Back to our happy place: Acadia

The first day we drove back into Maine, it was raining. We were tired. Oliver was pooping everywhere. We almost gave up and went home.

But we didn't.

We went to Acadia National Park and camped for a few more days.

We played in tide pools. That is Phoebe's pile of snails.

We hiked to Bar Island. I loved all these beautiful purple flowers. It was a short hike and it is only passable at low tide.

This is the summit (it's not that big of a hike, so it seems silly to mark the top with a giant rock pile, but here it is); Oliver climbed to the top of the rocks and refused to get down, so after awhile I had to just pull him off and carry him down like a football while he threw a giant tantrum. 

I went for a few runs on the carriage trails with Bruce and Phoebe on bikes.

They loooove biking. There are some big uphills that they had trouble with, but Bruce powered up them and Phoebe got a little push on the bum from me.

Success! 

We were back to tent camping and roughing it, but eating our daily s'more made it all better.

On our last full day in Acadia, we packed a lot in. Bruce and Phoebe and I went for a run/bike, then Scott and Bruce hiked Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on Mount Desert Island.

While they hiked, Phoebe and Oliver and I mailed postcards in Bar Harbor...

...went window shopping and got some chocolates...

...and went to a nature center to check out exhibits.

When the guys were done we headed to Sand Beach and stayed for hours. It was in the 60s and the water was so cold, but the kids didn't seem to mind.

Phoebe and Oliver got in the water. Bruce chose to build in the sand instead.

This place is so beautiful.

Relaxing.

Oliver fell asleep as soon as we left the beach. We were going to stay one more night but decided to pack up right then and drive back late at night. We figured they'd sleep more and fight less, which turned out to be true.