The Adventures of Lilybird & V

Winter has arrived!

2012-01-15T21:11:00.000-05:00

Goodbye, 50 degree December afternoons, hello 7 degree January mornings! The switch was made well worth it with the addition of snow, finally. We've made snowmen, suited Violet for the seeming tundra, and today, Lily and I went sledding on a hill so crusted in ice we could have been prepping for the next Olympic luge trials. So fun. So fast, and loud, but holy cow, so fun! We barely need a sled.

Next projects: skiing and skating for the Bird to master!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-28T21:07:00.000-05:00

One Christmas gathering after the next meant a busy holiday weekend, packed with family, food and festivities. The weather cooperated beautifully, literally icing our Christmas with a few inches of fresh snow. Now we're into Lily's vacation week and are enjoying fun activities with friends rarely seen and some much-appreciated chill time at home. Did I mention that I love the holidays?

Ready, set, gone!

2011-11-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

Lots of things are on the move around here lately. Ants in their strange, goo-farm, leaves from the trees, clothes from Lily's body (I didn't say they were NEW things on the move, did I?), and our dearest, littlest Violet. It's been so fascinating to watch the progression in her facial expressions, her body and her emotions; over the course of a month or so we've seen her transgress from an occasional step here and there to committing to have the walking thing override the default crawling thing. She's so proud, and we're so excited for the tiny little moving bean!

A photo taster of recent East Ridge life: harvester ants doing their thing, boat rides, gardening buttoning-up and walks walks and more walks...

More in Boothbay, this time an October event sans clothes- amazingly warm, even for non-Lily sensory nodes.

Corny.

2011-10-18T20:30:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it's a second child thing or just a 'I know what I want and it's what you're trying to take away' kind of personality thing, but man it is hard to take things away from Violet. Whether a item of potential harm or something of someone else's that the owner would like preserved from the slobber and marks of V's new teeth, its removal from her little tiny fingers almost always ends in a shriek like no other. The subsequent laughs from her family members might not be helpful, but frankly, it can't be helped. Here is a prime example of trying to teach the little lady that crayons are not in fact food: you should be thankful that this isn't a video.

Trips to Boothbay this month gave us a cozy weekend of rain and another of intense, summery sun. We had fires, played games, watched movies, and on the sunny side of things, enjoyed a farm's festivities. We went for a hayride, climbed pyramids of hay, and most amusingly, got lost in a corn maze.

Chickens, teeth and 3->4; big time additions!

2011-09-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

We've added more bodies to the ranch. More ladies, in fact, tipping the estrogen scale yet a little farther from Andy's reach. These ladies bring us more than we had hoped for in the 'let's get chickens' realm- we now have fresh eggs, good poop for the gardens, free compost tilling services and perhaps best of all, Chicken TV. It's amazing how long watching a chicken do its thing can keep us entertained.

Violet's new tooth! It's a blurry thing, but her expression here cracks me up. For a 9 month who already laughs after she toots, somehow it doesn't surprise me that she thought me sticking my finger under her lip was a laugh-riot.

Our biggest little is four! We celebrated with a joint party (her close friend shares a birthday) at the Fun Park, and she spent 75% of her four hours there bouncing sky-high. Fueled by sugar, I suppose!

Licking said sugar off of the lips...

A Walk in the Park... and other August activities.

2011-08-29T21:54:00.002-04:00

afternoon starfish find!

A bike in the park, definitely amusing in its helmet-removal attempts. The less amusing aspect not thought through prior to the trip: schlepping 60+ lbs of kid/stuff up hills with painfully out-of-shape biking legs. Man, did I earn those popovers.

A pre-Irene hike, and my light in the fog.

Blips

2011-08-04T22:03:00.002-04:00

First trip in the shopping cart as opposed to the car seat within the shopping cart. BIG deal. (In that I can actually fit all of our groceries in the cart now.)

Just home from a Butterfly Release at a local community garden. There were far more dear pictures of the actual release, but this is the most fitting, of course.

Hiking with my ladies.

Yeah yeah, this is cruel, I get it.

Lily's pre-Ice Cream Social bike parade. She was pumped.

Yeah, I can fill a whole post with these...

2011-07-31T08:58:00.004-04:00

Wicked hot, deah

2011-07-28T22:08:00.002-04:00

Though I'm really tired of reading facebook posts and hearing people complain about the heat, I must say... it's been hot. I actually don't mind it- perhaps the fact that we're in Maine and not, say, Bangladesh puts it into perspective for me, or maybe it's my Texan blood liking the sun on my skin with a bit more intensity, but either way, I'm down with it. What I don't like, unfortunately, is seeing our gardens wither and die around us. It's silly, really, knowing that I spend all day watering for the wealthy, and yet my shelling peas are cooked and finito, since I can't find a spare moment to quench their thirst. Oh well, next years' resolution to wake even earlier for such tasks is a new goal of mine. (Wait... wake earlier? Is there an earlier than 5?! I think not.) And for now, our lavender is really taking off.

Lily boarding the bus (BUS!) for camp on her first day. I was all nerves, she was all excitement.

Riding in Southwest Harbor's annual Flamingo Festival Parade as a princess. She wasn't game for the princess hat, but certainly enjoyed the 'running for mayor' aspect of paradedom.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T22:39:00.004-04:00

Wowza, three months without posts. It's a record for many things, chiefly among them factors of business and chaos at our house. Summertime in full swing means long days and short weeks, cook outs and beach picnics, gardening for work and harvesting our own tasty berries and vegetables, and lots and lots of activities for all of us. Violet is on the verge of crawling, is eating solid foods and already has a great sense of humor, if a 7 month has a sense of humor. Lily starts summer camp tomorrow and will ride a school bus for the first time (pure excitement in this house!), swam her first solo strokes last week, and is becoming a backyard naturalist with her magnifying glass and bug house in tow at all times. Adorable, lovely ladies have we.

A few snippets from here and there:

's Snow. Again.

2011-04-04T20:35:00.003-04:00

So, last week we saw our lawn. The sun came out, the crocusses (croci?) bloomed, we dusted off our bikes and frisbees. We wore t-shirts outside, we had a bonfire and reminded ourselves how good s'mores are. And then, it snowed. Four inches. Four inches! I apologized to my tulips as I shoveled snow off of the deck onto them once more. I promised them it would be the last time.

And yet, today, though the temperature suggested that rain was on the docket (hooray! we thought, rain washes snow piles away!), it snowed. Snowed! Forty degrees and it snowed. To top it off as a smack in the face, as the temperature dropped this afternoon, it began raining. I repeat, as the temperature dropped, it began raining. I'm too confused to compute, and now too cold to care.

