North Carolina, Day One and Two

Hello All,

I have learned that it is now difficult for me to be without my computer for a week!  Although I like the idea of "unplugging" and see the value of not feeling tied to a computer 24/7, I have to say that catching up with life after an 8 day computer hiatus is exhausting!  Phew!  So I'd like you all to pretend that it is still April 14th and we are on our way to North Carolina!

Noah jumped at the chance to see the cockpit.  The pilot was so cool....not only did Noah hang out with them - the pilot jumped out of his seat and gave Noah one instruction: "Just don't touch anything red!"  I hope he was just kidding.  I mean, tell a four-year-old not to touch something and it becomes the most desirable thing to touch in the whole world.

Now that would have been a story.  "We would have gone to North Carolina, but Noah touched the red button, and......"

Day Two.  Noah was up and out of bed and ready to go to the beach at 5:30 am.  We are not wearing socks - the first time since last September, I am sure.  Beautiful day.  You can see - it's almost like we have that beach to ourselves!  To folks in NC, I am sure it is still too early to play at the beach - but for us, it was like going from March to July in one day!

And this is what happens when Momma tells her little boy it is time to leave the beach:

We had another adventure coming our way, though.....Brad had offered to take us on a Pontoon Boat ride.  How awesome is that?  We met Cameron, Jonathan, Flora, Brenda, Jimmy, Seth & Ethan and Susan at Brad and Donna's house.  First, Noah got to collect some fresh eggs from Brad's chickens.

And away we go!  Here is Captain Noah and his two co-pilots:

Jonathan, Evelyn and Flora.

Seth, Susan and Jimmy

Brad, Ethan and Brenda

Wait!  Noah!  What is that behind your head?????
It is true.  We saw an alligator.  He was big.  Noah was pretty impressed and then, frankly, was ready to get far away from it.  "I think we need to go now..." was what he said.

Jonathan and Flora

Cousins!  Brenda, Brad, Faith and Susan

Cousins plus Evelyn :)

I am sorry to say that Noah sort of had a meltdown toward the end of the trip....Brad showing us here the many uses for a floatation device!  We had a little time out in a corner of the boat where Noah got some of his composure back.

Susan and Noah

Then, we all gathered back at Brad and Donna's for a BBQ.

Happy Eli with Jimmy

Special person of the week

 Say hello to Noah, the Special Person of the Week at Stillwater Montessori School.  Together, he and I presented his "Special Person Book" that tells The Story of Noah.  In it, he had lots of photos and got to fill in the blanks with things like
Favorite Food: mac and cheese and pasta
Favorite Colors: green and purple and blue
Favorite Thing to Do: play with tractors

And as you can see, he brought along his skid steer and tractor with feed wagon.  He can keep these toys at school and share them with his friends for the week.

With his friend Dominick, who he describes as "his friend who he likes to kill on the playground every day." Good thing I know that Noah's idea of kill is close to wrestling.  

 We had a beautiful weekend and were able to actually sit outside for a few hours without a coat on.  It was blissful.  Noah and Gene went to visit Gene II and Eli and I hung out on the deck.  Here, we have practiced a little bit with solid food!  He seems interested these days.

He's sitting up - holding that heavy baby head up like a pro.  Drooling...chewing.....maybe some teeth action going on beneath the gums?

Don't you just want to kiss those little toes???

Noah is actually the Special Person of M-Wed because on Thursday morning WE ARE GOING TO NORTH CAROLINA!  The boys and I are going to get some sunshine and sand in our toes. Plus I am thrilled to see Grammie and Grandma Dot and all of our NC Family.  Heard from Grammie - she has scored a bunch of baby stuff (crib/bouncy seat/car seats) at a Thrift Shop and she is asking for my drink order (Love That) 

Brad sent an email like this:

Went to the beach house over the weekend, everything OK, check out the new truck that drives in the sand and it done fine…

I have a big pontoon boat 24 footer, we are going boat riding if the weather is good Friday or?

Standing BY…..

How cool is that?  

So once I make it through two airports with my fine boys, I'll be home free!  

Then we will come home and have a couple of days until the Easter Egg Hunt and some Easter Festivities. 

Gene has started work!  So far, so good.  

Run, Noah, Run!!!

See you soon, Grammie!

Emergency Haircut

For those that missed it on facebook earlier this week.....

 Noah found scissors this morning and walked around the house cutting chunks of his hair off. Yikes! Gene sent him to school and advised him to keep his hat on. Enter Randy W - haircut emergency! - who saved the day. My hero ♥

sugarhouse + april fool's day storm

On Thursday, Noah's Environmental Club took a trip to the Corcoran Sugar House.  It's near and dear to our hearts, of course, because it gives me a chance to remember Tom Corcoran ~ and celebrate the magic of making maple syrup.  It's really one of the few silver linings in a Maine spring.  You can see the snow + mud that keeps us washing Noah's snow pants and coat every two days.  

Here comes Noah with his field notebook in a bag around his neck.  I'm not sure how many notes he is taking, but the bag came in handy to hold his muddy mittens.  

I am told that the Thomas J. Corcoran sign will get a fresh coat of paint this summer.

Boiling the sap...

Checking specific gravity with a hydrometer

Fresh maple syrup! Yum.  

Rest in peace, Lucy :)

That night, Noah asked me again about Lucy (Lucy was our very old cat who died this summer).  He knows that she is in heaven, and that it is a nice place, but he hasn't been able to wrap his head around the fact that we can never see her or play with her again.  He asked again - did she die?  Yes, I said, Lucy did die.  "Will all of our kitties die?"  I said yes, some day they will, but until then we will love them and enjoy every minute with them.  "ALL of my kitties will DIE?"  He was inconsolable.  The poor little guy cried himself to sleep that night.  It was gut-wrenching to hear as a parent.  I know he was really tired but the sadness just took over his whole little body.


April Fools Day brought a winter storm that closed everything down AND heavy, heavy snow.  Here is a branch in the back yard.  Noah and I were making a snowperson and we heard snaps and cracks coming from the tree....but I thought that smaller branches might come down, not this HUGE branch.  It made quite a loud sound when it came down.   Since then, another tree has fallen ~ we will have a springtime project cleaning up trees from the yard.  Guess we will add them to the burn pile...give that old Christmas tree some company.

What to do on a snow day to keep a 4-year old busy?  Plug in the steam mop, of course!  He's a good helper (I think he just likes to make the steam)

Playing frisbee in the snow with Papa

Another favorite activity of Noah's these days?  Showering.  He LOVES getting in the shower and playing.  He can spend up to 45 minutes in the shower!  He plays with tub toys but also fills bottles and pretends to clean the shower with the sponge.  That's my boy!

On Saturday, the snow remained but the temps got up to the high 40's.  We played outside and then later all four of us took a walk down the farm road and up to Whitter Farm.

Momma and Eli 

 At the farm, Gene and Noah found farmer Jake at work.  Our timing couldn't have been better!  Noah got to hop into the skid steer and help Jake fill the feed wagon.  It doesn't get any better than this for Noah.........

I am busy at the office on Monday getting ready for the NEOA conference.  I'll leave for Portland at the crack of dawn on Wednesday at be at the registration desk with Becky by 8 am.  I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends and colleagues ...but feeling a little guilty leaving Gene at home with ALL of the  nighttime feedings for two nights.  Fortunately, he was able to delay the start of his new job for a few days while I am away.
Is it really snowing again?  Just glanced out the window and there it is.  Spring has GOT to be just around the corner, right?