Mission accomplished!

(Kyle and me this Feb. at Quoggy Jo in Presque Isle- 215' vertical and our seventh Maine mtn. this season.)

Beneath sunny skies, Kyle and I celebrated his birthday on Saturday by completing our Ski Maine Peak to Peak Challenge with a day of spring skiing, first at Black Mountain in Rumford and then ending the day at Mt. Abram in Rumford. I wrote earlier this month about our quest to ski every mountain Maine (17 in total from Fort Kent to South Berwick) but even then with only two to go, I wasn't completely convinced we'd do it, especially after we missed a weekend to go to Virgina following the death of my grandfather. But, WE DID IT!!!

As silly as it sounds, I am really proud of Kyle and me for committing to this and carrying it out. We didn't win a gold medal or bring about world peace, but in small ways, this was a big accomplishment for us. Not only did it get us in great shape (despite what my scale is saying) but it helped deepen our appreciation for Maine's ski scene and for each other. I'm so lucky to have a spouse who shares my love of skiing, and for ridiculous road trips. What fun we had together touring and turning across the state!

Later this week, we'll submit our sheet that has signatures from each of the mountains we skied at, in hopes of winning a Ski Maine VIP pass that will allow us to ski anywhere in the state whenever we want during the 2009-2010 season. We're eager to learn who -if anyone- else completed the challenge and have already started trying to figure out where to buy a pass/passes next year if we don't win (sigh). And just for fun, Kyle and I came up with our superlatives for the ski areas we visited this season (listed below in the order we checked them off). Hopefully they'll inspire your own ski Maine adventures.

•Sunday River Ski Area in Newry- Best On Slopeside Snacking (At the Pejamajo Cafe located at the lift by the Barker Lodge, an on-snow snack shack where you can ski up to the ordering window and be noshing on a nutella and banana crepe five minutes later without ever taking off your skis or gloves.)

•Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley- Sam's Favorite Ski Area (Once a Sugarloafer, always a Sugarloafer and despite all our great experiences skiing across the state, Sugarloaf always has been and always will be my favorite for so many reasons. Yummiest base eateries like The Bag and D'Ellie's certainly don't hurt.)

•Saddleback Ski Area in Rangeley- Most Likely to Succeed (Many positive changes are scheduled at Kyle's home hill and we really enjoyed riding the new Kennebago Quad which is tucked in the treeline and takes you to top.)

•Shawnee Peak in Bridgton- Best Hooky Hill (So many bests could be listed here- Best Sliders, Best Race Series, Best Powder Day, Best Powder Night, Best Powder Poaching- but Shawnee's proximity to Portland made it our favorite place to sneak off to on Monday night after those sweet Sunday storms.)

•Hermon Mountain in Hermon- Smartest Lodge Design (The floor of the baselodge here employs radiant heat, which is a genius idea and a nice treat for frozen feet apres ski.)

•Big Rock in Mars Hill- Kyle's Favorite Ski Area and a top three for me (Given Kyle works in the energy industry, it's no surprise we dug turning with the turbines and more so, we were impressed by the quality of terrain, and the quantity.)

•Quoggy Jo in Presque Isle- Best Small Mountain Spirit (The woman at the ticket/lunch/first aid/info counter was so excited about the mountain that it made us excited to be there. In fact, everyone we encountered there - a total of six people- were so proud of little Quoggy Jo, the second smallest mountain in Maine. And we were touched by the old TV set up in the lodge so everyone could gather round and watch the local high school team play in the state hoops tourney.)

•Lonesome Pines in Fort Kent- Best Face Shots (Where in Maine will you find chest deep powder? Likely nowhere, but deep in the glades at the tippy-top of Maine, Kyle found some face shots. Snorkel anyone? Also, this mountain could qualify for Least Appropriate Moniker, there are no pines this far north, and we were thrilled to find the place packed.)

•Mt Jefferson in Lee- Best Donuts (One of the founding families of this hill still runs it, and the matriarch of that family is well into her 70s and still makes fresh donuts every day. She and everyone else there were terribly sweet and the snow was among the best we've found all season.)

•Powderhouse Hill in South Berwick- Best Biceps (The rope tow at this tiny town hill - the smallest in the state with 175 vertical feet- totally rips. It's powered by a motor run off a 1938 Ford truck and it can shred even the most durable work gloves in just an afternoon, leaving local skiers and riders with arms so toned, Michelle Obama would be jealous.)

•Baker Mountain in Moscow- Most Dedicated Volunteers (We were treated like royalty at the lodge - Kyle was given a cool logo patch for us making the trip- and we truly enjoyed talking to the volunteers about how meaningful the hill was to them and the community. Their $1 grilled cheeses were also the Best Bargain we found all season.)

