Maine: The way life should be.

In Maine, the state slogan is Maine: The way life should be. And I have to say, I agree with them. There are so many things I love about Maine. The lakes, the trees, and the fresh air instantly make me feel at ease the second I arrive. I love that I can wake up and sip coffee outside on the deck with a view of the lake. Lazy days are spent on the water and nights are spent grilling with family and dining outside as the sun sets and the stars begin to appear across the sky. It is just all so relaxing. I have so many memories in Maine from mine and Brian's trips there, and we created many new ones this year with Emily and Brian's family. Here are some of the highlights of our week on Wilson Lake in Acton, ME.

Playing on the beach
Emily loved exploring on the beach and swimming near the shore. She found several shells and enjoyed playing with her sand toys. As the week went on, she tired of the shallow end and spent most of her time jumping off the dock and swimming out into the open water.

Cornhole
Yes, that is really the game's name. Brian's family discovered Cornhole a few years ago, and it has been a hit at camp ever since. I played one game with Brian, lost miserably, and decided to observe on the sidelines for the rest of the week. I love this picture of Brian's stepdad, Dick. Look at that form!

Swimming and playing in the lake
If it was up to Emily, we would have spent all seven days of our vacation in the lake. That girl is a fish! In the middle of the week, after a canoe ride that brought us within feet of a pair of loons, Emily and I decided to try to swim back to the birds. We slowly kicked with floaty noodles towards the middle of the lake, and got closer to the loons than we ever had before! Every time they dove under the water, we giggled and whispered, wondering where they would reappear. We swam around the lake following them for awhile and had a great time.

Grilling
There is nothing I love more than being on vacation with Brian in a place where he can grill. Because my man can grill.

We loved eating outside on the deck with views of the lake every night.

Ice Cream
We treated ourselves to ice cream a few nights while we were in Maine at some of our local favorite spots. Brian and I will never get over the prices for delicious, homemade ice cream in Acton. We got three heaping cups of ice cream one night for $4.25! When we gave the girl behind the counter a look of utter shock, she giggled and told us that it is cheaper on Thursdays. Why, I have no idea. All I know is if ice cream was that cheap in New York City I would have some very serious weight issues.

Storyland: Glen, New Hampshire
We visited Storyland last year for the first time, and Emily loved it. She couldn't wait to go back this year and return to her favorite attractions and rides. It really is a wonderful place for families. There are several rides that are fun without being too scary for little ones and a variety of houses and areas based off of classic fairytales and Mother Goose stories. I love that views of the White Mountains surround the park. If you are ever in New Hampshire, check out Storyland!

Tubing
Emily finally agreed to try out tubing and she loved it! On our last night, Em and I had a pretty fast and crazy ride. Brian also slalom skied and was amazing! I was spotting and didn't have my camera, so unfortunately I do not have any pictures.

Feeding the ducks
What started as an innocent activity one day turned into a daily occurrence (and problem). Emily and I made friends with a little duck family, who after being fed once decided that they wanted to be fed every day. And, since we were not really thinking about the consequences of making friends with ducks, we continued feeding them all week long. A few days before the end of our vacation, the ducks got a little more ballsy and decided to check out our camp. They waddled right up the path from the water to the house, and also settled in on the dock. They continued to do this every day, leaving nice little trails of duck poop behind them. Oops.

Bubbles

Hanging out on the dock
On our last day by the lake, Emily and I settled into our lawn chairs with fresh fruits and crackers and read. And read and read. She is quite the little reader now, and read me several books with little help. After listening to Frog and Toad, and read her several of my favorites. It was the perfect way to spend our final afternoon at camp.

Dick and Sandie, thank you so much for your hospitality! We had such a wonderful time and can't wait for our next week together in Maine.