Summer fun! Here is a picture diary of what our summer has been filled with so far.
Camping with college friends over Memorial Day:
Yes, we did go hiking on Basset Path, despite our lack of flourescent orange clothing. :)
Lackawana State Park was beautiful! The creek wading was stupendous, the lake was perfect for adventure canoeing and the sites were great for tenting! 
The GCTS Staff Association's big event of the year: Staff Day. This year's staff day had a medieval theme and featured a mystery dinner. I would be content to never make another shield for the rest of my life.
My co-workers really got into their parts - we saw a whole new side of GCTS. :)
At the end of June we ran a half marathon with some of our church friends. It was fun, although the rolling hills they mentioned in the race description actually felt like mountains. :)Pre-race:
Post-race:
In early July, Mom, Dad and Brooke came to visit!Crane Beach: Mom dove right into the water! 69 degree water? No problem! She's a California girl! :)
Dad walking on water :)
Brooke inventing a new beach walk :)
God's art in the sand:
Shadow pictures
Sweetie came, too! She seems to have survived the traumatic car rides to and from MA. :)
Whale watching:
Titanic!
I love this picture:
Dad applying slightly too much sunscreen. :)
A whale! One of the 9 we saw:
Beautiful Brooke!
Rye, NH:
Ana's Tacqueria:
Harvard (Brooke could read the Chinese on this statue!):
Getting ready to watch the fireworks on TV :)
Thanks for coming, Mom, Dad and Brooke! We loved having you here! Please come again soon!!!Our summer took us next to Buffalo, where we sampled the fares of "Taste of Buffalo":
Polka music! I could have watched these people all day. :)
I like having brothers:
From Buffalo, we traveled to Chicago to visit Carrie, David, Ashton, Emma and Clara!
Picnic on the patio! We loved being able to be Uncle Matt and Aunt Laurel and loved hanging out with David and Carrie after the kids went to bed! A little surreal to be in my sister's beautiful home, hanging out with she and her family of 3 kids! Where did the days of Little People go?
Dancing to the music:
Local playground:
Sister love.
One of many piggy-back rides given :)
Touring Augustana - a gorgeous campus!
Eating another delicious meal made by Carrie!
La Rancherita - delicious Mexican food!
The trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to the John Deere pavilion!
We rode the 'Channel Cat' down the Mississippi!
Loving being an uncle:
Good to the last drop. :)
On our way to the state park!
Watching the animals of the prairie - We saw bison, a black bear, antelope, wolves (to name a few) - all in their natural habitat:
Train ride around the park:
Getting ready for the fireworks in the back yard!
Culvers - home of the butter burger and cheese curds extraordinare!
Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago:
Bonding with the hippo:
Next we met up with Rach and hung out with her in Chicago. We enjoyed relaxing by the pool of her apartment complex - great fun to swim in the pool and gaze up at the sky scrapers. A swim experience like none other.
We ate yummy Chicago fare, played volleyball on the beach of Lake Michigan all the while seeing the sights of Chicago and catching up with Rach!
After Chicago, we traveled back to Buffalo to see some baseball and softball games and spend some more time with the Moran side. Since arriving back in MA, Matt started his last Greek class, I started a new job and Matt preached the Sunday sermon. phew!
We also went to the Ogunquit Playhouse to see the Sound of Music - Matt's birthday gift to me! It was wonderful!
So thankful for family, friends and good times!
