When I was 7, I had a friend forced upon me. My grandmother & her mother worked together and were great friends. We wee girls were the same age, we had similar interests in reading, piano & singing, and wasn’t it just the cutest thing that her name was Alissa – oh the similarities. Including the fact that neither of us wanted to admit that we liked each other – no one wants their friends chosen for them! We hated each other when we were together and missed each other when we were apart.

Through the years we sussed it out and through thick or thin, we’re there for each other. Round about middle school my grandparents and I started to vacation with Lis and her family in North Conway at their time share, some of the best memories of that time in my life were hanging around the NC being Lis^2. I hadn’t been back since the summer after Freshman year in high school though (14 years ago!)

It just so happened she had an extra bed & I didn’t have a wedding the weekend she was going up this year – the stars aligned in our favor and on 08.08.08 we were back in the NC again!

Despite forecasted rain, rain & more rain, we actually had quite a bit of sun! And I got to play with my new Shootsac!

Espresso – the nectar of the gods. SO TRUE.

Mostly I used my point and shoot, this was after all my weekend “off”, but I couldn’t resist breaking out the big guns and taking a few minutes to photograph her nieces & their best friends who’d already started the great tradition of family/friend vacations.

Miss Emily – 3 years old, Lis’ niece. Firecracker, Ginger, and all around individual unique spirit.

The other miss Emily – 3 years old and so so reserved. Shy, demure, lovely and sweet.

Lillian – 7, The other Miss Emily’s older sister. Her mannerisms & personality remind me SO much of me when I was a little girl – right down to the french braids and whispy’s.

And then there is Killian – 7, Lis’ other niece. If I had even 1/100th of this girls energy I would be more caught up on my blogs & housework!

I’m going to have to find a picture of Lis & I when we were this age – but as far as the story goes, it’s a little surreal. Melissa, Alissa – Lillian, Killian – age 7 BFF’s!

I had such a great time on my mini-vacation, we hope to make it a more regular thing now that we’re grownups and can drive ourselves around 🙂