Not to worry, I'm sure I'll warm up while shoveling the deck again. Maybe the tulips will believe me this time.

Violet's first bonfire

A blip of our Texas trip: Droopy Drawers Allen hulahoops

This is Lily 'making water' on the deck. We're miracle workers here, I tell you!

Our driveway loves us. See?

Hot Rain

2011-03-05T21:50:00.004-05:00

How have I missed an entire month? Hmm, easily, I suppose. Things are definitely ramped up around here with two, and with the sleep thing being inversely related to the 'to do' list thing, I lost track. Though I shudder to think of wishing away time spent with these two incredible babies of ours, I am eagerly awaiting the morning that I wake up first, and get to sneak out for a sunrise run and get back to have a cup of coffee before anyone stirs. That's the rabbit I'm chasing currently, anyway!

We had a great time sailing in the Virgin Islands- Lily had a dream vacation filled with beach days, snorkeling, swimming, sailing, and perhaps most importantly, tucking into her Lily-sized quarter berth at night to watch movies. Violet was Violet, though a hotter and sweatier version, and though I can't honestly say whether she personally had a good or a bad time, she was a good traveller, a fine yachtsbaby and pretty easy. As for the rum-drinking members of the trip, it was great to be back and see some of our favorite sites again while not shoveling snow.

These photos are all mixed up and jump back and forth, but I'm too pooped to put them in chronological order. I'm guessing that you all can guess that the pictures of us in anything less than layers of fleece, wool or down are from the islands, because you're smart like that.

The clan at the Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins, St. John

Back at home, gracing our playgroup with a superhero's presence.

A trip to the Children's Discovery Museum introduced us to the Goodnight Moon room.

Ice fishing with the master.

HOT!! Not that I'm complaining.

Prepping for the cold... and the warmth!

2011-01-25T06:09:00.003-05:00

Since we're heading to the Virgin Islands next week, Lily thought it smart to do some gear testing before we go. She's ready to go, impatiently awaiting her first shark viewing on the reef. A small shark, she'd like to point out. Me, I'd be happy to simply find Nemo.

A nice sunshine-y tummy time moment with the girls on Sunday.

A split second after this picture was taken there were tears shed, but in the meantime, great dismount, eh?

Our house, after feet of snow from a couple of great snowstorms. It's so awesome to head up our walkway with giant drifts and shoveled piles on either side. We feel tiny.

January is for the Snow Birds...

2011-01-18T20:49:00.002-05:00

Smiling babies and snow, we have them in spades! Hooray for both, as they keep the short and therefore dark days a bit brighter. On that note, it's amazing how quickly it all turns- it's light until almost 5pm now- yeeehaw! (Thank goodness for small victories.)

An early morning, and I'm not sure if any of us were truly awake yet...

Post-sledding goofies:

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T21:03:00.004-05:00

2011 brought the joy of bowling to our girls. I'm pretty sure they liked it. Lily did anyway; Violet mostly slept and yawned, but I'll go ahead and take that as a sign of contentment.

Slightly less happy with a Mom continuing to poke and pester to keep her awake for part of our walk, here is a 2010 version of Violet, on our New Year's Eve hike with the cousins.

Snow White just back from a great snorkel:

Our last 2010 blizzard! A goal of mine for the winter was met: I got to sled down the middle of our road. The flip side of that little wish was the schlepping up the hill towing a 3 year old, but it was well worth it.

Countdown to Christmas...

2010-12-21T20:09:00.003-05:00

Rosie has found her newest pillow quite cozy.

Lily received a big sister gift of a cleaning set, which is a win-win situation for all!

First Bath

2010-12-09T21:01:00.002-05:00

A few pictures from a successful, tear-free first bathing experience. Considering the fact that Lily's first bath led to screams which are still seared into our auditory memories, this was a huge hooray. Lily was a big help on the entertainment/distraction front, so one more point for big sisterdom!

The newest blossom

2010-12-06T07:15:00.003-05:00

Here she is! Violet Jane Allen arrived at 4:16 on the morning of December 1st right here at home in Southwest Harbor. An easy delivery brought us our newest member, all 8 lbs and 21 inches of her.

We're adjusting to the life of a four-member family, though it's a sleepy adjustment! (Thankfully with the lack of sleep this time comes the reminder that this phase of short naps ends quickly!)

The Christmas season is here in earnest now, with a fresh blanket of beautiful snow on the ground this morning and a forecast of up to a foot to come today- Lily is raring to get her snow gear on, and we'll introduce Violet to the white stuff too. Hooray! I love it.

One Last Post Before...??

2010-11-19T09:15:00.002-05:00

Well, who knows, it may be wishful thinking to suggest that the upcoming birth of the newest Allen may stymy my blog-posting, but I'm still hopeful that we'll see a pre-Thanksgiving arrival. I mean, how else will I have room in my stomach for my favorite meal of the year? Either way, I was a little behind and have a few pictures from our most recent weeks.

Feeding the library ducks

Lily in playspace heaven at a recent Mom's group outing

My un-shower cake, made intensely by a dear friend.

The newest member of the family, who showed up on Andy's 35th as a bonus birthday surprise. Goose has already settled in quite comfortably, as you can see.

Trick or Treat, Lick my Feet

2010-10-31T06:40:00.004-04:00

I definitely made the mistake of humming the catchy little 'Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet' rhyme yesterday, which Lily immediately rewrote as 'lick my feet', and I fear that I'll never hear the end of it. We'll see how this afternoon's trick or treating session goes to determine whether I've scarred either or both the Bird or our neighbors.

In the mean time, a few choice photos from our pre-Halloween activities...

A lovely gift of a spider cupcake was taken down with no hands.

Ariel, live in person

Ursula and King Triton, battling it out

Sheep and Horse Take a Ride

2010-10-20T18:40:00.004-04:00

These days, every subject in Lily's day becomes part of the make-believe dialogue of her hilarious imagination. The collection of gourds on our table are Mommy, Daddy, Lily and Baby during breakfast, a family of squirrels for lunch, and usually forgotten by dinnertime since her giant stuffed lamb (aka Sheep) and miserably hard plastic horse (Pongo Po) are busy 'having a walk' while we eat. I can only imagine the tales she was regaling Andy with on their ATV ride while we were working this past Sunday, as she sat perched high as the foreman, watching Daddy fill holes in the road.

