We went up to

Seawall for a night, since I had a really long weekend (both Friday AND Monday off this time around). This is a short week, and then, next week, we only have school on Monday and Tuesday until breaking for Thanksgiving

We always love going up to Seawall....whatever the weather, whatever the season (although preferably not summer....summer always sucks). Before Amanda and I had kids, we would go to MDI with an AGENDA! We would plan our hikes and trips and walks and meals. Now, with Callum and Maira, we just........go. Deciding on the fly is part of the fun.

We got there Saturday afternoon, checked in, said hi to Dave and Vicki for a bit, and then went to walk the Wonderland trail to the ocean. Then we made our way back to the car and headed into Bar Harbor where we checked out some stores, walked down to see the boats in the actual harbor, and then had dinner. It. Was. FREEEEEZING down there by the water--the wind coming off the sea was bonechilling. I was pulling Maira along in the wagon, and I had her all covered up. We had dinner at Geddy's and made our way back to the room. Both kids went to bed FLAWLESSLY--in the same bed, which was really cute--and Amanda and I had time to read for a while. Then, at approximately 921, when we said HEY LET'S GO TO BED EARLY TONIGHT, guess who wakes up? Yes! Our little angel Maira......

At about 330 or so she finally decided to go back to sleep. Not joking at all.

A few hours later, while she was sleeping with mommy, Callum and I went over to the actual seawall and I collected bags of seaweed for our garden. Callum and I were both "sea reindeers" and we crawled all over the rocks. Without a doubt, reindeer are his favorite animal. Then we went down for breakfast at the hotel office, and talked more with Dave, Vicki, and Frank, a retired lobsterman, who has spent his whole life in Bass Harbor. It is always such a treat to talk to Frank--so quintessentially 'downeast' and a terrific guy who has a very unique perspective on life. A lifelong bachelor. The past five generations of his family have lived on the island.

Finally, after scurrying around rocks, getting seaweed, and hanging out with folks, we made our way to drive up Cadillac Mtn....but it was closed (probably lots of snow and ice up there still). So we went into the actual national park (the kids have never actually been IN the park proper before) and walked some of the 'shore path,' checking out Otter Cliffs, Sand beach, and some great forests where we saw LOTS of deer.

Oh, and let's not forget "Speedbump," Dave and Vicki's cat, the mascot of the Seawall Motel, and, pro tem mayor of Bass Harbor. This cat has a cult following akin to Morris from Nine Lives. Professional artists have painted him. Dave has a bulletin board in the office dedicated to showing the work kid guests have created for the special furry friend. Callum just HAD to make a drawing of him and speedbump (in the picture, it is the yellow man with the yellow cat) and, because Callum did it.....Maira had to 'draw 'peedbaump' too....hers is the....well...the one that looks like a one year old did it....