Maplecrest, NY

We traveled to Maplecrest, NY to go camping and visit family.  We stayed at campground LaPierre (Uncle Bruce and Aunt Beejays backyard).  It was beautiful.  We spent lots of time walking and hiking around the Catskills.  The weather was a little temperamental but we still had an enjoyable time. 

Red Eft

Uncle Bruce with Tyson

Campground LaPierre

We love to swing!

Goofy Faces

Tysons got big muscles like dad!

We went on one hike and it started thundering so we had to turn around and hike down the mountain fast as it started raining and we didn't have anything to cover Tyson.  Poor little guys was asleep until the rain got to heavy. Props to Jamie for carrying him 2 miles up and 2 miles down the mountain by himself.   We forgot our hiking backpack.

Tyson loved their cat. He was surprisingly very gentle with it.

I finally figured out some of the settings on our camera.  Took me long enough.

Thanks to Aunt Betsy

Thanks for the Top Gun shirt Aunt Betsy!  We love it!

Jamie and Tyson participated in their first Woburn Fun Run together.  Both of them loved it.  2.5 miles of happiness around Horn Pond. 

Stretching for next time. 

DeMartini Invasion

The in-laws came to Boston for their family vacation and it was a wild time for everyone. We put them to work. A few hours after they got in we had them babysit while Michelle and I helped with youth conference... Trek.

Tyson liked the hat. So we let him wear it for quite a while.

July 4th was a couple days after trek. We started off with the reading of the Declaration of Independence for the old State House. The sound was so low you could barely understand any words. In fact, I thought they were half way through the dang thing when the speaker stepped back and a new guy came to the microphone. Apparently they review the history before they read it.

Our verdict, if you're trying to impress your in-laws (or any out-of-towners) for the fourth, you have to drag them to this. If you just want to review the declaration of independence, find it in your American Heritage textbook (the one the bookstore didn't ever buy back.)

The result: happy, entertained in-laws.

Tyson takes his history very seriously. I should have brought my glasses (and a tissue for my bloody nose because the seats were so far away.)

Parade of the militia men firing their muskets. They were terrible shots, I don't think they hit a target at all.

Oh, and if you haven't heard, come back to planet earth (or Zion). Go Bruins!

Don't worry, Brian Sweeney is the first person I contacted after the end of game 7(so no need to congratulate him now.) Even Michelle watched the game!

The second stage of July 4th celebration... USS Constitution. It had quite the entourage...

Here's Old Ironsides in all her glory.

With a 21 "gun" salute, more like a mortar blank. Very loud, and quite impressive.

We later had a traditional Fourth of July cookout. Special thanks to our neighbors for letting us use their sweet grill. 

Then off to the Boston fireworks. One of the best shows out there. The boy loved the whole show, in fact the whole ride home he was looking in to the sky hoping for more.

Yes it was a hot, sweaty day.

Then to Newport, RI to visit the old american mansions ...and hit some of the only warm water New England beaches. We were impressed with it all.

The Breakers: one of the biggest in the area, but yes, still smaller than the Bill Gates compound.

The Rosecliffe: a cosy mini mansion.

You probably are wondering why this next photo looks so familiar.

The answer's simple...

This isn't Papa Jon's first visit to the Rosecliffe...

 

The (warm) beach...

A more practical approach to sand castle building... Papa Jon's idea.

Unfortunately the fog makes for terrible reception from the TV antennae.

 The last day we went out fishing which was fun.

I feel like it was straight from a Gorton's commercial.

These pictures make it look like we were fishing in the middle of a hurricane. It wasn't too bad, but we did have to take a break due to the lightning.

Another great striper.