Massachusetts...It's like living in Florida

or maybe southern New Jersey....

Last weekend we got almost two feet of snow.  Today, it was a balmy 60 degrees!  So we did what all New Englanders do when the sun peeks out to warm our cold bones.  We headed to the beach!  Sam wanted to pack a picnic and bring his bathing suit, but we're not that crazy or sun starved.  Yet.

I WISH she was looking at the camera for this one.  She won't.  Ever.

Sam and Grace got capes for Christmas.  I had visions of them running with their brightly colored capes trailing behind them...Unfortunately, there were 30 mph winds, which made the beach feel like it was about 30 degrees and also caused the capes to blow over their faces and wrap around their necks.  Oh well....

They did run though.....

First snow

Grace saw her fair share of snow last year, but judging by her absolute delight with yesterday's snow, I think it's safe to say, she has no recollection of it.

Getting outside to play in it was even better than looking at it from the window.  She's pretty much telling me here to put the darn camera away and let her play.  "No pictures mommy!"

When you don't finish raking, you get very dirty looking snow men....

Farm fun?

Yesterday we went to a local orchard to pick apples. Apparently, every other family within 100 miles of the orchard had the same idea. It was crowded, hot and miserable. Plus, there was a 30 minute wait to get on the hayride that took you out to the "open" orchard. I decided we'd hold off on the apple picking and just hand out. Sam was devastated...and it just kept getting worse and worse.

He thought this giant goose was pretty cool until it snapped at him.....
Then.....well it wasn't so cool.
Feeding the miniature horse was also a lot of fun.
He almost forgot about the crazy goose.
Until it bit him.
Utter devastation.
And this? Well there really isn't any explanation. I think I asked him to look at me and smile...

One of our favorite places...

Halibut Point

It's an old granite quary with the ocean on the other side.

Before we had kids, Brad and I spent many afternoons out on these rocks. Yesterday, was the first time that we took our kids there. They loved it.
Brad and I got engaged here, maybe even on this very rock....

A few questions....

1. Do you suppose he looked in the mirror before he headed to the beach and thought to himself, "Self, I look good!"?
2. Do you think he ever experiences self-doubt, self-consciousness or self-awareness?
3. What's your best guess as to what's playing on that ipod? I'm think something by Right Said Fred....I'm to sexy for this beach......
4. Notice, the ipod is tucked into the "bathing suit". Do you suppose he was concerned about ipod lines? Or chafing?
5. Why don't more men wear these?
6. If I got one for Brad, what color would you suggest?
7. Do you think I'm really mean?

Maine, the cherry stones are sooooo good!

"Hmmm...what are those things that look like rocks that you are all eating?"
"I really think that I would like to try one."

"I know there's still one in my mouth...
but keep them coming!"
"These things are awesome. Can I have a glass of Chardonnay?"

Whenever my aunts are around, the food is sure to be amazing. I'm really not sure how they manage to stay so thin....Jackie steamed the cherry stones with fresh basil and garlic. They were the best I have ever had.

Maine, the water's cold

My sister moved to southern Maine a few weeks ago. She's a little over and hour from me now and it's been great to have her so close. This weekend my aunts Jackie and Ellen were visiting her. We went up for the day and ended up spending the night. So fun.

You'll just have to believe me, but the water in ME is so cold that it hurts. I couldn't get more than my toe wet. These guys didn't seem to care.

See all these big kids? They're my cousins. Sam and Grace had so much fun playing with them.

Hermit crabs are fascinating....
My little loner...
Ted was born my sophomore year of college. He's a freshman in high school this year. I am old.
My aunt Jackie...looks more like a sister than an aunt I think.

Hello Vermont!

Growing up, my family went camping in Vermont several times each summer. Every year, we would "rock hop" up the river that my hippie parents lived on before they had me. We would visit a "natural water slide" where you could slide down the side of a mountain into water so cold that you started swimming back up the minute your toes hit. We would swim in quarries so deep and so dark that I was actually scared. We fished in the river, slept in a lean-to, picked wild raspberries and ate maple sugar candy. At night, we would lay in a field and watch shooting stars. We launched paper airplanes and throw rocks from the Ball Mountain Dam and then eating at the "Dam Diner". I loved it.

Although they have upgraded from lean-to to rather large camper, complete with bath tub and air conditioning, my parents still go every year. I haven't been since before I got married. As much as I love it, the prospect of camping with really young kids has not been overly appealing. This week, we finally felt brave enough to give it a try.







































We had a wonderful time. My best camping trip ever. I get a little teary eyed thinking about how incredibly special it was to be with my parents and Brad, Sam and Grace doing the things that I loved when I was a little girl. I think my parents felt the same way that I did.