summer fun with family

I've still got my nose to the grindstone, slowly turning out my novel. But it's summer and summer is time for family, so I did temporarily halt the wheel to spend time with my favorite niece and nephew (okay, my only niece and nephew but they're still my favs!!).

One particular fun day was our trip to the Utica Zoo:

My niece's name is Lily, so this is joke on two levels...Lily is getting watered! Get it? The kids & I thought it was hilarious...

They also thought I made a fearsome tiger:

And we dressed in stripes so we could match the zebras:

(my mother's striped shirt had roses on it so we called her the "romantic zebra")

There was also (on other days) sushi,

yes, all this sushi is just for her!

Sparklers (on sale after the 4th of July so my mom bought a bunch of them):

My nephew calls fireworks "funny fire."

Bouncing houses:

I've seen kid heaven and it looks like this!

Peach picking:

The Sasquatch is hoarding all the peaches!

Bowling:

This was the best bowler.

The beach:

ice cream:

a lot of ice cream. I had a cone a day. My nephew is shrieking in horror of my excess!

and blue tongues:

Ah, such fun! Good summer memories...but back to work I go!