Tanglewood

by Ashley Weeks Cart

It’s been a wonderfully crazy and social 10 days for the Cart family. Visitors and holidays and concerts and weddings and sunscreen and bug bites, and lots and lots of eating and drinking and swimming and merry making.

July, I think I’m in love.

The 4th of July was a highlight with a trip to Tanglewood with a pack of 21, complete with enough food to feed the entire lawn. Which is impressive given that this is what the lawn looks like on the 4th.

James, the girls and our pal K arrived early and reserved enough space to fit our entourage. Tarps and chairs and pack n plays and blankets were strewn this way and that. Fellow concert goers kept throwing the stink eye, as I starfished across the patch of lawn to demonstrate ownership. Much like a dog might mark a tree. Classy stuff.

It was toasty, and we all turned disturbingly robust shades of red due to the heat. That did not stop Addison from consuming her weight in chocolate chip cookies.

To pass the time before JT hit the stage, we snapped some group pix. And made a dent in our lavish food spread.

I can’t remember the last time James and I took a picture together without dependents dangling off of our appendages…

There, that’s more like it! We are one blonde, red faced, patriotic bunch!

Then the rest of the group arrived, and we properly occupied our land.

The kids all became fast friends. And I died from cute overload.

Courtland took her first steps…

And had her first kiss…

We made silly faces.

We danced.

We cried. But only briefly.

We chewed on cups.

We chatted. And played silly games.

We snuggled.

All in all, it was a perfect evening. Despite ending the night coated in a thick film of dried sweat, the sky was filled with fireworks, our bellies with overly generous helpings of picnic food, and our ears with the sweet melodies of James Taylor.

No one can tell me that I’m doing wrong today…

Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart