Crash's favorite place

Crash never ever gets on the furniture at home, but while we were on vacation, his favorite spot to, well, crash, was on the love seat out on the screened in porch. We found him here NUMEROUS times. I never had the heart to shoo him off either.

Perfect!!

Group shots

Potter, Molly, Caleb, Alex, Philip and Crash

Philip and Alex. Sweeties!!!
Philip, Caleb and Alex.

Beach scenes

Philip came up to Pleasant Beach on Thursday (right after Emma left on Wednesday) and spent the last couple days with us. The kids were all having fun, from ages 3 - 24!!!

All the kids out on the rocks at low tide

Alex taking Caleb out in the water, really deep!!!
Alex submerges herself totally in the 60 degree water. Silly girl!!!

Marshall Point and Cod End

On a gorgeous day, we decided to take the gang over to Marshall Point Lighthouse. I think that we must have not gone last year, probably the first year we never went. Doing things in the proper order, we stopped in at Port Clyde and bought the kids (and me and Emma) ice cream at 11 am. Then off to Marshall Point where we climbed all over the rocks as the tide came in, skipped stones, then headed over to Cod End (a really cool local restaurant with fresh, fresh, fresh seafood) for lunch. We hung out with one of the guys who works there and got a science lesson about lobsters. I can now identify the females from the males. And I thought only the lobsters could tell ;)

Potter, Molly, Caleb with ice cream in front of the big bell. An annual photo

Kids, Dave and Emma at Marshall Point

Water coming in, sailboat going by. Kids had wet clothes by this point.

Caleb showing how well he can climb the rocks.
Lobsters and more lobsters at Cod End
Our cool guy showing us the biggest lobster they had that day for sale (3.4 pounds and not something you'd want to eat. Tough and chewy)
Dave, Molly-O, and Emma chowing down on clams, haddock and grilled cheese

First night at Woolley Cottage

Dave and Jeff had to smoke out something pretty soon after arriving at the beach, so while I spent the day heading to Portland to pick up Emma, Dave and Jeff spent the day smoking out a brisket and some chicken. The children played at the beach all day and then we spent a gorgeous evening at the Woolley Cottage.

Tools of the trade for our crab hunters

Jeff, Emma and Dave having a drink on the rocks. (ha ha)
Emma's nice cool g&t
Beautiful view from Pleasant Beach, the sun on the rock while others in the shade

Lin and Jeff

Emma and Caleb
Caleb and Lin
Caleb on the hugest rock by himself
The moon over the water. Gorgeous!!!

First night at Camp KaMaHe

Our first night at camp was just what I had hoped for: yummy dinner, a campfire and smores. Mosquitoes were really not bad at all this year, so being outside after dark was so nice and you didn't have to drench yourself in Off Perfume!!

Molly, Alex and Jeff goofing off

Laura and Caleb, I love this photo
Potter with his perfect s'more

Pleasant Beach

After making a trip to the grocery store prior to leaving Yarmouth (good idea Dave), we headed north to South Thomaston and Pleasant Beach. Upon arrival and after unloading the van, it was time for Crash to have his inaugural visit to the ocean!!! Needless to say, he is a water dog, and he needed no coercing to hit the water! Although it was a bit overcast, it was still very warm outside and the kids didn't mind getting right into the water. It was low tide which meant good crab hunting too. I think we spent the entire day at the beach, with trips home only to eat and use the bathroom. :)

Caleb, Crash, Potter

Dave, lead singer, driver of the Winnebago, busts out HIS camera on the shore

'OMG, OMG, OMG, this is SOOOOOOOOOOO fun!'
Caleb, Crash, Molly heading out deeper
Low tide

Crash and his swimming. He was hilarious!! Loved to on purpose splash his feet around a lot and then bite at the water he splashed up on himself.

Little Caleb, Big Rock
Alex, Potter, Molly and Caleb at a renown tidepool, hunting for crabs
Crash on a huge rock, soaking wet, asking 'what next?'
Future marine biologist at work

Arriving in Maine

Our summer trip to Maine started on a Wednesday when we arrived in Yarmouth, complete with Crash in tow!! We wasted no time getting into a few drinks and some frivolity, Crash bonded with Birdee (Alex's dog) and Grady (the neighbor dog), and we enjoyed some fresh Maine air. While in Yarmouth, we ventured to Royal River park with the kids and dogs, Laura and I had an outing to Freeport (read: LLBean and other fun outlets), and we took the kids to Range Pond in Poland, ME (which is yes, where they bottle Poland Springs water, who knew??) which is pronounced 'rang pond'. ???? The day at Range Pond was absolutely gorgeous, beautiful lake to swim, sandy beach. Perfect!!! Dave and Jeff spent a day smoking a pork roast then an afternoon at the Portland Art Museum. Everyone had fun, stayed up late, ate good food.

Molly swimming in Range Pond

Caleb takin' a break
Alex is, as they say in Florida 'laying out'
Kids having a blast in the lake

CRASH IS A MANIAC WITH THE SPRINKLER!!

Kids and Crash had time in the sprinkler. Guess who got more photo-op shots???

BLUEBERRIES!!!

All 5 of us went blueberry picking this morning (the raspberries are resting and ripening until Monday) and had a blast!!! Caleb, as usual, ate more than he put in the bucket. Was warm but breezy. I now have enough frozen blueberries for 6 pies, not counting the pie I am making tomorrow. I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!!!

Dave with the evidence in his gobhole!!!

My faithful pickers
Just a sampling
My family. I do love them so!!!
Me with the kids. Love all my time with them!!!!

Monkey room (and Mama) reunion!!!

Thanks to our wonderful friends, the Egglestons, the Monkey Mamas had a reunion of all the children at their house, complete with a potluck lunch. This was such a fabulous time, both for catching up (really, it has only been three weeks since school was out, but I miss these women and their kids like crazy!!) and for swimming. We had pizza (thanks to Putrino's Pizza), fruit, chips, drinks, cookies (thanks to me) and tons and tons of swimming fun!!! We decided that we need to get together at least once a month. If we keep the kids together this way, they'll all be together at middle and high school. Oooohhhhhhhh, how wonderful would THAT be??????

Elizabeth (goggles), Joseph (noodle), Dante (swim vest), and Molly

Officer Eggleston performs one of his fancy moves
Molly is fearless jumping into 8 feet of water with the swim vest on

Potter does a cannonball

Lunch!!!
Potter, Caleb, Mrs. DelSanto (Vicki) and baby Michael
Mrs. Janik (Michelle) and her son Joseph with Elizabeth (Eggleston)
Caleb, Shawn (Stephen's brother), Molly and Elizabeth