summer fun, a synopsis

I have come to accept three facts about summer:

1. I don't have time to blog in the summer.

2. We are so busy having fun (and packing for and cleaning up from the fun) that this is the reason for number 1. 

3.  Summer is really short, goes by way too fast and I simply can't fit everything it all in. 

So here is a fly-by of our June and July.  I couldn't let a whole month go by without a blog post. 

First up, family fun go-carting and mini-golfing. 

We met up with my college friends Jeff and Monica from California at the York's Wild Kingdom.  They were on a family vacation in Vermont so we met in southern Maine.  I had not seen them in 17 years!  (Wow, that makes me feel young.)  It was so nice to see them and meet their girls.

Have you ever seen a baby monkey before? Oh my. 

One of the saddest parts of our month was saying goodbye to our dear friends Ashley and Billy and their girls.  Ella has been BFFs with the twins for the past 4 years and they will be sorely missed. 

Kendall, Ella, Kaylee, Maya and Alli  (our neighbor)

Ella had a going away party for them complete with a tea party thrown by Maya and her friend.

Our adorable nephew, Braeden, turned 7!

He and Maya are both walking around without their front teeth. 

Maya is also walking around with this thing.  It is the pride and joy of my well-intentioned, carefully planned healthy feeding of my children.  (I let her get one every summer to take to camp and she never forgets.)

We had a fun trip to the beach with my family.

My mom and I. 

My mom and her four grandchildren.

My sister, Kathryn, me, Sandi and Braeden.

And tried our hand at photo play.

Our girls did gymnastics in our local fourth of July parade and felt like total celebrities.

And had the reddest faces I have ever seen!

Also, this happened.

Ella and Brevan still have fishing in common!

Maya, in a bored moment, wrote a note to me on her foot.  It says "Hi Momma" with a heart.  No, I suppose this isn't really newsworthy but it is funny.

We took the girls to the Celtic Festival to see our friend Matt's band play.  What a fun summer night by the ocean. 

There was also doubles log rolling down the hill.

While Ella was at art camp for the week, Maya had her sitter to herself and made her this itinerary.  They were very busy.

"Fibber, Twister, Connect 4, Zoomer, kick ball, batting, Frisbee, reading, hop scotch, drawing."

Maya had the opportunity to go to Windover Art Camp this year with Ella but she wanted to "stay home and spend the week with you" she told me.  She calls it "Home Windover" and I look forward to the one-on-one time with her immensely.

So proud of my big girl who was so confident and secure going to camp this year. It helps when you have your bestie with you. 

We went on a date to Dysart's for their amazing chocolate chip pancakes and we packed all of Maya's favorite fun things to play.   Because nearly every time we go to a restaurant she says, "Can we bring a board game?" and I'm like, "No, we cannot."   When I told her to pack a bag of things she wanted to play she was thrilled.

What is better than having a pool?  Having friends with a pool. 

We also went for a hike up Blue Hill Mountain.  Hiking with Maya is a total trip.  She talks endlessly and forewarns all wildlife of our pending arrival.  She also hikes like a panther, agile and quick over rocks and roots, the forest as her jungle gym.

"I'M THE QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN!"

And the Windover carpool is pretty frigging awesome as well.  We do a lot of enthusiastic singing to semi-inappropriate songs by Pitbull. 

Perhaps the most important thing I have learned about summer is how very lucky we are to live in and raise our children in the beautiful state of Maine and how blessed I am to spend my summers with my girls.

And how very grateful I am for iced coffee.  In large quantities.