We spent yesterday in Old Lyme, CT with Anita, Tony, and extended family attending a Fourth of July/family reunion. Naturally the food was exquisite and featured this little porker.

Play continued throughout the day and was only interrupted for air traffic (we were set up just off the runway of a small airfield).

Nicolai takes a break between matches and offers the canine mascots food for tricks.

I have seen the future and it is disconcerting. On the positive side, Maya seems to be in control of the situation.

Maya was the youngest participant in the competition and did well against older opponents.

Today, the family (minus Kyle, who is away at camp) spent the day at a croquet tournament. Here, Nicolai is taking practice strokes on one of the five regulation-size courts. The perspective in this photo is misleading as the first and fifth courts were separated by more than 100 yards.

The rule in the Calabria family is that you must study the piano for 4 years before you can pick your own instrument. Nicolai celebrated his liberation from the piano with the purchase of an electronic drum set. He contributed $400 of his own money (80% of his net worth) toward the purchase so it is clear to us that he is very committed to drumming. He has not stopped playing since we completed the setup (several hours ago) and I am pleased to report that he can practice with headphones on without disturbing the rest of the family.

Caught this little fellow this morning. Click on the photo for a more detailed view.

The squeezing of the limes. This operation lasted for several minutes and I believe every ounce of juice was extracted. I was allowed to sample the finished concoction, and it was quite good.

Best friends. Click the photo to enlarge and check out Maya’s hair.

Maya and Lydia compare sunburns.

“Maya’s Path” The first step is for love, the second is for the heart, and the third is for happiness. The Kobos’ added this path to their garden specifically so Maya could come and visit.

A pre-breakfast Monopoly game including Nico’s sleepover guest, Jeremy. It is hard to tell who was winning at this point, but Nicolai seemed to be amassing the most property.

Nico curled up on the couch this evening enjoying “A Series of Unfortunate Events” with his friend Jeremy who is sleeping over. During the movie he extracted one of his last baby teeth and immediately forbid me from photographing it. One day after the close of the spring soccer season, Carl played his first game of the summer season in the Open Division. His team played a man short against a much younger team with a roster of 20 players and managed to squeak out a 2-1 win despite another day of grueling temperatures. Winning is nice, but beating a team of young bucks makes up for all the aches and pains.

Upon completion of a date night dinner at Dino’s, Maya declared she wished to go “exploring.” After determining she understood the meaning of the word, we embarked on a search for the elusive White Pond. I am the only member of the family who has never been to the pond (in Indiana this would be called a lake or reservoir). Typical of New England is the total lack of signage or the slightest clue to demarcate the entrance. We used the navigation system to systematically try every road which approached the pond. Finally, we came upon an unmarked road behind a strawberry field which did not show up on the navigation system. Maya made a bee line for the beach and began sand castle construction. We were not permitted to leave until the moat was completed.

Maya takes care of her own breakfast this morning as the boys prepare for a full day of soccer. Our magnetic art wall has worked out very nicely and our featured artist this month is Maya. A mixed day for the Calabria men on the soccer pitch made unpleasant by record high heat and humidity. Nicolai’s team lost twice, Kyle’s won twice (Kyle with the lead off goal) securing a first place finish in the Commissioner’s Cup, and Carl’s team dropped a close 2-1 decision in the Divisional finals finishing in second place for the second year. Jeanine is making the five hour round trip to drop off Kyle at camp, Maya is learning to spell on the computer, and Nico and Carl alternate between moving slowly and sleeping off the effects of today’s games.

Jeanine was by far the most fashionable soccer mom at the Commissioner’s Cup tournament. It was so hot that I had no desire to photograph the boy’s playing (that’s a first).

Maya and her little friend sit underneath a huge umbrella to protect them from the sun while they watch the boy’s soccer tournament in 95F temperatures. Kyle’s team won 3-1, and Nico’s team dropped a tough 2-1 loss. Nico took a free kick late in the game and served up a perfect cross, which the forwards failed to convert.

The peonias are in full bloom right now, adding luscious color to our garden.

Nicolai supervising his mother as the planting continues. This is the first day of summer vacation for the kids and I am sure they will have worn Jeanine ragged by the time I return from work.

Maya was up early this morning watering the garden.

Here, Kyle flies by a defender looking for an opportunity to put the ball on net.

After his party, Kyle has a soccer match. Kyle dominated the midfield and had several nice headers, including this one. The 0-0 tie was good enough to qualify his team for Division 1 play next season.

Kyle and his friend Nick celebrated their birthdays jointly. Klye does not turn thirteen (a bonafide teenager) until August but wanted to have his party before all his friends went off on their summer vacations.

Yesterday, we celebrated Kyle’s birthday at the Heritage pool. Despite several valiant attempts, this was the closest the boys came to building a pyramid.

Maya already looking like a pro with her new tennis racket, a birthday gift from aunt Susan & Rose. Maya insists that the “W” (Wilson) on her racket is actually an “M” for Maya. Who can argue with that logic?

Maya thinks about her wish before blowing out the candles on her cake.

All in all it has been a fantastic Father’s Day and I think Maya will dream of chasing pigeons into swimming pools while nibbling on waffles as she enters her sixth year.

Later, we found a very talented street musician who mesmerized the kids and left the parents singing to the oldies.

I have no comment about this photograph other than to say it scares me.

Maya kept the entire square clear of all pigeons for the duration of our stay. Seriously, not a single pigeon dared enter her territory.