•Titcomb Mountain in Farmington- Biggest Regret (I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but in the five years Kyle and I lived in Farmington, we never once skied at Titcomb though it was just a few miles from our house. We always figured it was just too small for us. The entire time we were there, we lamented what we'd overlooked, and talked about how lucky we'd be to have a hill like this in our backyard.)

•Spruce Mountain in Jay- Friendliest Local Police Department (No- not for us! But while we were there, the cops were called to deal with a testy teen, and the officer who showed up was a dear friend - and my maid of honor's husband. It was so great to catch up. Spruce also has the fastest, quietest rope tow and the best local ski shop which just happens to be a leading online distributor of race skis.

•Lost Valley in Auburn- Sam's Most Blissful Ski Moment Ever (Eating chocolate Dippin' Dots while skiing in the sun. Two of my favorite things - ice cream and spring skiing.)

•Black Mountain in Rumford- Most Underutilized (The Maine Winter Sports Center has invested heavily here, making Black a hidden gem with a stunning new lodge, a very comfortable triple to the top and some very fun trails. Maybe it's because we hit it on the second to last day of the season, but we were sad to not see more skiers and riders on these slopes. It's worth the drive and a nice alternative for families to the pricier big mountains.)

•Mt. Abram in Greenwood- Best Apres Springtime Ski Scene (On the deck with live music, $1 Heinekens and the best ski buddies made a perfect celebratory end to our Peak to Peak Challenge completion on Kyle's birthday.)

Bride's side, Vol. 9: 'Experience is the best wedding planner'

Bridal blogger: Diana (of Diana and Jason) of Portland, ME*
Connection to Maine: Bride and groom's homestate
Wedding Date: June 20, 2008
Wedding Location: Ceremony at the bride's childhood church in Caribou followed by a strawberry-themed indoor reception at the Loring Air Force Base Officer's Club.
*Click here to see original coverage of Diana and Jason's northern Maine wedding and here to view their slideshow

What I wish someone had told me about getting married was that you will feel every emotion possible, from feeling overjoyed to overwhelmed, to excited to fed up! This comes from something else that I didn’t realize—that everyone has an opinion about what you should do, but if you are lucky they will help you stay true to what really is important to you. While it is very important to do what makes you happy, please do not ignore logic!

I had first had my heart set on having the reception outside at my parent’s farm. However, I soon discovered that vendors in Aroostook County are few and far between, not to mention that relying on weather there would not be my safest bet. I ended up being happy (and far less stressed) with an indoor reception. And, although the sun was shining before, during and directly following the wedding, a lightning storm struck when we were all safe in the reception hall, making me very happy for the choice!

I also will always remember how wonderful it was to have all of my friends around. I’m glad I took the time to enjoy their company, instead of being stressed with last minute details. Having things done ahead of time allowed my bridesmaids, friends and mother to congregate in the kitchen drinking wine and relaxing the night before the wedding, helping me to go to bed relaxed, happy and ready for the day to come!

Finally, the day is going to go by so fast, so make sure you are always thinking of what is happening in the moment, rather than anticipating what will come next. What you and your husband are experiencing is the most important aspect of the day, and what you will reflect on when you look back on your wedding. All the other details, mistakes or even mini-disasters will be just a great story, but your joy that day will really will be what you remember, and what others will take from their experience there.



Biggest planning surprise: How all of the dates snuck up on me! With over a year and a half to plan, I thought I had so much time! But thinking doesn't equal doing- having set dates for when things needed to be accomplished would be helpful.

Favorite wedding planning resource: My best friend Sarah who was married the summer before- experience is the best wedding planner.

I wish I'd spent more time: talking to vendors- a week before the wedding is not a good time to realize the caterer lost his notes.



I wish I'd spent less time: worrying what everyone else may think. In the end, everyone you care about is so happy to be a part of the day, and you are so happy to have them there.

I wish I had: Tried harder to visit everyone at the reception. I felt like every time I did I was whisked away. When else will all of your favorite people be in the same room?

I wish I hadn't: Let little things bother me, even for a second! You are so happy that anything that bothers you has a very short shelf life!



I am glad I/we did: have the wedding in my home town (close to my husband's as well) although it was tricky to plan, and a pain to travel a lot in the months leading up to it, sleeping in my childhood room the night before the wedding, having all of our family there and being married in the church I grew up with was worth it.

I am glad we didn't: go on our Paris honeymoon right after the wedding. Jason was studying for the bar exam (he passed!) when we were married, so going after he was done was a double celebration. Plus, we loved our two night 'mini moon" in Quebec City following the wedding.



Favorite wedding moment: was when I saw Jason at the end of the aisle and was hit with what the day really was about.

Detail that was worth it: the many many little jars of homemade strawberry jam (thanks mom!)

