Sand Beach

Today we decided to hike the Ocean Path, a two-mile walk (four miles round-trip) which begins at Sand Beach - a sandy beach between mountains and rocky shores in Acadia National Park.

I didn't do much research before we went (only enough to know that it's an easy hike and a pretty one), so I wasn't prepared for the ethereal, misty beauty. I also wasn't prepared to see a bunch of people SWIMMING in the ocean when it was 59 degrees outside!



My plan was to go on the hike, eat our little picnic lunch and maybe check out the beach for a few minutes before we left. Wrong.

The hike begins at the beach, so we couldn't help but hear the waves crashing and lots of people laughing and squealing. When we came within sight of the water, my boys were mesmerized. Forget hiking - it was all about the beach!! They peeled their shoes off and took off like wild ponies. I told them not to get wet, but ... well, I could see what was going to happen. They chased waves and chased each other, threw sand, splashed and eventually fell into the surf and rolled around happily. I took lots of pictures and just let them play for a few minutes before making them head back to the car where they could strip their wet clothes off and warm up. We had to leave because I didn't have extra clothes. Next time, I'll be prepared.

This is a must-see place if you're in Bar Harbor. Sand Beach is hugely popular, and it costs $10 per car for a seven-day pass. We caught a glimpse of the hiking path and some of the amazing views as we were driving away. We will definitely be going back.

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Into the Woods

Today we hiked the Jordan Pond Nature Trail and half of the Jordan Pond Shore Trail in Acadia National Park, and it was amazing. The weather was perfect for hiking (60s and sunny), and the boys were in their element. After hiking the easy, level trails, we stopped at the Jordan Pond House (a restaurant right there in the park) and had lunch on the lawn overlooking the pristine blue pond. The place is famous for its popovers, so we had to get some. (If you're wondering, a popover is a hollow muffin served with butter and jam. These were hot, fresh and very tasty.)

The Jordan Pond area is nice for families because you can choose short, easy nature paths or venture out on a longer (but still easy) route.

And, of course, the scenery is gorgeous.

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Getting Our Bearings

It's hard to believe we've been here four whole days already! I feel we should be doing more to experience as much as we can, but we're just getting our bearings and taking it slowly.

Mostly we've been exploring the beach in front of our cottage - I think the kids would be happy if that's all we did - and we ventured downtown for some lobster rolls and a trip to the library.

There's a great mile-long, family-friendly trail called the Shore Path that starts at the Bar Harbor town pier. We loved that and we'll be going back for sure. There's a giant boulder along the way, and it's something of a tradition for people to try to push it into the ocean. We gave it a try, too.


And just enjoyed the view ...


We had dinner at a friend's beautiful, waterfront home Saturday night. He made us blueberry mojitos. Soooo good and so perfect for a June evening in Maine.



We found a little cove near our cottage that's great for wading and rock-throwing. The weather is getting a little warmer, which is good because it's hard to keep the kids out of the water (even with all the seaweed).




This week we're going to check out some child-friendly hikes and do some more beach-combing.

Peaceful, peaceful.





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Maine at Last!

Here are some photos from our first two days in Maine.

Jerod walking the 10-minute commute to lab ...

Beach treasures ...



Exploring the beach in front of our cottage ...



More exploring this afternoon during low tide. We were wearing winter coats -it's cold up here!


Here's the view from our living room window...




Playing Battleship while Sawyer napped ...


More to come soon ...

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Superheroes on Wheels

This is for Nonnie, who is now online!

I love this picture of Parker and his friend Brayden. They were at a costume birthday party. Brayden is dressed as Spiderman; Parker is Heatblast (from Ben 10). They are so oblivious, so unself-conscious in their one-piece outfits and roller skates ... I just love this innocent age, and I know they will soon be too cool for costumes.

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2011: Back to Basics

I've been doing lots of reflecting lately. Maybe it's because I'm approaching 40(!) years old, or because I'm in a sort of career limbo or because I'm finished having kids and am moving on to the next phase of life. Whatever the reason, I've been thinking a lot about where I've been, where I am and where I want to be. I've learned some things about myself, too, in this past year of changes.

I've learned that I'm a minimalist at heart, and I'm drawn to blogs and books about getting back to basics and living simply. I've been inspired to clean out our garage and attic and get rid of lots of stuff that we just don't need. (This is a work in progress, and I have a lot more to do in that department.)

I've learned that I'm happiest when I'm doing things outdoors, whether it's hiking or running or just lying in the backyard looking at the clouds with my kids. I'm not looking to get a bigger house or a better car or a bigger TV. In fact, I wouldn't mind getting rid of our TV altogether (but I'd be out-voted by all the boys in my house).

I've loved being a writer and editor for the past 14 years, but I'm not sure I'll ever do that full-time again. I've become really interested in physical therapy recently, and my hope is to go back to school in a couple years - when my kids are a little older - to become a physical therapy assistant. One of my favorite parts of writing was the interview, which is why I enjoyed being a newspaper reporter. I think I'd be great at physical therapy - working one-on-one with people in a helping kind of situation.