A belly update. Still growing! Still feeling great, and blessedly just recently finished working (for the most part), so I'm now finally taking a nice nesting break and accomplishing all of the organizing tasks I've been dying to do all summer. Yesterday: Harvested more vegetables from our forgotten garden (yummy rellenos tonight, though)! Today: cleaned out kitchen cabinets. Tomorrow: finishing Lily's quilt. When did I start that again? March?

While performing 'cottage closing' duties last week, Lily took a break from watching Andy work, and worked herself on her Maxin' and Relaxin' vibe. Job well done.

Ballet started a few weeks ago, and needless to say, she was excited for it.

Bonfires and Board Games

2010-10-03T21:12:00.005-04:00

'Tis the season once more, and hoorah for that! Woods clean-up and s'more-making sessions are two impetuses, but to burn on a perfectly chilly October afternoon is worth it for no good reason at all.

(the classic 'safety first' image- nothing like a chainsaw, gasoline and some lead paint-peeling windows to play in and around! (Plus, what IS she doing?!))

Birthday Bird

2010-09-26T21:17:00.003-04:00

she's 3! cake! win-win!

though this looks like a posed smile, Lightening McQueen makes her soooooome happy. who knew a 3 year-old girl would need to sleep with a matchbox car?

thanks for THIS treat, aunt sis!

sugar wearing off, perhaps?

birthday suit for the birthday bird, to be expected

fall is in the air

2010-09-20T07:08:00.002-04:00

Once again fall is upon us. Cool mornings, warm days, the smell of wood stoves greeting us here and there, fall garden harvesting, and the chainsaw getting into gear once more. Around our house a rock wall is in the building process, Andy is adding on to our vegetable garden, seaweed has been piled on spaces already cleared for next year, and our garlic bed is prepped and laying in wait for its planting next week. The first round of pumpkins have been harvested, and our first fall bonfire was yesterday, burning brush we'd been putting aside all summer. We're settling in comfortably to this lovely and highly anticipated change of pace.

Lily in a table. A brilliant plan for all.

Worm Hunts.

Worm Finds. (She named this one Wyatt, presumably after a dog friend of whom she's fond. Why she thought of him at this particular moment, I have no idea...)

A little end of the day rest.

Rosie Brown, still alive and farting.

Laaaaazy days

2010-09-02T05:27:00.003-04:00

The heat (90+ for four days in a row! wowza.) is making us do crazy things here, but at least we have plenty of water nearby to keep us slightly sane. Here's a smattering of our past week, keepin' in real (and as cool as possible):

nude cooking, with a homemade chef's hat

an afternoon in a sail loft taught Lily the important lesson of seam ripping... only 93 feet to go!

Echo Lake Beach early in the morning

sometimes waiting for lunch is just plain exhausting

a good stomp with friends...

... which naturally ended in partial nudity

all I can think of is Jane from "One Morning in Maine" when I see this

Out for a ride on Toot. Is that a fleece I see? She also asks for two blankets at night when we tuck her into her 87 degree room. Hmmm.

Fairies and such

2010-08-15T20:53:00.004-04:00

We made it to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' Fairy Festival this year while in Boothbay for family week, and won't miss it again in the future. The gardens are amazing enough without the music, dancing, fairy house building and arts and crafts set-ups, but add to that a fine day, ice cream cones and fairy wings and bingo! Perfect.

If only this were a video to capture the split second after this photo was taken, when the lobster flapped his tail with a loud 'thwack' that sent it shooting backwards into the water... classic 'freak the kid out' maneuver from the wise Touch Tank crustacean.

Well, you know, sometimes you've just gotta itch when you gotta itch.

Unbeknownst (by the artist) hose art.

Score one more for handiwipes and Oxy clean.

Butterflies!

2010-08-02T21:10:00.002-04:00

Funny that I bothered to name this post Butterflies, considering it's lacking a single picture of one, but we went to a butterfly release at a local garden recently and had some non-butterfly fun too. Lily actually ended up accidentally releasing her monarch waaay before the countdown, but no one really noticed, and it only gave her more time to do hill rolls and run around with the other crazed kids there.

(Lily (left) comparing butterfly dresses with a friend)

(Lily-taken portrait of herself and Daddy)

Summer Outings

2010-07-27T06:17:00.004-04:00

Bits and pieces from the past couple of weeks:

(a hike around Jordan Pond and most importantly... popovers!)

(a birthday day for me, including a boat ride to one of my favorite nearby islands)

(this birthday island of mine also included a naked hiking option for 2 1/2 year olds)

(a visit to NH to see cousins resulted in many happy hours of pool time)

(do you think she likes the water? she had a smile on her face going in, and remarkably, one when she came up, every time (every meaning all 50+ times that afternoon))

Costumes

2010-07-18T21:07:00.003-04:00

In between what feels like endless bouts of discipline (can you say fearless (read: reckless) headstrong two year old?) lately, the Bird has been sporting some fiiiiine outfits. Like this, for example, which I discovered when I turned around after having been folding laundry for a few minutes:

This was fashioned at Uncle James' birthday party, which we like to call the Pirate Slugging Curler:

Look Ma! No underwear in these huge boots!

Giraffe Bird:

And though this seems mundane (hey, there's a ribbon involved!), this was her hiking outfit this morning. That it, it was her outfit, until seconds after I took this photo at the trailhead and she took off her shoes to hike the mountain barefoot. Wha?!

It's the time of year for..

2010-07-10T14:52:00.004-04:00

-Parades, to fill up the candy bowl until Halloween:

-Carnivals, to slide, bounce and popcorn the day away:

-Fresh veggies from the garden:

...and island days spent in fields of wispy gold.

Flying High

2010-07-01T21:00:00.005-04:00

Ahhh, summer. Around here it means mastering the balance of chasing our tails trying to keep up with the work loads that have suddenly tripled overnight, with accomplishing all of the activities and visits that we've been looking forward to all winter long. So far: check one, check two. Whew. Bring on more ice cream!

aerobatics with UB (also known as 'extreme back work-out' for us aging folk)

dock walks

learning the ropes with fender lines (lame pun intended. sigh.)

right rock-throwing hook

like dog, like master, with a preference for a face in the breeze

Ticking away.

2010-06-14T22:02:00.003-04:00

Time seems to be speeding up, and not just in a summer frenzied sort of way. Our baby is a baby no longer, and in fact at times resembling a teenager more than the 2 1/2 year old she is. Attitude meets glee meets gears turning in new-found ways of interpreting the world, and it is amazing to be a part of seeing someone figure out what works and what doesn't in every situation that we as adults take for granted.

