It's a Cotten life: Day in the Adirondacks with cousins

When Clover was up a few weeks ago, we went spent a day in the Adirondacks.

Naturally, we stopped by the thrift store. Cody had given the kids some money for their own to buy things at the thrift store, so it was terribly exciting, with lengthy deliberations and pride over their purchases.

Abilene on the other hand, did not relish the thrift store. She wanted outta there. And she calmed right down once she was laid on the cool grass and could watch the trees. Gilbert loves her.

Tori and Clover and their rocket dog sneakers

After the thrift store, we went to the little supermarket in Wilmington and got sandwiches and took them to Lake Placid, where we had a picnic behind the library beside the lake.

We got there before Hoyt, so when he came down the stairs and saw us all, he was full of surprise and delight. He squealed, jumped up and down, and covered his mouth. It was totally adorable and made us feel like celebrities.

The cute Vaughan family, minus Owen

Our picnic table

See? Gilbert is really into this Abilene baby.

Hoyt, carefully rolling up his shorts, so they wouldn't get wet when he went wading.

We just stripped the little kids down. Much easier than fussing with keeping their clothes dry. It is a fairly secluded little nook there, so we weren't shocking anyone.

Except maybe the ducks. But they were too busy eating the pretzels the kids threw them to care.

A seagull stole a few pretzels.

Duck face washing

Isn't this a beautiful library?

Haha! Lincoln running along the garden wall

Boys

Abilene, all curled up, and a Rilla hand with her dollar from the tooth fairy.

Lilies

The library's backyard

Tor-Tor and Abilene

This was shortly before Lily fell in.

Sweet

Heading to the kids room

Awesome chair they got recently

Proud big cousin

For whatever reason, Lake Placid library has a huge selection of vintage children's books. And I love them.

And then, we had to stop at Donelley's Ice Cream

They use the same equipment they did in the 1950's and they use their own milk and cream to make the ice cream. There is only one flavor per day and it has gained a bit of a cult following, thanks to yelp! and similar review places.

Eating our ice cream. Lincoln's fell flat on the ground and for whatever reason, he didn't want a new cone, he wanted the one that shouldn't have fallen. It was a long busy day, so he was a bit over tired. It was while Clover was reasoning with him that she got a call from the kids' school, asking her to come in for an interview for the school librarian job she starts today. Quite a momentous spot.