McGurin-O-Rama

We have had such a busy summer that I've had little time for blogging. I have to start catching up, because the exciting plans continue for the rest of the summer. This post will recap all of the fun that we had during visits from Grammy and Grampy and Aunt Sheila and Cousin Haley.

As usual, we kept Grampy busy with home improvement projects during his visits to the Pioneer House. This year the focus was on the front door, and the rainy weather and age of our house made this project challenging. Evan was very interested in helping Grampy, or at least getting outfitted to assist.

We did give Grampy a little break from his project to visit the Higgins Armory Museum, a favorite with the Brothers YZ. Below Evan and I model some helmets, mine is a replicate helment made of very heavy metal and Evan's is plastic.

Liam spent his visit fascinated by medieval board games. He loved a a game played with small glass marbles, and crashing through the life-size chess game.

On the Fourth of July, we took Grammy with us to the Rutland Fourth of July Parade. This parade seems to get better every year. What could be better than free candy and tons of fire trucks blaring their sirens for the Brothers YZ?

Then, a week after Grammy and Grampy took a break from us to go back to Cape Cod, we received two more very special guests--Aunt Sheila and Cousin Haley. I think Haley's visit was the most highly anticipated event of Evan's summer. He was counting down the days until he could run to the door to greet Haley and give her the biggest hug ever. Sheila and Haley spent one night with us at the Pioneer House, and Sheila let us borrow Haley for the day. The cousins enjoyed an afternoon at the Boston Public Gardens and Common taking a swan boat ride and wading in the Frog Pond. Of course, the Brothers YZ did not care that they were not dressed in swimsuits and went in all of the way.

After our day in Boston, we traveled to the North Shore to meet Grammy and Grampy for the McGurin Family Reunion Weekend. On Saturday night, we went the The Continental Restaurant in Saugus to meet McGurin and Magurin cousins once, twice, and three times removed. The Brothers YZ were the only children at this reunion, and they provided the live (or perhaps, live wire) entertainment. Actually, considering the time of the night and amount of sitting required, they did quite well.

But, they did have much more fun at the McGurin Reunion, Part II at Aunt Bern and Uncle Bill's house on Sunday afternoon where they got to run around the backyard with cousins who I believe are first cousins once removed--Brendan, Jarad, and Colleen and first cousin--Haley. Whatever the official label, all of the cousins treated Evan and Liam like princes, and they had a fabulous time.