In the meantime, I'm reassessing some things. I'm enjoying my daycare job, which has a nice rhythm and schedule and gives me lots of quality time with my family. I'm blissfully unfettered by the computer, e-mail and an 8-to-5 grind. I truly enjoy little kids, and working with them is a nice fit for me. It's probably not something I want to do forever, but it's perfect for me right now, and it feels right. On snow days - like today! - I've been able to relax with my boys, go sledding, sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate and not worry about work that's waiting to be done. Lately, I've had incredible peace of mind and joy of heart. That's worth a ton to me.

A good friend told me about this NYT article that discusses "summoned" lives versus "planned" lives. The gist of a summoned life is that it "isn’t a project to be completed; it is an unknowable landscape to be explored." I figure I'm living a summoned life these days, and I'm letting the current guide me along.

One of the things I'm most excited about is spending a month in Maine this summer. If all works out as planned, we'll be heading to MDIBL for awhile. That will be like nature camp, with lots of hiking and swimming and lobster-eating on the agenda.

I think my blog this year will be devoted to my efforts to simplify and declutter and focus on the real things. I hope to post more than I have been ... maybe it'll be a way to hold me accountable. I'm inspired by blogs such as Rowdy Kittens and Be More With Less and, while I'm not as extreme as these folks (i.e., I won't be getting rid of my car any time soon), I like their ideas.

Thanks for reading, and here's to a focused, mindful and active 2011.

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A Meaningful Christmas Gift Idea

A couple years ago, my sisters and I decided to start giving each other photo books as holiday gifts and forgo the usual gift-giving madness. We all live in different states, so we miss out on so much of the day-to-day stuff that keeps us connected. The photo books are wonderful because they help to fill in those gaps - and they're a great way to present the zillions of photographs that I take throughout the year (way too many to print and frame). The books are inexpensive and personal, and they fit right into my new minimalism philosophy - that is, I don't want any more stuff to clutter my house. I'd rather have something meaningful and small that connects me with my family.

Another great thing about these photo books is that they give you some perspective on your year. As you sort through your photographs, you realize how much fun you've had, how much you've accomplished and how things have changed. You remember lazy summer afternoons and autumn hikes, birthday parties and snow days - the small but significant moments that make up big stretches of time.

I'm hard at work on this year's photo book through shutterfly.com. Here are links to our books from the past two years. If you have lots of photos and some free time, give these a try. You (and your family) will be hooked!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Everyday Poetry

I work with small children, which offers many little moments of beauty. Here are some I've noticed lately.

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Backyard Bench Press

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Another Batman Fan

Our 6-year-old dressed as Batman for two Halloweens in a row, and he used to wear his costume everywhere. Here he is on vacation at Dauphin Island.

I loved that stage of his life, and I finally had a photographer friend take some photos of him (below) in his threadbare costume (he added the John Deere boots).

Looks like we have another, more muscular fan in the house.

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Happy Fall

Fall brings its own set of wonders - playing in the leaves, carving jack-o-lanterns, sitting outside by the fire pit, trick-or-treating, baking and hiking - and we're trying to embrace them all.

Last night I took a nighttime walk with Sawyer - just the two of us - and was reminded how much joy such simple pleasures can bring. We looked at our long shadows, the stars, Halloween decorations and blinking airplane lights overhead. He threw some big sticks, played with a neighbor's dog and watched cars' headlights as they sped by us in the dark. After a busy, noisy day, it was a nice way to end the night.

Unplugged and connected.

Happy fall. :)

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Sweet Moment

At a birthday party last weekend, I was drawn to the beauty of a friend and her 11-week-old daughter. I couldn't help taking a few photos. There's something so sweet about this time of life. I guess I'm a little nostalgic because my boys are getting so big ...

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New Adventures

Wow. I can't believe my last post was about the pool! Now it's October, and so much more has changed than the season. I started a new adventure in August when I took a job as a preschool teacher. My youngest son is there with me, and I love that he is just down the hall. I also love the schedule (summers off!!) and the active, hands-on, in-the-moment nature of the job. When I'm home, I am really home and focusing on my family - not on e-mails or phone calls or work that needs to be done when the kids go to bed. It's exactly what I need at this point in my life, and I'm happily rolling with it. More about that later. ... I just wanted to check in and say I haven't abandoned my blog. I'm just figuring out when and how I can fit it in.
Thanks for stopping by. Good night.

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Afternoons at the Pool

We've recently discovered the joys of late afternoons at the pool, when the sun is mild, the water is just right, and everyone seems a little more mellow. I especially love the golden sunlight at this time of day, which gradually fades to the blues of dusk ... It just makes me happy.

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Another Poop Post

Today Sawyer stood at the top of the stairs and said, "Big poop, mommy."

I was doing something downstairs and said "OK - I'll be right there."

I thought he might sit on the potty. He's been doing that pretty well. So I climbed the stairs and saw ... big poop streaks ON THE WALL.

When Sawyer saw my shocked face, he started crying and held out his ... very dirty hands. "Big poop!" he wailed.

Yes, I see. Sigh.

Parker was behind me, gagging.

