Santa's Village/Storyland '13

We're back from North Conway after a great weekend....the weathermen in NE are getting an early start in screwing up their weather forecast/lying/not being held accountable. Friday was supposed to be some on and off rain (it poured all day) and Saturday was supposed to be a gorgeous, bright fall day (it rained most of the day). But we went, on Saturday, from our rented place on Kearsage Rd in North Conway up to Santa's Village, without doubt the only 'theme park' that Jard GOldsmith actually likes.

The kids are finally old enough (Maira included) to enjoy most--if not all--of the rides. The favorites were, once again, the ferris wheel and the reindeer carousel. I am partial to Donner's Doe Nuts (homemade little donuts) and the coffee there. Both Callum and Jackson bought new stuffed reindeers (cuz Callum only has 9 stuffed reindeer and needs more) and Maira bought a beautiful purple horse. MY favorite ride, undoubtedly, was the bumper cars. Legit.

The house in North Conway was a great old house that was en route to being completely remodeled. My favorite parts of these trips, since I am not a 'theme park/crowd' person, involves merely hanging out around the house and visiting with everyone. Although it would be great if Papa and Grammy could get in on this action sometime, as they were missed.  Bob and I played some cribbage on Friday night after the kids were all in bed and everyone else was on one of their ipods or iphones or ithings. We had a great beef stew on Saturday night, and Anthony, myself, and Amanda enjoyed some Halloween Ale/boxwine. I called Joanne JoJo and she liked that.

On Sunday we went to Storyland, along with 91% of the rest of the people that were in NH that weekend....haha. The Polar Coaster and Bamboo Shoots continue to be the favorites at Storyland, but Maira and Jackson really loved taking the 'coach' to Cinderella's castle! Callum, since he had already spent lots of time with Auntie KK that weekend and thus didnt want to spend time with any other princesses (ZING!) asked if we could do something else, so we went on the antique German merry go round and the pirate ship!

Later, at home, all the girls went to the outlets or whatever, Upbob watched some football, and Uncle Anthony, me, and the kids hung out outside and played a REAL FOOTBALL GAME (in the words of Callum) before walking across the street and down the driveway for Mt Cranmore and doing some exploring of a little rocky brook and then moving on to see some of the mountain activities.

I took a fantastic run (I love running up there because it is someplace new and beautiful to explore) and found some neat roads (Hurricane Mtn rd for example) and some cool trails (like an AMC trail off Hurricane Mtn Rd that leads to a firetower!). I jumped on that trail for a bit, came across a foursome smoking the devil's lettuce in the woods, and then turned around for the house.

Santa even visited the house where we stayed, bringing all the kids an early gift in the form of a STUFFY (a stuffed animal with lots of poquets to store other things). Callum and Jackson got a puppy....and Maira got a bumblebee!!!

Due to work and coaching schedules, we left around seven on Sunday to come home. We are all very very tired after going non-stop for three days, but it was worth it.

My favorite part, without doubt, was just seeing the three cousins together, having a ball with each other (sometimes too much of a ball, since they loved to run all over the house). So I tried to get them outside and spend as much time as I could with them--especially since I dont get to see my nephew that often. We played lots of soccer (since Jackson is on the Cheetahs and Callum is on...um....Village Market....) and football and had tons of running races around the yard! Jackson introduced the word "nodder" to us (as in YOU'RE IT!!! YOU'RE A NODDER!!!!!!!) before getting you to chase him around). Callum and Jackson were inseparable and are good buddies and that makes us happy. Now we look forward to the arrival of baby_________ in November!(

HELLLLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The boys picked these flowers for their respective moms and grandmoms.....

The house where we stayed....the attached barn in the back had a fooseball and airhockey table...as well as some dart board stuff....Anthony, how come we never played dyarts??? I love dyarts!!!
Also, a nice farmer's porch on the front. You could sit there, as I did with rojo vino, and look DIRECTLY at Cranmore. Lovely view, even!

Excellent!

Three little kids at Storyland......Callum was in,, as Maira said, the face of "Huppy Duppy." This has not gotten less funny in the 48 hours since....

This one was posted so you could see us on the Bamboo shoots AND some Jay and Thaim could make fun of my hyat. Also, Nannie bought us an ornament with a picture of us coming down the big hill at the end (you know they take your pic on the way down and stuff??). The RAW FEAR in my son's eyes is one of the most priceless things I have ever seen. He is DEFINITELY my son!!! Hilarious!!

Sally tried to get a shot of us coming down, but our cam. suques.

Hanging out at Storyland with our five strollers and two wheelchairs and three Nepalese Sherpas...lol. But ISNT THIS A NICE PIC???????? (said like an old Jewish nana) Maira loved all the glitter on Nannie's jacket/shirt thing....

