Campobello Island and FDR's Summer Cottage

Last weekend, we went on a day trip with my parents to Campobello Island. Which houses the summer home of the 32nd President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. Campobello Island is part of the province of New Brunswick in Canada. On the Island is The Roosevelt International Park, which is looked after by both Canada and the USA. It's on Canadian soil but is part of America's heritage. To get to the Island you can go by ferry from Canada or you must cross into Maine and go over on a bridge. You go through USA customs on one end of the bridge and on the other side of the bridge Canadian customs. As far as I know it is the only International Park.

The Roosevelt Cottage

The Visitor Center when you first enter the park . Did I mention the cost to explore this park & the houses ?

$0 ! Everything was free :) So impressed by that ! Great place to visit !

The flag pole in the front lawn, bearing the flags from both countries. 

I did take pictures of all 34 rooms in the cottage but won't bore you with a picture of every single room, so will just post a few of my favorites. I should mention the cottage has 18 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Also all the furniture and decorations are the originals except for 4 pieces .

One of the six bathrooms. Check out that scale next to the bathtub :)

Master Bedroom

The School Room for the Roosevelt children.

My homeschool kiddos getting an American and Canadian History lesson right smack dab in the middle of the summer :)

The Laundry Room . How would you like to wash your clothes like that ?

Pantry

More Pantry

Formal Dining Room

This used to hang from a rope on the front porch, it's how Eleanor Roosevelt called for her children to come in from playing ...... I need me one of those !

The Ice House

Still had all the original tools 

The side and front view of the house ...

This is where the original cottage of FDR's parents stood. This is where FDR starting coming every summer in 1883 from the time he was one year old.

This is the Hubbard Cottage. It is next door to the Roosevelt cottage.

Still had the original pool table ....

This is the window in the Dining Room ! I know it doesn't look real, it looks like we are looking at a picture .

But here it is ! Very Real :)

Walking down to the dock. The hand holding may have been suggested by their mother for a picture :)

More of the little Island to come later .......

Feel free to check out the site to this beautiful Island :

http://www.visitcampobello.com/

Picnic

Every once in awhile you need to grab a blanket, fix some yummies, find a shady tree ...

and just sit & relax .....

Enjoy watching the kiddos play and imagine ....

Because they will only be little for about a minute more ......

Canada Day ~ Holiday Weekend

 This past weekend we celebrated Canada Day ! It happened to fall on a Sunday this year which ment we didn't go to any celebrations in the morning . So instead we had a bar-be-que after church.

The cousins that were around that day! 

All ready for the parade .....

My little Canadians :)

Red & White 

Proud colors of our Country .....

Beautiful waterfront .....

Waiting for the parade ....

Which was only about 5 min long .......

Oh well ......

My girls walking on the boardwalk ......

Enjoying the sunshine and the HEAT ....

Finally :)

Little Man holding tightly to his flag .....

After the parade it was time to cool off ......

Cooper is finally over his fear of the water .....

Taking the plunge and doing the doggie paddle all on his own ......

Daddy was home from work for the holiday, which ment plenty of time to play!

Who else would beable to throw the girls in the air ?

Higher and Higher .......

The kids would live in my Aunt & Uncle's pool, so thankful that they don't seem to mind the noise and the splashing ..... Newsflash ..... You are more likely to have summertime company if you own a POOL ! Betcha didn't know that one right ???  :)

Something about the water that always draws people towards it ....

Just to sit and talk ......

Or throw rocks in to .......

Some of our fireworks watching family  :)

The sun going down over the water 

Now it's dark enough for fireworks !!!

This is the exact point in the evening where we discovered that we had parked our chairs in front of a maple tree, therefore blocking most of the fireworks ......

We were able to see them once they went a little higher .....

Hopefully we'll have the smarts to find a better seat for the Fourth of July ones in ME. tomorrow night .....

Yesterday morning we got up bright and early to go to the strawberry field.

Around here when things are in season you pick them and store lots extra for the 7-8 months fresh local produce is not available.

Little Man just can't resist trying a few ......

Mag's worked hard and was nonstop help .....

Little Man was more like the Foreman of us strawberry pickers :)

Yummy !!!!

There is nothing better than fresh strawberries to eat ......

These ones got squashed and put in the freezer for the winter....

Will be picking my jam making berries in a few days .....

We saw this bike at the end of someones driveway - For Free ! Cooper could not be prouder. We got it so he could have a bike at his Mimi & Bampi's to ride. Never mind the brand new one that we got him for his last birthday that he has zero interest in riding ! So see ~ kids don't care if it's new or used. Brand new prices aren't what makes things special :)