Meanwhile...Back Stateside

Ilena and the kids have been up and down the east-coast, visiting with family and friends. Here are pictures from Mike's parent's Lake House, Liberty Hill Farm in Vermont (an annual vacation we take with our neighbors - this times sans Mike), and Sesame Place (visiting friends in Langhorne, PA).

Some highlights of the family fun at the Lake House (in pictures below) include an old car parade on July 4th weekend and Jacob taking out the kayak on the Lake all by himself for the first time (He was beaming with pride, and so are we!). Funniest was Jacob saying "domo arigato" to the clerk in Cohen's Bakery in the Catskills, after being handed a couple of pies. The response - "You're welcome." His puzzled reply - "You can speak Japanese?!" The response - "No." (Back in New Jersey earlier in the month, they had gone out for Chinese food and Jacob again tried his language skills. The Chinese waiter sternly informed Jacob that he was NOT Japanese!) Poor confused child.

The week before in Vermont was a time to slow down . . .

. . . and sit in really (really) big chairs.

Although slowing down is sometimes difficult. Actually, let's be honest. With Jacob, its impossible:

Although not with Lauren:

The following week, Sesame Place was a good time!

And this last picture, I'm not sure what to say. It's just plain HOT:

No?