The summertime schedule has begun: boat trips will often start a day that might end in a trip to the beach, a swim, a hike, a bike ride or a romp in the garden, and I'm lucky enough to be able to be along for the ride. We have begun the annual quest to wring every ounce of fun and excitement out of our short summer, so we're both lucky to be here together with lots of friends and family willing to join us. Tick tock, lots to accomplish.

The Sea Princess's shake down cruise before trips started at the end of May.

An unexpected perch in a fire truck while shopping one rainy Saturday.

Beach bum looking so grown up to me in this picture. Sigh.

The weekend that was.

2010-06-01T21:24:00.002-04:00

Dinner Hiking

2010-05-17T20:26:00.002-04:00

Rewind... once more

2010-05-16T07:14:00.002-04:00

Another busy month in Lilyland, where the parties are often and the sillies are never far behind.

(trying a balloon crown on for size at her cousin's 5th birthday party)

(first ride on her new bike)

(watching the annual paddle tournament)

(playing in Valley Cove after a hike and a picnic on a recent lovely day)

(gardening/bug watching)

Happy Earth, Happy Birth

2010-04-18T06:59:00.002-04:00

At an Earth Day celebration yesterday, Lily came across a group (litter? pod? clot?) of week-old kids (baby goats, for all of you non-farm-savvy folks- how I even knew is a old/slightly boring story...). Amazingly, they slowed down long enough for her to pet them, and if she had pockets bigger than a marble, I would have found them stuffed with the little dears when we got home.

Updated shopping list for Lily:

1 Lightening McQueen race car plate

1 elephant

2 kittens

1-2 baby goats (she couldn't decide which she liked best, white or brown)

Earlier, she had wanted to reprise her role as the Hulk. I'm not sure it still has that oomph, since she broke into a dance afterward instead of maintaining Hulkish composure, but we're still giving her an A for effort.

P.S. Happy 5th Birthday cousin Taber! We can't wait for your party!

Hiking with Dinosaurs

2010-04-07T06:41:00.002-04:00

Lily, Rosie and I spent the morning on a hike/beach romp/skip on a nice little loop close to home. Lily summited the mountain sans assistance like a pro, reminding me here and there that it's best to touch each and every blue trail marker with your toe, and helped Rosie along when the old girl needed an encouraging prod. The dinosaur suit was an unexpected twist, given that it was in the mid-50s, but I learned that a soft cushy dino tail is a great thing to have when you're a newbie hiker and you might need a soft landing from time to time.

We came home to a nice sunny day and a porch picnic with friends. Bike helmets optional for lunch.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-06T22:10:00.004-04:00

This picture doesn't really fit into our tidy, quaint, Easter goings on shots, but she was biking in the bed of our truck. Apart from being so very Lily herself, it just cracks me up with the memory of it, so here it is.

A Fine Spring Treat

2010-03-28T14:51:00.003-04:00

Lily and I made our spring drive to New Hampshire last week, to visit the cousins and the sister/aunt and brother-in-law/uncle. An Easter party at the boys' gym was a huge treat, and included an egg hunt, meeting the Bunny himself, face painting and the general frenzied craze of dozens of 2-6 year-olds racing around giant mats and trampolines and foam pits. A wild time was had by all:

(Lily was absolutely smitten with the Easter bunny, and had her picture taken more than twice... she kept wanting to pet him, and I'm pretty sure she was trying to suss out why he didn't say anything, but just waved a lot)

(hard to tell, but Lily has a fine tulip on her cheek, that while was being painted on she bravely repeated 'It's not hurting, Mommy', which leads me to believe that she thinks she got a tattoo and not a one-day piece of body art)

Two 2 1/2 year old peas in a pod:

Backing up

2010-03-28T14:38:00.002-04:00

A slight lapse in posting, but never in activity. The weather has been up and down, warm (hot!) and frigid, windy and calm, and we seem to sit inside with our inner-kitty tails twitching in anticipation of the next window of spring warmth to get out into it all. Jacket-less walks are more frequent now than those bundled up, strolls are slower in order to stoop and peek at the new growth coming up here and there, and dirt dirt dirt is everywhere to play with, drying out and warming up. Spring is here!

Lily excavated an upturned root bed with friends, fine-tuned her paddle tennis form, and tidied up around the yard with Mom and Dad (and tried on Mom's boots for size).

The letter of the day is...

2010-03-17T20:14:00.003-04:00

C. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. My proud eye sheds a little tear every time she hauls her stool up to the sink to help wash the dishes, though I see a day in the not-so-distant future when the idea of helping out is not high on the priority list.

E for Elmo! We had our first Sesame Street Live experience today, and it was shockingly, to this Mommy skeptic, a blast. Lily was flying high, clapping, dancing and loving it, topped off by a pat on the head from my personal favorite, Grover. We'll see you next time around, sweaty people in fur suits!

S, for Scottish Highland cattle. S could also stand for Scared, which is what Lily was when she saw this mother trotting toward her at the fence's edge. It's actually a man, baby, and I can imagine that two thousand pounds of shaggy hair and horns coming at you might tense you up a wee bit. Lily spent the rest of our visit looking from the safety of the car, begging me to shut the doors and put the windows up.

A Fairy Gathering

2010-03-14T08:30:00.003-04:00

A fairy birthday party recently had Lily costumed-up nicely, thanks to Mimi's sewing expertise. To my surprise, all of it stayed on for the duration, wings included. Here's our little fairy beauty:

Everybody loves a good marshmallow

2010-03-08T06:58:00.003-05:00

After dinner last night we trekked down to the last embers of our day's bonfire to roast some marshmallows. It was a family affair with Rosie alongside, ever hoping for a morsel to snag. Lily brought the goods:

Springing

2010-03-08T06:43:00.003-05:00

The snow is melting, the greenery has once again made it through another Maine winter, the sun is here (it was 50 degrees this weekend, and I realize that it's all relative, but t-shirts were worn, people!), and spirits are lifted. This past week, however, was a brutish one, with high winds, driving rain and even sticky wet snow; the kind to keep you inside with board games and movies, peering out of the windows as you plot your attack with the chainsaw the first chance you'll get. Our property lost a few large trees, which led to a perfectly perfect impromptu bonfire gathering on Saturday, and another lovely solo bonfire project on Sunday. Some snippets:

(this one broke a couple of fence rails for our vegetable garden, but no major damage done, phew)

(we had a fun brunch last Sunday that I failed to take pictures of. The clean-up, however, was great too...)

