Aaahhhh, Maine

Jackson and Alex during last year's Maine vacation
As a child, I spent many summers at my grandparents' house in Maine--swimming in Moose Pond, catching bass, perch, and sunfish with my grandfather on his boat (he would lean over and mark the water with an X when we found a good spot, to save it for next time), eating my grandmother's half moon cookies, catching frogs, jumping off the dock. This house itself holds a special place in my heart; I have so many fond memories of sleeping in the bunk bed room with my brother, playing with the night lights built into the wall by the beds long after our bedtimes. We would roll the orange vinyl hassocks in a race across the room, banging into the walls decorated with my great-grandfather's artistic renderings of a tree and the Hebrew word for 'shalom' made with beans and my uncle's 1960's string art.

My grandparents are no longer with us, but thankfully the house remains in our family. My parents, brother's family, and I go up once a year in the summertime, and to see my children engage in the exact same activities my brother and I did as a kid means so much to me. Sadly, the orange vinyl hassocks are no longer around (but the bean art and the string art are!). The bed sheets for the bunk bed room are also original--loud floral prints in oranges and browns, the same ones I fell asleep in after long days at the lake.

look closely--bean art seen in the background above Alex's head!
The first couple of days we had 14 people in the modest house--8 of them children under the age of 9. Jackson spends the entire year looking forward to seeing my cousin's son Dylan (3 years older), so it is always heartwarming to see them together. The kids all got along wonderfully, and I was sad to see them go. This year, Sam's brother and family rented a house right down the street, and it was great to have both sides of the family come together for a vacation.

Jackson fishing with Uncle Matt and cousins Ty and Lexie

Kenyon at Moose Pond

early morning reading with Lexie, Kenyon, Madison, and Ty

Jackson showing a frog he caught, with cousin Ty

I look forward to many summers here, enjoying another generation of traditions. I think I'll find Nan's recipe for half moon cookies to make for next summer.