Mt Desert Island Part I

What a fantastic weekend! This was definitely the first trip Callum actually "got," and he had a fabulous time; usually, since he is so young, he is just kind of "along for the ride," but this time he was fully engaged in all that we did. He is still walking around asking to go see the ocean, the beach, the kids on the beach, ducks, and the woods. He LOVED walking on the trails, climbing the rocks, and running around chasing ducks. We can't wait to bring him back--we have a feeling this summer (especially with Amanda working part time) will bring us up Downeast a bunch!

Below, the Goldsmiths arrive at The Collier House--the bed and breakfast in Bar Harbor (Town Hill village) we have been going to for the past 3 years. We always go the first weekend of my April vacation. The building in back is the main house, where there are some guest rooms, and where George serves up his fantastic gourmet breakfast. There are, however, several outbuildings; we always stay in the carriage house overlooking the little duck pond.

One of the first walks we took was on the carriage roads that go throughout the park. We embarked on the Witch's Hole loop--Witch's hole is a pretty neat Beaver pond in the middle of the woods. Evidence of Beaver activity was everywhere, as shown in small part by this picture Amanda took.....
Here's Witch's Hole. Pretty secluded, and very beautiful. You can see a big beaver lodge at the bottom of the photo--but there were DOZENS more dams and lodges (arent they the same thing?) scattered all over the place. We met a black lab named Bella, and her owners were letting her swim in the pond--it must have been freezing though! It is always pretty windy up on the island....
That afternoon we decided to drive up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Last year we did the same thing, and Callum hated it (it was very windy, and he was NOT impressed). This year, being a bit older, Callum enjoyed walking around, looking at the ocean. Although we really cannot wait to hike up the mountain with the little guy, driving up will do for now. And, in my dream of dreams, I have the goal of riding my bike up the 3.3 mile auto road this summer. We'll see if it happens. Going up is the tough part....but riding down scares the crap out of me.....
Amanda and Callum. For those of you interested in Acadia National Park and the Gulf of Maine islands, the big island in the top center of the photo is Great Cranberry Island. Our friends Randy and Craig used to paddle their kayaks out there quite often. If you were to go a bit to the right, you are now entering "Blue hill bay," and you would start seeing Swan's Island, Bartlett Island, etc. I had an adventure on Swan's Island once. Maybe I will recount it sometime...
Stay tuned for part 2...

SECOND POST OF THE DAY: FUNNY SHIRTS

Some English based...some not

If you understand these (or think these are funny) then you must be friends with me......

When reading was fun....

Don't get me wrong...I love reading. But when I was a kid, reading just seemed so much more fun (and time seemed so much more available!). I used to be a HUGE reader when I was younger...it is all I did. Remember all the Beverly Cleary books like HENRY AND THE PAPER ROUTE and BEEZUS AND RAMONA? I used to dig the "choose your own adventures" too. Today, being an English teacher, it is easy to see how we are clearly in the "Golden Age" of young adult literature. My friend Johnny is a youth librarian out in Nevada, and I have to say I am sometime jealous of his job; to be surrounded by books all day (well, I kind of am right now, but it is different) must be pretty neat.

When Johnny and I were in elementary and middle school, we were obsessed with all the "biographies" in our library....and there were plenty of them! We devoured information about George Washington, Abe Lincoln, John Paul Jones, David Bowie, JFK, and this guy....

My third grade teacher, Mrs Kenney, read this book to us aloud:

Do you remember this book? For a third grade kid, this book was hilarious. There were sequels like "Fudge," Superfudge," and, more recently, "Fudge Forever," which Judy Blume wrote for her grandkids (or so I have heard). Judy Blume also wrote some other great books like "Maddie and me and the dirty book," "Otherwise known as Shiela the great," and, for the pre-Emo kids, "Are you there God? It's me Margaret." No one ever read that.

We had a few popular "reading campaigns" when I was in school; one was called "Read Across America," and it was sponsored by our school. Depending on how much you read, you got different awards like shirts, rulers, pencils, and a cool pin we all wore that said "Eager Reader" on it! The whole idea was to read ACROSS America, and we got "moved" for every book we read. Another popular reading venture:

I kicked BUTT at this! I read so much for this, and I got so many pledges; I was able to fund raise a lot for MS. One of the big prizes for reading here involved getting gift certificates for Papa Ginos Pizza--I really wish we had one of these in Maine (the pizza place, not the MS Readathon...although that would be nice too!)

These days, if I get to read one book per month, I think I am doing pretty well! I would really like to commit to reading more. How about you?

We must be bad luck...

Because for the past three times we have gotten together with the Favry family, someone has ended up in the hospital. On Thanksgiving, Jackson had to be rushed to the ER with some type of allergy/rash/breathing issue. Then, when the Favrys came up a few weeks ago, they left early because Jackson had a 105 degree temp and they stopped at the hospital on the way home. And FINALLY, this past weekend, while we were down in CT for Jackson's first birthday party, Anthony went to the ER at 1 in the morning because he had food poisoning. And then Jackson starting projectile vomiting everywhere too. What is going on? Is Callum a demon or something? Anyway, I hope everyone is feeling better!

