OK! We've made it to Summer Cousinpalooza!

The beach! Similar to last year, Zack loved it the first day

and then was totally over it on subsequent days.

And a milestone in my inculcation to the clan: I can finally

tell Aidan and Finn apart!

Camp Chaos Number Two was a huge success. We stayed in a gigantic, meandering house with several "wings" and an actual secret passage through the game closet. It was on a point on the Long Island Sound, so we were surrounded on three sides by water. Definitely the perfect place for us, and it looks like the enormous Cross / Jones clan will go back there next year.

This is not a complete collection of pictures by any means. These are just the first ones that caught my eye.

Crosses!

Zack preferred the kiddie pool to the ocean.

Izzie (in one of many fabulous outfits) and Eric.

The tsunami babies in the pool. They were definitely

celebrities at this moment. I think the entire pool was surrounded

by family taking pictures.

Fairy Maggie.

Aw, Mason.

Old buddies.

Chillaxing in the house.

Our room was facing this side of the point.

We heard waves all night long (when I could persuade Jeff

to turn off his ever present fan, that is).

Zack loved playing the pink piano. Time out

for a little patty cake.

And put it in the oven for baby and me!

Oh so poignant. What does our future hold?

Zack declared: "This is GOOD!"

Playing with Cousin Jake on move out day.

And on to NYC, where we stayed with my cousin Mark and his family.

DUMBO, near Pete Sluska's studio. Pete and Jeff took the same

animation class years ago and ended up working together a lot.

Oh funky, funky Williamsburg.

Mm...it's less funky when you're a parent.

We spent a lot of time going to parks. Madison and Zack!

Lexie!

Looking glamorous.

Zack adored Aunt Ruthie! He went right up to her and

started chatting away. It was very, very cool. He was talking a

lot about his Camp Chaos shirt: "I like the elephant!"

A rare moment of peaceful sharing. Well, not entirely

peaceful, since they were banging on this piano.