Thursday, August 28, 2008

More photos

Here are some more pictures taken by Lisa for Walker's portfolio. They both did a great job. These were all taken at our house.




















Some new, random pictures

My dear friend, Lisa, came over a couple of weeks ago to shoot Walker's portfolio. He wants to start catalog modeling so I thought this was a good first step. I just have to get them printed. Here is a preview of them. They came out very good. He is very cute and she is a very good photographer.
His serious look.

Check me out, look.
Walker started school yesterday. The days are LONG without him at home. The bus doesn't bring him back until 4PM. Long bus ride home. He likes his class and teacher and seemed very happy about everything last night. He was tired.

I finally got some summer rolls of FILM developed. These are somewhat outdated now, but you haven't seen them yet, so...

Sue, Donnie and Kaylee came over for Scott's birthday party (back in June). We had a pool party. Sue, Donnie and Scott ate steamed clams.

They also had lobster.

They love lobster. Walker, Kaylee and I had cheese and crackers while they ate this stuff. We're not lovers of this type of food.
Walker designed his own "toga" out of an old pillow case.

Back stage at Show 2 - Steppin' Out. This was Walker's ballet dance, "Best of Friends." I taught this Kindergarten age ballet and tap class. I like how Walker's costume matched so well with the girls. Of course I chose it that way, but it's always nice to see it actually looks good. They danced with their own stuffed animals - best friends. Get it?
Walker reading "Hop on Pop" to Audrey, our summer girl.
Audrey and Walker playing with Walker's Spiderman stunt set.
Walker and Gage enjoy a good battle of Pokemon.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Kingston Days

Here is Walker at Kingston Days, our towns annual birthday celebration. It is such a fun, small town event. We love it.




This booth was set up to advertise Lee Speedway. All the little boys wanted to get in the race car and "drive." It was even FREE. Cool, considering how expensive everything else was.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Flash flood camping...

It's been quite a wet summer. Each of our three planned camping trips had rain. In fact each produced more and more rain than the last.

Almost 2 weeks ago we headed out to the Ames Brook Campground in Ashland, NH. It wasn't raining when we got there and we were able to set everything up. Our site was on a beautiful, small, babbling brook. Of course, once we were set up the rain started. Our friends, Coreen and Steven and their girls arrived soon after the rain and they decided to wait until the rain stopped before setting up their site. The 7 of us were trying to stay dry, sitting at the picnic table under our big 20x40 tarp. As we watched the brook rose higher and higher. There was a rock that was about 3 feet sticking out of the water and within 20 minutes it was completely covered. We put the kids in Steven's truck (and by the grace of God they actually stayed there - safe!). The four of us packed up our entire camp as quickly as we could and got our camper out of there. As soon as we pulled the camper up and out of the site, the brook crested, having gone from 20 feet across to 300. Our site was underwater by about 3 feet. We were lucky that we were all safe and alive. We only lost 2 tarps, a bike helmet and a stack of wood. Sadly, a family lost their 7 year old when their car fell into the river shortly after a culvert was swept downstream. Coreen, Scott and I saw the culvert and the car both heading down stream. Very sad. We spent the night at the Days Inn at Campton then came home the next day. None of us were in the mood to continue camping or even try to find a campground that wasn't flooded. There was major flooding in the lakes region, where we were. We're done camping for the season.

On the brighter side, we are optimistic and have booked two trips for next year. Hopefully, we will all feel drier by then!


This was our nice site, on the brook. Notice the electrical box/hookup on the right.


Our site right after the brook crested. Steven and Scott. Notice the electrical hookup box behind Steven. The water went high very quickly. The nice, small saplings at the back of our site were gone by then. Washed away, even after surviving a mountain spring.


More raging water. Can't believe this was a sweet, quiet brook an hour before this.




And more raging water.


The fire and rescue squad. They blocked the road. Thank goodness we got out of there before they came. We could have been stuck there with the road washing away. By then we just wanted to leave and get somewhere dry. You can see that Theresa Simone woman who was on the news all that night and the next day in the background with her white hoodie. Just call her hysterical witness.


The road/bridge after one of the culverts (there were two) washed away. That camper was going to be washed away soon.