Thanks to frequent flyer miles the kids and I had the chance to go visit my little brother who was home in Maine from boarding school in Australia. (confusing sentence... the point is we don't see him often). One of the mornings Alex had to get some volunteer hours in. Fortunately for us it was at an Elephant habitat!
We got to stop in and learn a little bit about elephants. I even learned a lot.
Next stop Camden harbor.
The kids enjoyed playing on the rocks and
climbing the walls!
Next stop was Lake Megunticook. It was unusually hot in Maine while we were there so jumping in a lake seemed like a great idea!
The kids had a great time.
Before long it was time to pick Alexander up and head back to the house. The kids enjoyed coloring for a while and then
just couldn't resist the call of the tramploine!
The dogs were a bit jealous and wanted to jump too!
After jumping we all took the dogs on a short walk down to the rocky coast line. I accidentally left my camera at the house but the kids had a great time watching the waves crash into the rocks and the dogs had good time crunching on crab shells.
When we came back Luci needed a nap. :)
The kids and Alex jumped and jumped. He was a great sport and wrestled with them until they were all sweating profusely.
That evening we drove up Mt. Battie to enjoy the view of the Harbor and surrounding mountains.
The kids did a little exploring
Pierson did some tower climbing. It is such a beautiful view from up there and was a perfect day to reflect. This day marked the 9 year anniversary of our Dad's passing. Dad used to love all the outdoor adventures Maine has to offer.
After diner Alexander said "meet me at the trampoline at 9:00... it's war! :)" That gave the kids 15 minutes to get their pajama's on and brush their teeth. The trampoline is a perfect way to calm down for bed... Right?! lol
They weren't going to go to bed willingly after all that so Alex carried them in and dropped them off for the night.
The next morning we drove over to Rockport Harbor and swam on the little beach there. Well... the kids swam. Ocean water in Maine is COLD!
They both fully submerged for just a few seconds.
Then it was time to get out and play in the sand for a few minutes.
There was a wall, so... Maylin HAD to climb it. I don't think it is physically possible for her to resist the urge to climb.
Ahhh... perfect contentment. The urge was now satisfied and she could relish in her accomplishments.
Hanging with Uncle Alexander.
Pierson figured out that crabs lived under the seaweed in the rocks! He found and caught several. Maylin wasn't so sure about them. She didn't want to get pinched! She made sure she wasn't close by when he let them go!
Camden/Rockport is a beautiful coastal area which draws in the tourists during the summer. I don't know if you have noticed but where there are tourists there are usually ice cream shops! I have always enjoyed that perk! The kids learned to appreciate this as well. On the way back from the beach they were promised ice cream for the third time in two days. shhh... don't tell Daddy. ;)
Finishing their cones at the house. Notice the Dogwood blooms in the top I just love that dogwoods bloom in July there. Summers in Maine are beautiful! (except for the occasional heatwaves which we were lucky enough to experience)
Alex being a typical 15 year old. It was a whirlwind, quick trip and all too soon it was time to head to the airport.
Pierson wanted a picture of the view from the driveway on our way out. Love the lighthouse island and ocean.
We left the house a little early to make sure we didn't run into tourist traffic. As we got closer I realized we had enough time to stop in Freeport for a quick stop at the LL Bean store. If you have never been there it is impressively large! The kids marveled at the live salmon swimming in several locations in the store.
and the "kids department" is huge and full of things that the kids wanted to take home!
The full sized moose was pretty cool too.
Before long it was time to head to the airport.
Of course we had to grab a bite to eat before boarding... These two are ALWAYS hungry!
They did a great job and traveled like pros. They were both helpful in carrying their own bags and were extremely patient in the airports.
It was a quick trip but worth it. It was so good to see Alex before he headed back to Australia. I hate that we don't see him often but we sure do enjoy it when we do!
We love you Uncle Alex! Hope school is going well!
