Shepherd's first Airstream experience

Since we knew we wouldn't be taking a big vacation this summer, we decided to do a camping weekend in the Airstream as a mini-vacation. The timing couldn't have been better because the crazy heat wave hit that same weekend, making it the perfect time to be in our air-conditioned RV since we don't have AC in the house. Having a reservation at a campground also gave Andrew the motivation he needed to finish a couple of projects in the Airstream. The most important one was building a crib bunk for Shepherd! After all, when we bought the Airstream last summer, we weren't anticipating having another little person on board. Andrew did some research online and then came up with the perfect design. After several late nights, construction was complete!

finished crib bunk with closet space and storage underneath

Harper tested it out to make sure it was sturdy enough for Shepherd!

Then Ryder climbed up too!

The side of the crib pulls down and is hinged so that it doesn't take up any hall space.

Once we got a mattress, I laid Shepherd down on it to test it out. As you can see, he looked pretty satisfied!

Andrew also redid the walls around the refrigerator and behind the dinette booth. We still have to paint and add some trim, but it already looks so much better!!

We stayed at a campground only about 30 minutes from our house since we weren't sure how Shepherd would do. It gave me peace of mind knowing we weren't too far from home! We arrived at the campsite around 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, and within the first half hour we did discover that there is a clog somewhere in the hose that is supposed to drain the condensation from the AC. We had a very steady drip trickle coming out of the AC unit--which is mounted on the ceiling smack-dab in the middle of the RV--and had to leave a large pot and several towels on the dinette table and the floor right beside it. Andrew and I were super frustrated at first, and then we changed our attitudes and realized it was a good thing to discover now rather than on a long road trip far from home. We laughed when we saw Garcia go over to the pot to check things out and then proceed to drink the cold water. He probably thought we put the "self-refilling water bowl" there just for him. And Andrew and I joked that most Airstreams don't have such a nice water feature right beside the dining table. 😂 We planned to stay two nights, but late Saturday afternoon our power kept cutting off and on, which meant the AC was shutting off. We assume it was the sheer number of RV's all plugged in and running air conditioning that was causing a voltage drop. The campground just couldn't handle it! As much as we didn't want to cut our weekend short, we also didn't want to deal with the constant power surges all night long. So we drove home to sleep on Saturday night and Andrew went back to get the Airstream on Sunday morning. All in all it was a good weekend and the kids had a blast riding their bicycles and swimming in the river. 

Ryder and Harper wanted to watch The Sound of Music before bed, and Ryder pretended to be asleep when Andrew got the camera out.

Shepherd slept all night in his new bed!

The next morning, Shepherd took a quick snooze on our comfy bed.

I would love to know how many miles Harper and Ryder put on their bikes! They had a blast riding around the campground together.

This is pretty much what Shepherd and I did on Saturday. There was a nice breeze, and it felt great in the shade.

Shepherd and I left the campsite to watch the big kids swim in the river. 

Nap time again!

Lunch after a morning of biking and swimming.

July summer fun

Fun at the library

Ryder and Harper are participating in our library's summer reading program. In addition to keeping track of the books they read for prizes, there is an activity every Friday afternoon. The theme for the program is "A Universe of Stories", so one week they made galactic slime and another time they made constellation nightlights. The program runs a few more weeks, so I'm interested to see what else they will get to do.

Off to see the Wizard!

Through the summer camp program, Ryder, Harper and I received free tickets to attend a production of The Wizard of Oz at a local playhouse. I was excited to go but a little nervous about how Shepherd would do since we would be sitting still for over an hour. I fed him right before we left, and then wore him in the Baby Bjorn when we got there. As we waited in line for the doors to open, he dozed off. It wasn't until the lights dimmed and the play began that his little eyes popped open and he watched the entire show like the rest of us! We were seated in the second row, so there were times I was afraid he would get startled or scared when the wicked witch cackled loudly or the actors came down off the stage and through the audience. Nope! He just stared intently until the end when he started getting sleepy and dozed back off. I was so proud of him! And I'm so thankful Ryder and Harper were able to enjoy the show. :) 

In our seats, waiting for the show to begin.

Harper wanted "Dorothy braids" for the occasion, and the closest thing she had to a blue and white dress was her turquoise and white tie-dye dress.

Harper was excited to meet Dorothy and hold Toto after the show. She got Dorothy's autograph, and Ryder got the Lion's.

While Shepherd played on his mat, Ryder wanted to read to him. I cracked up at the books he picked out: one was about the Bermuda Triangle and the other Albert Einstein. Shepherd is going to be one smart little guy!

Harper lost her 3rd tooth!

Catching up with friends
One of my good friends/coworkers from FL is originally from NY and just moved back up here in June to be closer to family. We live about 2.5 hours from each other, so we found a halfway point and got together one day last week. Rebecca has 2 kiddos: a daughter who is right between Ryder and Harper, and a son who is almost 3. We went to the same children's museum where Harper had her field trip, ate at a cute restaurant along the Hudson River, and stopped at a playground before heading our separate ways again. She is my only friend I've seen since we moved up here, and it was so nice to catch up with her and visit like old times. We're going to try to get together once a month, so I'm looking forward to our next visit already!

lunch by the river

We followed the sidewalk from the restaurant to the playground, and Rebecca snapped this cute picture of the kids together.

Ryder, Makaela, and Harper pretended they were being eaten by this rock formation!

A day at the lake

Andrew's boss Scott has a pontoon boat, and on Saturday he invited us to join him and his daughter Nicole for a day on the water. The weather couldn't have been better, and it was a great day for swimming or just sitting in the shade (like Shepherd and I did). After the boat ride we hung out by the dock and grilled some burgers, watching the kids run around and play. It was a perfect summer day!

Ryder was happy to get a turn driving the boat!