Amazing temperatures, incredible and appropriately elegant view beyond the screen....in truth, the hill was alive with the sound of music! 
Only down moment: when I realized there were to be subtitles....I can't watch a movie for reading the subtitles when they are present! But we discovered various important facts. Such as, the Baroness' name is ''Elsa''! We've only watched The Sound of Music about 50 times...


To our delight, three of us girls worked a wedding at which were several people/families we knew! It was so fun to serve them..and spy on them...


N and J serving hor d'ouevres (I was working over in the reception hall kitchen. that's why I'm....outside...taking pictures...) and oh! to the right is a guy I graduated from highschool with... small world. 
There is something so fun about watching your friends come as guests to your workplace...we also got to re-meet and catch up with a girl we knew years ago (as in over 10 years) and with whom we'd lost touch! 
Back home....just a pile of library books which I am super excited about! How come it took me so long to request world war 2 biographies and autobiographies (my favorite!) from the library? 
4,322 pages of history! I find it crucial that we understand what our forefathers went through during world war 2...so we can appreciate as well as learn from the mistakes and sins of the world. 

just a random daily walk around the yard In Which We Nearly Step On a Black Racer and In Which Alexandre Promptly Totes It Around For The Remainder of The Walk.


I will close with these adorable pictures which are good representations of summer...
(taken at a friend's graduation party)







September 1, 2015

A delightful Independence Day party 2015

On July 3rd, we went out to a friends' home in Illinois for a Independence Day gathering! Again, 'twas a beautiful day for which we were quite grateful!
We saw this hair idea on you-know-where and of course Jessica accomplished it on Katia's locks with no trouble at all! It's a star. 


these two! :) 

(lovely Daniele) 
The men gave some talks and read the Declaration of Independence




Lydia ponders patriotic thoughts



you're on camera! (a common enough occurrence in our house!)

+J. Andrew Wong  somehow, I really like this picture! It's fascinating. Elodie took it. 

Time for a picnic lunch supper thing!

I made these cold calzone thingys. 
Inside was a savory, perfect chicken filling. They were downed with the eater's choice of ketchup or mayonnaise and were accompanied by salad and fruit.

A creepy ad for mayonnaise, apparently

An ad for....paper bowls? (not in keeping with my character- I despise those bowls)

 So pretty!

Lunchtime :) 

and naptime :) 

Country boy! :)  I am quite fond of this picture and what it would portray if this little fellow lived here! :)
This little girl.... ;) 

When our appetites were satisfied, it was time to work it all off with a little activity...
Getting ready for the.... 3 (yes, that's correct)-legged races! But if I remember aright, the above picture is proof that these ambitious young ladies attempted a 6 (or was it more- you decide)-legged...walk. By the way, it was delightful getting to meet all you girls! :) 
so very lovely!

(picture from Andrew's post...I really like this photo of Ellie and Elodie!)

 And we mustn't forget the classic potato-sack race...

                                                    

they look exactly like Piglet jumping (meaning, they look like Piglet when he jumps or rather hops) 


Jason didn't resemble Piglet.... ;) He was so fun to watch!

This is funny: 
                                                  
(this is where the parents dropped off all their unruly children ;P )



:P 

Bring on the soccer, folks! This was a fun time! :) I think we ended up with our entire family (minus our Mum and Katia) in this game....  SOCCER!!! :)


This is quite an interesting picture considering there is no ball in sight!

          We reluctantly brought our rousing soccer game to a halt in order to dance a wee bit....

(another picture borrowed from Andrew's blog- do check his post out for yourself!)
Ah the details! Twinkle lights on a summer evening....beautiful!

Thanks for stopping by again! Do visit the post about this event on Andrew's blog for more pictures!

Oh, and the evening ended thus....  :)