Go Big or Go Home!

This guy is ready for Christmas with a capital "R".  He has made his list and checked it twice (a day!)  When asked what he wants for the upcoming holiday, Thane reliably responds with his top 3 choices:

1.  a compound bow
2.  a remote control monster truck
3.  land!

I guess that Thane has embraced his Papa Lentz' motto:  "Go big or go home!"

Halfway There

When Annabel proclaimed that she was almost 9 years old a few weeks ago, Jordan asked if she knew what that really meant.  She was confident that she would get more privileges, perhaps more allowance (but hold off on the extra chores please!), and a party with lots of gifts.  Jordan corrected her immediately:  "Nope - it means that you are exactly halfway to getting kicked out of the house!"

While we will admit to the occasional wish for time to speed up just a bit, I am absolutely crushed thinking about the fact that Annabel is halfway to the big "1-8."  How can this possibly be?!?  It's hard to imagine a house without the sound of her constant chatter and song.  Nor can I imagine getting by without her helping hands and cheery disposition.

We celebrated our big bundle of joy twice this year  First we attended a tea party in which most of the honored guests were her grandmother's age.  Even Thane was graciously allowed to attend to learn how to perfect his gentlemanly skills.

Then last weekend, she chose to share her "real" celebration with fellow birthday girl and family friend Melissa.  As always, Annabel's infectious smile and loving heart lit up the party.

We are so very proud of the wonderful person that you are becoming.  Love you much girlie-girl!

Fa La La La La!

We went to the kids' Christmas concerts tonight.  Annabel, along with her fellow third graders, sang and played a few carols on their recorders.

The first grade classes were happy to simply sing, and Thane actually participated this year.  Normally he stands still, crosses his arms and pouts the entire time.

He even looked somewhat happy - although I'm not sure if that's because he was enjoying himself or his tie was about to come off!  Either way, Annabel and Thane want to wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of their hearts.

Giving Thanks

We enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving last week.  It was just the four of us this year, and it seemed oddly quiet and calm.  We ate the usual full meal and finally had room to enjoy dessert several hours later.  And as Annabel so sensibly pointed out, "No company means more pie for us!"

We would have preferred to have been with family on this special day, but we were surrounded by treasured gifts from loved ones near and far - which made everyone seem just a wee bit closer.

We hope you had a great day, too!

Oh Deer!

Jordan is slowly getting adjusted to working every other weekend.  We miss the time that we have together as a family, and the restoration work on our home has slowed a bit.  But the biggest thing that Jordan misses is the lack of time for hunting. 

He had last Saturday  off, and he spent most of the morning hunting with a buddy.  They caught one goose, but that was the extent of their luck.  Or so we thought...  On a whim Jordan headed to the back of our acreage, where he shot a buck just as the sun was beginning to set.

We are very thankful for meat over the winter.  And in case you are wondering, that IS Jordan's happy face!

Kyandi

Kyandi - that's the japanese word for candy: キャンディ

 

It's what the kids were in search of on Friday during Machias' annual Maine Street Trick-or-Treat festivities.  We're not sure if it was the intimidating Sumo get-up or the cute kimono, but Annabel and Thane raked in more candy than ever this year.  What is it about kids and their compulsive desire to play make believe in an attempt to charm complete strangers into giving them junk food that will rot their teeth and fling them on a road of life long struggles with obesity and blood sugar issues? 

Oh well - how sweet it is!

To Grandmother's House We Go

When Jordan and I were developing an alternate plan for our vacation, the one thing central to all of our planning was taking time to visit my grandmother in Michigan.  Gram and I are close, and I've been wanting to get to the mid-west to see her for a couple of years.

We pulled off a surprise visit, and spent a couple of days catching up and hearing stories about Gramma's childhood and early years of marriage.  She even took me to see the home in which she grew up.  Sadly, the home and farm land surrounding it was recently purchased and will most likely be demolished to make way for a new development.

We stayed at my Aunt Joy & Uncle Randy's home, which is always a blast.  We took a stroll along Lake Michigan,

and got into trouble with Aunt Joy (no surprise for those of you who know her!)

Gramma even made me a batch of my favorite fudge, a special treat which didn't last long!

I was pretty devastated about our canceled trip to Europe, but I am so very, very glad that I was able to spend time with my Michigan family instead.  Any time spent with Gramma is precious to me, and I won't ever forget our time together.

The Best Laid Plans

The last time that Jordan and I went to Europe, I was pregnant with Annabel.  It was wonderful trip, until Jordan developed an acute case of appendicitis and our busy tourist plans slowed down significantly.  Since then, I have been planning a follow up trip that would include places I've wanted to see for years:  Mont St. Michel, Neuschwanstein Castle, Salzburg and the Swiss Alps.  We've saved and planned for 9 years, and were eagerly anticipating our dream trip.  Our flight was scheduled to depart on September 30th.  Sadly, we missed one minor detail.  To travel to Europe, one's passport can't expire within 90 days of the return flight.  I missed the date by 11 measly days, a fact of which I was unaware until we attempted to board the plane.  No go.

So, what do you do when life serves you lemons?  You rant, rave and cry a little - but then you realize that this is a first world problem.  International travel is a luxury that few in this world can afford.  So, we headed home to try to re-coup some of our losses.  Then we opened a map and created Plan B.

Our first stop was Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.  We spent 3 days exploring and hiking the gorgeous Cabot Trail and Highlands National Park.  We saw some whales (living and dead), several moose, and stunning scenery.  Our hotel room even had a fireplace, in front of which was the perfect spot to plot the rest of our trip.

