Whatever Floats Your Boat

September 24, 2011 By 6 Comments

Note:  I got this craft idea from someone I know in the blogosphere, either someone I follow or someone who linked up at the blog hop, but I can’t remember who it was.  If it was you, please let me know so I can link back to you!

I mentioned the other day that my sister-in-law Molly is the cool one and I would be the dorky one who thinks of things like crafts to do out of upcycled materials laying around the cabins while on vacation, which is true.  By day four or five, I was about as relaxed as I was gonna get and had had just about enough of lounging by the beach.  Right now as you read this, I am probably sitting on a white sandy beach in Bermuda, trying to turn off my brain and not think about all the things I should be doing, or could be doing, other than nothing.  I’m not good at nothing.  We spent most of our trip to Hawaii sightseeing, kayaking, exploring, and went on a culturally-significant cruise of the Mediterranean for our honeymoon.  Guess who planned those trips?  That would be me.  Guess who is looking forward to the lounge-by-the-beach-all-day Bermuda trip?  That has JDubbs written all over it.  I guess the point is, I can’t just sit around and do nothing for more than a day or two.  I start to go stir crazy, and when I start itching for things to do with my kids, I usually get my highly dysfunctional craft on.  This one was rather successful, considering I was vaguely recollecting a post I had seen at some point this summer, and was just using the materials I had on hand.  Better than some of the others you’ve seen, anyway!

And now…

How to create your own Cork Boat:

Materials

tape, wine corks, wooden skewers, napkin, scissors

Directions:

Okay, remember, we were just making this work with what we had.  You could improve upon these with a little forethought, but that’s what’s so great about my crafts anyway.  They’re always a little dysfunctional, so there’s always room for improvement.  JDubbs took my idea and improved upon it in five minutes, which you will see shortly.

1.  Take 3 corks and secure them together with tape.  Masking tape worked best (good thinking JDubbs), but Scotch tape is sufficient.

 

2.  Once they were secured, I cut off a few inches of the wooden skewers to secure the corks.

 

3.  I used the other side of the skewers to create a mast.

 

4.  The I cut and folded the napkin to make a sail.

 

To me, that was a boat!  Hooray for ingenuity!  But what I considered ingenious, JDubbs saw as a shipwreck waiting to happen.  I guess you can take the man out of Boy Scouts, but never the Boy Scout out of the man.  Here were his “improvements.”

Improvements:

1.   First proper tape and then a proper mast.  He was very heavy-handed with the masking tape, shunning my measly Scotch tape, and fastened a strong and sturdy mast that could hold a proper sail.

 

2.  A proper sail.  JDubbs was certain that paper napkin sails would get wet immediately and sink the ship.  He was right, of course, but I was all indignant and stubborn.  So JDubbs made his own boat with his own specifications and a tin foil sail.

 

I made one each for Jax, Tommy, and Em, and JDubbs brought his vessel down for a launch.

Aw, look at his chubby belly.

Jax and Tommy launched their ships to sea and Em just dumped hers into the lake.  JDubbs was right; wet sails don’t sail so well.  His was pretty bad-ass, actually, and yes, it fared the best of all the vessels.

 

So the happy ending is that we decided we are going to make ships every year with the kids, and that from now on, JDubbs is in charge of this particular activity.  I’ll have to think of some other dorky way to spend my days relaxing in Maine.  I did make a scavenger hunt for them, but since they are practically babies and picking blueberries was only #2 on the list, they didn’t get much farther than that.  Note to self: food goes at the end of the scavenger hunt.  Em can’t turn down a freshly picked blueberry.

 

Next year I’ll have to plan ahead for more low-key, fun activities for the kids for when I get restless.  Vacation or not, I love having fun with my kids.  It floats my boat.

Filed Under: art, crafts Tagged With: , ,

Beach Days & Bar Harbor

September 21, 2011 By 6 Comments

In Maine, we only have one agenda: relax.  When the weather cooperates, that relaxing is done on the beach that is literally feet from our cabins.  See?