We did, however, have some really bright moments from our visit. I got to see lots of family I dont usually get to see. Callum got to see his Nannie, Papa, Grammie Goldsmith, and Papa-Bob. And Jackson got to see me (I am one of his favorite people on the planet, for sure). Also, on Saturday night, when Twon was at the ER, Kristin was up, and Jackson was screaming for hours on end, I got some special bonding time with little Jacko, when I got up, tended to him in his crib, and sat and rocked with him for a while; he fell asleep on me, which was wonderful. Having a baby fall asleep in your arms is one of life's rarest and most beautiful of gifts. Think about it.

Here is the little man getting his soy-based frosting birthday cake (he is allergic to milk stuff)

It was a "Sesame Street" theme, which excited Callum beyond all recognition. I got into the spirit by donning my Cookie Monster shirt, which also made Callum one happy little guy; he loves when I wear my shirt. The cake they got Jackson was almost too beautiful to cut...but we did. And when we did, it was one of the most creepy and wrong culinary experiences I've ever had; we had to cut Cookie Monster's head off in front of a bunch of kids, and then pass out pieces of said head for the little ones to enjoy. Weird. Also weird is trying to come to terms with what, exactly, Anthony is doing with the inflatable Elmo in the background. Just saying......
Sunday was a beautiful day (well, for everyone except Twon, who was semi-conscious for most of the day). Callum went out on a "date" with Auntie to pick up some meds for Twon at CVS. Amanda and I got some special time with our nephew, and then Amanda and Callum took a three hour nap together....it was just that type of weekend I guess. What WAS really neat was taking the boys for some cool wagon rides in Jackson's sweet new wagon his Papa got him for his birthday. I would like one for myself. I think this is a great picture:

Callum had to show he was the "big" cousin by getting out of the wagon and pushing his cousin. If you blow the picture up, you can really get the expression of Jackson's face, which is priceless.
Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack goes the wagon.....
Callum just LOVES being outside...he hates to go in, actually. I get the sense his little cousin follows in his footsteps.

Okay, time for Glee!!

I love to jump

Hi Callum here. Here are a few pictures of me jumping with my mommy and my friends Brittany and Brianna from next door!



And here is a video of me jumping. My lip dont get sore, nothing

He is risen indeed

Happy Easter everyone. Here's some pictures of Callum's morning at church. We had a great morning--we met at church for a breakfast put on by the men of the congregation at 8:30. Then, at 9:15 there was an Easter egg hunt. This was followed by a beautiful church service. I cooked my traditional Joseph's Mellogold Ham on the BBQ (which meant I smoked it with Maple, rubbed it with my secret ingredients, and then glazed it with a rootbeer/brown sugar glaze). Awesome. Callum's BaBa joined us for dinner, and then Jon and Kelsey came by for dessert.

Here's Callum and his friend Emily helping him with the "little kids" egg hunt. Emily is so cute; she loves helping Callum all the time. It is great how the "older" kids step up and help the little ones with everything! As you can see, Callum CLEANED UP with the eggs.

Here, Callum and some of the other kids wait in the fellowship hall corridor in preparation for the hunt. A kid's Easter egg hunt is like the annual Filene's Basement wedding dress sale....only with ham at the end.
Our young family outside church after the beautiful service.
Callum and his very good friend Mia. What is great about this is how we didnt ask (nor did we tell them to) for them to stand and pose for a picture. They both just took it upon themselves to stand in front of this bush after church. Callum has so many great friends at church. And he loves them all.
Who does he look like now? We are so proud of our smart, loving, and good boy!

We are so blessed to love our church; it is such a solid place. And we are constantly surrounded by such wonderful people there.

Meanderings 59

Video is at end of this post.....

1. Has anyone ever taken a tea bag and seeped it in hot coffee instead of hot water? If so, what would the marriage between tea and coffee be called? I am actually surprised this hasnt been done yet, seeing as how every other "competing" thing seems to be mixed together--Guinness and Bass for a "Black and Tan" for example. After I write this, I am sure St. Arbucks will start selling some foofy sounding coffee/tea drink for 7.50

2. Why do people--when they are trying to explain something to you and can't figure out the word they are trying to say--somehow "move" their arms toward you in an assertive fashion as if somehow that will make you understand what they want to say...its like they are trying to wield the word out of thin air or something.....

3. People who say something like: "Well, if you are making that statement, then I guess my question would be blah blah blah...." I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE? You dont even know the question you are asking? If you dont know the question you are asking then shut up. I am annoyed by the continual castration of the English language

4. The loudest are the weakest. Myself included. Just remember that. The loudest are the weakest.

5. No one ever takes a doggie bag home when they go out for breakfast

6. On my way up to Machias a few weeks ago, I noticed a new housing development called "Oakfield Estates." This simply cannot be. A "field" with "Oaks" in it is no longer a "field." A field with Oaks in it is called a "forest." Screw those rich developers

7. Here's a funny expression: "It scared the living crap out of me!!" Ya know....versus all the "dead" crap you have inside. Actually, come to think of it, I would rather have dead crap in me than living crap....crap is gross enough...I dont want to think about it now "living." Now we've entered the set of "Alien" or something....

8. A Universal Truth: It is impossible to pull out a sofa bed while there is another person in the room with whom you are not romantically involved and not feel dirty and pornish.