Ellerman Vacation 2013: Day 5

We're working on some projects around here. Momma's. I'll explain what it is later, but I am close to being done here. Phew. 

Boys' projects. They are working on cards and things for various people. 

 The cards are dinosaur/transportation themed.

 The cards are highly personalized for each recipient. This one is green, "because Grampie likes green the best". And it has two dinosaurs kissing because "Grampie said he likes two dinosaurs kissing". So whatever the little one fancies, he attributes it to that person. According to him GG likes gray and a row of stop signs on her card.

While they stamp I am moving on with vacation. Day 5 we packed up and headed up the coast. As the official planner of all things vacation in this household, I tired of the responsibility and the constant questioning. "Now where? What time does it open? How much is that?", or even better, the comments after.  "We really should have maybe done that this time/that time/whatever time", or "I guess next time we'll plan a little better". That one is my favorite. So I threw Day 5's planning to The Commentor to see what he could come up with. He in turn sent me a link to an website with a bunch of Maine Coast destinations. It seems our idea of planning responsibility is a bit different, because that website doesnt plan a trip for me. In the end we collaborated and settled on a drive up to Maine. Through New Hampshire, first.

 Better known as the land of get-your-liquor-right-on-the-interstate. Of course we stopped in hopes of getting some beer but you can only get the hard stuff and wine here. I was happy to support  the state tax collection by purchasing a bottle of wine. You know, to chug in the car if things got bad.

Just kidding.

 Our destination however, was Maine, so we pressed on.

 First stop in Maine was York. A lovely little town. As we were driving through town The Planner for the Day saw an old jail and we decided we should stop. That red building is the jail.

 The Planner of the Day did not have cash with him to gain admission, so he went in search of an ATM while the boys put that cannon to use. In their pretend world the church across the street suffered a lot of damage in a fiery battle.

 The Planner returned with cash and we went in the jail. As you can see, a ninja was with us too. Ninjas are all over New England. We love an interesting historic site, and the personalized tour we got from the educator here made the jail really cool. If you're ever here, go! It was a jail and the family that ran the jail lived there, too. Fascinating.

 It was old.

 The boys love an old cemetery, I read many a name of the headstones.

 A little past York we found a pretty stretch of beach. We didn't have bathing suits on hand, so we stripped down to our shorts.

 I have a thousand pics like these.

 Round out, jump on a little wave, run back. Laugh, chat with brother, repeat.

 All that running jumping in frigid water made us hungry. Really, really hungry. Across the street was a little place K had gone to before while here on a business trip, and they also happen to have a lobster lunch special. The decision to go there was a no-brainer.

So usually restaurants have crayons and a picture to color, but this place had these really neat things called Wikki Stix.

 They are basically a candle wick covered in pretty wax that you can re-position into letters to spell a name.

 Or you can meticulously line them up on the table. Sorted by color. If you're that type of personality.

Lunch arrived! Yum. This was serious business, and these were my first lobsters. I don't share K's enthusiasm for cracking the shell, but I did like the meat. 

 Someone thought my lobster fork was a perfect chicken tender utensil. He was a monster attacking the chicken here, I think. The boys tried and mostly enjoyed the lobster.

 With full bellies we enjoyed the lobster shaped Adirondacks.

We pushed north a little more. This picture can't possibly be more New England-looking.

 And just a little past the buoy shack we found some ice cream. Ahhhh.

 

 Bellies were full and eye lids were droopy on the ride back to Gloucester. We checked into our motel and got ready to enjoy the beach.

 Dear dear friends of mine from my whale watch days joined us.

 And we all sat back and watched the kids play in the water and sand. And we had major house envy.

 K took a little time to teach the little ones to "hip scotch". You know...when you take a flat rock and throw it across the water...."hip scotching". It's to cute to correct G when he calls it that.

 We saw some really neat ocean creatures.

 Jude and K lined up for a picture just right so I can show you the beachy motel. It was basic, but right on the beach.

