The rest of July 2022

A mishmash to wrap up July.

Ally and I finished a puzzle. I bought it because I loved the cute pictures and then when it arrived we realized it was actually featuring diversity in love and relationships.

Couch time with her pets.

New school sneakers! Gotta be ready for 10th grade.

It was really hot this month.

Ally and I binge watched the new season of Stranger Things. I was not impressed and found it very violent.



Becky and Beth went to see Elton John at Gillett Stadium. 



Cloey was crying so much to get close to Becky one morning so I put her up on the barstool.

Ally and Daisy. These two. Daisy was sick for a few days but seems to be better now.

Our friends from London are visiting and we got the gang together. We think this looks like an album cover for the band The Playgroundeers.  Needless to say the teens do not appreciate our humor. Friends for 13 years now. Lucky. 

Mommy’s Birthday

Well my birthday was supposed to be in Flagstaff with Gruncle and Aunt Suzie. But COVID happened to them so we postponed our trip. That meant we were scrambling for something to do and a bit at loose ends. 

Aunt Beth came thru with an AWESOME gift. A portable ice machine!!! 

Can you tell how happy I was? And she made me 2 new heating pads. Really great and thoughtful gift from her and Debbie and Dave. Thank you so much.

This was actually July 24. Beth had made plans for the 26th because we were supposed to be away. So she came over for crafting and gift on the 24th.

We made homemade ice cream. Beth was demonstrating how to get the vanilla beans out of the vanilla pod. 

Ally did it too.

We did paint your own pottery at home!



Our masterpieces! Now we just need to take them to be fired at the studio.

On my actual birthday I suggested we go out to eat at a local mall and do some shopping. 

The restaurant was closed. But we all got some new clothes. 

We stopped for burritos on the way home and after we ate those and watched a couple episodes of the new season of Amazing Race we had dessert and gifts. 

Ice cream sundaes for dessert! 49 this year, I’m thinking the last year of my 40s will be a good one. 

Cousins Visit Part 3

Sunday we met up with another cousin, Kimn and spent the day walking through Boston, shopping, rode a swan boat and saw some of the Freedom Trail. We walked 11,700 steps! Later that evening I drove them to see Ally’s high school, Boston College and Boston University. On Monday their final day here we let them sleep in until almost noon, then we had pancakes and fruit and the kids walked up to Central Square with Becky and did a puzzle room. 

We took Ubers most of the time. And the cousins had never ridden in an Uber before! This was Sunday on our way downtown to meet up with Kimn for Boston shopping and site seeing.

We stopped for bubble tea and the teens were immediately on their phones.



We posed for photos after a much needed water and cupcake break.

We rode the Swan boats in Boston’s Public Garden.







Walked the Freedom Trail. 

Shopped in Quincy Market

Had lunch, Ramen at Wagamama.



And said goodbye to Kimn. It was the first time the 3 other Palmers had met their cousin Kimn. Pretty neat.

We got home, took a break and then I took the cousins on a driving tour to look at some local colleges and see Ally’s high school. It was neat to spend some time with them chatting and laughing. 

Monday the kids did an Escape room, they were successful! 

And then it was time to leave. I will say a memory for us will be eating lots of Fluffernutter sandwiches with them. Kaitlin is allergic to peanut butter so she spread Fluff on bread and ate it like that. It was fun.

And then they were off. 

Such a great 5 days with them. 

Cousins visit part 2

Not only did we have Boston touristy things planned but a few other fun things too. Friday morning Becky took the 4 kids to Canobie Lake Park which is a small amusement park in New Hampshire about an hour away. Saturday we went on a duck tour some more Boston exploring and then drove 2 cars out to a suburban mall for the kids to do a puzzle/challenge place called Level 99.  

Canobie Lake Park. Ally was proud of herself for riding this one it’s her first upside down coaster. Jackson rode it twice, once with Ally and Kaitlin and a 2nd time with Becky.

Meredith conquered her fear of roller coasters and rode  The Cannonball with the other 3. They had a great time and all told me it was a favorite activity of the whole trip. 

Log / flume rides are always fun.





Jackson hamming it up on the Ferris wheel.



They really had so much fun and Becky said it was a great day.

Saturday we made them get up by 1030 so we could make a noon Duck Boat Tour.



We rode Fenway Franny. Pretty hilarious with Jackson in his Yankees jersey.





The tour was fun as always but Ally was exhausted at the end. So she and I went home.

Becky took the cousins to an open air flea market in Copley Square and then out to lunch.

Turns out Atlantic Fish House us pretty expensive. Jackson said he kept looking for the less expensive side of the menu! Becky finally told them not to worry about it and just order what they want. She said it was fun and the food was good.

But after lunch she decided to take them back to Cambridge on the T. Kaitlin posted the picture above to Snapchat. Ally showed it to me.

Apparently Becky got a little confused and they almost got on the wrong train. But she figured it out. 

And they made it to Cambridge. 

They walked around Central Sq and posed in Graffiti Alley.

After a break at home we headed out again. This time to a suburban mall to experience Level 99 it’s a puzzle challenge place. They kids were there for 2 hours. Becky and I went to Nordstrom’s and had dinner at the brewery attached to the game place. 




We ordered Shake Shack and they ate that at home and watched a movie. It was a late night. Fun day.