On Center Pond

Last year was a crazy-busy summer with Shaun doing three apartment renovations and a trip to Europe, so we weren't able to make it to Maine.  The kids really missed it, so (since we didn't know we'd be buying a new house) we promised them this year we could go.

We almost always go up with my sister and her family, and have since before kids!  This year there were nine kids total.  Sadly, the State changed their mind about Z being able to go with us and, two days before we left, told us he couldn't go.  We found a respite home for him...a family from our church who have a teenaged boy who is into sports...we felt good about where he was staying, it just felt wrong to be leaving without him.

We stayed for two and a half days and it was filled with the usual activities....fishing, canoeing, sitting, staring at the lake, playing games, reading, singing, sleeping, fishing, eating, laughing, throwing sticks for dogs, wrestling, making silly videos, swatting bugs, fishing, eating, snuggling, swimming.

There is no TV and internet and cell are VERY intermittent and not really worth using.  In essence, we pretty much, unplug.  And its wonderful.  

I was telling someone this and she gave me a frightened look...I could NEVER be without my phone!  My idea of unplugging is NOT watching the evening news for one night.  Then it was my turn to give a look...I may have even gasped out loud.  Not being a TV watcher myself, I forget that its a part of most people's everyday lives to have the television on....weird.  But, so am I.  And, I digress....back to Maine.....

The kids did amazing together, as they most often do, and were largely independent.  Amy's older kids were very skilled with the canoe.  They are also fun to play games with and just generally fun to be around.

Here are *a few* of the photos from our time...

 This rainy day we made an exception and allowed the kids to watch Peter Pan together while the four of us played cards.

 Always a Risk or Axis & Allies game involved.

 Workout time with Uncle C!

 I caught a dead bug!  I caught a dead bug!

 Shaun tried to sneak off to go fishing by himself for a bit, but the boys caught wind of it and were on his tail.  He graciously set his pole down and prepared a setup for them with a rod and a worm.

The fish seemed to love this, as each time a kid dipped their pole in the water, a fish bit!  Then Shaun would detach it, send it back in the water and then they'd repeat it.  Two dozen, maybe more times.  Everyone who wanted to caught a fish.

 My handsome nephew gave me a canoe ride so I could get a better view.

 

"Come. Follow me,” Jesus said. “I will make you fishers of people."

Matthew 4:19