Two of Maira's favorite things from the weekend: Eating peanut butter crackers #shadesofMeeMee and sitting next to 'Fancy' (the name Maira has given to the baby in my sister's womb).

Heading to NH....

for our yearly trip with my family to North Conway, Santa's Village, and more....

We will leave tomorrow afternoon to head up to the house we are renting in NH....the kids have been so excited and talking about it for weeks. Callum, usually petrified and disinterested in all-things-phone, has even been initiating phone conversations, calling his cousin Jaquesyn to discuss Santa's Village rides, etc....

The XC season is in full swing (or stride...if you like puns) and I regretfully have to miss tomorrow's meet against Waterville. A tough season for me thus far for many reasons: losing a lot of great seniors, STILL not being in the shape I desire (believe it or not, still very limited by shoulder stuff with my stride, upper body work, etc), and dealing with the heat. A very uncharacteristic past couple of days in Maine--humidity like I havent seen in a long time! Temps near 100. Yesterday, the hottest day, was supposed to be a 45 minute run...but I stopped the kids after about 27 minutes because "I" couldnt even breathe...

Took my CPR re-certification last night, so if anyone is passed out, hit me up!

Not much else new really.....transitioning my intern student teacher this year into my classes. She has already taken over the freshmen class. This year I have more students than I have ever had in my whole teaching career. I know I have mentioned this before. Very very tough year.

More to come on the NH trip....

Came across these two pictures.....

Vicki (Vicki and Dave own the Seawall Motel) and I donning our Prairie Home Companion hats. They were at the same show this summer they were at, and we have the same cap. Fun. Yeah.

....and then these two goofballs couldnt be outdone....

A real Maine fair....

There are a ton of country fairs in Maine: Starting late in the summer, you have, in succession, Skowhegan, Bangor State, Windsor, Litchfield, and many others. For us though, the FairOfAllFairs is the Clinton Lion's Fair. It is a true country agricultural fair sponsored by the Lions. There are rides, yes, but that is not the focus. They give awards to canned goods (obviously we love this), biggest vegetables, best cattle, prettiest poultry, and more. There are the best foods and the most bizarre backwoods people you will ever see.

This year we went on Saturday, in the afternoon, right after Callum's soccer game. For us, the Clinton Fair is truly the 'end of the summer.' Thank God. I hate summer....

Things were a bit different this year, as Callum showed no fear of going on rides. For the most part. Both Callum and Maira had ambitious dreams in attempting the ALLIGATOR ROLLERCOASTER (a kiddie ride...but still loud and a rollercoaster). It is sad and at the same time hilarious to watch your kids on a ride, that you cant stop, while they cry and scream and turn different shades of purple....

Growing up, my mom conditioned me to believe that 'fair rides' were NEVER EVER to be ridden on. I wonder if this was some type of Southie lore, like the boy who raised his hand to hit his mom and then God turned him to stone......and, if that boy went on a ride at the Brockton Fair he surely would die.....something like that...haha. But my mom was always of the train of thought that rides at fairs were hastily put together and would undoubtedly break and whomever was on them would definitely die a slow, painful, popcorn/cotton candy scented death as they were crushed, fatally, by an upset tilt-a-whirl. 

So, as a kid, we were confined, instead, to Canobie lake park.....

I swear I am not acting out any type of rebellion or anything....I just didnt see any 'high risks' with the rides the kids went on: Merry Go Round, motorcycle-go-round, etc...

The purple one....obviously....and he went on this twice. Maira and Mommy rode on the fire truck...

I think we went on this four times or something like that....it was hilarious watching Maira give the tickets to the chromosomedly challenged ride clerk... both kids kept saying how excited they were to ride the one at Santa's Village this coming weekend, when they can ride on DEER and not horsies!!

#flatbrimmedbears #cantstopwontstop

The Clinton Fair has #hundredsoffoods and is a dream come true for Jezsin and Thaim: KingsofFoods. Between me, Amanda, the kids, Lin, and Gorge, there must have been roughly 20K calories consumed. Maybe. Idk guy, Idk. I know that I had a) sausage with peppers and onions b) half of a blooming onion c) one of the donuts pictured below (about half of it) which the photo does not do justice: The donut must have been 8 inches in diameter....

Sally had the sausage and the funnelcake (pictured below). Funnelcake is like fried dough. MairaBeth had this Hawaiian Ice, which was LEGIT! At 3 bucks, probably the best value of icy goodness, shaved, saturated in a flavor of your choice! Killim had half a corn dawg, some of everyone's everything, and a candy apple. I think Lin and Gorge had the same as well. I REALLLLLY miss the man who used to be there with the smoqued turkey legs....