Here is Jax on the edge of the beach, and there are our cabins.  The yellow one is ours–feel free to be jealous–and the one to the right of it is where my mother-in-law, father-in-law, and sister-in-law stay.  Tom, Molly, and Tommy stay in the cabin to the left that is just out of the picture.  So you see, we never have to plan very far ahead or stick to a schedule; everything we need is a stone’s throw away.

And with these three, fun doesn’t require a whole lot anyway.

Next year will be perfect because any anxiety we have about letting the kids wander down to the water’s edge to fill their buckets will be gone–not that we’ll be negligent, but Em won’t require constant vigilance as she does now and the boys will be very sure of themselves.  A little less hovering, a lot more lounge chair.  Sounds like we’re sticking tight to our relaxing agenda.

Although there certainly are worse things than having to stick close to our kids.

And when the beach gets old, there’s always the dock.  Em literally spent hours there, slipping rocks between the slats and making plunk sounds.  They sounded remarkably like her oops sound, but she’s learning.  We didn’t have the proper footwear for her on such a rocky beach so she hung close to shore.  Jax and Tommy would go off exploring and fetching toys and having carefree fun.

The only other thing on the Maine agenda besides relaxing is a day trip to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.  Before our lunch at The Jordan Pond House, we headed up to Cadillac Mountain.

It is the highest point on the northeastern seaboard and is the first place to see the sun rise in the United States during the fall and winter.  To say that Jax loved it would be a huge understatement.

He ran down those rocks as fast as his legs would take him, taking courageous jumps and yelling, “Come on, Mom!  Let’s explore!” over his shoulder as I hurried to keep up with him.  He loved the colorful boulders–from lichen, apparently–as well as the view of Bar Harbor and a huge cruise ship below.

After lunch we roamed Bar Harbor, with a grumpy, teething, beginnings-of-fever Em in tow, fighting her nap so she could make it for ice cream.  Nothing helps one-year molars like ice cream.

Did you notice their coordinating Red Sox hats?  She’s not borrowing his hat; she wanted one of her own.  That’s how we roll in New England.  We start ‘em early.

After the ice cream, pushing two o’clock, Em had a full-throttle meltdown that had all the grandmothers in the vicinity furrowing their brows in concern.  Literally.  There was like, a gaggle of grandmothers sitting on a wall nearby, and they all began tsking and Oh, that poor dear-ing, and someone needs a nap-ing in unison.  Luckily, JDubbs took Jax to the bathroom and while he was gone, this happened.

I gathered up the baby girl, settled her on my shoulder, and, with many an approving nod from the grandmothers, carried her back to the car.  We headed home, reading our new Blueberries for Sal aloud along the way, and I was glad that we had nothing else to do for the rest of the week other than fulfill agenda item #1.  Relax.

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Cousins

September 19, 2011 By 4 Comments

As much as I love the adult side of our family vacations, the best part of spending a week in Maine is getting to spend a week with our nephew Tommy.  Tommy is 9 and a half months younger than Jax and 8 and a half months older than Em.  We got pregnant with Em the week he was born.  So needless to say, although they are still in more of a parallel play stage of development, it doesn’t take much to see that these three are going to be thick as thieves.

Auntie Molly, Tommy’s mom, was sweet enough to bring matching pj’s for the boys and a new cute pair for Em.  She said she’s going to do it every year and I love her for it.  It’s something I never would have thought of doing; I always think of the dorky mom stuff like doing a craft or making a scavenger hunt, but when it comes down to it, matching pj’s are way cooler.

That is, until they’re older and matching pj’s sounds like a jail sentence and a scavenger hunt is wicked cool.  Then we’ll see who’s the cool one, Molly!

Who am I kidding?  She and I have been friends since 7th grade.  We both know it’ll be her.

Yes, one of my oldest friends and I married brothers and now our kids are all born within 18 months.  And we get to spend a week together on vacation every year.  Doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Maybe she and I will get matching pj’s next year.  Or maybe matching Coach purses.  I like that one better.

Filed Under: family Tagged With: ,

Learning the Ropes

September 17, 2011 By 11 Comments


Some things are made for passing on, like traditions and knowledge.  They’re not worth anything unless you share them.  How to string a lure.  How to cast.  How to let one go.  All things that I could never teach my son, but I marvel at the experience of passing that knowledge on, from one generation to the next.  It’s remarkable.

