Boothbay Harbor, Maine: Day 1 (and Ethan's 15th Birthday!)

I have been trying to finish this post all week long. Seriously! If it's not naughty kids or DIY projects then it's massive thunder storms and date nights, which I'll gladly take. =)

J and C headed up to Maine with my Dad for a few days before the rest of us planned to join them. Those were some quiet days, ha! We celebrated Ethan's 15th birthday just the four of us, which was really different but fun. We had his big family party later that weekend.

I think this sums up their sweet relationship.  =)

Happy Birthday Ethan!

I had so much fun getting things ready for my firstborn's special day.

This handsome fella "helped." By attacking the balloons. HA 

He doesn't look very innocent, does he?

Isabelle was inspired to have a special picnic lunch with her babies.

She'd been at Super Hero Bible Camp earlier in the morning, which clearly channeled her inner Super Girl.

 I had some clothes for my little niece so we got a nice birthday visit from my sister in law. The way Naomi clings to Ethan is just about the cutest thing ever. I'm anxious for when we have a little one added to our family, whenever that may be.

We ate out for dinner and then went shopping- poor Ethan didn't find anything good, but Isabelle scored big. Since Isabelle had such a busy week with church camp, she was zonked and in bed early, which left us "older" people to watch a movie and eat cannoli (Ethan's birthday tradition). No complaining here, except for the fact that my little boy is now a fifteen year old young man. Siiiiigh. But he is a wonderful, bright, caring and funny person, and he means the world to us!

This was a few days before... preparing for the journey north with Grampy - someone is smitten with her Grampy!
It takes about three hours to get to Boothbay Harbor in Maine. I think my Dad is a saint.

And here they go...

There is no cell reception on the island, so once they go, they GO. I admit it does make a little bit nervous, but just a little bit. I know they have so much fun, and Grampy keeps them alive and {somewhat} out of trouble.  =)

I drove my Mom, Isabelle, and Ethan up the day after Ethan's birthday.

I was so annoyed that I missed a major turn and then got lost. Kind of. I always manage to find my way back. Who cares if it adds an extra hour to the trip, right? Ugh.
The very first thing I see as we fiiiiinally make it there. ha ha!

Ocean Point, Boothbay Harbor

I grew up visiting this place. It's such a pretty place and reminds me of when I was a kid.

Not a care in the world. Ah to go back to that, ha ha.

Always finding creatures, these two

There was a French family nearby, and apparently the Dad was holding up a towel on the beach for the Mom to slip out of her bathing suit and into her clothes. I missed the whole thing, but as it was told to me, the towel was too small, and the clothing was not cooperating. Thanks for the show, Lady. Not really. ha ha I think this is what they were all laughing about here...

 I have been crossing this footbridge down at the harbor since before I could walk! It was really special to be here with all my children- my Mom and I realized that while the guys go up to Maine often, we hadn't been since coming home from Guatemala with Isabelle, almost six years ago!
Me and my crew
Look at Isabelle's face!

My Dad and I went on a whale watch from this very spot my Senior year in high school- I used to keep a photo from that day on my desk all throughout college and in Spain, and now I cannot find it. Heartbreaking. I won't stop looking, though!
**edited: I found the picture!!!**

Typical. =)

 After our seafood dinner, I took these cuties to Knickerbocker Lake, a couple of miles from our place on the Island. I'd always wanted to go there but in all my years, had never once been! Very pretty at this time of early evening.

These crazy little fishies leapt out of the water- so cool!

As a kid, I marveled at how gold the tops of the trees would look at sunset. I still do.

I used to stay with Gram, my Dad's Mom, in the bedroom in the back overlooking the ocean, when I was growing up. We'd tell jokes and laugh into the late, late hours. Such wonderful memories. Of course, it wasn't until 15 or so years ago that there was plumbing inside, ha.

 J and C camped out all night long. So glad it didn't rain!

This is the trail that leads to the ocean...

Look who I found! This boy is my kindred spirit- fascinated by the water.

We talked about life and school and God's amazing world while we watched this beautiful sunset. I will never forget it as long as I live.

A perfect way to end the night!

Afterwards the boys watched a movie while the girls read stories, and I hear that this girl feel asleep pretty early on. Isabelle on the other hand was wired for hours. H.O.U.R.S. Oh boy!

We missed Daddy but had so much fun! It was supposed to be raining the entire time we were there, and I was so thankful and relieved to have such picture-perfect days the whole time. I know Who gave us the gift of such beautiful weather. 

Okay, that was our full Day One. I'll post Day Two next... Happy Saturday!

Mom Fail

Ugh. I know it happens to all of us, but I seem to be stuck in this pattern of "missing the boat," for lack of a better term. I was supposed to have ordered some of our history books already. Completely spaced it, and now I won't be able to start with what I'd been planning on for months. This was the year for Isabelle to get a monogrammed backpack from LL Bean (since I slacked and didn't do that for either kindergarten OR first grade). When I looked last week, color choices 1 and 2 were already sold out until October. Well, as of yesterday morning, color choices 3 & 4 are now gone. So pretty much an orange and a funky citrus color remain. Great. There's more, but it doesn't warrant the time or energy to write, ha.

