August | 2022 | Bam Bam Bramble!

The four of us made the pilgrimage to NH in August- our first family trip there in 3 years. Flying with big kids was MUCH easier than flying with an almost 2 year old and a 4.5 year old. Everything was smooth until the hour we had to sit on the tarmac waiting for a gate in Boston. G and Pa had a long wait inside but were so excited to pick us up.

We arrived in Wilton late that night, so Jesse and Lida came over the next day. Even though he hadn’t seen them in 3 years, Soren ran to them and immediately gave them both big hugs. It was very sweet. The heat and humidity was intense. One of my goals for the trip was to swim as much as possible. The first swim trip was Greenfield State Park where Jesse and I use to swim as kids. Sloane and Soren were impressed and had a great time.

Saturday was the Christmas in August party for the Straw Family and it was with all 28 Straws! It was about 95 degrees and 95% humidity- refreshing. Jeff and Becky were hosting and rented a water slide bouncy house which Sloane spent the entire party in playing and sliding.

We also visited with Erin, Ian, Paloma, and Sabine. It was another swimming opportunity! Paloma and Sabine were so kind and sweet with my kids. They shared their goggles and floaties, showed them around, and gave them a stuffy each to take home.

We also met up with Robin and Fritha for a picnic and play in a stream. Sloane liked to pretend she was a mermaid on the rock and Soren liked to pretend to be a lizard sunning on the rocks. They enjoyed asking Robin and Fritha questions about their pets and their bees, and we grown ups got some catch up time.

In June, the kids asked to go to a petting zoo on a random Saturday. We couldn’t make it happen that day, but I remembered there was one close to Wilton. We made it to The Friendly Farm on our way back from visiting Fritha and Robin. Soren loved holding the baby chicks. Sloane and Soren both got to give bottles to baby goats and a baby cow. It was super fun.

My childhood dance instructor lives in Wilton again and it was wonderful to get to visit with her as well. We went over a couple of times- I chatted with Jayne, while the kids got to swim in the pool at her house! I did go jump in to escape the heat.

In between all this visiting and swimming, we had good times at G and Pa’s house. We picked blueberries, played grocery store, had nightly fires, and made s’mores (or as they were pronounced in my house growing up samoas!)