The Maine Event: Day 2; Charlie...

Chillin' at the Holiday Inn...

You can't see it much in this picture, but Charlie got tagged by a seagull! Poor guy!

I often wonder what Charlie will think someday when he sees the precarious positions we put him in for the sake of a photo-op!

Tummy Time at the Lobster Shack...

Charlie and Mommy hanging out on the beach...

Charlie's baptism as a child of the sea...

He didn't seem phased a bit, and it was COLD!!!

Staying warm in his hoodie...

Some close ups for fun...

The Maine Event: Day 2; William...

A Picture (or two) is worth a thousand words...

Oh Exoskeletons, How I Love Thee!

 In this amazing setting...

 We ate...

 and ate...

 This adorable little fellow tells you your food is ready!

And this is very strange to me.  Why 2 pm???

Hey Daddy, Let's Shoot Somethin' or Don't Talk to Me About Food, I'm Already Stuffed!

Will tried to convince me that we needed this.  It cost more than our car!

Will took Charlie for a ride on this ATV.  Look at Charlie's face!

We stopped off at this place, Cabela's, after hearing from another nurse at my work that it was a great place for kids to run around and it had clean bathrooms.  It is outside of Harrisburg,PA and it is HUGE!  It is pretty much everything opposite of Jason and I.  They had a gun check in at the door, so you could keep your guns safe while you shopped, I guess.  It did have LOVELY bathrooms, very clean and tidy.  They have a cafe where you can eat various game meats in various forms, which we didn't try today, but it did intrigue us.  They had an enormous deer stand seat that had 6 can holders.  I guess they think the deer hunter is going to be out there a while.  They had camo of every type imaginable. They also had, as you can see, a wide array of taxidermied animals.  They were very well done, they even had an African Elephant that was killed by the owner of the store.  There was a real river and waterfall with real fish in it that the kids can feed, which Will loved.  To be fair, it was a great place for kids to burn off some steam, and we did get a great deal on a life jacket for Will, but I don't have any desire to go there again.  We are simply not a hunting family.  Plus, when we need camping gear, we go to REI, where the only shooting they approve of is with a camera. 

Road Trip 2011: Day One...

All Packed Up.  There may not be room for the kids!

The picture looks blurry because of the steam on the lens.  It was THAT humid! Will is planning on serenading us along the way.  Charlie looks intrigued...

"I have to sit in this seat for how long?"

"Oh, all right! As long as I get to sit next to Mommy and Brother..."

It was so humid this morning, it felt like a steamy shower.  So nasty.  We couldn't wait to escape it.  We loaded up and were on our way by 8:30, which for us is pretty good.  We made it to our hotel in Portsmouth, NH by 9:30pm, so that means that a supposed 10 hr drive only took us 13, which in my book isn't too bad.  We only stopped to eat once, at Cracker Barrel of course, so that saved time.  Will held it together for the most part, only once freaking out.  He refused to pee at Walden Pond, even after we offered to let him go on a tree or a tire.  I was scared he would fall asleep in the car and wet his seat, so we decided to put a diaper on him and he FREAKED out!  We must have been a sight to people driving by, at Walden Pond of all places.  2 parents, trying to force a 1/2 naked child into a diaper.  I'm glad no one called the police!  Other than that he did amazing.  The DVD player is still our best friend on these marathon trips.  Charlie did a great job, and other than unloading his colon once we reached the hotel, gave us no problems at all.  He slept much of the drive and ate well considering I couldn't take him out to burp him.  Tomorrow is all about lighthouses, lobster, and beachcombing.  I can't wait!

This and That...

 Charlie is still loving his excersaucer...

 Charlie reminds me so much of Will in this picture.  I think they have similar eyes. 

The blanket Charlie is holding is one of his favorite things.  He loves chewing and sucking on it. 

 Here are my lovely organic tomatoes that are doing so well on the deck.

And my lovely bell peppers are thriving!

Thoughts While Packing...

William wearing goggles at the pool...He looks so cool!

It is amazing the amount of equipment a little baby requires. The bibs, and burp rags.  The wipes and diapers, and 6 cases of formula.  I am trying to pack as lightly as possible and yet we are still bringing a ton of stuff!  Part of my problem is that I am cheap.  I hate thinking of the higher prices I may have to pay if I buy stuff on the road.  I would rather ride with a bag crammed at my feet than pay 2 dollars more for diapers further down the road.  Writing this has made me realize that sounds pretty silly.  I also struggle with cleanliness.  I can't stand staying in hotels without cleaning the tub out with my own cleaner before the kids are put in it.  That sounds crazy too, but it is what it is.  I will have to wash bottles by hand too and that always worries me, I worry that I can't get them clean enough in a hotel sink.  I think I need to release this OCD and relax.  We'll see.