Some of my weekend plans got derailed because the US Navy doesn’t actually believe skipping work to attend the Eastern States Exposition (aka The Big E) is a priority. They are obviously wrong, but that doesn’t change the fact that they wouldn’t let E go. But there was still plenty of weekend fun had by all.

Greek Food Festival:

One of the best parts about the Greek Food Festival is that we can walk there.

Linc ate more than anyone else (besides me).

Caroline was pouting, so Evan went to cheer her up.

Still loving our Joovy TooQool, even the 6 year old wants to ride in it.

Those things are called pineapple ground cherries and are actually delicious.

I wish I had taken more photos, there was so much cute stuff, but it was unexpectedly warm and I had a squirmy baby on my back and a 4 year old who needed to get to soccer practice.

I bought her that chair.

Norwich Auto Show:

A tiny train set on the train set! It moved and everything.

Slightly terrifying. Evan declined to go anywhere near them.

The handmade blanket that matches the car is amazing.

Poor Linc hangs out on my back, so he never gets to be in photos.

In the back of an old Chicago police car.

Mystic Garlic Festival:

Garlic ranch fries and clam fritters

Bacon & cheddar hush puppies that actually melted in my mouth.

We still haven’t even gone apple or pumpkin picking yet, on any hayrides, to any corn mazes, or any of the other fun fall stuff. Technically fall starts tomorrow though, so we have time!

The Greek church in town went and moved their food festival to NEXT weekend, so my Best Weekend Of The Year is now divided into two weekends. But the good news it there is even more stuff next weekend (a vintage market, the Garlic Festival and THE BIG E) so I get two Best Weekends instead of one. I LOVE FALL IN NEW ENGLAND.

We started Saturday at the Ledyard Fair. They do free rides from 9-10 and since the kids love rides and I hate paying $75 to go on them, we skipped our first day of soccer in favor of the fair.

For dinner we walked downtown for Taste of Italy. I love that we can walk. I love the free bounce house. And I looooved my lobster mac and cheese.

While we were waiting for Evan to be done bouncing, we heard Sweet Caroline come on the sound system. This was her reaction:

Then on Sunday we headed out for lunch at Mystic Eats. It used to be called Taste of Mystic but now it’s…not? It was very dramatic and lots of small-town paper editorials were written. But it’s exactly the same as all the other years. Tons of delicious choices, with Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream for dessert.

Shrimp and corn fritters

All my photos are of the back of Linc’s head. Too bad he’s such a shy kid.

It’s a parrot. Obviously.

Now I will spend the rest of this week doing all the walking and eating all the vegetables so that next weekend I can eat even more stuff. Did I mention I love the fall? in New England??

I feel like our week was a lot busier than these photos make it look, but I can’t remember why.

Sunday:

I promise they actually enjoy the zoo

Evan said he made a rabbit art sculpture and requested I take a photo

Linc’s going to miss the lake

Monday:

GOOD BYE LAKE 2015

NO I WON’T GO YOU CAN’T MAKE ME

I de-laked the back of the minivan

Tuesday:

Free range parenting

Important cutting homework

Not a great sign on the way TO ballet

Wednesday:

Kettlecorn is everyone’s favorite

MY DADDYYYYYYY

I didn’t even have to fake the skies in my photos from this session

Thursday:

Boooooo bus stop in the rain

Off to explore the aquarium on his own.

AVERT YOUR EYES, I’M BREASTFEEDING IN THIS PHOTO

Friday:

One baby got to watch Elmo during her breathing treatment, so ALL the babies needed to watch.

My baby is the cutest.

But not the most cooperative with photos.

Saturday:

Caroline really likes carousels

I took the same picture last year but he was tiny and asleep in a wrap

Evan is obsessed with winning a giant stuffed animal

This week is Week 2 Of All The Fall Activities Starting which means we add Judo for Evan. I’m really hoping it helps with his ability to focus on something OTHER than an iPad and maybe control his body a little bit more when it comes to school. So now we’re up to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday activities. Next week we add swim.

My hope is eventually we’ll all be so tired we sleep 12 hours a night every night. I am totally up for a 6 pm bedtime.

The Brooklyn Fair is the oldest agricultural fair in the country. But don’t worry, besides the adorable little fair museum building everything else was the true country fair experience. I don’t really mean that as a compliment, but it still makes me happy. People watching and deep fried stuff are two of my guiltiest guilty pleasures.

Linc was a champ, hanging out on my back almost the whole time. The kids liked the animals and teh food but they mostly wanted to go on rides. Since I am the meanest mother in the world I only bought a book of tickets, not wristbands, so they each got to go on a few things. As far as carnival rides go, everything seemed really sturdy – sturdy enough that I actually went on one of the high swinging things with Evan. No one died!

The Brooklyn Fair was the warm up for September, which will be absolutely full of fairs, food and long fun days with a baby on my back.

The boys at pizza and nachos…

The girls (and the baby) had clam strips.

We don’t know that girl. Evan just asked her to pour corn on his head. Of course she said yes.

Caroline was really good at milking the fake cow.

Those are apparently the biggest whoopie pies in the state. Country? World? I just remember they were very proud of them.

She would have watched the horses all night.

I love love love this picture. I’m going to enter it in next year’s fair’s photography category.

The big kids wanted to go on the “roller coaster”. Caroline was technically too short to go without a responsible person, but Evan was good enough for the guy working the gate.

She did NOT love the roller coaster. Poor child.

Can you believe I’ve done this nonsense for 250 weeks? Caroline wasn’t even BORN when I did the first one. So I suppose I can’t even think about quitting, despite the fact that I can barely remember to do them. This one is late and I had to check my dates three times because it’s so hard to believe a week ago we were still on vacation. Real life happens SO FAST.

Sunday:

Evan is doubtful that 3 people in a one person kayak is wise.

Linc loves vacation

Caroline is ALWAYS ready for more pictures

Monday:

If you look hard enough, you can almost see New York down the river

I liked the reflection in the back of that tanker

Linc is happy to see all his stuff again

Tuesday:

Caroline is writing a song

Grumpy pants needed a walk to get ready for bed

I really, really love this front porch.

Wednesday:

The zoo was so fun.

I will never get tired of these photos.

I had three ladies tell me they liked my hair and none of them even notice I was nursing a baby.

Thursday:

Lunch at Quincy Market should always involve a lobster roll

Boston Children’s Museum

Linc was over Boston (and I was over my poor choice of shirt on a 90 degree day)

Friday:

SUPER COOL PRESS EVENT POST COMING SOON

I was really good at juggling, if my really good you mean terrible

Red Lantern at Foxwoods = ORDER ALL THE SUSHI

Saturday:

They must have bought those water bottles at Target. Poor confused children.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

What? I’m hungry.

I forgot I had Virginia vacation photos to post, plus I have the post about our fun date at Foxwoods, so as long as I don’t die of heatstroke (we’re on day 5 or 6 of 90 degrees plus) I’ll have more new blog stuff up soon.