(princess headgear, movies and hot chocolate- accessories for a snowy day with Mimi)

In and Out, But Mostly Out

2010-02-24T06:59:00.004-05:00

Lily and Rosie after a successful run on our plow pile-made sledding run. Rosie was actually incorporated into the banking of the run, and though her tail was probably mashed every time someone went down the slope, she didn't seem to mind. Lily thanked her for her patience by cramming snow into her fur.

A walk in the cemetery with M and the boys was a nice post-nap treat. That's right, folks! It's actually light enough now to do something outside in the afternoon! Imagine that!

...and there you have it.

2010-02-19T23:07:00.001-05:00

Our week of accessorizing make-believe, summed up nicely:

A Weekend on the Ice

2010-02-14T17:01:00.003-05:00

We spent our days this weekend on Somes Pond ice fishing with family. The kids raced for the flags and checked the catch as we 'reclined fishermen' spent our time on our rumps with bloody marys and good conversation. My kind of fishing. I went on a 4 wheeler for the first (and second, and third- addicting!) time, ate plenty of snappy reds, and saw more eagles at a short distance than I ever expected to. A fish was caught, thrown on the ice, and moments later the giants would swoop in. We saw a lot of immature eagles, told by their coloration and certainly not their size- Lily would waver between wanting them to come and running away from them, since they are just simply huge birds! Here are some shots of our time:

Goofy Days

2010-02-09T20:57:00.002-05:00

Home again home again, and whisked swiftly into our routine. The bright sunny days have helped to ease our transition from warmth to winter, and we've been out and about visiting and playing the days away. Here, Lily checks out Nahum's robot 'suit' on a recent trip to Hancock.

School marm Lily. Check out those pursed lips!

In going through some old pictures, I had a slight realization that maybe Lily isn't completely an Andy replica...

Las Mariposas de El Rosario!

2010-01-29T00:25:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday we drove to the Mexican state of Michoacan to a butterfly reserve called El Rosario. Hundreds of thousands of beautiful monarch butterflies greeted us in the sunshine, and we walked into the reserve in a sea of fluttering beauties. What a sight to behold!

Though hard to see in this picture, the blackened bits are butterflies still on the branches, massed together in clumps that are often heavy enough to break limbs off of these huge spruces... crazy!

Another week's treats

2010-01-24T15:59:00.004-05:00

Treat #1: Ice cream cone in the Mercado. Second best to the churros, in my opinion, but First Prize for the Pajaro.

Treat #2: Dinner on the roof, complete with beautiful sunset and views of muching horses across the arroyo on the mountain.

Treat #3: A parade in honor of Ignacio de Allende, a revolutionary war hero (and person for whom the town is named, of course). There were enough horses (hundreds!) to keep Lily occupied for a long, happy time, and beautiful sights galore.

More treats a'plenty were had, but not all uploaded as of yet-- soon!

From Mountain to Sea

2010-01-19T09:21:00.004-05:00

We returned last night from a five day journey to the Pacific coast, to a small beach town called Troncones. Every moment there was fantastic, from a horseback ride on the beach to being a part of a sea turtle release. Lily loved playing in the sand, loved swimming in our pool (swimming! she's amazing!), meeting new friends at what came to be our local restaurant, loved it all.

A view from our patio- aside from camping on beaches in the past, neither of us had had the opportunity to wake up with the coast crashing so close to our feet! (It now seems so quiet here in the mountains- quiet enough to actually hear the birds chirping.)

A mottled starfish of sorts.

Though the pictures don't prove it, she was nuts over our horseback (or backhorse, to her) ride. She babbled on about how fun it was the entire ride, and every horse seen since then has brought her a rush of excitement for the chance to do it again.

Releasing the sea turtles.

A week's passing

2010-01-13T08:43:00.003-05:00

Though life is definitely slower here, days have flown by in this bustling town. Our daily activities of marketing for meals, wandering for discovery's sake and hitting the Lily hotspots (library, playground, any pigeon-resting ground) for Lily's sake have kept the tempo up.

We try and route ourselves differently every time we walk out our door and therefore happen upon some new and beautiful sites by doing so, but the comfort of being here and the knowledge of the layout is also a beautiful thing in itself. Weaving my way back home from the tennis courts I can now purposefully pick out the streets with my favorite door knockers, the shop with the best tortillas, the window-stop cafe with the best cup of coffee, etc.

Here are a few blips of our week, including a trip out to a friend's stables, where we were able to meet a few larger friends and explore the countryside a bit.

Estamos aqui!

2010-01-06T15:42:00.004-05:00

After a few days of discovery and adjustment, our San Miguel life is becoming a comforting routine. New explorations every day lead us to more and more fabulous streets, beautiful courtyards and parks, and countless freshly-made tortillas, which are the true gems of our days. Lily is loving city life more than we would have thought (did we even think about it at all, actually?)- she loves seeing so many new faces, interacting with most everyone she passes, and loves to chase pigeons and puppies everywhere. We joke that most people take their dogs to the park to let them off the leash for their daily exercise, and that we just walk to the park and let Lily go after the dogs for hers.

All Tucked In and Roasty Toasty

2009-12-24T22:29:00.006-05:00

Before heading to bed and the upcoming craze of the next couple of days of celebration and packing, it's been nice to sit and look at photos of this one very full, very satisfying day. Much was accomplished as a byproduct of our play times, which was an added bonus, and now the rest of the family is sleeping soundly and may or may not hear the sleigh bells on the roof tonight. (I bet that I still will though!)

Pictures found from last Christmas Eve 2008:

...as compared to tonight's gathering- what a difference a trip to the USVIs last December made to Mommy's complexion, yowza!

Lily, a grape, and the Christmas penguin.

Photos here taken by Lily. We'll call it Counter Level Kitchen to be artsy for art's sake.

The cousins make it to dessert, whew!

When dessert goes bad? Nah, when the Hulk eats dessert.

A Winter Day in the Life of Life

2009-12-23T07:08:00.003-05:00

Peekabo was an adorable game for toddlers even before Dad's boots were thrown into the mix.

I found this lovely scene on my windshield the other morning, and a friend pointed out that it's pretty easy to see where pattern artists get their inspiration.

Practicing for the big parade.

Happy Holidays loved ones!

Seesaw and a Snowman

2009-12-10T22:55:00.002-05:00

Lily received a new hat from her dear Seesaw, which she loves to wear. Super Christmas sharp!

A snowman she could really get her hands on: her favorite part of snow sculpting seemed to be the constant constructing and deconstructing- hence removing and re-setting the head a dozen times...

