Summer Vacation Day 7, 8 & 9

This post will wrap up our vacation in Maine. Not to fear, we went home for five short days and then packed up for another mini-vacation to the Berkshires! (More on that soon) But, for now, the rest of our Maine get-away.

Friday morning (August 13) we did what we normally do every morning we wake up at camp, we took the boat or kayak around to spy on wildlife. This morning we took the boat and we struck gold!

A great blue heron! One of my favorites!

Peek-a-boo!

An Osprey!

and turtles!

Later we drove out to Rumford, Maine where my step-father was working on a job (he owns a sawmill and cuts wood.) He wanted to show us the place he was working for which makes beautiful furniture out of exotic wood. In my life I have never seen any furniture like what was being sold in that store. Man, it was beautiful but, expensive! The ride over was nice and we even hit up a few yard sales.

Later, we came back and the four of us (Mom & Dan, Aaron & I) went for a paddle before we headed off to Mom & Dan's for our end of summer B-B-Q. This event consists of us making a fire down by the brook that runs through their farm where we proceed to eat and eat and eat!

The next morning (Saturday August 14) was to be our last full day at camp :( so we decided to go out to breakfast. Now, when we say "out" there are only two places to choose from. 1. The Corner Store which is an old country store with stools to sit at the counter and 2. The Ice Cream Shop. So, we ate at the corner store like we do every time we stay at camp. The owner's omelets are to die for and we needed our energy because off we went to Skowhegan!

Every year, coincidentally, the same week we go to camp, (coincidence? no!) the Fair is in town and the New Balance Factory Store has their annual sale. So, first we went to the sale and spent over two-hundred-dollars! Now, I know it sounds like a lot but, Aaron and I buy sneakers once per year only, so we usually get a couple of pairs, not to mention they also sell athletic clothing (work out and hiking clothing) so, naturally, it makes sense to buy it when they have their factory clearance!

After our spree- it was off to the Skowhegan Fair. In my 29 years, I have never missed a year of the fair. It's our "family fair" and my Mom and Dan enter in their veggies, honey, syrup and chickens for judging. They also have Longaberger Bingo. Just in case I never mentioned it here (doubtful) I'm obsessed with The Longaberger Company (baskets and housewares).  At this fair, you can play bingo for Longaberger prizes. This year I actually won a cute ceramic and wrought iron salt & pepper shaker. They must have known I was coming because it's available in blue or cranberry and they had cranberry.

After bingo we walked around the fair people watching and looked through the exhibit halls. Just before we left we bought our favorite donuts. The rest of the night we just lazed around and went for a long walk with the boys.

Bing didn't want to leave either!

Finally, our last day arrived. I always get depressed when I have to leave camp. It's not that I don't love my home, or the great state of New Hampshire where I was born and bred; there is just something about Maine and camp that provides me with such comfort.

We took the boat back down to turtle alley and fed the rest of our bread to the ducks, I sat on the beach and read a book while Aaron got in his last paddle-- then we packed up and headed home. :(

Summer Vacation: Day 5 and 6

Tuesday was a pretty busy day so, on Wednesday (August 11) we decided to take it easy and stay close to home. We started our morning with a BIG breakfast and a nice paddle around the lake. We caught glimpse of about 6 loons right outside our window and knew it would be the perfect morning for a paddle; the water was crystal clear and like glass. After returning, I relaxed on the beach and read the rest of a book I had been working on. Just as I finished my book, my mother called to ask if I wanted to go antiquing with her... does a bear shit in the woods? We picked up more things than could fit in our car and we also made a few other stops because we "needed" a few other items.

The best part of waking up- Chihuahuas in the sun.

After a day of shopping- relaxing with a drink, some good food and an inner-tube pretty much does it for me.

This is how we eat at camp.

After a nice dinner we decided to take the boat across the lake down to what we call "Turtle Alley." It's the most amazing stream that connects our lake to another lake. You are always guaranteed to spot wildlife.

How gorgeous is this view? I really wish I could share it with each and every person. I feel so lucky to relax after dinner to this view!

While in "Turtle Alley" I insist that Aaron paddle, simply because I view the motor as entirely too disruptive to catch wildlife in their natural habitat. So thank you, Aaron, for meeting my demands!

The next morning, Thursday (August 12) we were up early and found a loon on our beach; he was big and beautiful. I love loons, they are such a majestic bird. Growing up, my sister and I were afforded with the amazing opportunity to be exposed to enough nature that we could easily identify the sound of a loon call before being able to identify a lot of other animal sounds.

It wasn't long before we were off to one of our favorite places ever, Moxie Falls. Moxie Falls is the enormous waterfall we hike and visit ever year.

Granola my mother made for the hike. Thanks mom!

