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.

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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.

Aunt Elizabeth and..Family!

Slip N' Slide

Beat the Heat! Thanks Grammie!

July 4th

After Downtown Turnah's wicked awesome 4th of July Parade, we celebrated in the usual way- way too much Strawberry shortcake.






Then it was down to camp for some cooling off in the lake.









Here's looking at you!

The Fair at Heritage Days

Ahhh, those portable carnivals that make us all so giddy and nervous. We walked round, taking in the carnies, the generator roar, and the back street bustle. Evelyn finally got up the nerve to ride the carousel, followed by a balloon excursion. It was only after some cotton candy that she worked up the nerve to ride the ferris wheel. We tried not to pressure her, but she had ben talking and talking about the ferris wheel since we read Charlotte's Web together. (Fern rides with Henry Fussey at the County Fair where Wilbur wins a special prize. She's smitten with...the Ferris Wheel.)

By the way, E.B. White has it right. Read Charlotte's web to your kids. There's the "hard facts of farm life" very real fear and acceptance of death, change, living life to its fullest, greed, friendship, the miracle of everyday life... It's such a non-schmaltzy kids story that doesn't protect kids from life, and exposes them to big words and concepts. Five thumbs up. (When you wave them around it looks like more are there).

A New Playground

WIth respect to Mr. A.A. Milne:

"That's what Jagulars always do,' said Pooh, much interested. "They call "Help! Help!" and then when you look up, they drop on you,"
"I'm looking down," cried Piglet loudly.



Here's a good triptych. Levi first notices a motorcycle going by, becomes enamored with it, then looks around to see if anybody else saw it. Great moment.