And Callum, after MUCH deliberation and inner turmoil and doubt decided to ride his first pony!! He loved it!! The pony's name is Moonshine and Callum named the 4 foot long bright red inflatable shark he 'won' at the 'duck fishing' game Moonshine in order to commemorate the event. Also, while Callum was on his SECOND ride of Moonshine, Moonshine stopped to hang a root/mold an action figure/eat backwards/drop a heat stick

so, yeah

Soccer: A retrospective

I played a lot of sports when I was a kid--my parents encouraged me to do that, and they really encouraged me to stick with probably my least favorite sport I ever played, which was high school football. I am glad I did stick with it. And I am glad they encouraged me. I played a couple of seasons of basketball, which I remember hating. I have always hated basketball. No sport should be played indoors. If it is too cold to play outside, then you should be reading or playing cribbage. And I played tball and baseball until things got too competitive (i.e. until you had to be GOOD or else you got cut...haha). But the sport that, for whatever reason, I most identify with my parents and my childhood has to be soccer: the sport I sucked at the most.

I think I most identify my parents with soccer because, for me, soccer was the sport which most exemplified the love my parents have for me, because, as most people know, soccer is boring and not fun to watch--ESPECIALLY when there are little kids and DOUBLE especially when your son is the WORST of those little kids. Even as a kid, I was somehow smart enough to know how bad I was at soccer, and I think I innately just KNEW that my parents being at all my early Saturday morning games behind Oliver Ames High School spoke volumes about how supportive they were of me. And that meant a lot. My dad, for one, would come to my games, sometimes with my grandfather, the 'original' Papa Goldsmith. There is a picture somewhere, developed by Osco Drug (remember them?) that shows me in my red ROWDIES team shirt standing next to Papa--my Papa is wearing a maroon Members Only jacket, and he looks absolutely miserable. But he was there. With my dad.

And, years later, when I played high school football at Oliver Ames (and, truth be told, I actually earned a starting position....until I lost it because I was too weak from the cancer I didnt know I had yet), the one thing I could count on, and a very concrete memory I have, was coming out of the locker room, leaving the athletic wing to go outside, and seeing my father's Chevy pickup truck parked straight ahead, reading to take me home. And this was at 530 or so...after my dad sat in mindblowing traffic on the southeast expressway, coming home from work in Boston....and after he dropped me off, he had to drive 15 minutes home to his house. Before I had kids, and before those kids started doing things like this, I never realized what a strong and loving commitment parents--especially my mom and dad--make to their children.

And now it is my turn. And I feel very blessed that it is. True, Callum has taken some swim lessons and he played a season of tee-ball...but it has not been until he started soccer that I, for some reason or another, truly feel like a 'parent watching my kid.' Does this make sense? Callum excels at soccer probably more than any other thing he has done (sport wise). I just love watching him run and be aggressive, even though most people know that I think soccer is a stupid sport. But it is growing on me.

I appreciate all my parents have done for me, nurturing me throughout all my childhood endeavors: soccer, baseball, football, track and field, swimming lessons, camp Maplewood, boy scouts, Baseball Club Card (thanks mom) and more. And now it is my turn, and I know that Amanda and I want to see/be at everything that our kids do. I already know deep inside that this will be my final season coaching XC, since I know I will have to miss a few of Callum's games due to races, and I know that next season Maira will be involved with dance, soccer, and whatever the little devil wants to do. So I am ready for it. One of the reasons I resigned as English Dept chair this year was to have more flexibility after school, and I will do whatever else I can do to be the best parent I can be with what my kids are doing........

Thanks mom and dad.

Callum's first soccer game: He plays for VILLAGE MARKET IGA and today they played HARDING'S GARAGE. Callum scored two goals. Like......legit ones....for the right team!!

stretching pre-game!

....he asked the coach if he could 'sit out for a little bit' to rest....

Jordan Pond House

I had this as my FB profile picture...but someday FB will be gone and the blog will be all that remains...haha...but Callum looks like Mister Grainger from AreYouBeingServed....

Before we left to go home last weekend, we took a trip DEEP into the Acadia National Park to go to the Jordan Pond House. The JPH is a very unique spot right on, as the name suggests, Jordan Pond, overlooking the Bubble Mountains. It is a very European/Austrian-German kind of a feel kind of place, as most of the seating is outside...I dont know why it feels that way...it just has that kind of vibe.

I have written about the House before I am sure, and one of the main features (and they are world famous for this) is their afternoon 'tea and popovers.' One of my wishes is for, someday, my parents to visit Acadia National Park so they can see how majestic the place is; I think my mom and dad would both really like the Jordan Pond Experience

I like this picture for some reason. #mysteriousJard. What I am looking at I have no idea. There were no hot chicks there, that's for sure....haha.

This is what the seating looks like:

It is this expansive lawn with wooden benches and tables, and it is ALWAYS packed there. In fact, when we went, all three of the parking lots were full. We had to park roughly a half a mile away from the JPH. There is SOME seating inside, but most opt to eat outdoors with the beautiful view. We had a nice lunch, and Amanda got some amazing chowder. The popovers REALLY ARE amazing. I hope Amanda makes some soon (hint hint) as she has a popover pan from there.......


