Maine 2013

We are home from our annual vacation to visit Eric's family in Maine.  We were up for about 5 days, which just flew by.

We drove up on the 3rd, and hit tons of traffic, which was disappointing because we had hoped to get ice cream on our way into town.  We went to bed right away when we got to Eric's parents' house, and then they got up with the boys in the morning while Eric and I slept until after 7.

On the 4th we went to the parade in town.  For the first time, the boys were very excited... because I told them there would be candy there.  They did have a great time.

The boys with Memere and Charlotte with Auntie Di

Waving their flags, i.e. waiting for more candy

 We had a pretty quiet day- grilled for lunch, swam in the pool, and played with their cousins.  Charlotte got all suited up:

LOVE those legs!

And took to the pool like a little fish.  When I first put her in the float she scolded me- she has 2 syllables now: ba and ma- so she looked me in the eye and said "Bababa BA BA!" but then adjusted and kicked around.

cool in the pool

On Friday the 5th we went to Eric's grandparents' little house on a pond.  The boys really like it there because they can wade in and play in the sand.  The pond was so warm from all the heat and everyone found it pleasant.

Charlotte with her great-grandparents

On Daddy's shoulders with memere

Digging in the sand

More fun in the sun

Saturday all their cousins came over for the morning.  7 kids in one house is a little nuts, no matter how many capable adults are there.  I took my two nieces to the dollar store to get some arts and crafts stuff to keep us busy, but they were the only ones who really did much with it.  The boys love their big cousins, and my nieces are great with them, making sure they are taken care of and paying attention to them.  I can't find the photo, but Benjamin and Myah were reading together in the recliner and it was adorable.

The things that were wonderful:
We got to see our family, and the boys love their memere and pepere, as well as their cousins.

We got to eat a lot of ice cream.

We had many, many fun and funny moments.  We had a great time in the pool, and we laughed a lot.  One night Asher turned the hose on Memere while she watered her plants... that was pretty funny.  Pepere got a 4-wheeler for the boys to ride in the yard, and they loved it.

The not-so-wonderful:
The boys skimped on sleep and over-indulged in sweets, so their behavior was questionable at times.
Eric got sick- maybe a flu? and then seemed to pass it on to Benjamin, who vomited for only the 2nd time in his life on Sunday afternoon.

We got photos taken by Eric's cousin, Autumn, and she posted a preview:

which I can't stop looking at.  I can't believe that something so beautiful came from me!  It's just crazy.  I love her- and not just because she is delicious.

I'm glad that we have such a great family, and that the boys are growing up loving, and being loved by, their grandparents.  I wish that we could go more often, so that we could spend more time with them (at least in the summer, their winters are pretty yucky).  The boys were sad to leave, but happy to sleep in their own beds, I think.  And now back to real life again- work for Eric and me (I am adding in a 3rd day of work starting this week) and camp for the boys.  I do hate the end of vacation feeling.