Noah had his first ice skating lesson today.He had never been out on the ice before.All the kids clung to the wall to start and then the coaches asked them to come out on the ice.Noah was the first one to step forward!
I have a bunch of New Year’s resolutions this year, one of them is to post more pictures. Lots of good memories this year and some big changes. Here is Noah flying his robot kite in Deering Oaks Park during the visit from my Mom and sister in September.
Just before the July 4th Holiday we were pleased to have the Grandparents come up for the weekend. We all took a trip to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum where they have an operating steam engine you can take a short trip on. Noah had a blast, of course if you know Noah that goes without saying. Claire got excited as well when they blew the whistle. Us grownups geeked out on all the history.
I guess I need to pay more attention when Noah and I play our nightly chess match. I fell prey to a classic mistake, keeping my king locked in after castling. Noah captured my rook with his queen, I didn’t even see it coming. Never underestimate a four year old!
A week ago we all took the ferry to Peaks Island which is the largest island in Casco Bay. Not far from the ferry dock there is a small beach where the kids went wild. Claire started off wearing a dress but in the end was wearing just a diaper. Make no mistake, the water in this picture is fairly cold.
Deering Oaks Park is a 50 acre city park a few streets south of us. Among other things, it sports a wading pool with fountains that randomly switch on and off. It kept the kids and myself entertained for hours today. Whenever we are at the park I meet people from all over Portland and beyond. I am proud to call it our neighborhood park.
Well, we have been in Maine for about a month and things couldn’t be better. We are living on the first floor of a old Victorian house downtown. We are a few blocks from everything, Deering Oaks Park, my office, Thai food. Here is Noah at East End Beach, which is on the Eastern Promenade. He doesn’t seem to care the water is freezing!
We picked up the moving truck this morning. Here are the kids playing around in it before we started filling it with all our worldly possesions. It is amazing how many things one collects and how you only realize it when you try to move them all.
Things are getting close. This morning the egg Ginny cracked for breakfast had a double yolk. Noah has his last day of school tomorrow. We pick up the moving truck and start loading up. Everything is in boxes and ready to go. It still seems so unreal that the day has finally arrived, it has been such a long time coming. Ginny’s folks arrive tomorrow to lend a hand. The day after the kids, Ginny, and Grandma head over to Portland, Oregon to stay with my folks for a day and see Ginny’s sister Audrey graduate. Grandpa and I stay behind to finish loading the truck and hit the road. Here is a picture of us the *last* time we left Moscow.