Glad Tidings

2009-12-10T22:29:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy few weeks, packed full of family visits, tasty meals, a day of visiting with cherished friends while our ten (!) kids got to play and wreak havoc together, amazing snow storms and lots of crafting and baking. We made our first (and second) snowmen of the season, watched and listened as our roof was re-shingled between storms, had a day of holiday baking that is making me think I'll never actually hydrate enough to make up for the pounds of chocolate and butter I've consumed today, and had a lovely drive around town tonight to see Christmas lights with Lily. I love December!

Thankful

2009-11-23T06:39:00.002-05:00

In gearing up for a busy week of family, food and activity, it was nice to take a morning to ourselves and play in the park. Lily surely enjoyed the break from Mommy and Daddy-centric activities while making us run in circles. Pele, watch out.

Birthdays and Other Bashes

2009-11-15T22:42:00.002-05:00

Today we celebrated cousin Bowdoin's third birthday with a brunch extravaganza. Lily looked on with a green eye as he opened truck after truck after truck...

A playground day with good friends led to an inner tube lounge, as they sometimes do.

Slowing to a Gallop

2009-11-11T06:38:00.003-05:00

Here are some bits and pieces of our last couple of weeks... I have been fairly camera-less in general since I struggle so hard to remember the important things to pack into the car on our errand/adventure runs (shoes, hats, wallet, child, etc), so less has been more on the visual reminding-front.

We staged a boat shot aboard the Sea Queen in order to get a picture of Andy for a publication that he'll be in next spring. The Sea Princess has been covered for the year, so we had to make due with switching our sea royalty allegiance for a day. Lily helped, as always, with her drawers-a-droppin', as always.

Granddad and Tita have recently acquired a new puppy, and Lily tested out his doghouse before he arrived. Made from bits and scraps from his yard and project discard piles, some of the wood is in its fourth reincarnation as a Dali-worthy dog shed. Lily licked every window to make sure it was acceptable. I was quick to remind 'hard-ass' Granddad that there's really no need for a doghouse since the sweet little puppy will be curled up in his bed every night, but they went through the motions anyway.

The bugs on Halloween.

A Vanishing Act..and then a reappearance

2009-11-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

Ablaze

2009-10-21T07:19:00.002-04:00

We had a romping bonfire this past weekend, and burned the last remnant of our home's previous owners- a collapsed wood shed. It had been marring the fringes of our lawn for years, yet hadn't been high enough on the priority list to make the effort to hack it up into heave-able, burnable pieces. After having enough wood splitting for one day, Andy pulled out the Sawlzall (sp?) and climbed up onto its rotten roof to get the job done. Once sawed up, an impromptu fire led to friends joining us for hot buttered rum and a cathartic burn. Lily helped where she could, and played everywhere else.

Rolling Along

2009-10-13T13:28:00.003-04:00

The misconception for my annual planning of life is that fall is the time to relax and reflect on what a fun summer it's been. Every year I set it up this way in my mind, and every year I am pleasantly reminded otherwise. In actual fact, fall for us is for the bustling activities that we've been waiting for, not the season of chaotic work and plan-making that constitutes summer in a tourist-driven-everyone-make-your-money-while-you-can destination. The continued work seems like less work now, thanks to the crisp days that pull us outdoors and the cozy fires that draw us back in. It's hard to find a place that you don't want to be when you're in Maine in the fall. The past few weeks we've found ourselves in Boothbay enjoying its quiet, on playgrounds enjoying the slides, on water's edge feeding ducks and feasting and celebrating with wonderful friends. Lucky Lily, lucky Lily's family.

To Two Is To...

2009-09-30T06:50:00.003-04:00

Lily's day, part 2. A birthday of bonfire gatherings- one at home with family and another with our mom's group to celebrate the three other birthdays shared this week (one even on the same day). It was a beautiful day, just as it was two years ago, and this time we spent it romping on a nice walk with friends, human and hound.

Though I forgot to do it last year here, this causeway in Southwest may be our new annual growth marker photo spot. Lines are good.

The pinata that wouldn't break (without a little help from Daddy):

Andy seems to think this is a bad picture, but I think it so perfectly displays her sugar high that it's hilarious- I think she floated in and out of that chair.

Rolling some cookies for party #2:

..to go along with the cupcakes.

Serious Elmo-eating concentration.

Happy Birthday Bird!

2009-09-24T22:29:00.004-04:00

When asked how old she is today she has proudly stated "Two!" and I've welled up every time. I can't believe that two years have passed with her in our lives, only because I can barely remember life before she came. When gathering with friends and their children there are certainly glimpses into the past, thinking how our partying styles have so drastically changed (another juice box or string cheese, anyone?), but I really can't even wrap my head around a memory without her. Nor should I- the changes are so intense now the best way to process it all is to be right in thick of the moment; a hard task for me for sure, but one I'm trying my best to master so I don't blink and have it all pass me by.

Our little Lilybug speaks in sentences, knows what she wants in the most specific way, is on the appetizer course of good manners, is working on reason (ha!) and says "I love you" in a way that stops our hearts. Two. Who knew that 'two' was the new 'newborn'? I love that girl to the littlest pieces of pieces. Happy Birthday Bird!

Visits and Things

2009-09-20T07:09:00.002-04:00

Lily and I are just back from a lovely visit in NH with the Masiello cousins, where as you can see, Lily and Cole hit it off like gangbusters. A pleasant shot of Lily, I must say. Sigh.

Home again, home again, and product testing our beautiful new hat from Lena. It's fashion first around here.

Jumping Garlic Festival! It's a flying dolphin!

The first of many years of the fall chore favorite: schlepping wood hither and yon. She seemed excited this time, but I imagine that that will ebb as the years go on.
Happy fall everyone! It's here! It's electric! I never want it to end!

A Walk in the Park

2009-09-15T06:34:00.002-04:00

A Sunday drive led us to Ocean Drive, where we enjoyed seeing the sunny sun and watery water.

We stopped at a playground and I was able to show Lily firsthand my favorite playground activity- the merry-go-round! She loved it instantly, and quickly learned how to wait for it to go fast enough to make jumping off of it a true hazard. Like mother like daughter.

We had some compost and mulch delivered to our house recently, and while the gardens are happy, the resident mess-making climber is happiest. Baths have been slightly more frequent lately, but it's good motivation to get it spread faster.

Autumn Bliss

2009-09-06T17:07:00.003-04:00

The weather we've been waiting for is here- warm days with cool nights, and the crisp breeze that signals the changing leaves. Though it's our favorite, it is definitely fleeting, so we've been finding a way to cram yummy fall goodness into every waking moment.

