Glow Riding

For the 4th, we went to the river.  As we are wont to do.

We went on a total of three kayaking trips.  Two were during the day, in the hot-hot sun.  (With ample sunscreen, of course)

This is one of my cute nieces, followed by LD, who was looking like Mr. River himself, with his new sunglasses and all.

And look!  I saw a family of ducks.

Nature.

We decided to go on a night float, complete with glow sticks and everything.

I call it, “Glow-Riding.”  Because I can.

We became aware that my mother in law shall not ever be allowed to kayak on the river in the darkness alone, for she does not know where she is going at all.

MIL-Are we going the right way?!?

Kate-Well, we are going with the river.

MIL-But is this right?

All of us-yes.

Out of nowhere, MIL takes a hard left turn and heads for the river bank.

Me-You are no longer going the right way!

MIL- Yes!  This feels wrong.

We were pelted constantly in the face by mosquitos and had bats flying overhead.

But we surely enjoyed it.

Poor not-so-normal Norman spent the entire weekend trying to murder all the shadows while the other dogs swam and rested.

I am concerned for his sanity.

Our three dogs are very timid around the water, but my nieces’ dog, Walter, is a pro-champion swimmer.  At one point, the kids had thrown their football into the river and all our dogs were acting like damsels in distress, and then Walter took charge and showed them what’s what.’

My niece made me my favorite birthday dessert, and that made turning 40 that much sweeter.

Kate got in some snuggle time with her cute puppy, Niko.

She has recently made some changes to her after high school plans and is now going away to college-about 8 hours away from home.  She leaves in about a month.

We finally got Hadley back.  She has been traipsing across the continental US with Lily and family, visiting national parks and hiking and such.

(Hadley is on the left, Lily on the right)

And tomorrow marks 21 years that David and I have been married.

Twenty.

One.

Happy Wednesday!