busy Saturday...



Elizabeth and her friend, Kylie



...at Nanny and Papa's house.  I drove up on Friday evening with the dog after work, and we (the kids, dog, and I) left on Saturday afternoon and came home in time to go to Miss Kelly's Fun Day celebration at the daycare.

Santa's Village

Last Friday, we drove to New Hampshire to go to Santa's Village.  Oh, my goodness--we had a great time!  I hadn't been there since I was a child.  I remembered the igloo and the giant bunny, too, but not much else.  Jack's favorite thing?  As you enter, you have to go by Rudolph, sitting behind glass in what looks like a ticket booth.  His head and his eyes move, and he actually talks back and forth with you.  Jack was absolutely captivated and talked about him for the rest of the day.  Very sweet!  I think Elizabeth enjoyed the bumper cars the most.  Poor Jack--he was devastated when he couldn't go on the bumper cars because he didn't meet the height requirement and just dissolved into tears.  I promised him that we'd do it next year.  We even saw the real Santa Claus, and we fed the reindeer, too (that was my favorite part of our day).  I didn't get pictures of Elizabeth and I on the roller coaster; of the kids and I on a raft ride, the Ferris wheel, or on the yule log; or of Jack cooling off in the water park, but I think I have pictures of almost everything else...We did a lot in six hours...

climbing with Papa

Last Sunday, Papa, the kids, and I climbed Cascade Stream Gorge, near Rangeley.  It was a bit challenging for Jack and Papa (Papa will be 81 years old in October and will have knee-replacement surgery next month, so it was quite an achievement for him to make the climb with us), but they did it!  We found lots of wild blueberry bushes on the way up, so we had to stop several times to pick blueberries.  Jack was in heaven--he just loves blueberries!  After dinner, I left Papa and Nanny's to drive home.  Not too far from their house I saw a moose just standing out in the field, so of course I had to stop to take a few pictures.  Not the greatest, but I think you can tell it's a moose...

first cheering practice today

The squad is comprised of kindergarten, first-, and second-graders.  As you can see from the pictures, they were just too adorable in their uniforms!  After the team photo was taken outside for inclusion in the football program, the girls had their first official cheering practice in the gym.  They did somersaults and cartwheels and then learned their first cheer:  "D-D-D-DEFENSE!"  On the way home, it occurred to me to ask Elizabeth if she knew what "defense" meant--she said no, so I then explained to her the difference between offense and defense.  All in all, she had a blast--I can tell that she's going to absolutely love it!

playground fun



action shot!



We went to Deering Oaks' playground yesterday after lunch and shopping (Elizabeth needed new ballet slippers and white sneakers for cheering, and I needed to pick up my new glasses.  Jack ended up with some Lightning McQueen crocs, just because.).  Here are a few pics of the aspiring model and the future class clown.