To Isleboro!

We headed across Penobscot Bay to Isleboro to see our friends Erin and Adam. After a slight delay- made it in time for the 10 o'clock ferry, but there was no room to get on. We played on Lincolville beach, we peered off the pier, but the most fun was boarding the ferry and letting Levi drive.



A few sausages, salads, beers, and cookies later, it was scavenging time in the tidepools.

...some live creatures, some dead creatures...

...culminating in Evvie and Erin's artistic reproduction of "Super Crab".

Red Ripe Watermelon

I ran interference with Levi while Mama & Evvie carved out a pretty cool watermelon house. Lots of leftover "shavings" of watermelon- these make awesome frozen treats!

Check out this house!

Water Babies

Hangin' in Turner

Driveway Moments?

A little pool time is a great way to chill.

Yet again.

HOIST!

Time to relax on the lawn. Awwww.


Cute Boy.

Aquarium

We took our annual trip to the Mine State Aquarium this Wednesday. It's a big hit with the kids, and LEvi made the "smack smack" fishy sound pretty much the entire time.


Evvie checks out a couple of backlit skate eggs.



It was a gorgeous day to make crayon rubbings, feel the seashells, hold starfish and stroke the sea cucumbers. The highlight of the day was me finally overcoming my fear of the friendly dog sharks. I stroked them at last, and so did Evvie and Levi.

Whew. Big brave dad.

After an hour inside, it was time for a picnic and a photo-op.


God, I love summer.

35

Evelyn decided that we should make me a cake with a turtle riding on the back of a dinosaur. After a bit of figuring, here's what we came up with...

Cake!

Cake Cake!

Life is sweet.

Bee there or Bee Square

A life saved. Full remission. A reason to celebrate.

370 Lower Street
August 15th
1pm-5pm

Camping: the final installment

Well by the final morning, Evelyn was one pooped camper. She offered to help us pack up, but then sank into a deep sleep by the van.



This, by the way, is what all of us wanted to be doing by the final day.

---

We took one final dip and then headed home. Evvie was wonderful on the water at the campground- taking four or five opportunities to swim with us to a raft and slip off the rocks that hid beneath the surface of the water. Her confidence in the water exploded during this trip and we were happy to have such easy access to a good swimming lake.

Not a lot of pictures of this, but here's Levi digging in the sand.

Visiting Nate & Suzanne

Camping: Day 2.5

Well, the impetus of our vacation was a new young tot named Amelia- born in June. Suzanne and Nate live just a stone;s throw from our campsite, so we took an afternoon to play some croquet, eat some ribs, and partake in some jovial conversation.

Levi works on his croquet form.



Levi checks out what it is to be a "baby" versus a "toddler". Wait...that's an "infant"!



Ahhh, if only Grampa Jim could be here to share this soft serve at his namessake.





Evelyn was so sweet with little Amelia, She said she couldn't remember Levi being such a small baby, She watched Amelia sleep, she watched her feed, she watched her yawn and stare. Evvie most enjoyed stroking Amelia's cheek and hearing her say "ahhh".

Storyland

Camping Day: 1.5

Woke up, got some grub and hen headed to StoryLand!

Evelyn was excited about Alice- her newest literary obsession thanks to the library.



Next up was Cinderella's castle, complete with pumpkin-carriage ride back down the hill to the big swan boats.








In the middle of the park, Levi found his dreamland- about 2,000 foam balls with vacuum tubes, launchers, baskets that dropped, and loads of fun!







Evvie even developed the courage to stick her head in a lion's mouth!



Then ride in some flying dutch shoes with dad.



And of course, her first roller coaster...excuse me. POLAR coaster. Evelyn rode this four times in a row, and was sure to visit again as the last ride before we left. A budding thrill-seeker? She takes after her mom.

FIrst Camping Trip

Well I crossed over into my late thirties in style. We loaded up the minivan, the kids, and the good cheer and headed to a campground for three nights of dirt, bugs and fire!

Maine Wildlife Park

Super cousins and a super annual trek to the animal park. Grammie couldn't stop remarking on how much fun she had with Evelyn- exuberant Evelyn on this particular day.