Back to Reality (for Amy and Adam)

It was back to work for Amy and Adam. We all had a good week (despite the wildfire smoke) and we had a great weekend.  We picked 30 pounds of blueberries and Adam made blueberry jam, Ayson made a blueberry pie and Amy froze 22 pounds of blueberries and there are still berries left for the week!  We hope everyone is doing well, staying healthy, and enjoying summer!!

There won't be much text this week as Amy was pressed for time.

Monday

Tuesday smoke haze

Thursday smoke

Friday was perfect for swimming

Puppy cuddles.

Sunday morning blueberry picking while Ayson was working at the lavender farm.

Prepping the pie.

Crust instruction

Yay!

Flowers from the week

First sunny to open!

 

Staycation Fun

We had an enjoyable week filled with some chores and then excursions, meals out, and relaxation by the pool. We hope everyone is enjoying summer and staying healthy!!

Ayson wanted to catch perch so we went to Otisco Lake on Tuesday.  The boys fished from kayaks while Amy and Addie explored the lake in kayaks.

The boys fishing

We lost one half of our kayak paddles so Amy towed Addie.  However, Addie was tired of going where Amy wanted so she figured out how to paddle with only one paddle :)

Ayson needed help getting a fish off of his hook - so Addie held the pole while Ayson ripped the lips off a fish.

 

On Wednesday morning, we went to Three Falls Woods preserve - we had only been there once before (January 2021) because the trails were not very well marked and we get off course.  We got off course again but we did have an enjoyable morning in the woods and near water!

Addie and a baby American toad - which is called a toadlet :)

Ayson made homemade pizza on Friday.  The boys made fun of the overlapping rows of peperoni and spam (Ayson's favorite) that Amy put on one of the pizzas. BUT cooking shrunk the peperoni/spam and there was a perfect amount of meat coverage on the cooked pizza :)

Addie wanted to fish - by catching minnows or crayfish with her hands or a net - so we went to Little York Lake on Saturday.  In the below picture, Adam and Addie are at the top of the hill and Adam threw pebbles at Ayson who was sitting at a picnic table.  Ayson did not tolerate the pebbles and then threw larger rocks back at Adam.

Scoping out the crayfish.

Amy went for a kayak while Addie caught crayfish.  Amy almost turned around when she came across the beaver dam...but then she determined that she could climb over the dam with not much difficulty - so why not!  

The dam from upstream.

Addie and her three crayfish.  Yes, she did get pinched by at least one crayfish.

Addie requested a picture with each crayfish.

Setting the crayfish free.

Kisses from Stormy Saturday afternoon

On Sunday morning, Amy and her friend Kate went to a lavender event in Cazenovia and we visited with one of our friends that was helping run a booth for The Haven at Skanda at the event. "The Haven at Skanda is a nonprofit farm animal sanctuary and education center in Cazenovia, New York, dedicated to love, hope, and healing—for both animals and people, especially children." 

Pictures from the lavender fields.  

A gorgeous rose bloom

More blooms.

Goodbye Braces and Happy 4th of July!

We had a busy but fun week with lots of pool time (the pool was at least 94 degrees on Thursday and Friday!!).  Amy and Adam are on leave the week of 7/6 and we are doing a staycation with daily excursions for ice cream and outdoor fun. We hope everyone is enjoying summer and had a wonderful 4th of July! 

On Monday, Ayson got his braces off after 2 years and 4 months - what a great smile!

February 2024, Ayson would not smile when he got the braces.

Addie and her pyramid of floaties - too funny!

 

On the 4th of July, we went with many friends/families (some families we did not know until that night) from LaFayette to a Syracuse Mets game.  One family gathered all the funds and we were able to rent a patio at the stadium (food AND a private bathroom included).  After the game, there was an amazing fireworks display.  Happy 4th to everyone!  Ayson LOVED the game and fireworks (Addie enjoyed the fireworks :)

Preparing the flag for the National anthem.

T-shirt throwing time.

There were 50 people in our patio fun (a few did not make the photo)!

And it just so happened that Amy's colleagues and friends Scott (where Addie got her leopard gecko) and Gian (where we pick blueberries) were also at the game with their families.  So, we had to get an updated photo of the Roe-Ryan and Schlueter kiddos that went to day care at Ms Linda's.

Most recent photo from 2023.

And here they are from 2016.

On Sunday, we checked out Otisco Lake for fishing potential during the upcoming week that Amy and Adam are off from work.

Addie braved the cattails and water to get a cattail. 

Two flowers from the week