Reinstating Nap Time

Lately I am at my wits ends with Avery and Zach in the afternoon. All day long they get steadily more wound up, and by mid-afternoon they are bickering constantly, or pestering me, or chasing the cat, etc. I am officially re-instating nap time. Or at least quiet time. Avery stopped napping around three and half, and Zach stopped napping at two (yes, at the same time). It was a tough way to end my pregnancy, and it has been tougher since then.

Today, Zachary was insanely tired today at 4pm. We were doing a project with stickers and he was having a tantrum over literally 1000 stickers. So, I had it! I told them they had to stay in their beds for at least 30 minutes, being quiet. 15 minutes later, they were both asleep. I had 30 glorious minutes all to myself until Leah woke up!

Eli and I figure that once school starts the boys should be more tired in the afternoon, and thus more likely to take a nap. And if not, then they will just have quiet time to give me a short break.

Hiking and Peach Picking

This weekend Eli planned a day doing outdoorsy activities. We drove west to Skymeadow State Park and had a picnic lunch, and then went on a hike with the Nordfelts. It wasn't quite two miles, but it was hot and sunny and the climb was steeper than expected (for an "easy" trail), so the kids got worn out. Zachary needed carrying, and Avery wanted to be carried, almost half of the uphill climb. The downhill part was through shaded woods; everyone wished we had gone the reverse way around.

After hiking we went to an nearby peach orchard to pick our own peaches. We picked ourselves a peck, and ate something like 12 or 15 more while picking. They were SO good right off the tree. After peaches we picked a pint of blackberries and raspberries. Eli had Leah in the carrier and fed her blackberries as he picked. When we were done he joked that they might charge us for another pint after seeing her juice stained mouth.

A Burke Wedding in Nashville

This weekend we went to Nashville, TN for another Burke wedding. This one was for Eli's cousin Ellen and her fiance Brandon Schneider. We left Avery and Zachary with my parents, flew to Nashville on Friday morning, then drove north with Eli's parents to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.

At the park we took a two hour walking tour of Mammoth Cave. It was a fascinating experience. Eli wore Leah in her Baby Bjorn carrier for the whole tour. He had a little trouble when we went through some sections that required you to hunch down or bend over, but other than that it went spectacularly well. She was calm and alert for parts, slept for others, and I even nursed her, twice! Eli thought it was the funniest thing that I nursed her 700 feet below the ground.

Saturday morning we toured a full size replica of the Parthenon which was built during one of the World's Fairs. In the afternoon we drove to Murfreesboro for the ceremony, and then came back to our hotel, the Marriott at Vanderbilt University, for the reception. Leah was passed around among the family, and with no kids to keep an eye on, I danced until I could barely stand up.

On Sunday, everyone we knew went home, but we stayed for a last day to experience more of Nashville. We went to the Tennessee State Museum, the Frist Museum, Centennial Park, and the Belmont Mansion. It was relaxing, although we walked all over the place and wore our already tired feet out even more.

Lobster Picnic Day

We had gorgeous weather for the Lobster Picnic at the sanctuary (and unfortunately the last sunny weather for the rest of the week). It was hot and everyone pigged out. The boys were very curious to try my lobster, but chickened out when it came to eating any. I think Eli's dislike of seafood is unintentionally rubbing off on them. He doesn't ever badmouth it, but he doesn't help "set an example".

After the picnic we drove over to Ellsworth to visit the L.L. Bean factory outlet and bought new backpacks for school. We also stopped at the Grasshopper shop for t-shirts and other assorted purchases. It's a great store for browsing and impulse purchases.

Pebble Beach Memories

Ames Cove Beach

Leah and I have been catching naps in the morning in here. I feel so much more rested than I do at home, and I even get a chance to read a little. Eli usually takes the boys exploring around the camp or over to Betsy and Ed's cottage to play with Evan and Will. The weather has been perfect, warm but not hot like it was last year.

Several times this year we went to Ames Cove, a few minutes drive from camp. The walk down through the pine forest is beautiful and alien at the same time. The beach feels hidden from the rest of the world; so peaceful and almost always deserted.

We took the kids' fishing poles so they could play cast while Eli and I collected rocks. Leah crawled around when we let her, usually getting all sandy and necessetating a dip in the cold water. She didn't complain much about the temperature so Eli has high hopes that she inherited his Polar Bear gene.

On our last day we took one last trip over to Ames but mis-timed the tide and arrived an hour after low tide. It was drizzly and overcast, and the whole cove was filled with a dense fog. Eli said it gave him a pleasant melancholy funk that was appropriate for the last day of vacation.

Picking Blueberries on Blueberry Hill

Today before lunch we all walked up Blueberry Hill and picked about three cups of blueberries. I love the tiny sweet blueberries that grow in Maine, and this year there was a bumper crop. I had Leah riding in the carrier, and she ate about every 5th berry I picked.

Avery and Zachary remembered picking blueberries from last year and were super excited to do it again. They went straight to work when we got to the top. Most went in their mouths, but they surprised us both with the number that made it into their measuring cups and then into the communal pot. Afterwards, Zach wanted to make blueberry pie. Maybe next year we will bring the necessary ingredients.

Lunch was late but worth the wait. Everything tastes better when you are tired and hungry and have that warm glow that comes from enjoying the world. We had pesto and cold cut sandwiches and cheese and crackers and pickles and blueberries. Leah's rice cereal missed a connecting flight so she ate the same stuff we did. I know there is a schedule for introducing new foods, but she does so well with everything that we don't pay it much mind.