Making the best of Vacation

Last week was the week that I always go up to the camp in Maine. This year was a bit different for two reasons. The first being that it was the first one in a long time that my sister and nieces weren't able to come up from Tennessee. Since Jeanne was out of work for 12 weeks with her surgery, she has to build up her time off and spare change fund :) We certainly missed them and I know they missed being able to come as well.

The weather was also a major bummer. As I complained about earlier...we just have had so much rain. Last week the weather was gray and gloomy with pretty much a high of 62, except for Friday when Auntie and I actually caught some rays. We kept turning the chairs to get every last bit of it. The rain and cold didn't keep the boys away from the water though as you can see. I also got to have my niece for a couple of days and she was right there with them in the water. Auntie even went in one day...claiming the water always feels warmer when it is cold out. Needless to say, I did not make my swim across the lake. I will wait for a much longer string of warm weather.

This was a big catch of the week. They did get bigger ones, but mostly sunfish. Those suckers were just sucking off the worm as soon as we put it in. It seems the bass are eating all the fish. It used to be we would throw out the line and get hornpout after hornpout, but we haven't seen one in years.

The month of crappy weather we have had also meant wet wood...so no campfires. Who can go up to camp and no marshmellow or s'mores. We made do. We used the microwave. I have done them many times with my students in summer school. They were Yum-O if you ask me. Did you ever see a marshmellow blow up...a fun one for the kids to watch.

Oh, I have to add a third difference. We do not have cable in Maine. We have always had about three channels. Channel 13 was the clearest, but of course had all of those crime shows I can't stand and that are not good for the kids to see anyway, unless I want them both sleeping with us in the full size bed. Then we got a PBS like channel and ABC but it was scrambled. Then we brought up my Dad's TV and ABC became unscrambled but we lost Channel 13. AFter Jim redid the roof and unhooked and reattached the antenna on the roof...we lost all channels...only to be reminded from Auntie about the digital transition. The TV is good, but the antenna is a problem. So we pretty much watch a movie each night after the kids went to bed...hint to all...library...that was where I got most of the movies we watched. The no TV thing was a killer to Jim. I was really hoping to be able to get direct tv here and then bring a receiver and dish up to the camp...two birds with one bill :) but we have toooooo many freaken trees. So bumming.

We did not get to any fireworks. We went riding in the day and got wet, wet, wet. Jim wanted to take the loooonnnnnnngggggg way home so it was late by the time we got back. The paper said there weren't any in town until the 18th, but there was...we didn't want to drive the further distance into Gorham so the boys did sparklers...and really didn't ask about fireworks anyway. We'll catch some soon.

A nice day...finally

After many days of gloom and rain, we had sun. I saw it in the forecast and it just happened to be Auntie's day of too...so a plan was made...BEACH!

They had the annual sand castles so we peeked at those first.

Jonathan and Nicholas came too.The ocean was crazy today. Tons of waves...wild...and cold. Jacob contemplated going in, but was not having it. He left that to the big boys. He saw it was rough and he doesn't like to get knocked over.

We went for a walk down the beach to the jetty where the boys like to look for crabs. We left with grey cloudy sky and walked back in sunny blue skies. Joshua and I have the redness to show for it. We put sunscreen on as soon as we got back, but I think it was too late. Jacob collected lots of treasures along the way.We saw a couple of people get knocked off the jetty by waves crashing in to it like these. They came back scraped up, hustling for safety.

One Season Down

We ended up getting one of the Tee ball games in this weekend. It was the last game of the season. Jacob appeared to have already checked out. He wasn't too into the game, but it was a good first season. Tee ball, baseball in general, is tough. It is so slow and boring for the little guys out in the field. They found many new species of bugs in the field.

They did some live pitching the last couple of games which the kids liked...and prolonged the games a little :)

After they had a little pizza celebration with tropheys. That was a surprise to me. Jacob was very excited.

They gave Joshua a trophey too for being team helper. It really meant a lot to him. He has always wanted a trophy and I told him it came with being a part of a team. Soccer did not work out for him in kindergarten, but I think he is ready now. Soccer this fall for both of them should be good.

Post 1 Where does the time go?

I really need to get better about posting. It seems like sometimes I have nothing to say or no pictures to share.

• Jacob continues to play Tee ball. It is winding down though. He has a game Friday night and the last one is this Saturday. With the rain forcast...I don't know if he will get either of them in. He usually complains that he doesn't want to go...but I think he likes it. He just likes to complain about it. Joshua has become the team helper. He really enjoys it and has a sense of pride that has made him ready to join his own sport team whether he wanted to or not :) Both boys will be playing fall soccer on different teams.


• The school year is also coming to an end. Most teachers and kids can't wait for this to happen. I actually get a sense of sadness when this time comes. Not only due to the lack of paychecks...I miss seeing the kids each week. I have my students for 3 years and I miss them. I also get sad about my own kids moving on. Joshua has had such great teachers who have really embraced the idea of helping him through his anxiety while still giving him wings. I am always sad to say goodbye to his teachers.


• This really just does not seem like June. I can't remember a June that was so gloomy, wet and average temperatured. Today is the first really sunny day in a few and now it will be gloomy again for several more days to come. Most people try to remind me of how miserable it can be the last week of school trying to keep the kids motivated in school with 90 degree weather. But come on, there has to be a happy medium.


