Last camping trip of summer?

We headed off to the great Maine woods this past week. What a beautiful spot we found. The first night of our adventure it was just us by a great big pond. Our tent was near the shore. Ethan could be playing at the water's edge while we set up or prepared things at camp.

Lydia had her maiden kayak voyage. Yes, it was a short one, but we did it. I think wearing the life jacket was more dramatic than getting in the kayak. When we sat at the water's edge in the kayak without the life jacket on, she was quite happy.

We had a fun supper of hotdogs roasted over the fire, baked beans, and smores for dessert. We settled the kids down for the night, sharing Charlotte's Web with Ethan as a bedtime story. He's quite interested in longer tales, and we've begun the tradition of bringing along a family book for our camping adventures. Then Todd and I enjoyed sometime by the fire as the full moon drifted in and out of the clouds.

 The next morning we had "green" pancakes, as Ethan called them. They really weren't green, but rather were colored because of the juice from the blueberries. Being green, didn't stop Ethan from eating them. I had to make more to feed the hungry crew! We enjoyed sometime kayaking that day. Ethan and Daddy headed out to an island in the pond.

 On our second day out, we had to actually come home for a dr. appointment for the kids. We'd already had to reschedule, so that's just the way it had to be. It was a gray, cool, windy day, so maybe it turned out just as well. Plus, if we hadn't had to make the trip, we would have missed seeing this!

Yes, there really is a moose in Maine!

 Our last day dawned bright and beautiful. We enjoyed a calm morning exploring the pond a little more and playing around the camp. Ethan enjoyed playing a state guessing game with his Dad. Maybe this is how the geography bee champs start. I was shocked when his Dad said, "I'm thinking of a state with a large city called Chicago." and Ethan answered, "Illinois". Ethan was also happy to play catch and made a friend with one of the boys from a neighboring site. I enjoyed listening in on the conversations. He's growing up!

 One of the things that I enjoy about camping is figuring out what yummy things we can make. I threw together a goulash of sorts that was quite tasty. We washed it down with Moxie. For those of you not from Maine, Moxie is a New England soda that has an unusual taste. Dr. Pepper is our family favorite, but Ethan thought Moxie was pretty good too.

Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head home. We had a fun time, but it was also good to come home and sleep in our nice comfy beds. I love when Ethan thanks God for his comfy bed during bedtime prayers. We have so much to thank Him for!