Trip to Maine

We are back from our summer trip to Maine!  We did all kinds of wonderful and summery things, and got to see family, who we might not see again until next summer.  

We had ice cream almost every night, which the boys adored.  They called it "Ry-Ry's," for Eric's brother Ryan, who owns the business and makes the ice cream.  They are still asking for Ry-Ry's after dinner each night, and I have explained that we can only go when we're at Memere and Pepere's.  But it seems that hope springs eternal.

All the cousins eating ice cream

sharing tastes

more sharing

sharing with Kiptyn

Cousins!

ice cream tastes better if your whole body gets to participate

 We spent a lot of time at Memere and Pepere's house, because they have a pool and all kinds of toys for little boys to play with.  Here is Benjamin on the tractor they were handed down from some older cousins.  It has pedals like a bike, and he rode it all over the driveway.  He loved it!

 We did venture out occasionally!  We went to Eric's cousin's house on a pond and the boys took their first boat ride.  Benjamin did not want to go, and was hysterical.  He cried, "No boat! Out! Out! Na-night! No boat, no!" for most of the ride, until he calmed down at the end and began to wave hi and bye to everyone around.

red-faced and hysterical

starting to appreciate it

 One night we took a picnic dinner to the beach.  Eric said he had to work, so he missed it.  Memere and Pepere and I went with the boys, and we met their cousins and my sister-in-law there.  Benjamin loved the water and played and splashed and soaked himself.  Asher preferred to dig in the sand.

Memere and Benjamin walking to the water

Benjamin splashing around

Asher greeting the sea gulls

Asher lifeguarding

 The boys got lots of time with their cousins.  They definitely looked up to their older cousins, Taylor and Myah.  We had to ask the girls to be careful with what they did, because the boys would imitate them all the time.  Fortunately, the girls love their little cousins, too.  One night we went to dinner and they took turns riding with us.

Taylor with her cousins

 We came home yesterday, with a detour through Amherst.  Our friends are expecting their second, and we wanted a visit before he arrived.  We hadn't been through Amherst since I was pregnant with the boys in 2009, so the visit was overdue.  We had planned to spend the afternoon and go swimming, but the weather didn't cooperate, and neither did the boys.  There was no traffic and we made it home to steamy Philadelphia in time for dinner.

We had dinner tonight with neighbors, and I made two things which I loved- a kale salad from 101 cookbooks, and a lemon-berry bundt from smitten kitchen.  They were delicious and summery.  

The boys are really wonderful these days, too sweet and too funny.  At dinner they each took a moment to climb on my lap and give me hugs and kisses.  Our friends' little girls didn't do that.  Maybe it is true that boys really do love their mommies more?  In any case, we are having so much fun together.  They are loving the summer, and all the swimming and outdoor playing.  Here they are on the way home tonight, holding hands with Daddy and each other.  They are so adorable that my heart aches!