Thursday, July 29, 2010

Total picture overload! I probably took about 300 pictures on this trip. By the time I erased duplicates and uneeded shots, I have about 200 left. So really, this is just a small sample!





This is our flat tire out in EBF!

The ducks


The view from our cabin & then a couple of the cabin



Griffin playing with the kids

My inlaws

Some randoms




This is the pebble beach area. Notice the really cool teepee that someone built.



The campfire and sunset




More randoms



I just loved this sign. I'm not sure if it's in Kakajo or right oustide of it. That's the town where the population= very few. I had to get a picture of it, and come to find out, Ryans' grandfather loved that sign as well.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

We're back from our trip, and all I can say is that it went by way too fast! We had a really good time. Our cabin was basic, so it still felt like camping, but we had running water, and a kitchen. It was bigger than what we needed with full size bunk beds downstairs and then a loft with 4 twin size beds. The campground was clean, and our cabin was immaculate. The location and the view are the real bragging points though. The campground is 6 1/2 miles down a dirt road, off the main road. It's located right on Moosehead Lake, and all of our sites were right on the water.

We started our trip on Sunday morning. Our plan was to leave at 8am, but we didn't get out of the house until about 9:30. I was trying to not feel rushed since we are on vacation, but I guess that I wasn't as organized as I had hoped. After a stop at the ATM, a gas station, and a really long, expensive trip into Cabelas, we didn't get to the campground until close to 5. Ryans parents, his brother and family, his aunt and uncle, and then another aunt and her family were all there. So we got a quick tour, visited with everyone, and before we knew it, it was time for a late dinner and then bed.

Monday was a beautiful day, but it was insanely windy! So windy, that it made the lake look like the ocean, and put a chill in the air. The lake was so rough and choppy that no one could boat or kayak. Ryan and I decided it was a good opportunity to take a ride and explore. On the ride out of the campground, we got to see a moose. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture. There was a van in front of us, and they had the perfect view. Anyway, we checked out a lot of the really back roads, and went through teeny tiny towns where the population= very few (seriously, that's what the sign said). We had to cut our travels short when we got a flat tire in EBF somewhere. I mean seriously way out on a dirt road! When we got back to camp, we did more "camp" stuff- took walks, sat by the water, made drinks.

Tuesday, the wind died down considerably. After breakfast, we noticed that everyone was awake, so I grabbed my cup of coffee and we went visiting. We started over at my in-laws and made our way around. We all ended up at Ryans aunts site where we all sat out by the water and had coffee and chatted in our pj's. It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day, so after I finally took a shower and got dressed, I got Griffin into his swim shorts and let him go in the lake. It must have worn him out because for the first time since he was a newborn, I got him to lay down in bed and take a nap with me. If you know Griffin, you know that the kid doesn't sleep anywhere but his crib. In fact, we had to bring the pack & play with us for him to sleep in. It's a good thing that we brought it! The first night that we were there, Ryan tried to get him to sleep in the bed with him, and Griffin just couldn't do it. He went back and forth between the bed and the p&p a couple of times before he finally settled into the p&p and fell asleep.

After our nap, a group of us took a hike to an area called pebble beach. Not a real challenging hike, but it was a little further than I had expected, and some of it was through some really thick woods. I was keeping my eyes open for moose (and bears!). It was a really neat beach area though. The kids had a great time swimming and playing there. When we got back, Ryans aunt Paula cooked dinner for everyone. Since it had been so windy the previous nights, we couldn't have a campfire. Really, what is camping without a fire?? So after dinner, Ryans brother started a campfire. I stayed long enough to make a couple S'mores, but I have to be honest, it was too hot. I tried staying as far as I could away from it, but I was so hot that I was sweating. So I went for a walk with my mother in law. By the time that we got back, Ryan had already gone back to our cabin to get Griffin settled for bed.

This morning, I made us a big camp breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. When we finished eating, we started packing up and getting ready to leave. I forgot to mention the ducks. From the moment that we got there, Griffin was fascinated by them. Really, I was fascinated by them as well. There were lots of momma ducks with their babies. It was neat because there were babies at all different ages. Some babies were still small and fuzzy, and some were bigger than their mommas. It was cool to see the interaction between them and how the mommas watched out for their babies, etc. Since you're not supposed to feed them people food, we bought bags of duck food at the camp store, and of course, I must have bought about 20 bags. Before we left this morning, we had to feed the ducks one last time.

We left about 10:30 this morning, and didn't get home until 5:30. No shopping trips on the way home, but we made a lot of stops. I'm so glad that we decided to take this trip. It really did go by way too fast though. It was a good way to try out traveling with Griffin, since we weren't sure how he would do for a longer period of time. The reservations for next year have already been booked. So far, Ryans' family has reserved 8 sites and cabins. Next year we are going to stay the whole week . Griffin will be older, and he'll be ready to do the full week. I'm excited.

Ryan grew up going to Maine camping with his parents and grandparents. I think that it is really special that he'll be doing it now with Griffin. I'm looking forward to passing it along to our son.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

AHHHHH...........VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow morning we are heading out for a camping trip on Moosehead Lake in ME. I'm really excited to get away for a couple of days. My niece is house/pet sitting for us so I'll have no worries while we're gone.