• Jeffrey has been having a hard time in school. Not due to lack of ability, yet more an extreme lack of effort. It has been tough to motivate him especially with the lack of continuity and follow through with a split living situation. Jim is doing really well trying to step up which is hard when he hasn't done so in the past. Jeffrey has sort of been on his own with school and he just let go. Now we have to ride him hard to do what he should have been doing and is twice as hard with the teenage attitude. The good thing is that we will have a lull in that until the little boys get there...even though they think they are teenagers sometimes.
• Keep reading for post 2...it has pictures :)

Post #2 Mount Washington

This weekend we went up the Mount Washington Auto Road. We have not been up in years...since Joshua was about a year old. It was 79 on the ground...but a little chillier at the summit. Here they are looking at....this snow still left up on the mountain. Jim said he could see two people skiing down. It is so funny, people hike up, climb up the snow, ski down...what like 50 feet and do it again. Please tell me why? Because it's free? Because they can???As you can see, I was prepared for the climbing on rocks...and by prepared,I mean I gave myself a fresh pedicure before we went :)

It was a bit windy up on top...which made it feel a bit chillier.At least it wasn't this windy though.

No reason...just because he is so darn cute.

This is the tippity top. I was too frustrated to get in the picture. People hover around and jump in like seagulls on any bit of crap you throw at them. You have to crop in close to make sure they are not in your picture. Oh and Jeffrey bought a new hat at the top...just one more way to drive his parents crazzzzzzzzzzzy!These are the trains you can ride up and down the mountain. I took these for Christian so Michelle be sure to show them too him. They really would have liked to ride these when they visited, but it was the end of January...not to mention $40 one way. I think some people hike up and then ride down...and some people just have a lot of money and ride them both ways.

We saw a couple more of these this weekend too. It has been a good year so far for moose spotting.

Oh me oh my!

Where to start??

Let's see, I'm not sure if it is a product of step-parent or older children/younger children. Jeffrey is a teenager. He wears his jeans half way down his butt-covered, most of the time-barely, by his t-shirt. Many teenagers do this, I am a teacher in a middle school, I see it. But not all teenagers do...and many of those that do, fit into a 'category'. I do not have any say really in what he wears as I am only his step-mother and he is here so infrequently...but if I did, he would not wear them that way.

The real point of this post however, is not really even Jeffrey, but the little mini me's that walk around here wanting to emulate him. It started off with just Joshua. He would want to wear jeans all the time because that's what Jeffrey does, even when it is 90. But then he started trying to tug his pants down below his waist, half way to his bum...I told him I would throw them away if they didn't fit him... and to get a belt.

Well today took the cake. Jacob was getting his shoes on to go outside sitting on the floor and I noticed his pants seemed baggie at his ankles. Normally his pants are just long enough, he always seems to be in the inbetween sizes. Then I noticed some white between his jeans and his black shirt. The little shit is at it. "Jacob, pull your pants up". "But Mom, my shirt is covering it". OMG, I don't give a crap. I immediately went to the computer and typed in 'What to do when your younger children want to dress like your older children?', No help.

I do not have anyone in the same boat as me, teenagers and younger children, but I would love to pick someone's brain about it. Really I am all set with the attitude that is is only clothes, because it is not. It is a lack of respect for establishment, of what is normal. I know that kids want to be individuals and push the limits to see where they are...but it is a little different when the little ones are copying the big ones. For them it is about wanting to be like the person. I don't want them to aspire to be like rebels. I also don't want them to be cookie cutter copies either. Bottom line...My kids won't be wearing their pants down their butts...in front of me...because let's be honest, that is all I have control over.

Ah, yah, yah!

Trying to catch up

Last weekend we headed up to Maine for some four wheeler races. (Not where our family camp is) The boys were in heaven. This is what they aspire to be and what I probably have to look forward to.They had little kid races too. These kids were probably Joshua's age and a little older. I'm guessing to 10/11.

They also had a climbing wall there. I thought it was cool that the boys both started up different sides and got into the same frame. It is so much harder than it always looks. They did great.
They both made it to the top, but Joshua was not facing me so I only got Jacob up to the top.

This weekend we headed up North. It is our official start to summer. I loved it so much, so peaceful, relaxing, enjoyable. It was also the first weekend the trails were open so we went riding one day. Is it ok that we stopped for ice cream two times...it was a three day weekend after all.

I read my book with this view. Yes, a book...I haven't mentioned it yet, but I have taken up reading. I started shortly before our trip to Florida and finished the first book on vacation. When we got back, I actually bought a book...and finished it this weekend. Sadly, I have been a bad example as a teacher and mom because I was not a reader. I still pick them by their cover...but it is a start.

Joshua got a little practice with Auntie's kayak. He is quite good with the kayak and canoe all by himself. Jacob is getting good with the kayak as well.

The weather was a little chilly, but that didn't stop the boys from getting in the water. They were wading near the shore and playing around in the boats. Next thing I knew, they both jumped out of their respective boat and into the water. It was only like 65 out. Crazy...but I know when I was younger Memorial Day was always the beginning of our summer. It was hard for my Dad to keep us out of the water. Someone always "fell" in. I figure it's not going to kill them.

We saw these guys on the way up. It was just after dusk so the camera couldn't really focus. Joshua held the spot light to help a little. There were actually 4 of them. It was cool because it has been a while since we've some.

This totally cracked me up. You can tell from their clothing what the weather was like. The sun was warm, but when it hid behind the clouds it was a bit chilly. Anyway, I have never seen this up here. Apparently these people store their pier somewhere down a ways from their water access (they live across the street). They were bringing it back and on the first trip they all were rowing like Tom Sawyer and friends. For the second section, they must have paid the kid some good money to get in the water and push it along...It literally cracks me up.