2016 in a Nutshell

We had this whole little amazing trip to Iceland in April that I really need to get around to posting about.  But the 500+ pictures we took are completely overwhelming to sift through, edit, and organize.  And when I dig in and begin, I start to realize that it isn't just our Iceland pictures that are disorganized and need editing - it's really ALL the pictures we've EVER taken and then WOW.  I'm totally overwhelmed.

So baby steps, small chunks.  Iceland soon...but for now, some of the top hits of 2016 thus far.  (And yes, I do realize 2016 is nearly half over.)

January.  The big 4-0 for yours truly.  An amazing Sunday out with my girlfriends, old and new, from near and far, and then a personal chef-turned-friend at our house for a gourmet Middle Eastern dinner with my family.

I love how Moxie makes this picture but my Dad doesn't (well except for his thumb).

And I love how much fun my mom is having.  Two days later, my Uncle David passed away after a very quick decline following surgical complications.  My mom so needed this night out.

And the day of my family party, I got the best birthday present ever!  I never imagined I'd have the pleasure of taking one of my kids for a pedicure.  But alas, the allure of Storm Troopers on the toes was enough to convince this little guy to join me!

February.  A week at the Duck House.  Skiing and relaxing and skiing some more.  

March.  Ethan's first performance as a Gym Dandy.  What a fantastic group to be a part of!  We feel so lucky to have this opportunity in Scarborough.  We saw Ethan juggle and devil-stick, and the big kids do amazing things on unicycles.

And on the last Sunday in March, us Mainers bundle up and and traipse through mud to the maple sugarhouses, sitting outside in the chilly sunshine and celebrating an excuse to drizzle maple syrup on anything and everything.

 April.  Easter!

The morning egg hunt.  Eggs were hidden, letters were hiding inside said hidden eggs, and those letters could be unscrambles to find the location of the baskets.  Despite some stealth hiding by the Easter Bunny (let's just say there are still eggs on the loose), our smartypants were able to interpolate the missing letters and locate the baskets in no time.

At least one of them still enjoys cleaning up nice.  Unfortunately, that same one didn't eat a lick of Easter dinner, and came down with a nasty stomach bug about 10 minutes after dinner ended.

Time with friends.

Five silly boys and a mud run.  What could be more fun?

And lots of sleepovers.  This is what a 9/10 year old sleepover looks like when the little brothers are all somewhere else.  Lightsaber duels ad infinitum.

Sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpa's are special too.

 And April 26th is someone's very important half birthday! 

To celebrate 7 1/2, we used four candles (halfway to eight) on a mini cake. 
(As an aside, please note snow on April 26th.  Blech.)

April also brought the annual Race 2 the Point, a big fundraiser for Adam's school.  This year, the boys ran the 1-mile kids' run. 

Warming up

Ethan had chosen the 1-mile over the 5k because he thought he had a "better chance of winning".  (He's not competitive or anything.) 

Sure enough, it was a photo finish.  Ethan came from behind and beat his good friend and neighbor Joey by only a few tenths of a second!

One proud mama over here.

Adam also had a great run!  One proud mama x2.

May.  My favorite day of the year is in May!

Such a lovely spread this year.  I really appreciated the sippy cup now that I'm over the hill.

A movie date with my loves followed by linner at my favorite favorite these days, Empire.

May also brought opportunities for special field trips with my boys.

Adam and I got to spend the day together at the Maine Wildlife Park. 

And piano recitals.

The theme was music from the 50s and 60s. 
Adam was the one-eyed one-horned flying purple people-eater and Ethan was a greaser (he played Yakety Yak).

 And of course putting our gardens in.
 

May is also aMayzing because we get to return to the lake! 

This year we were blessed with hot and sunny, very un-Maine-like weather. 
We actually swam in the lake - a first (that I can remember) for Memorial Day weekend.

Our boys are finally old enough to be of real.honest-to-goodness.help.

The reward for all that hard work is fishing with Grandpa at dawn.

June.  Paul and I both had a great run at the Acadia Half Marathon.  The course was the most beautiful I'd ever run - knock-your-socks-off, pinch-yourself vistas at every turn.  It was quiet and peaceful and inspiring and spiritually fulfilling in a way that I had not yet experienced.  A great way to kickoff our Maine summer. 

June is bittersweet.  One the one hand, June means summer is finally here!  Our gift for surviving the long Maine winter.  June means school's out for summer.  Two plus months of more carefree days, bare feet, and sand in our toes.  But June also means another whole school year has passed.  We are saying goodbye to first and third grade and on our way to second and fourth.  June reminds me that time is passing swiftly and that I can't stop this tide.   So I'll hang on tight for now, and try to enjoy every moment this fleeting but fantastic season throws at me.

Welcome Summer 2016!  We are so ready for you!

Annual neighborhood last day of school celebration.