Cannonball!

Okay, so, this is not the most flattering picture of me but, ya know, I'm getting too old to care. I had fun.

On Wednesday August 13, 2008, Aaron proposed to me at this waterfall. On August 12, 2010 we went back for the first time since we got married.

Driving the road up to the fall is quite interesting; you pass a few really neat places.

One being the Benedict Arnold Trail.

The other being the half-way point between the Equator and the North Pole.

Our favorite cookie/company

Once back to camp we were S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G (one small cookie between us didn't cut it) so, we made a delicious dinner.

Then we rode our bikes a few miles to get some ice cream.

Just looking at these pictures helps me to remember what an amazing vacation this was. There are still a few days left to account for but, I can't help but think about how lucky I am to have such a nice place to go to and the ability to take some much time off.

August Vacation: Day 2, 3 & 4

Sunday August 8 was our last day in Bangor. I got up entirely too early so, I did what any crazy person would do, I had four cups of coffee and brought three dogs on a very long (read: tangled leashes) walk. The entire household was up by the time I was on my fourth cup of coffee and third walk. Alyssa made us a gourmet breakfast of blueberry pancakes, eggs and bacon. We lounged for a bit with the puppies before loading our kayaks to paddle around a nearby pond.

Ramsay James with Uncle Aaron

Ted and Alyssa took the lead

Me and my bestie of... oh my... 11 years! We met in 1999, is that right? Yes, 11 years!

Wow, I feel O.L.D. Oh well, at least Alyssa is older, ha ha!

After kayaking, the boys went for a long bike ride and Alyssa and I ventured to a nearby garden and then into town to hit up Petco and also walk the boardwalk in the city forest (Bangor Bog). It was so amazing. It's just miles of boardwalk through a forest and bog. We walked and talked and had girl time.

I want this chair... Aaron?

Bog walk

Later, we had a nice dinner before departing for the evening. It was so nice to spend 2 full days with my best friend. Part of me didn't want to leave her, the other part of me was looking forward to the next leg of our vacation which began that evening after dinner. We drove 1 hour south to camp. By the time we unpacked and settled in for the week we were planning to spend there, it was time for bed.

The next morning I woke up early as usual (please, God, let me sleep past 6:30 one day per week. Please?) We had to go grocery shopping for the week ahead so we rode into town. Later in the day my mother came over (she lives nearby) and we celebrated her birthday, swam, and floated around on our inner tubes. There was something funny that my mother said and I have to note it here. The inner tubes were a bit dirty so, they left marks on our skin. I had just purchased a new Victoria's Secret swimsuit and my mother and I had the following conversation

J: Ew, the tubes are dirty! We need to wash them off!

M: They've been in the shed all year, what do you expect?

J: I know but, (pointing to my suit) this is Vicky's!

M: Well, (having no clue I meant Victoria's Secret) give it back to her.

Later that night Aaron and I went for a walk with the pups and we made some pretty flippin' sweet peanut butter cups (recipe to follow on an upcoming menu Monday.)

I love cat-o-nine tails.

(At some point in the near future I'll write about what I put my poor father-in-law through when I decided last minute that I had to have cat-o-nine tails at my wedding.)

The next morning (Tuesday) we awoke early because we had a busy day ahead. We went for an amazing hike that afforded us a glorious view of the nearby lakes. It was gorgeous!

While there I saw this tree that was tempting me to climb it.

Unfortunately the tree was really old and it broke dropping me directly on my rump causing me to bruise my tailbone and get some pretty nasty cuts on my leg (which ended up getting infected because I couldn't stay out of the water.) LOL.

This was a worm at the summit. I have no clue what it was but, it was HUGE!

After the hike we showered up and drove over to a where my sister lives so we could nab Xander and take him to a living history museum. Norlands is an estate/farm you can tour, It educates you about the history of education and what it was like to live in Maine at the particular time the Washburn family occupied the mansion. It was really neat. Xander loved the old school house.

He practiced writing his name with a quill and real ink!

The teacher even let him ring the school bell.

The end of the tour brings you to a gift shop (oooofffffff course) and Xander asked me: "I-ya, can I have a gift?" I said, "Of course, Baby. Anything you want." Now, mind you, there were train whistles, replicas of old coins, stuffed animals, books, and other things related to the 1800's in Maine. "I-ya, I want this candy-cane." What a sweet little boy. He knows darn well I would have bought him anything in the shop but, he wanted a $.25 cent candy cane. That is typical Xander. He's so sweet and happy just to spend time with me.

While we were there it also happened to be his last tee-ball game and we never miss his final tee-ball game when he gets his trophy. The game only lasted a few minutes because it was rained out but, it gave us an excuse to go out to eat at a fun restaurant in town.