Wednesday, July 2 - Thursday, July 3 (NH)

Wednesday was the memorial service and lunch reception for Andrew's parents. They were laid to rest in the family cemetery with a group of cousins and other relatives in attendance. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I think everyone was happy to have this chance to formally gather and reflect.

Today was extremely rainy, so our planned rafting trip was postponed until Saturday. The girls and I spent much of the day reading. Andrew, the kids, and I played two games of Rummikub. After lunch, the girls and I took our final trip to Books-A-Million and Newbury Comics, and Katherine and Thomas came with us. Greta turned in two punchcards and got four books; Lucia turned in one and got two books. I bought myself a book too. We just browsed at Newbury Comics. I felt very sad when we left, saying goodbye for another year. Once we get home, we don't even think about these stores until we're getting ready for our next summer visit.

We went out to dinner at Harpoon Brewery, the seven of us plus Andrew's aunt and uncle. Then we prepared for the fireworks in Claremont--we missed them last year because we hadn't realized the date for them had changed and had assumed they were on the Fourth. This year, we didn't make that mistake. There was a lot of uncertainty about whether they would actually take place since it was so rainy, but we drove out to Claremont anyway; the weather cleared, and fireworks did indeed happen. I gave the kids glow bracelets as always and took some cute pictures of their silly poses. While we watched the fireworks, the girls lay down and each of them put their head on my knees. It was the kind of NH moment that makes these trips so magical. 

Then, on the walk back to the car, the kids told me a secret: whenever Andrew is out of town for work, and since I go to bed so early, many nights they pretend to go to bed, wait until I'm asleep, and then sneak downstairs to make themselves a midnight snack. They showed me pictures of themselves at midnight or later, down in the kitchen, eating plain flour tortillas, bowls of cereal, plates of pumpkin bread. They are usually making funny faces and/or sitting on the counter. Lucia said one night she ate five oranges. Then they quietly sneak back upstairs. They shared this information with Andrew once we were back in the car. 

This was all pretty funny, but what's even funnier is that they knew with 100% accuracy what each of us would say if we caught them having a late-night, post-bedtime snack. Andrew would say (sternly, aghast, disapproving): "Girls. You are supposed to be ASLEEP. It is too late for this." And I would say (chastising): "If you're still hungry, you should just have more dinner." Answering her own imitation of me, Lucia said she doesn't WANT more dinner; what she WANTS is a granola bar, or a bowl of cereal, or cold leftover pasta.

(When she and Greta said they were going to start cooking themselves grilled cheeses in the middle of the night, we told them that although the midnight snacking could continue, they are not to turn on the stove.)

We laughed the whole way home. I love that the kids have this whole life together as sisters that is completely their own. I'm glad they gave us a little glimpse of it tonight.