Cuddling on couch

Now that my oldest son owns a brand new DS, his Leapster is old news and is being handed down to his little brother.  My eldest, ever patient, was trying to teach my youngest son how to play it, which I think must have been a very frustrating venture. ;-)  However, look at how sweet they are!  Not sure how much my baby absorbed.  He was too busy resting his head on his brother's shoulder and snuggling in...  

Reading with Daddy

When I came out of my younger son's room tonight, I heard lots of laughing and giggling coming from my older son's room.  I snuck in and saw my husband and son reading a Secrets of Droon book together and totally enjoying themselves.  My husband was using all these different voices and my son was laughing hysterically. So precious.  Very low light, and I had to be super quick so they wouldn't notice me, but such a sweet moment captured.  :)

Home sweet home

We arrived home FINALLY today after more than 30 hrs of traveling since we left the island.  After we groggily unpacked the car and got our youngest to sleep for a well-needed nap, I surveyed our house and yard....  I admit I was not feeling that happy to be home.   I really miss Maine.  I am definitely a northerner at heart.  I love winter and spring here, but summers and fall are tough with the heat and mosquitoes.  However, as I walked around our yard, I realized/remembered how beautiful it is here too and how lucky we are.  The royal poincianas are in full bloom, and our frangipani is busting with flowers.  The pink blooms are so beautiful and smell HEAVENLY.  I guess we do live in paradise...just a different kind....  It's all in your attitude, right?  :)

Leaving paradise

Today was our last day on the island.  We woke up this morning and saw this view in the harbor directly across from the cottage.  Wouldn't you want to wake up every day to this?  It was VERY hard to leave this paradise.  The kids didn't want to go either.  They had such a great time hiking, exploring, and spending time with their Oma and Opa.  My older son said that he wanted to go home, pack up all our stuff, and come back to live here permanently in the spring and summer.  :)  I wish we could.  Maybe someday.  But, I'll tell you....when I die, this will be my heaven.  

Cliffs of heaven

I took another hike by myself to HEAVEN this afternoon and found this amazing cove in between two cliffs.  I scrambled down the rocks where I discovered these purple irises growing in the bushes.  I practically fell off the cliff with happiness!  Would you LOOK at this beauty!!!?

Harbor Seals

We all took a boat tour around Monhegan today on the Balmy Days ferry.  The kids loved it!  We got to see Manana (small island across from Monhegan) up close, the whole village and the cliffs from the ocean, a Mola mola (ocean sunfish) at the surface, and then we spotted a whole bunch of harbor seals sunning themselves and swimming around Seal Ledges.  What a blast!  

Rainy day

You'd think that an entire of rain would have made us sad and gloomy, but we had a blast.  Erich kept a cozy fire going all day, and we played Monopoly, Rummikub (my older son is really scarily good), cards, built legos, played with matchbox cars, and spent some good quality family time all together.  We even hiked a bit in the rain.  The boys were so cute under their shared umbrella.   Then, I ended the day near sunset, when the rain stopped, photographing some soaked flowers and fungal polypores. :)