I grew up spending a week on the southern coast of Maine for nearly ever summer since I was about 7 years old. The memories of entire days spent on the beach with evenings full of restaurants and exploring the coastal towns of York, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport and long evening trips to LL Bean. As kids we thought it was just insanely cool that LL Bean was open 24 hours. Returning to these somewhat hallowed grounds with my mom and my family proved nothing short of magical*.
Wells Beach
Our first walk to see the beach**
Making memories with Gamma
Inside the Scoop Deck
The flip-side of the magic is that we were all honestly sleep deprived as the kids were up at 5:30am everyday and anytime we got in the car to go somewhere they would fall asleep, rendering our exploring to a minimum. Regardless, we managed to do a lot in our week. We saw Cars 2 which had Luke on the edge of his seat and me sord of in shock at the violence of it, John and Ellie took a nap.
The flip-side of the magic is that we were all honestly sleep deprived as the kids were up at 5:30am everyday and anytime we got in the car to go somewhere they would fall asleep, rendering our exploring to a minimum. Regardless, we managed to do a lot in our week. We saw Cars 2 which had Luke on the edge of his seat and me sord of in shock at the violence of it, John and Ellie took a nap.
We built sandcastles, boogie boarded and searched for crabs with my brother and his family.
As all the kids played together creating their canal-moat-boat launch, Ellie looked at my mom and said, "you wanna take pictures of your kids?"
Luke filled up on fish and chips and tried lobster for the first time. He is a fan to say the least. On our first Monday back home I told him we would be having chicken and broccoli for dinner and his response was, "well but Mom, that's not lobster!?"
This is him showing a kid he just met on the beach his take out container of lobster claws. The kid thought we found them on the beach. The lobster claws are still living in our fridge.
We went to the beach everyday.
Saw them making taffy in York and walked the Marginal Way in Ogunquit. We took two trolley rides and watched a lot of Disney cartoons.
Waiting for a trolley, Ellie fell asleep.
The Marginal Way
On another trolley ride, Luke fell asleep.
John and I spent an evening in York at Fun-O-Rama playing duck pin bowling and we both agreed it all kind of felt like a summer love first date.
Another date was had at Federal Jacks for a beer sampler and some mussels. After I boasted about how I was going to jog everyday, we only actually went twice. Still it's better than not going at all.
Fun times
Proof
The outdoor shower
Luke pointing to the back spiral staircase that he walked up all by himself, unbeknownst to us.
Our last morning and we found a surprise from cousin Jake on the front porch.
Thanks Jake for the Ugly Dolls!
*I would be lying if I didn't tell you that by Thursday John and I were both a little on edge, missing the routine of home and feeling as if the kids were running the entire vacation. My mom is pretty saintly for enduring our dual tantrum that kind of lasted into Friday. In the car one evening I told John we should listen to the country song, "You're gonna miss this." My mom laughed and I told Luke I was sorry for being grumpy. He looked at me and said, "You still love me though, right mom?" Perfect timing.
**Also just so that we never forget this, Luke gagged at the smell of the ocean and the first night we brought him to the beach he threw up his dinner. I found myself yelling, "this is vacation and we are going to have fun (god dammit!)"
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