Lily and I went to the Blue Hill Fair yesterday, and Lily and a goat had a stare-down:

Water painting at the beach led to monkeys climbing on rocks.

A lovely bike ride for lunch, per Lily's request.

Dinner Hats

2009-08-27T06:57:00.003-04:00

We're still at it! Napkins hats after eating are the true digestives around here.

On a non-head fashion note: No, I do not dress Lily in tie-dyed wife beaters, it's a large bib on a nudist.

Updates

2009-08-27T06:44:00.001-04:00

Because I love a good Before and After situation, and I'd like to think that both are now 99% finished, here are the latest updates on a couple of home projects: our vegetable garden, and our kitchen renovation.

Andy contemplates the corral last fall:

Ready to be planted:

So much ready to be harvested! We've been eating from the garden every day now, and as always I'm amazed at the difference homegrown makes. Who knew that zucchini actually tasted like something other than water?!

The kitchen before demo this spring:

The kitchen 5 minutes ago, not having been cleaned up for the photo:

A better picture would show our beautiful tile under the cabinets and other details most likely only noticed by me, so I'll let my poor photographic skills lead you to fill in the blanks with your imagination. While you're at it, I'm going to make the imagined pancakes on the stovetop a reality. Yum.

A Day of It

2009-08-22T20:50:00.005-04:00

A few moments of stillness in the garden before the activities of the day began...

The Allen - Masiello cousin clan strikes again:

When the Sun Comes Out to Play...

2009-08-15T22:04:00.005-04:00

We make sure we have our shades...

we... rock baby Zev on the porch.

..visit beautiful gardens..

..work on our Shirley Temple impersonations...

..sail!

.. swim! (it's 'told Mommy!)

..toil away at the beach..

.. and skin our knees and nap with good furry friends..

Ahh, the sunny warmth of summer is finally upon us.

Here's what I love: my birthday. Hoo-ah!

2009-07-24T21:36:00.005-04:00

We dinghied from Southwest to Northeast Harbor for a day of garden tramping and crab roll-eating. Yum and yum. Here's our self portrait en route:

Hiking up to Thuya Gardens, we had a pit stop at a stone hut for snacks.

Little Lily and one massive door:

Blueberry foraging our way back down:

Isleford Adventures

2009-07-20T06:39:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was a humid Sunday that Andy had to work running the boat, so in order to keep cool Lily and Rosie and I decided to join him for a trip.

Peek-a-boo in vests often leads to entanglement. Or the perfect toddler holder, whichever is a nicer name for it.

Checking out the seals at East Bunker Ledge. I wish that I'd thought to video her seal sounds- I'm sure Nova would take her on their next expedition.

Walking around Islesford on a lazy Sunday...

Is messing with a Ranger's hat a Federal offense? If so, we've got problems... and a miniature Ranger!

Flamingos and Such

2009-07-13T16:53:00.002-04:00

Southwest Harbor is the home of the Quietside Festival each year, a weekend punctuated by pink flamingos (thanks to the summer 'local' status of its creator- go plastic lawn ornaments!) and community gatherings. Here we are at the Flamingo Parade, pulling in quite a haul of candy.

And here's a little taste of our garden, having finally overcome [hopefully!] the most of the torrential downpours for the summer. It's been amazing to me to see how quickly the annuals can jump back into colorful bounty after being hammered by rain for days on end...

Happy Fourth! (and fifth and sixth...)

2009-07-06T22:34:00.005-04:00

A busy weekend in Lilyland, with lots of family and friends in town meaning constant activity. To start, she ignored a perfectly good parade in favor of taking apart a flag. Betsy Ross would be so inversely proud.

Lily the cut-up:

Lily the balloon:

Lily the go getter:

Boothbay Habah

2009-06-25T06:31:00.005-04:00

After a quick stop of Masiello-visiting,

..it was on to Boothbay, where Uncle James found a funny plastic pipe on the beach, and Lily lost her clothes.

Picking out the proper sand tools is serious business for the Bird. Stirring the afternoon beverage is also serious business for Daddy.

Popcorn in the garden tastes better in your birthday suit.

Duets with cousin Bowdoin. When she can see the keys her playing will really come together, I just know it.

Toot!

2009-06-18T15:17:00.003-04:00

More time aboard the good yacht Toot. Here, Lily is mad that I won't let her nosedive off the stern. She's even pointing to the exact spot she'd like to enter the frigid Atlantic. If there's water, she'd like most to be wet. This is going to be a summer of towels.

Rosie Brown at her seafaring best.

Snorks and Such

2009-06-06T13:12:00.001-04:00

Our bathing beauty quite resembles one of my favorite childhood cartoons.

Beaching It

2009-06-05T15:37:00.004-04:00

Fog and chilly breezes don't keep Mainers from enjoying the beach in June; they also don't seem to keep Lily from removing her clothing. It might start to get awkward as a teenager, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Here is what she looked like for the first 1.3 minutes of our time in Seal Harbor:

And here is what she looked like for the rest of the time we spent there:

Truckin', Boatin' and June-in'

2009-06-03T06:12:00.004-04:00

Rest assured, your fire will be promptly... watched.

...or hastily driven away from.

Waiting for Uncle Marshall with Granddaddy. School buses are a major highlight of her day, always reminding her of "Mah-no!" (Marshall). The infatuation is unrequited, but one of these days he won't breeze past all of us on his way to the kitchen, we're sure of it.

Contemplating the temperature of the Atlantic in June:

At sea, we must snack.

Boothbay begins!

2009-05-28T20:20:00.003-04:00

The season for visiting the cottages in Boothbay is upon us, hooray! We enjoyed a lovely time with Muzzy, Uncle James, Aunt Erin and cousins Taber and Bowdoin last weekend for our (fingers crossed) last cold 'snap' of the spring. Walks were taken, lobster was eaten, fresh sea air breathed, relaxation was maximized... summer is here! Hmm, well, maybe not Here, per se (take note of jackets and other outerwear), but close enough to taste!

Tupperware is good bath wear, for we always need to accessorize.

..although we sometimes forget pants.

May...flowers?

2009-05-08T07:29:00.002-04:00

"One of these things is not like the other..." And yep, that one is Lily.

Getting ready for the playground favorite... the slide. She knows of every slide within our typical driving range, and gives me about a two mile heads up when we're coming upon one. Elephant brain already.

Superfly in her new sunglasses. This is saving Mommy's shades in a peaceful manner!

New Pampshire

2009-04-09T21:55:00.004-04:00

Playing 'Doh!' with Dadddy, though not in New Hampshire, I must admit.

And on to Masiello turf, where we are free to butt-scratch the day away...

