Full Photo Album
Preston's highlights:
-Debbie joined us for the first weekend! Yay!!
- We did a lot of swimming and had mostly nice weather
- On the rainy day we went to a cool museum in Pittsfield that had an awesome aquarium, a section of kids activities, and some awesome animals. Then Mom and Grandma wanted to visit the vanilla store to buy vanilla and stuff.
- We also took a road trip to Mt. Greylock - the tallest mountain in Massachusetts. You can drive up it, so we didn't have to hike. Once we were on the top there was a monument and a lot of paths that twisted in and out of the woods. Grandpa and I played a lot of hide and seek and I basically ran everywhere.
- Treasure Hunts! The pirates came to visit us a few times! One time they left a scavenger hunt where we had to follow the bird signs to find the treasure (candy sticks)
- Daddy and I built a birdhouse! There are a lot of extras scraps of wood and antique tools at the lake. Daddy is always up for a challenge.
- Hiking on the Blue Diamond trail - There's a story here. One night Grandma and Grandpa and I went on a canoe trip together. We visited otter cove! On the shore I could see some blue diamonds nailed on some trees. I knew immediately that they were clues and that we should follow them! It was getting too dark to follow the path that night, so we decided to take our hike in the morning.
After breakfast we all piled into two canoes; Luke sat in Mommy's lap. He was fussy because of his life preserver. We canoed over to the special dock near otter cove and found the first blue diamond. I was the LEADER for our hike, and I did an awesome job. I found every blue diamond to make sure that we stayed on the path, and I always checked in with my group to make sure that everyone was ok behind me! We ended up going all the way to the big rocks and the wooden pathways through the swamp. The pitchers plants were out! They are plants that EAT BUGS. After that we headed back to the canoes and back to home. It was a really good hike!
- Catching fish. Daddy caught a HUGE large mouth bass (Mommy and Daddy can attest that I am not exaggerating here. This guy was big by Dyken standards). I wanted to eat him for dinner, but Daddy felt bad and threw him back in.
- We also saw a very cool catfish in the beach area. Daddy stirred up the beach by shoveling some sand and clay, so the catfish was enjoying some of the goodies that had floated to the top of water. He was having such a yummy meal he didn't pay any attention to us. They are usually bottom dwellers, so Mom and Dad weren't sure if he was alive a first. He was confirmed alive when he swam away fast from the bucket with which we tried to capture him.
- And finally - we took an awesome Train ride on Father's Day with 7 passenger cars pulled by an Alco Road Switcher. The day was made more fun by having chasers on the ground. On the trip out Debbie chased the train. She even climbed out into a stream to get a good picture of the train on a bridge. And on the way back Grandpa chased the train. He became famous. All the passengers knew his name by the end of the trip and would look for him at all of the grade crossings. It was a fun trip.
Here are some pictures of my highlights:
- I get to sleep in Mom and Dad's room, and here I use the term "sleep" loosely. I am a good sleeper, just like Mom ordered when she got pregnant with me, but only when I don't have an audience. When they are right there in the room with me I don't understand why they won't just get up and party with me at 5 am. Come on, Parents! They usually pass me off to Grandma and Grandpa who are more willing to be early risers - just because I'm cute.
- Wheel barrow rides with Grandpa to check the mailbox - I even fell asleep on one (on account of my 5am wake up calls, most mornings I didn't last until after lunch for a nap)
- Swinging in the hammock
- Climbing in the baby pool with all of my clothes on
- Shoulder rides on our Blue Diamond Hike
- Blueberries (It's one of my first words!)
- Choo-choos! I love to look at all the pictures of the choo-choos that were in the bedroom that I shared with Mom and Dad. I would show anyone who would follow me in there to point at them. I also love all of the choo-choo magazines that are on the porch (there are quite a few for those of you wondering if it is possible to have more than one Trains Magazine available at all times for riveting reading)
- Taking out ALL of the bowls from the bowl cabinet, then attempting to put the cat food in them. Grandma always intervened with Cheerios.
- Art projects with Mom and Grandma. I still haven't figure out arts and crafts. -See Video Below
- Climbing the stairs to the porch
- Climbing the stairs to the other porch
- Attempting to climb the ladder to the loft
- Climbing up on the stool! This was one of my favorite "show off" tricks of the week. I needed helping getting down... every.time. - See Video Below
- Finding rocks and then throwing them into the lake. And generally throwing anything I can find.
- The fishies at my level at the aquarium
- Playing in the dry-docked rowboat - I bonked the corner of my eye pretty good, though
- Not canoeing. I mean, boating is fun, but the life preserver is torture.
- Playing with Daddy