Fortunately, nothing really fazes me these days. I just picked him up (trying to keep those hands from making contact), saying "It's OK - we'll clean it up," because he was so upset. Downstairs to the bathtub we went. Then I headed back up to wash the walls.

Parker summed it up well, especially for a 6-year-old.

"I'm not used to seeing poop on the walls," he said solemnly, watching me scrub. "That is really disturbing."

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Arkansas Vacation, Part I

While J was at a work conference back in June, the kids and I took a little trip to Arkansas to visit my parents and my oldest sister and her husband. It was a laid-back, no-rushing kind of trip, which was so nice.

At mom and dad's house we did some swimming, some reading - and the kids always love the impromptu dance-fests when my dad breaks out the guitar.

Then we headed to Mark and Patti's house. Here they are ...

And here is the amazing, peace-inducing view from their lake-front home ...

We did some boating, tubing and swimming in the lake. Seriously, it's hard to beat riding a boat to dinner on a summer afternoon.

Can I please have a body like this when I'm in my 50s??

Sawyer and Abby, a sweet golden lab ...

Me and Sawyer (and my fresh-squeezed grapefuit and vodka drink. Ahhhh... )

Patti and Parker on the Sea Doo ...

That's me and Parker tubing - bumpy fun! ...

We had a fabulous time and, like always, just wish we lived closer to our family. We're looking forward to the next visit.

Next up - Arkansas Vacation, Part II: Pics from our last Arkansas trip, when Parker got a brand-new skateboard and learned from a real-live skateboarding teenager.

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Work Hazards

Working from home with children is an exercise in efficiency. It's easier in the fall, when school and daycare offer some free time to focus. But summertime is tricky. I can usually cobble together child care for brief daytime phone interviews, thanks to other work-from-home moms and a 13-year-old babysitter who lives next door.

When I must make phone calls for work with the kids at home, I turn to On Demand cable. I've learned to keep water and milk within reach, just in case someone decides they must have milk immediately and it cannot wait even for two minutes when I'm in the middle of an interview. I give them snacks - stuff they don't usually get, like gummy fruit, goldfish crackers, M&Ms - in exchange for a few minutes of uninterrupted time.

Today, despite all my preemptive efforts, Sawyer found me in the middle of a phone interview. I heard him coming.

"Mommy!" he said. "POOP!!"

I waved him away, pointing at the door with wide eyes and exaggerated hand motions, willing him to just stop and play for a minute. Silently. Without saying poop again.

He ignored me and put his earnest little face close to mine.

"POOP, MOMMY!!" he said. "POOP! POOOOOOOOOP!"

Sigh. I guess you can't prepare for everything.

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Inspired by Rebecca (the Other One)

I was inspired today by this beautiful blog to post my pictures from some recent water play in our backyard. Becky is taking an e-class in photography called "Picture Summer," which features a new prompt each day. This was the most recent one:

Whether it is the deep blue sea, a refreshing pool (any size will do), or the spray of sprinklers: water is one way to keep your cool during the summer months. Today, stage something splashy and capture your ultimate cool-down routine.

Many of our summer days include some kind of splashing, whether it's in the pool, lake, creek or sprinkler. J was watering plants yesterday, and the kids wanted to be sprayed. The golden, late-afternoon sunlight shining through the water was so striking, I couldn't resist grabbing my camera.

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Holding Pattern

I have so much to blog about, and so many pictures to post - and so little time to do it. I have tons of work this week (that's a good thing) and time that needs to be devoted to my kids and summertime and not my computer screen (as I am reminded by children climbing on me every time I sit down to try). So please forgive the lack of posting. I'll report back soon...

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Parker's Party

Hello, neglected blog! I have a lot of catching up to do - so much that I can't do it all in one post. So here's installment one of the catchup...

Parker's 6th birthday! We had a blast at Hillwood Strike & Spare, where the kids bowled, rode bumper cars and played laser tag, followed by pizza and cake. This place is such a great spot for a birthday party, especially for active little boys. Parker asked me to make the cake (which I love to do), so I did - and spent about three hours trying to make Scooby Doo out of icing. I didn't learn about fondant until later. Ah well, I think it turned out OK. And the kids loved it, which is the most important thing. (Parker helped by adding the green gel dots and "spooky eyes.")

Our 6-year-old chose to wear a white dress shirt, khaki pants and his dad's tie to his party. He said he wanted to look "snappy" (!). I tried to talk him out of it, but he was firm - and so excited. He didn't care one bit that the other kids were wearing shorts and T-shirts - and the other kids didn't care, either. Parker felt special, and we (the grownups) all thought it was adorable. Now it's my favorite memory of the day.

I hope he always keeps his individual, free and confident spirit. It's one of the many things I love and admire about him.

One of the quirky things about this bowling alley is the creepy singing animals - probably bought off eBay from a Showbiz Pizza. They inspired impromptu dances to "Rocky Top" and "Friends in Low Places." Hilarious.

It was a great party and a really fun and silly group of kids. Six years old. I can't quite believe it.

We continued the party in Arkansas when we went to visit J's mom. More to come - stay tuned!

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