Preparations for the Maritimes and Reentry

Happy Wednesday!! This post is coming to you a little earlier than usual because this weekend we'll be heading to the easternmost (and last!!) point on the American roads system checklist- West Quoddy Head Lighthouse!! Hmmm, the easternmost point in the continental United States starts with "West"? Fun fact: It's because the East Quoddy Head Lighthouse is in New Brunswick, Canada. Does "Quoddy" sound familiar to you? It should if you've ever watched Disney's 1977 version of Pete's Dragon. The movie is set in the fictional village of Passamaquoddy, Maine! The name was inspired by the native Passamaquoddy People who live in Maine and New Brunswick, and they are still here today.

After that, we'll be heading to Oak Island, Nova Scotia, which has been the subject of much speculation over the years due to legends of Templar treasure. My husband and oldest son have been following the show "The Curse of Oak Island" since it began. Of course we probably won't be able to go near the dig sites but seeing the subject of such speculation in person will be a thrill!

Our final destination before we head back will be Prince Edward Island. The 12 year old part of me is absolutely giddy over this!! I mean, being able to see the home of Anne of Green Gables with my own eyes!? *Swoon* In fact, the Green Gables Heritage Place just opened for the season this week which means we'll be there early enough in the season to enjoy it before things get too busy. The icing on the cake is that 2017 is the 150th Anniversary of Parks Canada and to celebrate, they're allowing people access to the parks for free!! Just be sure to pick up a 2017 Discovery Pass at one of their locations or order one online.

May has arrived, which means we're nearing the end of the school year and we need to start preparing for next year. This is hard for me because everything in me is screaming "Noooo! We still have four more months! Don't start the countdown to home just yet!!" but reality says that it's time to get the ball rolling. We've been discussing with the kids what they'd like to do. Homeschooling is still an option, but they're older now, which means they need to be the ones directing the future of their education. And so, next year everyone has decided to rejoin their beloved friends and reenter the traditional school system. I'm not upset by this because our particular district is pretty great and my husband and I will be there to keep an eye on their progress. That's the most important thing, right? That you are paying attention and actively participating in your childs education. After all, we're not sending our kids to daycare. We're helping them to grow into functional and responsible adults who can make important decisions and positively contribute to their communities.

We still have time left to explore, though, so last weekend we moved up our visit to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor (or "Bah Habah" if you're a Mainer ;-)). This way we had time to see everything instead of having to rush through on our way to PEI. It was a beautiful drive!

I suspect it's absolutely breathtaking in the middle of summer and in fall, when all the trees have their leaves and the colors are turning. One day we'll have to make it back up here to see it. For now, the trees are starting to bud and businesses are either still closed or barely open. Because of this, we didn't see many people. We've been told, however, that after Memorial Day Maine becomes flooded with tourists and weekend residents, which is why we're happy we came when we did. It's given us a chance to meet the locals and freely explore places that are usually jammed during the summer months.

On our way home we drove through Bangor and passed by Stephen King's house. It was really fun to see the iron gates he has out front, complete with bats, spiders, and webs. The house is gorgeous!

If you know anything about him, then you know how much he loves his home state and how often he uses it in his stories. For example, in The Shawshank Redemption he talks about hiding a box by a field in Buxton. Well, we went there too but no box... I guess Red beat us to it.

Last, but not least, it's time to announce the winner of our little giveaway! Thank you to everyone who commented. We really do love hearing from you.

And the winner is...... Faye Curnow!! I'll get your package in the mail today! Congratulations, Faye!!

Until next Wednesday!! The next few weeks will be even more eventful than this one!

- Jen