Camping in Acadia National Park

This past weekend, we took our very first family camping trip!  We joined another family (the Moores) and headed to Acadia National Park in Maine.  I'm so glad that we camped in tandem with another family so that we could ease into the experience and share some of the responsibilities of packing, food prep and, of course, fun!  I also enjoyed the fact that the boys slept outside in a tent and the girls shared a small cabin with 2 bunk beds, a small refrigerator and a gas grill. :-)
 

A campfire complete with s'mores!

Lukas trying his first s'more.  He liked the taste, but not the stickiness.

Isabel trying her first s'more. Clearly it brought a smile to her face!

The boys, being boys (hunters, that is!)

"Hiking" in a nature reserve

Picnicking in the same nature reserve

The boys at their tent

Enjoying a very yummy pancake breakfast made by our friend Susan on the grill

Our first time kayaking!

Going to Acadia has been on Olli's "bucket list" since we moved to New England because he remembers passing through as a teenager on his parents' 25th wedding anniversary trip.  He was in search of one particular view (photographed below) that has stuck in his mind every since the first time he saw it. Worth the trip, don't you think?

A Pirate Party

We be celebratin' the 6th birthday of our son, Lukas, pirate style complete with a treasure hunt and lots of pirate booty.

As you gathered from the title and opening line, Lukas wanted to have a pirate-themed party for his birthday this year so we obliged.  A friend of Lukas' from church was turning 5 years old a few days after Lukas was turning 6, so we held a joint party for both boys at our house.  As you'll see from the photos, lots of fun was had by all!

Pirates for a day!

"We're ready for a treasure hunt, Aarg!"

After walking the plank to abandon ship, the pirates swam to shore and began digging for treasure

Once the treasure map was dug up, the birthday pirates consulted it and began the hunt.  They tunneled through the mountains...

... and carefully traveled across crocodile infested waters...

...until they found the first part of the treasure along with another map leading them toward more loot

However, in order to reach it, they had to swing on a jungle vine...

...with all of their shipmates.

Once the main treasure was found, the pirates had to break open the locked treasure box

Lukas giving the treasure box one big whack

The birthday boy with his Treasure Box cake

Lukas blowing out his candles

First Day of School

Here are my two little learners ready for another school year.  Lukas is beginning kindergarten and Isabel is continuing on in preschool.  They are so excited about returning to school!

Her sign says: "When I grow up, I want to be a Princess"

His sign says: "When I grow up, I want to be an FBI officer"