I Can't Take It!

Last Labor Day weekend I got really bummed out about the end of the season at OOB. The girls really had a great time at The Cottage and I just couldn't bear to take them back to Brooklyn. My sadness was quite overwhelming.

I was kinda hoping that this year would be different.

Well, all indications are that I will be just as bummed out this year as I was last year.

Just like last year, my parents came up during the last week to bring Stella back to Natick for fun and frolic. Marni was evidently not very happy about this and everyone realizes that next year Marni will be too big to leave behind!

Just like last year I flew in and was greeted by just my youngest girl. Unlike last year, the weather today is not cool and gloomy. And after her nap this afternoon we will be able to get into our bathing suits and have one last adventure on the beach.

But I really have to stop getting bummed out about the end of summer!

Overheard #7 (Stella)

Not sure where it came from, but this past weekend Stella started with the nonstop use of the phrase "Oh my God!". Whenever anything was the least bit exciting... OMG!

Her delivery is very reminiscent of the character Janice in Friends. Remember? Chandler Bing's on-again off-again girlfriend.

Now even though her use of OMG is kinda cute right now, if she begins to sound too much like Janice, then we are going to have to have an intervention.

Animal Time

Sunday started out a bit cloudy so the Shepards and Hoffmans jumped into the minivans and headed down to York's Wild Kingdom.

The kids saw monkeys, goats, an elephant, bears, tigers, deer, all types of birds, and even butterflies. Stella and Tyler rode a pony and we also helped to feed the elephant. The best part (IMHO) was the petting zoo where the kids got to hang out with and feed little goats. When we were last there two years ago, Stella was too scared to feed the goats. This year she had no fear and was demanding that I buy more food so she could keep feeding her new friends. Marni (who was 4 months old the last time she was there) was also quite a brave girl.

Fun With The Hoffmans

Cousins Tyler and Delia came to visit this past week. Shortly after their arrival on Thursday, the four cousins headed off to the beach for some splashing, digging, and running. The next day I flew in and it was back to the beach for more of the same.

Over the weekend the were bike rides, a trip to "downtown", and lots of ice cream eating. The kids played together without bloodshed and the newest member of the walking club, Delia, kept up with her three older playmates (while wearing her favorite hat 24/7).

On the last night of their visit, Brian and Jill joined us for a lobster-fest. We were joined by Stella who has found a taste for lobster to go along with her taste for gruyere cheese and Perrier. We are so screwed!

Tale of the Tape - OOB Edition

For the past two years we have kept track of the girls' growth by marking their height on a wall in the kitchen at The Cottage. Rachel and Noah have their progress recorded there too.

The tale of the tape shows that Stella has grown about 2 inches since the same time last year. Marni has grown over 4 inches since then! Interestingly, Marni is an inch taller right now than Stella was at the same age. Watch out Stella! She's coming for ya.

Happy Birthday Blog!

We're just a couple of days short of this blog's first birthday! It's been a great year and I've had a lot of fun blogging all of the family's adventures.

So far, 61 posts. Hopefully many, many more to come.

The Duck

While in Portland on Thursday, the family embarked on a new adventure... the Downeast Duck Adventures!

The tour started at Long Wharf. Stella was super excited. Marni, not so much. After a few minutes Marni got into the swing of things and was screeching with delight. Eventually we made it to the water's edge and, just as promised, the bus became a boat! Big smiles from Stella. After tooling around Casco Bay for a while, we drove back up onto dry land for the remained of the tour. A definite "two thumbs up" from Stella and Marni.

My Vacation Week

Sunday the 10th marked the beginning of my vacation week at OOB. The previous week was a mostly rainy week. But the Rapp family from Texas and Nana and Papa Hoffman helped make the week a whole lot of fun for the girls. The Rapps actually took Stella to see her first movie in a movie theater (Wall-e).

The beginning of this week was still rainy. So there were trips to the Mall and to the brand new Cabella's. By mid-week the skys were clearing and we were able to get to the beach for some of the day and also take some bike rides. Lisa and I discovered the Eastern Trail in Scarborough. On Friday we brought the bikes out again and headed to Huot's in Camp Ellis. We all enjoyed a delicious lunch in the sunshine at the town dock. We also bumped into OOB neighbors Dana, Isabella, and David as they were fishing and crabbing. The girls jumped right into the action. On Saturday, Lisa's childhood friend Amy and her family dropped by for the day and took advantage of the sunny beach, delicious lobster rolls and a trip to "downtown".

Later that evening (after everyone had left), we all walked down to the beach to watch the full moon rise over the ocean.

Old Orchard Beach 2008

A little over two weeks ago the Shepard family packed up the minivan and headed up to our annual month-long vacation destination, OOB.

A lot of traffic and a healthy amount of stops contributed to a 10-hour trip. Many of the stops involved me pulling over to make sure that our bikes were still attached to the back of the car. The girls did great throughout the whole trip. Since Nana and Papa Shepard were still winging their way back from Russia, the visit in Natick was a short one. Just long enough to grab some lunch, change a diaper, and stretch our legs. At 8 pm we pulled up to the cottage and began the unloading process.

The first thing we did was eat the pizza and pasta that we picked up from the nearby strip mall while picking up some essential groceries. After dinner the beds were made and Stella got a first look at her beautiful princess bed linens that mom bought for her. She loved them. The girls finally got to sleep somewhere between 10 and 11.

Unfortunately, August 2008 has got to be one of the wettest Augusts in the history of Maine. There was no beach day the first weekend (there would be very few beach days for the next two weeks). Nana and Papa Shepard showed up Saturday and stayed until Sunday. Nana and Papa Hoffman arrived Sunday to stay the week. Cousin Marcy and baby Hannah also arrived Sunday for a few days. Sadly, I had to fly back to NYC on Monday morning. Although I missed the rain. I also missed the girls.