 

Then we spent a day in old Quebec City with all of its charming old buildings, European-style restaurants and boutiques.

We then made our way to Michigan, where we visited family (more on that in the next post).  On our way back east, we very much enjoyed an afternoon in Niagara, Canada.  I remember being awed by the falls when I last viewed them in 1981, and the sight is even more awe-inspiring now.

Next we hiked through the dramatic (and rigorous!) Watkins Glen gorge, which was particularly beautiful this time of year.

The end of our trip took us through southern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  The foliage was perfect - we live in such a stunning part of the country!

While it wasn't the voyage we planned, we had an amazing time sightseeing, hanging out with family and getting to reconnect as a couple.  In the grand scheme of things, that's what really matters.

Seventh Heaven

You only turn 7 once, but apparently the birthday celebrations can last for weeks!  First, we met up with Kim & Jon in southern Maine.  They brought him gifts, and they treated him to some delicious bakery treats at Dustin's - YUM!

My parents were in town watching the kids when Thane's actual birthday arrived, and he celebrated by taking a train ride through Ellsworth.  Later he shot his very first animal:  a bothersome squirrel that was getting into the garage.

When we did return home, we had yet ANOTHER celebration with Jordan's Mom and Grandmother.  We had blueberry pancakes & bacon for breakfast, and then Thane got to open the rest of his gifts - including a fishing rod & reel from Mamma & Papa.

Seventh heaven, indeed!

Machias River Walks

Jordan and I have been walking 3-5 miles almost every night.  The exercise is a great way to keep my blood sugar levels in check, and it's a wonderful way for us to connect as a family.  We almost always walk on a trail along the beautiful Machias River.  The river is tidal, and its ecosystem provides life for a variety of bird species including bald eagles, egrets, herons, ducks, shags, and canadian geese.  On the trail we've walked within mere feet of does with their fawns, and many times we are followed by curious seals in the water.  Almost every night we see something new, and my favorite find was discovered a few weeks ago:

We almost stepped on this little guy, who must have hatched fairly recently.  He was working his way across the trail, and we might have helped him along just a little.

As the days grow shorter, we've also been blessed with some beautiful sunsets.  Life is good!

More Maine

Last week, we spent a wonderful couple of days exploring the mid-coast region of Maine.  After a quick trip to Augusta on Friday night, we made our way down the coast enjoying beautiful Camden, Rockland,Wiscasset and Brunswick.  The scenery is incredible - we just love it there!

We finally made it to our destination -Wells- where the kids discovered a love for miniature golf.  Thane was a natural; Annabel, not so much.

The next morning was the highlight of our quick excursion:  spending a leisurely morning with Kim and Jon, who had flown in from Arizona for Jon's brother's wedding. 

Catching up on the porch of the gorgeous B&B where they stayed and indulging in homemade goodies from Dustin's Bakery - what a wonderful time!  The kids even got to open some early birthday presents:

Sometimes you don't realize just how much you miss folks until you get to be with them for a short spell - too short!  We hope to get to see Kim & Jon again soon!

Firsts (and Third)

Like frazzled moms everywhere, I welcomed the first day of school with open arms.  But my, oh my, time is cruising by much more quickly than we wish it to.  Annabel is already in third grade, and Thane started first.

Thane was VERY proud to earn the coveted first tooth of first grade award.  Unfortunately he missed the holy grail of 1st tooth of 1st grade on the 1st day (his came out on the 2nd day...)

While we were finishing breakfast, I noticed something on the lawn.  Oh crap!  Is that a...

Not to be outdone in the first department, Angus killed his first skunk.  On my lawn.  On the first day of school.  Now that's a first of which we definitely DON'T want a second - or third!

Yin and Yang

 

We've had some uninvited (but not unwelcome!) guests the past few evenings.  We keep spying twin fawns sneaking onto the edge of our property where they help themselves to a snack from one of our old apple trees.

The fawns have become bolder and now venture closer to the house, where we can truly appreciate their beauty.  Annabel would like to adopt them both, while Thane wishes they would eat more and grow fat in order to hunt them next winter.  And THAT is the difference between boys and girls!

Beach Time

One of our new favorite spots is a seldom-used beach at the end of a narrow dirt road that eventually ends in a grassy path.  When you reach the fallen tree that blocks the path, turn right, push past the bushes and you'll find a steep staircase that leads to a rocky shoreline embanking a small cove.

We have had loads of fun here.  The kids adore looking for seaglass, shells, rocks and other marine treasures.

We've also seen seals and various kinds of waterfowl (like the hooded merganser above).

We often have a picnic and enjoy nature in the way God intended (hey - God created marshmallows!)  It's our little piece of heaven - sand fleas and all!

Empty Nets, Full Hearts

We spent a lovely morning on Gardner Lake last weekend.  Although slightly breezy, it was an otherwise gorgeous summer day here in Maine.

The kids wanted so badly to catch some fish for dinner!

The fish weren't biting, but we eventually did capture this beautiful dragonfly.

We pulled into dock empty-handed, but our hearts were full of wonderful family memories.

Weekend Hiking

Weekends this summer have been delightfully rain free.  The weather has been perfect for enjoying hikes along the rugged coast of Maine.  We traveled to one of our favorite spots last weekend.  After a moderately rigorous 2.1 mile hike across Great Wass Island, the kids were more than happy to shed their clothes and explore the coast.

The frigid water left in pools during low tide were ideal for cooling off.

Even never-stop, just-like-the-Enegizer-bunny Jordan took a few minutes to chill and enjoy this place that we are lucky enough to call home.  We relaxed enough to forget about the return trip back - almost!

It was a great day!