We went out to eat at Rosie's (again, in Middlebury) after church with all the family left, and Steve Maxon thrown in for good measure. It was some good times, great fun.

The kids coloring. The service took a while, and my three went a little stir-crazy at the end.

Mom and Dad.

Miles hung out on the table for a bit.

It was all very country-chic.

The Tate crew.

Christine and Grace.

Driving back to the Lake. By Sunday we were very aware that our vacation had only a few days more, and we were feeling a little vacation desperation.

We dedicated Miles to the Lord at the church that Joel pastors for. Dad Tate did the service.

Nancy took these pictures for me- they left right after the morning service. This is the same church that we dedicated all of the other chickens at, so there was a nice sense of continuity. I love this church.

This is a picture of Steve Maxon and Josh and Lucy and Bowden out on the lake. Steve came while Dick and Nancy were still around, and he visited vigorously.

I love a man who's not afraid to hold a baby.

Josh fell asleep during the rigorous visiting.

Edwards did not.

We didn't have long to wait before more co-vacationers came to the Lake House. Dick and Nancy Beggs, and Dick's sister Sue, and Corky, of course, came out for a few days while on their whirlwind tour of the U.S.
It was funny to spend so much time with the Beggs, since we live in the same town, but never see them at home. They were good for many games and much laughing, but it was definitely a full house.

It was also rainy. With four children, two bickering dogs, and seven adults inside of one lake house, it was a crazy scene. We decided that it was a good time to go exploring, if only for the Beggs to be able to put Corky down. We stopped at a farm stand, and were given pumpkins by a nice farmer.

Then we went to the Farmer's Diner, in Middlebury. It was a local-vores dream come true.

And Jacks, too.

We passed some people kayaking down the falls on our way out of the diner's parking lot, and decided to get a better view. We also wanted to find a place that we'd heard about, but never been to visit, and now never will, since it closed down.

Jack was angry about leaving the bridge, but it made me nervous.

We found a better vantage point, and the kayaks came down again.

It was very fun...a nice rainy day full of adventure.

This may not be that interesting to you. One week after we arrived in Vermont, we drove back up to Burlington to take Lisa to the airport. We had to say goodbye to John, too, as he was leaving for Georgia a little after we drove off. We decided to go up to St. Albans, about a half-hour away, after we dropped Lisa off.
We got into St. Albans and went to see if our favorite sandwich place was open- it used to be called Kartulas, but is now the Celestial Cafe...the menu is the same, and the Spinach Melt with garlic mayonnaise on a wheat bagel was so good, I'd eat it every day. Above is Josh's favorite, the Turkey Reuben. So. So. Delicious.

Jack just got one with cream cheese. This was Jack's second time to St. Albans, if you remember. If you don't, here.

We left the big two at the Lake House with Grandma and Grandpa and three cousins- those brave souls had five chickens to themselves for most of the day- and so they missed a trip to Hudak Farms.

I loved going back to St. Albans and Burlington and seeing all of my favorite things. Hudak has excellent finds three seasons out of the year.

Of course, like all of Vermont, it has little to offer for the six months that Winter takes hold. (Just kidding, people.)

I got Josh some beets. Mom Tate cooked them up for him and he devoured them. Josh loves him some beets.

We drove back up to Burlington and walked around Church Street and the surrounding area. We passed this church on our way to the Vermont Pub and Brewery.

We let Jack pick out a pumpkin at Hudak, and it came with us everywhere we went after.

I got an outstanding sampler of Vermont cheeses. It came with a sliced apple, but Jack took that as his recompense for being made to sit in a restaurant.

Oh, no! Sideways cheese. Even at that angle, it still makes me hungry.

The worst job in the world, I think. He probably likes it. I like that he's doing it, because these spires are pretty completely absent on the West Coast.

We made our way home in time to have dinner with Joel and Christine as they came to pick up their spawn. Our vacation felt a lot like this- feast or famine. Both were welcome.

While we had the other Tate kids, we made the most of our Uncle and Aunt time. We went to eat at the pizza place that Job works at and went bowling with everyone but Obie, who went home with Grandma and Grandpa, and Elisabeth, who went home with some friends to spend the night. Then we went and got ice cream at the scurfiest Stewarts ever.

Bowden and Jack got donuts instead of ice cream.

I got a milk shake- it was just a little gross- and some SUPER DELICIOUS CIDER DONUTS that were not gross at all. I asked Uncle John to get some eggnog for Bowden, because he loves that stuff...
It was fun. We apologized to the clerk for showing up and supporting his business, and then we were on our way. John and Lisa were leaving the next day, and our nighttime games of spades would be ending.