The most beautiful place on Earth

 Monday we returned from an awesome vacation at Lake George and a quick trip to Boston.   If you have ever been to Lake George area, Ticonderoga to be exact you know what's I'm talking about when I say "the most beautiful place on earth! "

This is a letter written by Thomas Jefferson. To his daughter in 1791 

"Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw; formed by a contour of mountains into a basin thirty-five miles long and from two to four miles broad, finely interspersed with islands, its water limpid as crystal and the mountainsides covered with rich groves of silver fir, white pine, aspen and paper birch down to the water, here and there precipices of rock to checker the scene and save it from monotony. An abundance of speckled trout, salmon trout, bass, and other fish with which it is stored, have added to our other amusements the sport of taking them."

  Last Sunday morning we left at 5 AM  so we could get to Lake George by one or 2 PM so we could have a full day on the lake. For some reason it took us longer than expected but by 2:30 we had arrived we unpacked and quickly headed to the boat  and out on the water. We were not even at the boathouse for 5 minutes and Mitchell had the surfboard sailboat out and in the water.

Until several years ago I had never been out on a boat...well now I have and I am hooked! It's almost a must to have a boat when you there as it adds lots to do and lots to see. We spend our days on the lake in coves or on day islands snorkeling, fishing, swimming, tubing, rock jumping and just plain relaxing and enjoying the beauty of it all. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking.

Mitchell waits for this trip all year and when we are there he pretty much never stops! He has a ball on the water then when we are at the cabin he four wheels and plays battle with the other guys with their air soft guns. The entire week is filled with free and fun action for him and everyone!!!

We had to take a two day break from the fun to head to Boston, which is a 4 hour ride to have Taylor finally seen at Boston Children's Hospital. The visit was well worth the wait and time away from vacation. They have a good idea how to help Taylor with her medical problems and we hope it prevents future episodes and hospital stays! This was my first time in Boston and I must say that I am NOT a fan. The people I encountered outside the hospital were less than friendly and the drivers were INSANE and rude. Now remember I am well versed in driving in Baltimore City and Washington so I was not expecting to have a hard time driving there. I hope next time we visit I have a better experience!

Taylor and Connor caught a fish and of course put it right back!

This was our view from the porch at the cabin. The water you can see is Lake Champlain and if you look closely, you can see Fort Ticonderoga on the other side.

Every night we played family games or had bonfires

This was our view the last day heading back to the boathouse.

The serenity of the lake is amazing and I think it has a psychological healing power all its own. As we drove back to shore, I felt sad that it was our last day, but was thankful of our time there and having everyone together to enjoy it.

Goodbye Lake George...

Until next year!!!

The Summer Life

So its August and that means summer is coming to an end and the kids here will be going back to school by the end of the month! Its not going to be pretty trying to get Mitchell on a school schedule again. He's been living the summer life. To bed late, sleeping in, eating pretty much anything and everything he wants, long days at the pool and play dates galore! Did I say its not going to be pretty!!!

Our summer days between vacations have been sooooo nice. I usually get up by 8 and come down and have my coffee and catch up on Facebook and read my blogs.  Mitchell usually gets up around 9 and we hang out for a couple hours. I usually get any housework or laundry started or finished up before we head out to the pool.

This has not always been my life in the summer believe me! There were years I actually use to dread the summer because it meant all six kids were home arguing, fighting and driving me nuts some days. Now these days seem so quiet, almost like the days of summer ciaos never even really happened. Do you ever feel like a part of your life was a lifetime ago, yeah like that!

We have one more vacation this summer which we leave for tomorrow morning. We are headed to Lake George, then Boston for a couple days, then back to Lake George. Taylor is being seen at Boston's Children's Hospital finally and the date they gave us was right in the middle of our Lake George Vacation. Boston is four hours from Lake George so we will make it all work!

Soon the cool breezes of fall will be upon us, and another summer behind us. This always makes me sad despite loving fall. Everyone will be a year older next year, and my baby, Mitchell, will be a teenager in November! I honestly can NOT even handle how fast time is flying. So for now I will enjoy these last days we have of summer and continue thanking God for every one of them!!!

The Pokemon Go craze

So Pokemon Go has hit the nation and my house as well. I think you need to be hiding in a cave to have NOT heard of it. Even my 86 year old mother in law has been asking me all about it.

"Pokémon GO" is a reality game that incorporates the real world into the game world. Using your phone's GPS, clock and camera -- as well as Google Earth and all the information it gathered with "Ingress.  "GO" acts as wish-fulfillment for fans by bringing wild Pokémon into your actual environment. The game also turns landmarks into PokéStops, where you can collect items like Poké Balls and eggs that can be hatched.  It also turns public buildings into Pokemon "gyms," where you can train and evolve the Pokemon you've captured. The basic premise is that "trainers" wander the world catching Pokémon, teaching them to fight each other and evolving them into new forms. There are 720 creatures though only the original 151 are currently listed as available in the new game. 

Yesterday, we went to a park in our area for Mitchell's soccer practice. I was absolutely amazed at how many people were walking, skating, running while glued to their phone catching Pokemon. There we even dozens of people gathered around a fountain and a pavilion which Mitchell told me was a PokeStop. I am talking people of all ages, races, and genders. 

I have heard both negative and positive opinions about what people think of this game. Some people are always trying to find the negative in almost anything so to them I say this. What is wrong with a game that gets people off their couch and walking, biking, running, or skating to find these creative characters?

I was talking with the child life specialist at Hopkins the other day. She said it has been a positive thing for the pediatric units. Kids who would normally not want to get out of bed because of pain. In fact the hospital has created lures and gyms and pokemon stops within the units or hospital walls so the kids can also get enjoyment out of the game.

I have also heard that the shelters have had a spike in the adoption of dogs because of the game. People want dogs to walk so I guess they don't look so odd out there chasing pokemon.

They are saying that kids that normally would be sitting on their couch playing video games all day are now out and about in their neighborhoods,local parks, and even churches searching for the Pokemon they need.

I think this was a genius way to to get people out and about discovering their, towns, cities, neighborhoods, and getting exercise while finding what they are seeking. This has taken the video games to a whole other level. I for one will not be arguing with the benefits of this creative game.