Maine, Day 1

Maine ~ The land of lobstahs, moose, whoopie pies and 10 billion post offices.

                                                                       

Last month, Doug and I took our first adults only vaction in 6 years. We're always talking about possible relocation spots and we had both seen pictures of Maine that made us drool. We decided we should at least check it out and so, Nana flew in to be with the little ones and we headed out. We arrived on a Saturday night and drove up from Boston to New Harbor in the dark. We got settled into the house Doug had rented from his company for the week and went to sleep. We awoke the next morning to this sight...

and staying in this house.

Once we got going and began to explore the area, we immediately fell in love with New Harbor.

We drove around and took a few pictures on our way to breakfast at the Cupboard Cafe where we had the most amazing veggie/egg breakfast sandwich with homemade cinnamon rolls.  The rolls were so good that we ordered a 1/2 dozen and sent them home to Nana and the peanuts.  We then headed out to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Station just a few miles down the road in Bristol. 

The lighthouse itself hadn't opened yet for the day.  We decided to leave and come back the next day. We drove out to Fort William Henry where a stone bastion replica built in 1908 stands on the spot of the original fort built in 1692!

 I had read in a visitor's guide there was going to be a pumpkin festival in Damariscotta just up the way.  On the drive in the night before we had seen some beautiful pumpkins on display so I was anxious to get back.  On the way to Damariscotta, we passed this little swimming hole.  It was so quiet and still there, a definite change from our normal daily lives. 

We drove on in to Damariscotta  and were amazed at the size of the pumpkins! 

                                                                                  

I always thought Bishop's Pumpkin Farm had enormous pumpkins.  I was wrong!  The winning pumpkin there that day had set a new state record at 1,471 pounds. 

                                                                                            

 All of the other carved pumpkins on display were between 300-500 pounds and a fork lift was required to move them around.  I had also read there was going to be a regatta but little did I know it was a "pumpkin boat"  race.  We arrived only in time to see the aftermath of the race...

and one lone motorized pumpkin boat race contestant still at it.

I fell in love with Damariscotta and told Doug we needed to pack up the kids and move there right away.  What a pretty little town.

By this time it was around noon and we were starting to get hungry.  We drove back into New Harbor and to Shaw's for some lobster.

We took the opportunity after lunch to explore a bit more of New Harbor...

and then finished the day at the beach.



Baby No. 3

My dear friend and neighbor Hiedi will be giving birth to her third child any day now. 

                                                                                      

She and her husband are waiting to learn the sex of the baby until the delivery.  My hat's off to her as I just would not have had the willpower to wait.  I have no idea how she's managed to do it especially considering the fact that she is a nurse and knows just where to look on the ultrasound screen!!  We had a small shower for Hiedi this past Saturday to celebrate her new little one.  Since we're unsure yet whether we'll be welcoming a new little boy or girl, we tried to stay gender neutral.   

Hiedi already has two beautiful children, a boy and a girl (pictures here).   We didn't want to forget to include them at the shower.  They're both so adorable.  I can't wait to see No. 3.

I know that Hiedi and her husband are so excited about this new addition to their family.  Shh.  Don't tell anyone but I really am also.  Even though I can barely handle the three I already have, there's a part of me that really, really wants a fourth.   Whenever I mention it, Doug looks at me as if I may have lost my mind.  So, Hiedi doesn't realize it yet but I'm planning on getting my baby fix from next door!!

Fortunately, there were two babies present at the shower and so I got an early start on the baby adoration front.  You wouldn't believe the cheeks on this little fellow.  He's about 10 months old and is Hiedi's nephew.  Oh my goodness, I could have eaten him up.

                                                                                   

Speaking of eating, the shower started at 1000 in the morning and we had a nice little brunch.  Hiedi's family made a delicious french toast casserole.  My crazy talented friend Courtney brought over an artichoke and egg casserole that has seriously left me craving more.  I made a fruit casserole and a pumpkin crumb cake with a pecan streusel.  To finish we had a marble cake with cream cheese mousse.  I have to say that the one disappointment of  the day was the cake.  We've purchased our cakes from the same spot for years now and they've always done an excellent job.  This was the first time I e-mailed a picture over instead of making the 50-minute drive to their shop.  Perhaps that was the problem as the cake didn't look as I had imagined.  This was what I wanted (here).  The cake I received was still nice but not as soft in appearance or as vintage as I had hoped. 

                                                                                        

My baker also told me she could make the flags I needed.  When I went to pick up the cake the flags had been made from fondant and it left me quite despondent...hehe.  Fortunately, Courtney came to the rescue and made last minute skewer flags for the cake that I just loved.