Deer in headlights/on staircase:

Pancake Chalk Fireman. Things really are weird in New Hampshire, the more I think about it. It's the whole living free or dying conundrum, I'll bet.

The mess hall (take that in any literal or figurative way you please) at happy hour.

March

2009-03-16T06:27:00.004-04:00

We're running to stand still around here, and it's only March! A lot of activity around the house lately, thankfully coupled with warming weather and sunny skies. The melting snow is starting to showcase the [brown] edges of our lawn, which I couldn't be happier to see, brown or otherwise. We'll be in that garden soon! In the meantime, we took a holiday with Martha and Co.:

So....

2009-02-07T06:35:00.003-05:00

...anything could happen. I must say though that my first thought was of the dirty martini that I plan to have upon arrival, and not gambling at all. See you all on the flip side of Vay-goose (baby, Vegas)!

How Things Work

2009-02-03T21:56:00.002-05:00

I am adorable 90% of the time...

...in order to make up for the other 10%.

Lemon Barrette Bread

2009-01-28T12:50:00.002-05:00

Holiday Recap

2009-01-05T07:05:00.003-05:00

Though a bit delinquent in posting, we have started the New Year with gusto, 'enjoying' the freezing weather on outdoor romps, starting a few (and finishing!) home improvement projects, welcoming new friends and spending as much time in the kitchen baking gooey yummies as possible. More on all of that later, as here we have a little rundown of our holiday madness.

Too much peppermint bark already, perhaps?

Lily helped Gamma open her baby doll.

She also learned how to give the stink-eye.

Some QT with the gang, although from the looks of it, Rex might not have considered it 'quality'.

A little hang out time with Aunt Sis and Uncle Tim.

A little tunnel play.

A holiday tea party with cousin Bowdoin. Do say.

A far-below-freezing experience for the Masiello, Buzzell and Allen cousin clans. Brr.

A little chillin' with Aunt Martha. Chillin' and butt scratchin...

Step One of How To Get Others Off Of Gamma's Lap: Stare them off. Wait, not working..

Lights, Camera, Christmas

2008-12-19T17:36:00.003-05:00

It looks as though we do not have a Tree Hassling Elf on our hands (fingers continue to be crossed), but even we taste-test an ornament from time to time, so she was simply keeping up with quota.

Practicing for her Nutcracker role:

The first true romp, complete with instruction from Mom on how to clean the car off. Sweeeet.

The Moms ate peppermint bark, the kids apples. The good news is that they really didn't know they'd been duped.

Here We Go, There She Stays

2008-12-07T08:12:00.003-05:00

Leaving for warmer climes used to be joyful and swift, but leaving our little bird behind puts a crimp in our plans of departure's emotional ease. Sad as it was for us, we left her happily waving and smiling in Gamma's arms, and as witnessed here, we're sure that the menacing has begun in most parts of her house. First goes the Wii...

Evidence of warm things to follow.

Home Sweet Turkey

2008-12-01T20:43:00.002-05:00

Lots of lovely trekking lately, joined by family. Here Lily and Cole express their gratitude for getting out of their backpack jails.

Walking with Grandaunt Alice:

The Allen Gordon Masiello clan at Valley Cove. Babies snoozing behind the scenes (scene).

Another walk to Somes Sound to break in the down parka-dom of winter.

A Smattering

2008-11-23T13:37:00.002-05:00

A chilly November trek. Beyond the poor picture quality and the layers and layers of clothes, Lily is indeed in there somewhere.

Little does she know that Daddy was about to test Bowdoin's new truck for its dumping ease and swiftness.

This is a nice little ironic scene I walked in on recently. I am realizing my potential for commercial book repair.

After a long day it's nice to catch up on the news (or the Dish Network channel listing, whichever is less depressing) with Grampy Tuna.

Blogging Birthday Boys

2008-11-17T08:22:00.003-05:00

You'd think we'd have organized a proper shot with Andy and nephew Bowdoin this past week, when we celebrated both of their birthdays, but those two are tricky to pin down, let alone together.

Here we are tromping through the woods near our house on a lovely Sunday slog. What's missing in this picture is Lily's stroller, unwieldy and 'tucked' under my arm, the giant moss stain on my rear from taking a nice digger, and Rosie, snorting around in the underbrush, ever searching for the elusive forest hamburger.

One attempt to get the cousins together for a photo. It's too bad Lily had other things to do.

A little pre-party rock in her 'new' chair, recovered from Daddy's stashes. Later she just rocked the party at Bowdoin's house.

Another attempt, and again, Lily seemed to have other things on her mind. Those other Allens, however, are always good for a laugh.

Heading For The Hills

2008-11-06T08:44:00.004-05:00

Lily and I were happy to join Miss Scout, her Mom and her smallest pooch for a hike recently. Hopefully Acadia Mountain will come to be for Scout and Lily what it was (and still is) for their moms- a refuge from the buzz of the day, a place to enjoy one of the finest views on the island, and best of all, a good place to gab.

(sleeping, not dealing with a broken neck)

Strawberry Short (Cake?)

2008-11-06T08:35:00.005-05:00

Her second Halloween, her first self-propelled romp up Ledgelawn Avenue, her first opportunity to be 'One With The Berry'; all great successes.

The candy-collecting bag sent by Auntie Moga proved more useful as a Space Bat Hat. Maybe next year it will double as a place to stash the Smarties for Mom, but for now there are intergalactic mosquitos to be had.

Headpieces

2008-10-28T08:53:00.003-04:00

For all who have witnessed, I'm proud to say...

Like mother...

Like daughter.

Everyone should appreciate a good post-dinner napkin hat.

Leaves and Things

2008-10-23T20:09:00.002-04:00

It's proven to be a wonderfully busy fall, full of bonfires, family visits and leafy romps around the yard. Her love for flopping on piles of pillows on beds has easily transferred to piles of leaves, so she's easily amused outside these days...

Boothbay's Season End

2008-10-14T08:23:00.004-04:00

We had a nice visit in Rockland en route to Boothbay, where Scout was kind enough to feed Lily by hand.

Walking in town with Daddy:

Prepping for Halloween:

Walking on Knickercane Island:

Clearing acorns off of the study deck- with her stomach.

"My Hair Wings Will Take Me Away From This Life of Manual Labor"

The rewarding part of autumn chores...
..is enjoying a good apple with Dad.

Beggarbug

2008-10-14T08:19:00.001-04:00

You'd think we don't feed the girl. These are belatedly showcasing the food-snatching attempts at Kate's lovely luncheon.