Wells Beach 2015

We had our annual Belletete family trip to Wells Beach, ME this year.  This was our 4th year in a row going, 3rd year in the same house.  It is quite interesting to see the differences every year with the kids getting older.  Every year the tide is at a different time, which matters because the beach is covered for a good 3 hrs during the high tide.  We have done different activities each year and this is the second year in a row that Mike and I have sneaked up to Portland for a date.  Last year we met friends for dinner, this year his boss insisted that we go to this particular restaurant, so much so that he wanted to buy us dinner there.  Free babysitting and free food--count me in!  Cassam was an even bigger help this year than she was last year, and I sort of felt like I had an au pair with me!  That was pretty sweet.  Once again, I drove back to NH at the end of the week for another weekend at home with more fun and family.  This year was really great too because of how the kids all got on.

For me it was especially fun since my friend Samantha and her little baby Zoe came up for a visit one day.  We went out on the paddle boards for a spin and were probably about 20 feet from being swept out to sea.  The wind was a strong land breeze that pushed us out really fast but provided quite the hurdle getting back in.  Apparently my dad was getting really nervous and was pacing on the beach until we finally started making some headway coming back.  My oldest friend from childhood was also up in the next town over with her family for the week so I got to hang out some with her and her family.  Always an extra special treat since she lives in Telluride right now!

I truly came home from this vacation feeling just full of goodness.  I didn't want it to end at all, but it couldn't have possibly ended better than with our flash mob pool party at my grandmother's house.  Literally within 5 minutes about 20 people descended on their house and there were 10 kids in the pool.  It was an absolutely perfect ending to a perfect week.

The tide coming up on the beach means that the sand is always hard packed.  It's unique to ME beaches in my mind.  It makes for lots of good sporting on the beach, and less mess than loose sand.

Mr. D loved all the digging

Chilling on the beach

The three musketeers

Our big activity this year was going up to Old Orchard Beach.  Pretty standard small amusement park.

All the girls getting ready for a ride

Mr. D sitting solo on the end

Getting his groove on in the fire engine though!

A snuggly Zack and Kate

Checking to see if it is a girl or a boy lobster during our breakfast boat ride to see the seals.  

Who could ever get sick of this view?!?!? (From my dad's deck in NH)

One of my few attempts at a selfie

Back to ME pics (I'm too lazy to rotate them properly).  These two were trouble all around

Ellie and Charlotte waiting for the water to come and get the castle

Unfortunately Mr. D got to the castle before the water did...

Goofy faces

Rara doling out some Uno

We got a beautiful rainbow one day!

Cass and her two charges

The Frerichs

Looking for some seals

Lots of fun on the boat!

Fletcher aka Little Bill Schofield and Hazel

My big boy!

Back to Burrito Beach in NH--this excavator was quite popular with the boys

Ellie loved swimming in the lake--she's my girl!

Owen helping the kids on the tube.  Ellie actually went tubing this trip home!