There is the outdoor dining area and then a grassy field and then a beautiful blueberry barren/meadow leading right down to the water. A wonderful place to sit and read or play wiffle ball or knit or do whatever....especially just lie down with your sister/brother and daydream....

Perfect....

I've always loved this tree. Out in the front of the JPH, there is a a patio with a pergola; this tree is amazing and grows up and around the pergola, making a unique and beautiful (and amazing, frankly) canopy. No idea what kind of tree it is. But I like they.

Seawall in September

We took a trip up to Seawall over Labor Day weekend. In the 16 years that I have been going to MDI, I have NEVER seen it as crowded as it was this weekend. LOADS of people. Coming back on Monday, we sat in about 2 hours worth of traffic as we made our way off the island and through Ellsworth. Usually it doesnt even take us two hours to GET to Seawall....jeesh. Mostly it was all traffic due to backups involving traffic lights. Whatever. 

A very strange weather weekend for sure--lots and lots of thick, soupy humidity. And, being at the Seawall of Acadia National Park, and therefore directly at sea level, there was SUBSTANTIAL fog (or, as the locals call it, 'soup'). 

Callum wanted to bring his bike, but we didnt have room in the car, and there is NO shoulder on the Park road. So we made a bargain and he brought his scooter. He rode the darn thing EVERYWHERE...from our room down to the office...from the office to the rocks...from the rocks to other rocks...everywhere......I love this picture:

As we have long hoped would happen, both of our kids have truly fallen in love with all things MountDesertIsland....and, in particular, the Seawall area and the Seawall motel with Dave, Vicki, and Speedbump. This visit, I think we noticed, truly solidified their own personal admiration and excitement about the space--beyond merely the excitement that they usually show just at 'our' excitement. Does this make sense? This, in turn, makes us BEYOND happy, since we just love this place; the kids want to be out all day long, and are perfectly content to walk on/collect rocks for HOURS......what a happy kid (and this is a kid who hates getting his pic taken dont forget!)

We built some cairns....did I spell that correctly? haha

The tide is so high on Mount Desert that we came back the next day to see that the waves had completely knocked them over. To give you an idea of how high the tide is, you can see the road RIGHT behind my shirt....

Lin and Gorge came over to the water a few times as well. And, as I write this, they are still there at Seawall! Very lucky they didnt have to come back yet. Jeez...I cant wait til MY next vacation...haha. But I particularly love this picture because it shows the scope of the fog we saw most of Saturday....and you can see the motel in the way background....and, directly behind Lin, you can see the Common Good Cafe which I have often written about....this is that 'community soup kitchen' place with the best coffee I have ever consumed.

And here is the freshwater pond right beside the motel and directly across the street from the ocean. In the way background, through the trees, you would arrive at the Acadia National Park Seawall Campground....I love this shot, although the photo doesnt do REMOTE justice; the way the sun was shining through the fog was just spellbinding....

Part 2 tomorrow, with some pictures of all of us at Jordan Pond House, etc...

Aaaaaand.....we're off.....

to another school year. One full week 'under my belt' as they say. The above picture is of me and a girl named Ali, whom I have in class this year. We always have this "color alliance" competition on the first day of school, which is made up of a ton of initiative exercise/games/team building activities, etc. There was a scavenger hunt, and the kids had to find everything from 4 pound lobsters to a live black bear to a vanity licence plate to a Nomar bobblehead to LIVE earthworms, which is what Ali was digging for in the above picture. Good times....(I was wearing my Ireland soccer shirt cuz I am on the green team...doy!!)

But, the transition is very hard, and I think back to one of my favorite moments of the summer, this:

a picture I didnt even know existed...Maira sleeping on my shoulder for a couple of hours as we got ready to leave Peaks Kenney State Park from camping in August....there STILL is nothing quite like holding a sleeping child. Especially a daughter, I think....

I came home from my first day of school to a cute surprise from the kids (and Amanda..haha): Callum and Maira baked me a 'Back To School" cake! How awesome!! The first week of school was a doozie!! Working LONG days (almost like I had a real job...lol) and settling into coaching/practice/meets after school...AND having open house for the parents one night until about 730 or so. Very long week....

But all week I got to look forward to going to Seawall.......my favorite place on the planet....

....and I will write MUCH more about this tomorrow. But now, I need to go finish the fourth DIARY OF A WIMPY KID book....if you havent read any of these, as my friend Thaim would say, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR. Who cares if it is a kid's book. It is UTTERLY laugh out loud hilarious. Do it.

#noponytails
#lemonadeshirt
#crazycurls
#crazycharacters