July Travels

Back to the Summer Recap...It will be over soon...In fact, today. Deep breath.

We too two big road trips in July. #1: North, #2: South

We headed Northward for the Ray Family Vacation. This year we met in the new and fabulous location of Narragansett, Rhode Island. But we stopped on the way to meet someone...

A new cousin, nephew, friend...CUTIE!

We SO loved meeting baby Cameron just a week or so after my amazing sister-in-law birthed him into this world. I cried at the sight of him...beautiful new life!

We met up with the new little family on Candlewood Lake in CT. Hooray for some cousin-lovin on the Powli side of the family!

This is Sophie's definition of "lake hair"...I must have lost the picture with my definition of the same... :-) It was such a wonderful afternoon pause on our way up to RI.

And then, to the beach! My in-laws rented an amazing house just one block, just ONE!, from the shining sea. We could see the sea from our bedroom on the top floor and oh! it was glorious. But, I feel I have to put a photography note in here as a preface...we didn't really take many pictures on this vacation because my hubby was taking mostly video in order to make a short Ray-fam-feature-film...which has yet to be released. Soooo all the cousin cuteness and beach cuteness just wasn't captured. It was a good lesson, though...I should bring our little point and shoot along for the ride more often :-) Anyway, I digress. Here are some pictures from our sunny week. Looking back at them reminds me how blessed I am.

The walk

Our family shadow upon the sand.

A feast for the soul.

JOY!

Fishing Adventure

Shellfish Adventure...YUM!

10 adults + 7 kids under the age of 6 = Lots of FUN!

Mimi and Papa...love.

Sophie really loves her Grandfathers...and has a keen affinity for Papa's arms. They like pointing to things...here

And here...:-)

This one would have swum to Martha's Vineyard if we let her!

But, we didn't.

A real highlight of our time was watching the moon rise and grow in fullness during the week we were there. Michaela and I even took to singing moon-lullabys before bed.

And then it was FULL and...

We took our pajama-clad four year old out to the beach with Mimi to take in all the glory pictured above. I hope this might be one of her lasting memories.

HipHipHooray for Vacation!

And then we went South...a week later to celebrate a dear friend's birthday (again, no pictures due to video)...Love you, Anne! And to spend some time catching up with people who we love. The girls just glowed with UncaBill and AuntSherry. Such fun.

Thank you for loving us so well!

And last of all, this photo is to illustrate the very WONDERFUL fact that my girls are starting to really enjoy eachothers company. I never understood how much pleasure this would bring to me as a Momma, but it. is. amazing! Here they are giggling over a sweet and old doggie who was a houseguest at the Copelands :-) Ode to giggling!

 

And that, my friends, brings us to one last installment...coming...