Our family headed out to the east coast for the July long weekend to visit Derek's old stomping grounds in Boston and to finally spend some long overdue quality time with his dear friend, Jason, and his family. Boston is always fun and we had such a great time walking around the city, so much walking that in the second half of the first day there, we stopped in at Walgreens to get a $30 stroller that's proven to be worth its weight in gold. Then we finally hit the road to Maine for some serious R&R. As soon as we drove towards any New England seaside village, the essence of relaxation found us. No schedules, no stress, just togetherness. It's like the license plate of Maine states: Vacationland. We have arrived!

Life in Maine is simple. Away from the hustle and bustle and chaos of traffic (patterns) in Boston, here you can smell the salty ocean air, the sun glows more golden, the beaches are unparalleled. When we first heard the news that Jason and Elisa are packing up their city home in Boston and moving out to the  town of York, Maine, we were extremely happy for them but wondered what it would be like to adjust to a completely different pace of life. It didn't take us long to figure out why when we we arrived. The people are so friendly here; the local butcher and bakers happy to help and offer advice for which is the best cut or why it's sinful to close the lid on a fresh pie. Even a mucking around along the river bank one morning promises you fresh lobster sightings - Jason and Derek, you really need to improve on your "lightning" speed skills because we want lobsta next time!

The icing on the cake for our visit is we get to spend time with our dear friends, Jason and Elisa, and their beautiful 3-year old twins, Desmond and Mina. Believe it or not, this was the first time our kids ever met! And just like Jason and Derek, they hit it off like a house on fire! I think there has been some speculation about the laws of attraction for our children, who would get along best, and sure enough, Des and Janie are two peas in a pod, getting down right dirty and Mina and Elliotte, working on puzzles together. It was so interesting to observe and made us happy to see how our children enjoyed each other. Derek and I are so happy to be in their company and happy for them that they have made this simple life such a beautiful one.

I wanted to say thank you the one way I know how. I don't ever know if it's something a family might want, I just insist that they will be something they will cherish. This is not my ego talking - it's something I really believe in. So I asked for an evening walk to document a small slice of their life. No ring around the rosey moments here.

When the mozzies started to eat us alive, it was time to head home for milk and snacks before bedtime. It was the perfect end to our last night with our very dear friends. Yes, we wanted so much for Jason and Derek to open up a practice together and we wish we live closer. But this is a pretty sweet second story, which we will try and link with visits and getaways together. Thank you for having our clan and sharing your love. We love and miss you so much and look forward to our next adventure together, hopefully this time with our dogs!