Collins Do Maine!

We left for Maine on July 26th,

 leaving the Milkbarn looking like this.

Good riddance construction.

See you in 10 days.

We were so excited!!!!

It had been 4 years since the last real family vacation was taken and this was the reprieve  we needed as a family. Clay had been working in Charlotte all year with a couple weekends home a month, the house was in shambles, it was a cold, cold winter and I felt like I had been through the ringer. So on a snowy January evening, Mandy and I talked and she booked the house and there it was. 

We had to take the vacation!

The rental home in Harpswell, Maine

The photos are in "some" chronological order.

It reflects the vacation because at one point, we didn't know what day it was.

Henry out paddle boarding first. A local business came and delivered the boards, kayak and a canoe. 

His license plate aptly displayed, SUP.

Harpswell is about half an hour from Freeport through lots and lots of meadows. So, we had to do some fun shopping. 

Lucy ran into a friend from school, how random is that?

The fog rolled in and I couldn't resist taking this from the dock at the rental.

Mackerel Cove, a working harbor with pots being pulled up

Me and Mandy. She is the cutest in Maine!

Cousins, Finn and Wesley

Chester swinging high above the cove, there were some watercolor artists underneath the tree. One was quite talented. I wanted to ask her a bunch of questions but she was pretty busy.

Picking out lobstah!

They got to pull them out off the tanks.

Back at the docks,

Chester slipping just a little :)

The backyard of the rental

These boys were busy every minute!

Basking in the sun

Making lobster dinner

It was quite the experience.

I am allergic to shell fish so of course I didn't eat any...once we got the lobsters on the plate after boiling them...

my kids just stared hesitantly.

Chester said he'd eat the pinchers, Audrey had one bite, Henry was clearly bothered and even Lucy (the girl who will literally eat everything!) took only a couple of nibbles.

 Meanwhile, the Quimby's cracked and slurped and gobbled it all up.

 Uncle Tom and Uncle Clay had about 3 lobsters each.

After all was said and done, we did it again but I made burritos for my kids. 

Ha! 

Audrey and Henry are quite the team.

 Lot's of biting flies though.

When the breeze came in, it made the paddle boarding 

so much better! 

We headed to the beach and a big lightening storm came through and they ordered us off. Clay was in disbelief, I believe he said,

 "what kind of nanny state is this". We hung around a bit and when it passed we raced back to enjoy a fun evening.

Being told to leave was hard to take. 

Lucy eyes welled up in tears, "but I haven't been to the beach in 2 years!!!" 

But when we headed back it was sunny and no one was on the beach.

So maybe it was worth it :)

We won't lie, the water is pretty icy but these kids are tough.

Audrey was in heaven. 

She is at heart a California beach girl. 

But Maine was just fine by her!

Photo bombing Chester

This vacation was full of stick weaponry.

Henry asked if we could move to Maine on the last day.

 He is determined to live in the Northeast.

I suggested he should choose a graduate school back there :)

Heading to Cedar Beach on Bailey Island.

This beach is meant for locals.

We acted real natural.

We headed back up to Popham State Beach Park which 

is right east of Bath. 

We got there right when the gates were open and had a blast. We stayed a long time,

 it felt so good to get a satisfying beach day in!

Chester's method of warming up after playing in the water.

Wesley and Chester

Clay can stay at the beach all day with the right equipment :)

This vacation was so worth it.

 Happy Collins kids right here.

Henry throwing signs

Cute candy shop on Orr's Island.

Me and Lucy at Cedar Beach. 

Back at the rental with all the cousins

Clay leaning over cross eyed for a photo with Mandy

The girls and I took a sunset drive to the tip of Harpswell.

 So gorgeous.

Audrey cannot get enough of the ocean.

We headed south to Cape Elizabeth, just next to South Portland and right on the water. Mandy's friend lived down the road and knew about this cottage to rent. After showing up, we no longer wanted to drive to Vermont. Hmmm, wonder why? 

It was perched right on the Atlantic with its own little cove. 

You could see, smell and hear the sea.

It was magnificent!

 The Portland Head Light would flash all night with the low blows of the fog horn...so we squeezed in the cottage for 2 days!

The kids searched for sea glass with Aunt Mandy and she later taught the girls how to make jewelry with it. 

Very cool.

Clay, Lucy and I escaped to visit the Portland Art Museum. It was a breath of fresh air. Lovely paintings, the collection is small but full of quality. This is a Monet. A couple of paintings were just loaned out because so and so received the Monet as a wedding gift way back when. Can you imagine?

Slumber party back at the Granny Cottage

Sunrise on the Atlantic

5 feet from the back door

Donut making happened thanks to Clay and Mandy

and tasting

making sea glass jewelry

playing video games

The day we left we had Mandy take a photo of us

Farewell Maine

It was a vacation full of real quality bonding and laughing and eating and just being.

After we got on the plane to head home we realized the kids are the perfect age and now we need to plan these vacations!

Can't wait to plan for next year :)

I'm pretty sure we'll hit the beach again!