Last year was my first year in Maine with JDubbs’s family, and it quickly became clear to me that there was more to this vacation that just a few days away.  JDubbs, his brother Tom, and sister Jen had learned a lot from their parents on their trips here, and it looked like my kids were going to follow right along in their footsteps.  Only unlike last year, the kids were going to do more than just watch from Uncle Tom’s boat!

I grew up in a house of all girls and my Dad.  Although he did his best to do the same things with us as he would have with boys, I know there was less fishing and playing catch and more cheerleading than he would have liked.  He never complained, but it’s only now, watching JDubbs with his boy, that I realize some things are just meant for father-son time.  But that doesn’t mean that Em can’t tag along, too!

She was a little young, but she loved being on the rocking dock, sitting happily in Daddy’s lap, watching her big brother and cousin Tommy learn the ropes of how to fish.

She picked up a thing or two herself!

Unlike her mommy, Em was not at all grossed out by the fish, or the act of taking it off the hook –the part I hate the most.  She thought the fish were so cool, she even waved hello to it!

Whether I’m a big fan of slimy fish or not–thank God we throw them back!–I love how both of our families can introduce our kids to new experiences and traditions.  It’s so great how now when Jax plays with his toy fishing pole he talks about his lure, or how once we went out in the boat, he loved the buoys and learned all about them.  From a teaching point of view, it’s so valuable to expose kids to as many new words and experiences as possible, and from a parenting point of view, it does my heart good to watch my kids soak up new information like the little sponges they are.

Snuggly little sponges.

And when Mommy and Daddy got tired of filling their little brains with knowledge or teaching them something new, there were always aunts, an uncle, and two grandparents handy to turn to with a winning smile and a pretty please on their lips.

And it seemed like one of the men in the family were always heading down to the dock, fishing pole in hand, and Jax wasn’t too far behind them, even if it was to just dip his toes in the lake.

But more often than not, his fishing pole came along, too, and the lessons continued.  Learning the ropes.

I’m so grateful to have extended family so close to help shape my kids into such well-rounded people.  The things that I know nothing about, they can learn about from someone else who loves them and wants what’s best for them.  Isn’t that what bringing up kids is all about?  Sharing the responsibilities and sharing the joy of time together, while creating memories and upholding traditions that we cherish.  And we couldn’t that without our families.  Although I do make a mean friendship bracelet.  Just wait until they need to know about that!

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Lesson Learned

September 16, 2011 By 13 Comments

As I go through my photos from our Maine vacation, trying to draw inspiration from them in the form of what to write, I am struck with the same thought over and over.  What the hell is wrong with me?

Baseball bats are great for tiring out a busy boy.  They are great to use as substitute golf clubs or swords.  But as a prop in a photo shoot, especially when the bat in question is bright green with yellow lettering, swearing our allegiance to the University of Oregon and the almighty Ducks?  Not so much.

Damn bat. How cute is that photo otherwise?

Don’t get me wrong; I love U of O.  We have family that graduated from there and are kind enough to send my kids Duck paraphernalia that they love, so I am not complaining.  Except, I never get good shots of my kids together. Great shots of Jax?  Yes.  Great shots of Em?  Yes.  Great shots of both them, happy and enjoying each other’s company?  Super elusive.  One of them is either looking away, making a weird pirate face, the background is imperfect, or, for example, one of them is holding a gigantic green bat.

So close, but in the end, rejects.  The photos, I mean.  Not my kids.

I know what you’re thinking: if you hate the stupid bat so much, why did you give it to her?  I know, I know.  It was just a tool to keep her happy and smiling.  But couldn’t I have picked a smaller, less ostentatious bribe?  Next time it’ll be a blade of grass or a dandelion.   I was so focused on making sure they didn’t fall off the swing and keeping them looking in the same direction that I honestly didn’t notice it.  Until now.  Man, what is wrong with me?