Detail that was a waste: the throw away bouquet and garter-- everyone (including us) was having so much fun dancing that we forgot the traditional toss.



Best wedding splurge: the honeymoon to Paris- but worth every penny.

Best wedding steal: the shoes! Only $25, but pink, polka dotted and perfect (also soooo comfortable)!



My best advice is: Start planning as early as you can, and then delegate as the days get closer, so you can enjoy every second as much as possible.

And, for a bit of shameless self-promotion, what was your favorite part about working with Samantha Warren Weddings: Having such a wonderful friend and her husband be a part of our wedding. Having her up in the county with us, having her help keep things under control when the organist didn't show (my father had to go get her!) and the perfect moments that she captured is truly priceless.

Read Past Bride's Side Posts:
-Vol.1: 10 tips for making the "Best Day of Your Life" just that
-Vol. 2: 'Remember you are starting a life together'
-Vol. 3: Go green, but stay real
Vol.4: If I knew then, what I know now
-Vol.5: 'Try not to over think things- hard as it may be'
-Vol. 6: What to expect when you are unexpecting
-Vol. 7: 'It's all about being your collective selves'
-Vol. 8: 'A celebration of the people who shaped us'

Why a wedding album is worth it

Earlier today, I ordered Andrea and Cory their coffeetable book. Andrea and Cory were my Valentine's Day wedding couple, getting married on 2/14/09 in Freeport and I had such fun celebrating with them and their fantastic families as I documented the start of a new and wondrous chapter in their long love story. Exactly two weeks after they said their "I Do's", I sent a proof of their coffeetable book layout to them for their review, and after careful consideration, Andrea wrote me back this past weekend saying "We loved the book pages you put together... And we miss you, is that bad?" They had not a single change to the design; this is not uncommon as most clients have only a few if any changes. Well before their two month anniversary (yes, that's months not years), they'll have their book in hand, to enjoy with each other, and their family and friends.

I've been thinking a lot about wedding albums and books lately. Last week Emily, one of my brides who got married last summer at the Greystone Manor in York and is a WeddingBee blogger, shared some images of the signature album I created for her and her husband, as well as her experience creating some parent books using an online photo products site for consumers (the companies I work with cater specifically to professional photographers). In her post, she talked about why brides should definitely buy a professional wedding album, and how powerful they are at evoking emotion and bringing generations together to reminisce about the wedding day featured in the album, and their own. In the comments section below, some discussion ensued as to whether it is necessary to order an album or book from a photographer, when so many of of today's brides are web savvy enough to make their own using a service like Shutterfly, Snapfish or Blurb. It's a rather common question, especially in today's economic climate when many couples are considering where they can cut costs and thinking a professionally designed album or book is an obvious splurge to start with. Some couples tell themselves that they'll make their own book online after they get those thank-you notes sent out, or that they'll hold off and wait to order an album or book from their photographer for their first anniversary. But life soon takes over and it's an easy thing to put on the backburner. My WeddingBee bridal blogger Emily was telling me that if it wasn't for my regular reminder emails, they might still not have their album in hand. "Do you find that clients who don't purchase a package including an album never get around to getting one? I think we might have been in that boat. I'm SO glad we got it included up front," she wrote to me.

While albums and books certainly aren't for everyone, I do recommend strongly that if you do want one, you order it through your photographer. When I was starting out in the business, I couldn't understand what all the fuss about albums was but last January (2008), I went to a big industry trade show to look over albums, books, etc. After holding the albums in my hands, I finally understood. It took many months of research, connecting with a ton of other photographers and talking to clients about their needs and wants before finally arriving at the companies I decided to use for my albums and books.

Now, designing client albums is a highlight of my wedding work. It's quite a complex process as taking 1200 or so images and then selecting from those the ones that best tell the story in a timeless way is an exhausting and emotional task. I pre-design my albums and books, which means I lay them out and then clients can make changes from there. I am blessed to form close enough connections with each couple and that helps me understand what they are looking for in their album/book and as a result, they usually have very few changes.

Stephanie and Brian were one of my couples from this past summer who decided to purchase an album showcasing their Samoset Resort wedding. It arrived in the mail about two months after their wedding on the exact same day they picked Brian's mother up at the airport for a visit. The next day, Stephanie wrote me a note that I think really speaks to the value of purchasing an album from your photographer. "It's absolutely perfect and really tells the story of our big day. We couldn't be any happier," she said. "One of my friends who got married in January couldn't believe I had already created my album. She seemed surprised when I told her I left it in your hands but there really is no other way to go. Trying to create your own album must be a nightmare - you over analyze each picture until you lose the emotion that it captures. Thankfully we had a photographer we trusted to pull it all together for us! The upgrade was a good decision - we can't wait to show our grandchildren one day. We're coming home in August and our families will be very excited to get a look!"

