We started our 2 weeks in the Northeast in Maine visiting our great friends, the Banks. Our one gorgeous day of weather in Maine was spent soaking up the sun and enjoying the Maine coast at Reid Beach State Park. Brought to a delicious end with lobster, of course.
Look at those kids! Where did our babies go? (Liam, Cole, Birch, and Natalie)
They morphed into Superheroes! ..... and Cookie Monster.
From Maine we traveled to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to stay with some other old friends from residency days, Jill and Lou and their girls, Emily and Catherine.
The falls at Flume Gorge in Franconia.
Liam was psyched about the tricycle and having more big kids to chase after. Natalie and Catherine, who is just a few months older, hit it off great. They were delighted to discover they had the same wonderful purple Angel pillow. I love it that Natalie can equally have fun dressing as a Ninja turtle with the boys and playing with fairies and enjoying purple angel pillows!
Then, on to Long Pond to spend a week with Russell's family. Grandmother/Elaine/GiGi (short for Great-Grandmother ala Natalie) fortunately was able to make the long journey from the DC area to visit with us all and meet her newest great grandchild, Atagan.
GiGi and Atagan
Natalie showing her drawings to GiGi.
Liam very excited to show GiGi a very cool truck.
Although the lake was much cooler than a couple of years ago when we visited it didn't deter us from getting out on it. Maybe deterred us a bit from swimming quite as much. Liam was Atagan's age 2 years ago when we last visited. It was great to be able to all be out on the water together this year! Maybe a kayak trip in Alaska next year? Liam continuously asked, "Can I paddle by myself?"
I served as Natalie's kayak chaffeur to the various little islands in the lake. We'd paddle over and she would get out and "explore" the island why I circumnavigated it and returned to pick her up. Our intrepid explorer had a ball.
Natalie watching as Liam gets his turn out on the sailboat with Mom and Dad .
"Look, it's windy!"
Saying good-bye to the pond until another year...