 We had one more day of vacation left.

Ellerman Family Vacation 2013: Day 4

Sitting here enjoying a grand battle between pigs and birds. Note my stellar structure. Guessing that will be destroyed in just a few seconds.

 I've also been in the presence of a pirate this morning.

 And we got some learning in, which is good. Dada was all worried our brains would turn to mush if we did nothing but have fun every day.

 Madam F wants to know why the hell these kids are here all the time now. She needs her private time.

While the boys are playing quietly, let me tell you about another Boston day. I have a lot to say and they wont be quiet that long, so lets do it. Day four we left the city and headed south to Plymouth, MA, to Plimoth Plantation. Yes, it spelled different, but on purpose. If you don't know, Plimoth Plantation is a historic site that has a native american village and a pilgrim village, and we going to explore both. Along with approximately 200 school kids. 

First stop was the native american homesite. We checked out their winter dwellings.

 It had a certain earthy and smokey smell to it that really took our boys by surprise. They were quiet here.

 And just did not like the smokey smell.

 It was a hot day and only getting hotter, so we feasted on banana on our walk to the pilgrim's village.

 Oh! I forgot about the craft house. Here tradeworkers made all the items you saw in Plimoth Plantation. The wooden furniture and pottery all came from this site.

 I could really only stand and stare at the guy whittling away before I needed to rally the troops to move on. 1700's village, here we come.

 The boys were really into this section. They wanted to enter every house and noted the differences between the houses.

 I rather liked the drapes around the bed.

 Though I would not have liked to cook over this open fire.

 This little guy loved the gardens and livestock area. We got inspired to do an herb garden at home. That inspiration has not yet manifested itself into an actual garden, but let me finish putting away this damn laundry and then maybe.

 Back there was an animal of some sort, an ox, if I remember correctly.

 Off to see more houses and hear and see people speak in period tongue. That just freaks me out by the way. One must not talketh to me in such a manner!

This house did not have a "please dont smack the hell out of our armor" sign, so I hope this is ok.

 Our cheeks are red and we were looking a bit peaked, so you know what that means. Snack and water time.  And look who Cole spots...

 "that man from the little house", the governor. The poor governor was trying to get away but those schoolkids are persistent.

 We rested and we got moving back up the big hill in the oppresive 90 degree humid muggy heat.

 And headed north, past Boston.

 Our drive was a bit over an hour, and we had spots of restlessness in the car. Some calm.

 And some of whatever this is here. Intimidation stare? Goofiness?

 Ooooh, and we drove through a tunnel! Love a tunnel. This is the I93 tunnel that was created in Boston's Big Dig project. We were driving right under downtown Boston here! Cool. I took a few pics until Keith reminded me it was probably not a good idea to be taking pictures in a tunnel in a city that recently had terrorism. Right-O. Putting the camera down.

 The tunnel lulled his dude into a good 30 minute nap. That's good. The big boy needs naps as much as his momma does. Takes a lot of energy to keep those big Bothma heads going, you know.

 And we got to Danvers, MA, where our new hotel was. A little relaxing in the AC with our bears first.

 And then we geared up for the indoor waterpark! The whole reason for this hotel being selected was the indoor waterpark attached to it. Here is Goofy and Goofier. Ironic that our ladies man picked a bathing suit that says no girls.

 I have no idea what this guy was communicating here. Oh wait. I see a leg up, this is clearly a ninja pose.

 And a good smile from this guy.

At the water park K and I both wanted to be in the water as much as possible with the boys so we chose not to take the camera in. We had a great time, aside from a little altercation I had with a teenage lifeguard. Mrs E don't take no sass! His little attitude led to me making my first ever complaint to a manager. Thanks for that, buddy.  If you want to see what the park was like, you can check it out by clicking here, then scroll down.  It was pretty cool.

Now, we are off to run some errands. I am in the midst of intense negotiations: I want to go to 3 stores, the boys want 2. Who will get their way?