                                                                                             

I must admit that although I'm very good at eating cakes, I'm horrible when it comes to slicing them.  Thankfully, Hiedi's sister is a cake expert and made it look easy.

                                                                           

When I saw these wall decals, I just had to laugh.  I couldn't pass them by.  With my motley crew of three, I thought the clings were appropriate on the wall before, during, and after the shower.

I actually got to put my sewing machine to good use.  I made both tablecloths, the pillow cases, a runner, two pairs of booties (pattern from Joyfolie), and two little outfits.  Once I started sewing, I just couldn't seem to stop.  I bought about 8 yards of ticking and only had scraps left by the time I was done!  

I mean, I really just couldn't stop.

I guess it's a good thing I had copious amounts of fabric considering the fact that at midnight the night before the shower I realized I didn't have any wrapping paper for Hiedi's gift.  Fabric scraps to the rescue!

It was so nice to meet so many of Hiedi's family and friends.  They were such a nice group of women.  But then Hiedi is pretty special too!  I just think the world of her and her family.  I'm so excited for them and can't wait to meet their new little boy or girl.  Best Wishes, Hiedi!

Happy Halloween!

Hope you all had a "Hauntingly Happy Halloween"!  Ours began in tears once Anna realized that her witch pumpkin we had carved the weekend before had collapsed into a pile of mush.  Fortunately, we had a few pumpkins that Doug had grown in the garden lying around and so together Anna and Doug carved a new pumpkin, although Anna opted for a mermaid instead of a witch the second time 'round.

I spent most of the morning trying to finish an airplane costume for Jacob.  Pottery Barn Kids had a cute airplane for toddlers this year and even though I tried to purchase it at the beginning of October, it was already sold out in Jacob's size.  There were eBayers attempting to sell it online for almost 5 times the original cost.  After fuming about the indiginity of those aforementioned dregs of humanity that buy up all the costumes in a certain size and then try to gouge the rest of us, I resolved to just make one myself.  Since Doug was a U-2 pilot at the end of his career, I thought it would be cute to make the U-2.  I made Jake a little yellow flight suit similar to the spacesuits the guys wear and a black felt airplane with the appropriate tail markings.  He...would...NOT...wear it.  I guess it was for the best as Doug said it resembled certain male body parts.  Oh well.  I really like the idea though.  Maybe I'll try again next year. 

I also made a partial costume for Lauren.  She was going to be a knight (Joan of Arc).  Just to be safe I purchased a back-up costume for both Lauren and Jacob.  Lauren decided she liked her back-up Batgirl costume better and chose to wear it.  Anna had picked Cleopatra early on and was pleased with her choice.  Jake's back-up costume was a cowboy/horse combo, the kind where his legs are the back legs of the horse.  Again, he....would...NOT...wear it.  So, in the end, at the last minute I stuck him in jeans, a plaid shirt, a bandana, and a beaten up cowboy hat that we still had stuck in the toybox from Lauren's cowgirl party years ago.  I could only find one boot and so he ended up in tennis shoes.  He was happy as a pumpkin.

Our friends came over and we all had pizza before we headed out trick-or-treating.  The kids all looked adorable.

                                                                                           
Courtney's girls always look so beautiful.  She embellished both of their costumes and did an amazing job.  Caroline was Rapunzel from "Tangled".  Courtney found dollar store hair that matched Caroline's exactly!! 

                                                                                      
Jason and Isabella definitely took the prize for cutest brother and sister pirate duo!

                                                                                            
I tried my best to get a picture of our three together but Jake wasn't buying it. 

                                                                                  
I had planned to wear a bird mask with a nest and eggs in my hair but it fell out while trying to get pictures of the kids.  So, I grabbed Lauren's circus hat instead.

                                                                                          

                                                                                            
We began to wonder if Halloween had been cancelled as there were no other kids out on the street.  It was a school night and so we thought everyone would start early.  I guess we were wrong.

                                                                                             
Wherever we went little brother was always pulling up the rear.

                                                                             
Once he made it to the door, he would push his way in to make sure he got his candy.

                                                                                    

                                                                                              
Some sweet person would help him back down to the sidewalk and it would begin again.

                                                                                      
If he didn't make it to the door before the person was done handing out candy, Lauren would make sure the candy-giver held the door open until Jake made it.  She was such a good big sister.

                                                                          
I practically had to bribe the girls to get them to stand still long enough for "just one more picture".  You can imagine how often they hear that. :)

                                                                              
Jacob wasn't quite sure what to think about this skeleton and graveyard.

It was a great night, fun was had by all, and the candy haul was extreme.