Our Secret Swimming Hole!

OK, so it's totally not a secret, but we were SO excited to find a place nearby to put our kayaks in the water and go for a dip.  Hot Hole Pond it a very small pond just a few minutes drive from our house.  If the kayaks weren't so heavy, would could literally walk there in 15 minutes or so.  There is a great boat launch, a nice parking area, and even a deck to fish off of if you're so inclined.  This was the first time that Brody has been out on the kayaks with us.  He was so excited and loved every minute of it.  Of course, being my son, the sound of the water on the bottom of the kayak nearly lulled him to sleep.  He loved dipping his hands in the water over the side and loved watching Ryan paddle backwards...just like "Mater".  After the kayaking, Brody wanted to take a "swim"...I use the term loosely.

All in all, it was a FABULOUS day!

In the orange kayak...paddling with a little man in front of you is a wee bit challenging!

Swimming with Daddy!

Out and About

We've been keeping very busy these last few weeks.  Brody officially finished his first year of pre-school, complete with a end of year concert and everything.  Unfortunatly, we still have to work in the summer so Thursday marked the end of "school" and Monday he started "camp".  Now you see, school and camp are at the same place with the same teachers and mostly the same kids, but less of a curriculum and more field trips.  So basically, it's the same thing, disguised under a different name.  We tried to get Brody excited about going by telling him that he didn't have to go to school and instead he was going to camp.  He thought he had won the lottery.  He was so excited to go "camping" as he called it, that he was ready 20 minutes early!  

On the drive to school - I mean camp - he said, "Hey, this is the same way we go to school".  And yes, our plan for camp to be cool and exciting quickly unraveled.  I'll spare you the details of his heartbreak and mini-meltdown and just tell you that he was displeased that we tricked him to thinking he was going somewhere cool, but kissed me goodbye and had a great first day of camp.

So in our free time, we've tried to get out an about and enjoy the summer while it lasts.  Here are some photos of our adventures...

After picking up a big boy bike (well actually it's a purple girl's schwinn, but Brody doesn't care) at a yard sale.  We hit up Target for a bike helmet.  One look at this Thomas the Train helmet and Brody was sold.  He wanted to wear it on the ride home...and once the excitement wore off, he caught some Z's.

We heard that Tractor Mac was going to be at Portsmouth Market Day this year so, despite the drizzly weather, we headed to the Seacoast to see one of Brody's favorite book characters.  He was in heaven!

Life's a Beach!

After spending Memorial Day at the beach, we're feeling a little sad about not renting a place this summer.  Not that we don't love spending time at home and that we don't have enough landscaping to full up the next three summers, but there is just something about the beach that allows our shoulders to relax and lets us breath a little deeper and a little easier.  The beach is the only place that we seem to be able to slow down.  Where we gauge the passing of time by the movement of the sun in the sky and the grumbles in our stomachs instead of the clocks on the wall and the beeping of alarms!

While we enjoyed our respective ice cream cones (frozen yogurt for Ryan!) at Browns and enjoyed the healing sea air we vowed to take as many day trips as possible and to eat ice cream on each and every trip!  Brody had an absolutely fabulous time.  We have vacationed at the beache very year since he was born - a tradition that I will thank Auntie Ev and Uncle Pat for since their wedding in York, ME started it all!  Brody picked up right where he left off last year.  Playing in the sand, chasing the waves.  He had a BLAST and was pooped out by the time we headed home.

Trucks on the beach...

Looking at the seagulls

Checking out the ocean...

Snack time!

Stolen kisses!

All tuckered out!