I'm off to bed now. I still have to finish packing tomorrow morning!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Well the relief that I was feeling was temporary. When I got up this morning, I could tell that I wasn't out of the woods. So I spent much of my day in bed or on the couch again. I've taken more migraine meds, and now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be in the clear tomorrow.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate migraines?!

This is how I spent my day:

woke up at 7 with a headache (took aspirin)
got Griffin ready for daycare, and sent him off with Ryan
back to bed at 8:30
back up again a couple of hours later with a full blown migraine
tried to have some coffee and a little bit to eat
my body rejected the food, if you know what I mean
took migraine meds & went back to bed
up a couple of hours later, my head still hurt, but too soon to take more meds
tried eating a little again
called in to work
went back to bed
hungry dog woke me up
think my head is feeling better, but go back to sleep
wake up when Ryan & Griffin get home
realize that I am wrong, my head does not feel better
take more migraine meds
eat dinner
go back to bed
get woken up by a thunder storm
take 4 Advils
plop down of the couch
think I may have finally taken enough meds and the migraine is breaking..........

Friday, July 16, 2010






I've been wanting to post some pics, and finally had the chance to today. So here's the new pool. Our yard is still a work in progress at this point, so please excuse the mess. The pictures of Griff were taken at my mothers house. He peed in his swim shorts, so he was cleaning his "pickle". That's my boy!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I'm going for accupuncture today. It's been about a month since I've gone last and I really miss it. I'm starting to have a hard time falling asleep again, and I've been feeling really irritable. My appointment is right before work, which should be nice since that is where I'm irritated the most!

Yesterday was my first day back after being off for 4 days. I can feel the tension as soon as I walk through that door. I've been trying so hard to ignore all the drama and just focus on my own stuff, but sometimes it's just so in my face that it's hard to ignore. It's the worst dysfunction that I've ever seen, and for some reason that's become the norm and it's just accepted. I don't understand it.

Why can't Ryan and I win the lottery??? We're good people, we deserve it right??!?!?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The services for Ryans gram were really nice. We had showers yesterday, but luckily they held off until the second that the burial was over. I have soooo much egg salad and chicken salad left over, it isn't even funny. I wasn't sure how many people would be there, so I way over estimated. I may be bringing it to work just to get rid of it all.

When we got home, Griffin and I rested for an hour. I dosed off while he watched cartoons. Then I thought that it was about time that we give our pool a try. It was still showering out, but I didn't let that stop us. The water was 80, and it felt so good. We don't plan on putting a deck around it until next year, and I can tell it's going to be a challenge with Griffin until then. It's hard to get him in and out with just the ladder and no landing. I'll have to make it work until then, I guess.

For the first time in a really long time, I went to bed at 8 last night. It was still light out! I just couldn't keep my eyes open though. Today, we're staying home and relaxing. We have to clean up the basement a bit so that the electrician has room to work, and wire our pool.

Back to work tomorrow after 4 days off, but only 12 more days until my vacation starts!!!

Friday, July 9, 2010

It's been a pretty busy week, and this weekend will be no different. Last night, Ryans' mom decided to have a cookout at her house. Ryan, being that man that's so in touch with emotion, asked me why she'd want to do a cookout when we'll see her tonight and Saturday. I had to explain to him that there was a good chance that since she just lost her mother, she may want to be surrounded by her family. Besides, we don't question, we just do!

Tonight we have the wake from 5-8, and family needs to be there at 4:30. The actual funeral and burial itself will be tomorrow, followed by a get together at my in-laws in the afternoon. I promised to make all the finger sandwiches and also some pulled pork. I may try to make a cake or some other type of dessert as well. Which means that I really need to go to the grocery store today.

Besides family stuff, we're still dealing with getting the pool started. We had the second water delivery, so it's now full. We have an electrician scheduled to come over on Monday to get it all wired and grounded so that we can finally get it running. It's been a long, HOT week and I have the urge to just jump in that thing everyday. I can't wait for it to be done.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Today Ryans' grandmother passed away. With my mother in law by her side, she lost her battle with cancer. I'm glad that she is no longer in pain, and suffering as she has been for these last couple of weeks. She is finally at peace.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope that everyone had a happy, and fun holiday. We went to my mothers house for lunch, and swimming. Then for dinner, Ryans parents came here. It was a perfect day! Actually, it turned out to be an awesome weekend. Yesterday, I had to finish up my groceries, and I went for my spray tan. When I got home, I cooked dinner and we enjoyed it out on our deck. After both Ryan and Griff went to bed, I brought the portable dvd player out to the deck and watched a movie......and enjoyed a couple Midori Coladas!

Oh, and my pool is up!!! It's not ready for swimming yet, I have to get another load of water delivered. It should be all set this week though. I can't even put in to words how excited I am about this. I'll post a picture of it as soon as I have a chance.

I ran out of Midori Coladas, so tonight I mixed up some Chambord Margaritas. Another really yummy drink! Here's the recipe if you're a margarita fan:

1/2oz Chambord
1/2 oz triple sec
1 oz Tequila (I'm a snob and have to recommend Patron)
3 oz Margarita mix.


Finally, on a way more serious note, I'd appreciate any and all prayers for Ryans family. His grandmother isn't doing well, and doesn't have much time left. She's had cancer for a while, so it's not sudden or unexpected. However, I hope that her passing is peaceful and painless. I also hope that Ryans family has the strength to get through this.