If you were in Maine this summer, you know it was one of the best summers we've ever had. While many of you were roasting in unbearable heat, we actually had an unbelievable string of 80-degree sunny days (sorry to brag) that led to tons of outdoor fun. It's hard to remember all the fun stuff we did this year, but here's a quick recap of the best stuff we did this summer. Hopefully, you've got some great memories yourselves. (Also, sorry if you can't see the YouTube videos - they show up as blank spots if you're using Safari to browse. Switch over to Firefox or Chrome and they look great!)

10. Well, I'll just show you Clearwater Pond:


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It doesn't get more pristine and beautiful. We just about grew gills we spent so much time there. I would also mention our local Crystal Lake, except that there was an e coli outbreak there that both closed the place down all summer and creeped my right out.

9. There are all kinds of great summer events here in Maine. But it's hard to beat the Yarmouth Clam Festival. We go mostly for the lime rickeys. Don't know what they are? You're missing out.

8. Glen had a ton of fun building the new swing set. We had a ton of fun helping him test it out:



7. We invented a new game called Slam Ball (it may not actually be a new game). Everyone stands in a circle around the person who is "it" and is holding a bouncy ball. The it person slams the ball down and everybody runs in all directions until and the it person yells "stop" when he catches the ball. Then the person gets 10 minus his age of steps toward the closest person. If he hits that person with the ball, the hit person is now it. If not, everyone circles up and he's it all over again.

This worked really well until kids figured out they could just bounce the ball lightly on the ground and grab it quick before anyone ran very far. That prompted me to tell them the game is not called "Wimpy Drop Ball."

6. My daughter and I hit a Portland Sea Dogs game. She got a free ticket from the library for reading a bunch of books this summer and I plunked down $6 for a bleacher seat and we had a blast. Of course, she mostly liked the ice cream in the upside down helmet, but I think she enjoyed watching the game, too. They're the Red Sox affiliate and they play in a great little stadium downtown where they even have a replica green monster. Sure, the major leagues are great, but for the money the minors are hard to beat.

5. Okay. It's true that the ocean in Maine is, as they say here, wicked cold, but we still gave it a go a few times. Judging by my children, the key to dealing with the cold is screaming at the top of your lungs. A few of our sand castles were likely worthy of some kind of architectural award recognition.

4. I'm not sure about some of the crazy Wiffle Ball tournaments I've read about lately, but I'm a huge fan of the game. I think the best version is home run derby. Our particular rules are simple: Five swings each per inning. Nine inning game. Most home runs win. A home run is a ball hit off the roof of the house. Over the house is a grand slam. Grand slams are game changers people. Game changers.

3. Um, remember when we went to California?


Okay, it was May 20, so not quite summer, but if felt like summer because it was California.

2. We got this crazy fun sprinkler that's inflatable and shaped like a globe and probably four feet tall. On a hot day, there isn't much that's more fun than running around the globe as it spits out water and cools you right down. The kids made up a game where they'd take the sleds out of the shed and fill them up with water and then toss huge splashes on each other. Who says sleds are winter toys only?

1. Talk about a good time. We just loved giving this house to Leif through the Make a Wish Foundation. Great, great family and people.



Of course, there were a ton of other fun things we did this summer, but we don't want to fill the internet all the way up now do we? If you've got something great you did this summer, feel free to let us know on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear it. And if they happened to involve Crooked Houses? All the better. Post pictures!