Granted, these are great snapshots.  I love them each for their quirkiness, but I was looking for a frame-worthy keepsake, not a source of aggravation.  Look at this one–absolutely beautiful, but that bat!

So, I sent a copy to JDubbs’s aunt, the country’s #1 U of O fan, and think that at least I got a shot that’ll make her smile.  I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.  But I’ll pay someone to Photoshop that bat out of that photo!  I don’t have that kind of capability, but I sure would be grateful if one of you did!

Lesson learned.  Pay attention to details; otherwise I’ll be kicking myself for it later!

Filed Under: photography, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Kicking Back

September 13, 2011 By 4 Comments

It’s been three weeks since we’ve been back from Maine, and since our laptop screen broke while we were there, it took me longer than usual to edit the photos.  I have to say that I love the process of editing because it gives me time to reflect on every moment and aspect of where we were and what we were doing, not to mention really appreciate the kids and who they were on that day.  So even though it has taken me longer than usual to post about something as significant as our family vacation, I had fun going over the photos and remembering.

The deal about Maine is that JDubbs used to spend summers in the very cabin that we share with our kids when he was growing up, only now his brother Tom and his family are in the cabin on one side of us, and his parents and sister Jen are in the cabin on the other.  We take turns making dinner, have cocktails and appetizers outside on one of the decks while the kids get ready for bed, and then the adults play games or talk into the night.  The days are spent on the rocky beach of the lake, which is less than the length of a football field from our front door (and yes, the baby monitors work down there).  There is a rickety swing set and a large grassy yard where the kids are free to roam and search for caterpillars or comb blueberry bushes.

The mornings and evenings are for checking fishing gear and heading down to the dock, and for babies in pj’s and saggy diapers, with schedules a little more lax, kicking back as much as the adults.

JDubbs and his dad and brother often took advantage of the quiet moments to sneak down the dock without the kids noticing.  As often as I could, and especially once the kids were asleep, I’d sneak down after them, camera in hand.

My kids go to sleep earlier than my nephew Tommy, so sometimes he’d come down to join us with my sister-in-law Molly.  He loves nothing better than sitting in his daddy’s boat.

I guess who can blame him?

That’s how we kicked it most mornings and nights.  I’ll get more into our days soon, but for now, I’m just going to close my eyes and pretend I’m on the deck in Maine, drinking a glass of wine, listening to the loons calling to each other, with my babies tucked into their beds for the night.  Sunset was my favorite time of day.

Filed Under: family Tagged With: , ,

Happiness Is…{vacation}

August 25, 2011 By 4 Comments

Since I am currently on vacation, I will keep my segment of this post short and sweet.  This is my cabin:

I am undoubtedly having a glorious time with my husband, his family, and my two wonderful children somewhere on a lake in Maine.  If you would like to ogle my adorable children or are just having withdrawal from me since I’ve been gone so long, you can see photos of last year’s trip here, here, here, here, here,  here, and here.  Let’s just say, I took a lot of pictures.

Happiness is taking time to unplug, unwind, sleep, and take photos.  Happiness is spending time with family and reconnecting.  Getting to know my nephew even better.  Having the water literally feet from my front door.  Time with my husband.  Just to name a few.

I’ll be back next week, and I hope you are enjoying the reminders of my favorite crafts from days past!  I will probably not be commenting this week, and therefore there may be no favorite, but all the reason to comment on each other and spread the love yourselves!  That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?  To spread the love and happiness, and getting a bit of exposure on the side?  Hope so, because that’s why I love hosting it!

Speaking of hosting, I’d better get on it.  I’m supposed to be on vacation!

The Happiness Is… blog hop is simply a place to come, link up a post (not your homepage!) that made you happy recently (anything but a giveaway or review) and share it with the rest of us!  Photos, recipes, crafts, stories, moments, and anecdotes are all welcome!  Come peruse other amazing posts and meet fantastic new people in the blogosphere!  The only rule is to please grab my button (right sidebar) and link back to me in some way!  That way more people will come and learn about this uplifting way to promote your blog!  Oh, and feel free to follow me if you are having fun.  I hope you stay awhile.

Hope you’re all having a great week!  We’ll chat when I get back!



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