Leominster Summer Stroll . . .

Leominster had a "summer stroll" which was a fun town festival with lots of booths, food, and entertainment. The theme was the 50s. Our favorite part was the antique car show.

Jack got this new bat and ball and is obsessed. He sleeps with them.
I had to take pictures of the Corvettes because my brother Zach loves Corvettes (and they were really cool!). James got a cotton candy as big as his head. In this picture, he's already eaten half of it!

Another great Corvette . . .

They had a giant bubble machine (that is to say the bubbles were giant, not the machine!)

James wanted a picture with Elmo.

We love Summer!

Poetry by James

Well, today is James' last day of school. One of his school's goals this year was to help the kids become better writers. The teachers had ongoing training and the kids had "writer's workshop" every day. They did many different kinds of writing, and their last type was poetry. We thought his poetry was entertaining, so here's a few samples:

Friends:
I am your friend, you are my friend
Together we're a team.
We'll be friends forever
As our friendship starts to gleam.

Drill Shell:
You can't drill a shell
and you can't use a shell to drill a drill.
What about a pencil? What can drill that?
I guess I will never know. Who will?
I don't know. What about you?

I Am a Pirate:
I am a Pirate
And you can be one too.
You just got to say "Arg".

I would love to live inside his brain for a day . . . . ! B

Endings . . .

The next few weeks will be bittersweet for us! Part of moving is saying goodbye. But there are also things to celebrate. Like Jake's graduation from fellowship.

His graduation was last night. There was a dinner and they presented those graduating with their certificates. The fellowship director said some very nice things about Jake. Jake surprised me with flowers. What a guy!

It was nice that families were welcome to come. The boys were very well-behaved!
The sports medicine faculty with the fellows. From left to right: Lee Mancini, Kathy Riggert, Jay Broadhurst, Zach Geidel (the other fellow), Jake of course, and Herb Stevenson.
Jake accepting his certificate.
Another ending: James had his last baseball game this last week. I think he enjoyed playing baseball, and made some good friends.

In the dugout.

Beach Bums . . .

So, today we decided to ignore the packing we're supposed to be doing

and go to the beach!

We went to Hampton Beach, a little over an hour from us just over the border in New Hampshire. After rain all week, it was a gloriously sunny day today with just a little breeze.

The beaches had great soft sand. James buried himself at every opportunity . . . I don't know if Jack understood the concept, because much to James' frustration, he kept trying to unbury James.
Sand, sand everywhere!
The water was a little cold, but you got used to it.

Jackson couldn't get enough of the water, and wasn't even afraid of the waves.

The waves got pretty big! James had a great time jumping around in them.

What a great day playing hookey from life . . . !

On a Sunday Afternoon

So today for Sunday dinner we enjoyed a peaceful famly picnic at Pierce park just by our home. Here are some pictures of the afternoon.

We found a bunch of wild strawberries growing in the grass and because they mowed it they couldn't grow very big.
James, Jack, and I found a rododendron thicket to play around in.

A picture of the park from a cool tree.

James was cold and put on Becky's sweater.

Is this a cool tree or what. It is good to have James back, even with that silly smile.

The Jackson Express and more . . .

I'm itchy! I can't stop scratching! I have a rash from my fever on my face and I'm just so super darn itchy! I'm scratchin scratchin scratchin!

The yellow ball is there because Jackson was holding it and a white ball and he threw the balls. First he threw the white ball, it rolled under the couch, and then right before I took the picture, Jackson threw the yellow ball right in the way. I call this train the Jackson Express because he made it. I went to the Rainforest Cafe store at the mall and got the scorpion that's in the middle.
I'm feeling a little better except for the rash on my face and my cough.
This post was made by James.

More pictures and an update

Special thanks to everyone who has sent there love and support to James. Special thanks to the Dovers and Grandma Hallows for the care packages. James is tickled that everyone has shown so much support. He is doing well but still has occasional fevers and fatigue. Jackson's illness seems to be milder thus far.

Here are some more family pictures

House hunting trip and James ill

So poor James is down with the flu, but despite feeling so crappy he said to me this morning in his whispering voice. "Papa Listen . . " Then he began whistling the happy birthday song to me. It took me a while to get what he was doing. What a sweet Lad. He is feeling better today but he was pretty ill yesterday.

From a kleenex waterfall to another. We went to Taughannock Falls during our house hunting trip and took some shots. This drops 215 feet. When we have more time we will hike down to it. But that is another post.