Now I know these are not earth-shattering things, but after a while, they wear on a poor Mama. That, and now I can't stop thinking about Robin Williams. A man with such wealth and influence and opportunity, still unable to conquer his demons. I don't know about his spiritual state in any way, but it makes me mindful of the danger in finding (or placing) our worth in temporary, fleeting, and fickle things. We will always come up empty, time and time again. How deeply sad.

I've got tons of pictures from our little trip to Maine last week that need editing, but I'll share this one. It's the church and small schoolhouse that my Dad attended on the little island where he grew up. I just love my father, one of the most generous, kind, and faithful people I've ever known. I get a little choked up when I think of his very humble beginnings because he worked so hard to give my brother and me a safe, fun, and fulfilling childhood. And I'm so grateful. I hope I can be half the parent he has been. (Yes, of course I adore my Mom, too! But her history is not in Maine...)

Happy Tuesday! I think I'm going to go do something really fun with my kiddos today!

Birthday Fun and a Trip to Maine

Just a real quick Hola from me to you this morning...we are about to head up to Maine for a quick, impromptu visit with my Dad's family and I'm the adult in charge of all the details (man is working today, then staying here with dog). Eek! I'm not sure how smoothly things will go when I already nearly poured pepper into the muffin batter, and then there was that mad-dash search for flour, since someone left the canister empty. Yeah, that was probably me.

Anyhoo.

Yesterday was Ethan's 15th birthday. I feel that needs exclamation points. Yesterday was Ethan 15th Birthday!!!!!! We had the best day ever! Though he keeps bringing the idea of "driving soon." Just hold the train, people. No son of mine should be muttering the words "driving" and "soon." We're having a big party for him this weekend, even though technically, I do not like after-the-fact birthday parties. But since he was away last weekend for his fancy college soccer camp, this weekend it is.

Okay, I smell the muffins now. And there's laundry waiting for me in the other room. Plus the laundry already parked on top of my bed. Oh, and we re-did our closet last night. Like, completely emptied, painted, and installed a new shelf system-thing. We must be pros.  =) Well, I know we're cuh-razy. Because who does that the night before a trip, when you're supposed to be making lists and packing and getting your beauty sleep. Right?

Have a great rest of the week! I'm so looking forward to showing Isabelle all our traditions and such today and tomorrow and seeing family. Hasta luego... ;)

Making Plans For A New School Year

Here we are, dipping our freshly-polished toes into August already. Tomorrow is Ethan's birthday. 15. I seriously just had a mini panic attack right here even thinking about. It simply doesn't seem possible.

Like most parents, or at least Moms, I've been spending a good deal of time contemplating the brand new school year, now on the immediate horizon. I'm super excited for lots of reasons, but honestly, I'm nervous and feeling a bit guilty too. The question of keeping Isabelle at home with the boys for school has come up, oh, about a million and a half times now, and I just don't have peace about it. Not that I have tremendous peace about her going off either. It's tricky. I don't feel called to homeschool elementary grades (the thought gives me hives and the sweats, actually), and she is extremely social and wants to go to school. But I will miss her and don't like doing things without her.

I'm also continually nervous that I'm not enough for my boys. Will they learn what they need to? How will their character grow, be tested, and thrive? How will I ever have a clean house again? (I'm not joking. I wish I were, but I'm not. HA) I have tons of great ideas, or rather, ideas that look great on paper, but then reality rears its ugly head and the challenges abound. I've learned plenty about myself- quirks and all- and I need a schedule. It can be a loose one, but it still has to be there. I'm pleased with the unit studies I've mapped out so far- they just need a bit more tweaking. So that's good. =)

I think I'm also feeling kind of lonely and ungrounded. I keep barking at my kids to read their Bibles and do their devotions, but I haven't been reading, praying and studying. I don't even know why. Apathy? Busyness? Too much self-reliance? Yes, yes, and yes. And I'm sure there's more. It makes me sick with worry, and I feel like if I'm not a perfect example to my children of what a Christian should be, then they will fail. Or rather, I am setting them up for failure. Believe me, I realize how utterly ridiculous and even self-absorbed that may seem, but I get sucked back into that faulty mentality time and time again. God can- AND WILL- use me despite my many flaws and mistakes. Just like He will use all of those who love and seek Him.

I'm sorry for the rambling on; I didn't realize all of that was on my mind until my fingers started typing. I also hope that if you're feeling this way, or have in the past, that you'll be encouraged today, too.

Commit your way to the Lord,

Trust also in Him,

And He will do it.

Psalm 37:5

It's pretty hard not to feel God's presence and magnificence when you're standing on a mountaintop, looking out over all that He has created, so I thought this would be a good picture for this post. Have a great day!!!