IN MAINE . . .

Get atrociously sunburnt and daydream of a windswept shack perched along the bluffs of the sea . . . Maaaaaiiiiiine!! 

I liked Maine. I think I liked Maine best. Ughhh I looooved Maine. I liked just about everything about it. Except for maybe lobster. But I mean that only insofar as I didn't like their flavor. I think on a friend-to-friend basis we'd actually do just fine. 

Maine was so flippin picturesque that I practically broke my phone taking so many photos. And then I promptly broke my brain when trying to narrow them down. So instead there's a jump to preserve the sanity, and if you decide to spring for it, there are enough photos and thoughts and what-we-dids to last you an entire 10 minutes, easily.

Let's break this up into sub-segments so as not to overwhelm the senses. Ready?

EATING LOBSTER & NOT DYING /

In classic Natalie fashion I did some solid pre-stressing about my maybe-allergy to lobster before we left for the trip. It's a long story. Basically, I think I'm allergic? Based on anecdotal evidence? And how was I going to enjoy myself properly in Maine if I couldn't partake of the red devil with my family? What would I be missing?!? I even tried to get an allergy panel done so I would know scientifically whether or not I would be dying, but it didn't come together so I decided to be brave and just eat one already and maybe die, maybe not, but at least I'd have my parents with me.

This story ends mostly anticlimactically because I'd gone just one bite into my heroic "try-it-and-see" stunt when I decided I didn't really like the way it tasted all that much, and therefore, none of it really even mattered. 

So I finished everybody's potato chips for them instead. 

Brandon took his Good Dad duties to another level this trip. This one-lobster marionette was a rather high-class act. Many fart jokes. Occasional lobster parts in your face.

EXPLORING THE TOWNS /

We stayed in a cute Airbnb in South Portland and spent a day driving about to the various vacation towns to try out their fudge shops. Kennebunkport, York, Ogunquit. Each town was somehow more beautiful than the last, it was insane.

And a bit more of South Portland . . .

South Portland was the only town that included half a bear sticking out of a flatbed.

Dogs in scuba gear, however, did require some traveling.

Wait wait--

Worth it. 

EXPLORING THE DOCKS /

There is just something so romantic about these quaint fishing towns. I could do it, the moody New England weather and the buoys on the water and that constant smell of fish guts. I could do it this second. 

WATCHING THE SUN SETS /

Maine pulls together some really spectacular sunsets. We somehow managed to be outside in a place that was gorgeous every night as the sun went down. There might not be a bad spot for beauty in the entire state.

BEACH DAY /

I brought my instax along and very much enjoyed all my consistently crappy shots. It's like a skill to do this that badly. If it wasn't over exposed it was under exposed and some of the time they just came out black. Fun.

Seagull Story Time: On the walk over to meet the boys at the beach, my mom + I picked up a few cookies from the local coffee shop. Once we got settled, here comes this turkey, waltzing right up like he was going to be cute, before sneakily grabbing the cookies from my bag in his beak--the whole stack of them!-- and then flying off over the water AS IF he even knew what to do with those things once he got inside the saran wrap. I sprinted after him with my arms waving, all, "oh no you don't!" until he dropped the suckers + flew off + I realized the entire beach was staring at me.

But the cookies were worth it. 

WALKS ON THE COAST /

Oh come onnnnnnn.

I want to be this guy when I grow up. 

And I want to live in that shack.

And I want to kiss that grouchface on the cheek.

All this gorgeous scenery gave me such a jonesing for a trip up to Prince Edward Island. Wouldn't an Anne of Green Gables pilgrimage be the only thing that could improve upon this view? I sincerely think that is going to have to happen. 

OCEAN BY DUSK /

This water was frigid.

But we enjoyed it anyway.

Gross! ;)

We all got fully soaked + sandy + salty. It was absolutely perfect.

PORTLAND ACROSS THE WATER /

Too busy seeing the lighthouses to remember to see the actual city? Good work, us.

Brandon was up before the crack every morning to investigate the lighthouses + capture these ridiculous photos of the day's first sun. 

We rational people had our explorer take us to his favorite spots a few hours later :). Sunrise appreciators, us Lovins. Not partakers. 

HEY THANKS, MAINE /

The End.