Sunbeam trip

We traveled with the Sea Coast Mission on their ship, the Sunbeam . It was Samson's first time on it. He loved that you can spend the night in the bunks below and he was amazed at the toilet cause the switch to flush was on the wall. We learned names for different parts of the ship. Like that the "bathroom" is called "the head". I have the cutest video but can't upload it, where he is trying to remember that name and gets confused and calls it the "noggin!"

Samson on our dock as the Sunbeam arrives

Samson at the bridge. (The wiki definition of a Ship Bridge: The bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded)

Me and Samson at the bridge. That's right, Samson, keep your eyes on the horizon (he tends to get seasick easily. Like me.) Really, though, he just didn't want to have his picture taken so he wouldn't sit still and wouldn't look at the camera. That's called SeAttitude.

Our route. From Cranberry Isles to Frenchboro to Swans then back home to Cranberry. Probably about an hour and a half ride each way.

The island of Frenchboro

Swan's Island

Thanksgiving 2011

So we didn't get to head south for Thanksgiving. But don't feel sorry for us! We got two Thanksgiving day dinners. We hosted the first one and Kimberly and Casey came over to spend the day. Then we walked the island to find our Christmas tree. We found one, Ric cut it down, threw it in the back of the truck,and away we go. Just like the Griswolds. And just like the Griswolds, it looked much smaller out in the wild. It was huge in the house!

After trimming it down, it now looks like a regular Christmas tree.



It snowed the day before Thanksgiving. We got very little out here on the island but the mainland got about 6 inches. The mountains of Acadia look beautiful across the way.

Then we were invited to the Whitney's for the evening. Karin is from Sweden and she talks fast and can be a little hard to understand. Samson is from the south and talks fast and can be a little hard to understand. The two of them get along great. Seriously. They love to talk to each other. He helped her ready the desert table.

Watch out, here come da po po!

Another benefit of island living. Only 3 official roads. And no police. Our island car is not even registered or insured. Shh! Homeschooling around here includes driving lessons too.

Halloween 2011

Although there are other kids on the island, Samson was the only one around this year for trick or treating (two were off island on vacation, one is in the process of moving, and another two were on Little Cranberry with their friends there). So some of the islanders (Eileen especially) made it a point to give Samson a fun night. We did a hayride in the back of Blair's truck as he rode us around from house to house. (Blair wore a wig). Becky and Eileen rode in the back with me and Samson. He got a ton of candy. At least a pillowcase full. The old fashioned way of driving and walking house to house. He was so tired when he got home. Well, I was too. And he lost his hat somewhere on the main road.

Snow!

The first snow of the season was Oct. 30. We didn't get much here along the coast, but the mountains did. We did lose power, though, for maybe a half day, which stinks. Otherwise, it was nice to see it falling and even better to see it on the mountains behind us. It made for a nice view.

Samson sitting at the post office with the snow topped mountains of Acadia National Park behind him.

The view from the town dock. Front is Sutton Island, with the mountains of Acadia National Park behind.

Quiet, please!

I didn't appreciate how quiet it is on the island until we visited back home. I had a hard time tuning out all the traffic noise and general neighborhood racket. And if I never hear the boom boom of loud base again it will be too soon. So something funny happened when we got back to the island. It's been almost too quiet to sleep. Sounds crazy I know. Then this morning, as I was laying in bed, starting to wake up, I heard a very faint scratching noise. I was straining to hear it, figure out what it was. It had an almost steady rhythm to it. Samson was sleeping with me (make fun, I don't care, I love it, especially with Ric still out of town) and I looked over at him. Then I figured out what the noise was. It was the feathers moving against each other in the feather comforter covering him, as his chest moved up and down with his breathing. I thought now how friggin quiet does it have to be to hear feathers moving?! Quiet, I tell you.

Speaking of noise and sleep.......Summer is gone now and with it, the open windows. I miss that! We have a slight ocean view from one side of the house but it faces the quiet, mainland side of the island. The other side of the house, where our bedroom is, faces the back shore, the loud side. Nothing past the island back there til you reach Portugal. We went to bed every night listening to the crashing of waves and the roar of the ocean. One night Samson and I were lying in bed reading a book when we both realized how beautiful the night was so we took a minute to just lay there and listen with the lights off. We could hear each wave crash, the roar of the ocean beyond the crashing, we could hear the bell buoy (always reminds me of Jaws, though) and then we heard the whoing of the owl that often lives in the tree right outside the window. Man, we loved that. Samson said "I love living in this house!" (Later he wanted the window shut, afraid of the owl since they can turn their heads all the way around but that's another story.) I was feeling so grateful to be living on not just an island, but this island in particular, and I thought, I hope I always feel this way about living here.

Look, Ma! No training wheels!

This was his first time riding without training wheels. He did suprisingly good. And this was on a wind advisory day too! Now he wakes up wanting to ride his bike. And wants to ride everywhere on the island, instead of driving. Or, as he told me this morning, I can follow him in the truck so if he gets tired I can drive him back.

Life As We Know It

So this is the movie we filmed a long time ago, like two years ago. And I'm just now seeing it and looking for us. Of course, they cut our scenes like crazy and now you can barely see us. But Amber was able to send me these pics from when she DVR'd it.

Me and Ric at the birthday party scene. He's holding Samson but you can't see him.

Our Fall trip "back home"

Samson's first time flying. And he gets asked to visit the cockpit. Cool, huh?

Samson with Emily and Josh. (the rest of the family pics are on my new cell phone and I can't figure out how to get them off. will keep trying!)


Impossible to get a good photo of the kids. But aren't they adorable?!

Samson at Papa's pumpkin patch. He's been every year since he was born!

Samson and Bailey

Me and Samson with Dina and Bailey

Samson loves him some Heather.

With Evan and Ava, his best friends

Summer 2011

I am a terrible blogger.

Here it is Fall and I'm just now getting my summer pics posted. And I'm updating with my Maine pics while I'm in Statesville. Guess I'll wait til we get back to Maine to post our pics from "home" (Statesville and Richmond)!

Heather and Samson learning to log roll

Jeremy gives lessons

Heather and Samson with Timber Tina

Heather and Samson riding bikes on the dock

beautiful sunsets

there are always foggy days in Maine in summer

summer in Maine is spectacular!

atop cadillac mountain. thats Cranberry Island in the water behind us!

at eagle lake in acadia national park

ric pole climbing

view of our island from a scenic flight (thanks for the hook up Kim!)
this is the town dock area

the main road (there are only 4). this is the longest and goes from end to end.

amber and sam visit!!

picking blueberries for our morning pancakes

in bar harbor with amber and heather