I design all my albums free hand (instead of using a template program or turning them over to an album design company) and this process really is a true extension of my story telling beyond the story I write with my camera on the wedding day. As a longtime reporter, I can make the analogy that photographing a wedding and then not giving the client an album or book is like going out and doing all these interviews for a story, but never actually having my story printed. Plus as a reporter, I wouldn't do the legwork and then just give my notes to someone who doesn't even know how to write and ask them to write the story. The album or book is the presentation of the story, and for many people, forms the way they remember this most important day.

And to bring you some color on their dreary Monday, here are some of the sample spreads from Andrea and Cory's book. It's a 10 by 10 coffeetable book with a hinged binding, meaning the pages lay flat and none of the photograph is lost in the gutter where the pages come together. (I design each page on its own, but I've put them together here so you can see what the complete spreads would look like. The thin black line indicates where the binding would be.)

































Did you opt to order a wedding album or book from your photographer? Why or why not and if you did, what did you think of the finished product?

(And yes Andrea and Cory. I miss you too!)

Songs for my grandfather

(My paternal grandparents, Carl and Euva, with Kyle and me at our wedding in September of 2005.)

Kyle and I've been talking for many months about going to visit my paternal grandparents in western Virginia. It used to be an annual spring trip we made together, but with our impending move, we skipped it last spring and we were struggling to figure out where we'd fit it in during the coming months. (After all, if Kyle was going to take a week of work, shouldn't we trek somewhere tropical, or at the very least to Texas, where we had good friends and the weather would be warm.)

Then two Wednesdays ago, I called my grandmother to see what she thought of the birthday flowers I'd just sent. They were lilies, which I knew she loved, and I knew she'd enjoy watching the buds unfurling even after her big day had gone by. We talk often and I could tell she seemed distant as she told me how beautiful they were and how happy they'd made her. And when I asked her how my grandfather was doing, it became clear why. The previous day, they'd been at the University of Virginia Medical Center, where they learned he had a leaky valve in his heart that left it operating at 25 percent of its capacity. She kept getting confused as she explained, and so he came onto the phone and after telling me how pretty the lilies were, began explaining the rest- how there was also a black spot on his lung (he was a lifelong smoker and always kept his corn cob pipe close by) that could be cancer. I asked him if he was scared and he launched into a lengthy lesson about the circle of his life - at least as far as he saw it- and how just when you finally find peace within and realize how blessed you've been, you die. Hopefully, I will find fulfillment sooner.

At one point, I think the battery on his phone died and when I was able to reconnect, he barely stopped for a breath, telling me "Your phone cut out..." and then restarting his story in the exact same place he'd left off. You did not talk with my grandfather, he talked to you.

After we finished our conversation, I immediately emailed Kyle and told him the news, and said that while it was unlikely my grandfather would die this day or the next, we might want to make our trip to see them a priority. I really wasn't that worried, because my grandfather was always convinced death was knocking at the door (he liked to read books about the latest medical misdiagnosis and how you might be the next victim)and as a result, I was fairly certain he'd outlive us all (suffice to say, he was well preserved).

I was right. He did not die that day, nor the next, but three hours into the next day - the first of spring- he suffered congestive heart failure, and died about 30 minutes after he begrudgingly arrived at the hospital.

One of the things I always boasted about was how lucky I was to have all of my grandparents still living, especially at my age. Kyle, who is eight years older than me, also has all four grandparents living. All eight of them were at our wedding, representing a combined more than 200 years of marriage. My Virginia grandparents had been together the longest, marrying in 1947 after knowing each other only seven days.

Having all of our grandparents living has in many ways defined Kyle and me, and our schedules. With me as an only child (and no cousins to boot) and Kyle as the only adult among his sister and many cousins who lives in New England, we struggle to find the balance between spending time with our aging grandparents while we still can and building our own lives. I must admit at times we feel overwhelmed by the expectation to be at every birthday and attend every anniversary party, but whenever we stop and think about who is placing that pressure upon us, we almost always realize it is actually coming from within.

We delight in being in their company. We take to heart the wisdom they impart. We appreciate the perspective they provide. We savor their stories. And as (relative) newlyweds, we admire their affection still apparent after decades upon decades of better and worse, sickness and health, and now, death do they part.

Of course, at times, they drive us batty. Like when we were at dinner a few weekends ago in NYC and my maternal grandmother asked me pointblank "When are you finally going to get braces" because "really, who are we kidding here?" Or when we arrived in Virginia to be with my grandma last weekend and she responded to my urging her to eat more (cancer more than a decade ago has made it hard for her to retain the nutrients from her food) by chortling "But then I'll have one of those" and grabbing the rubber tire that I am all too self-conscious about already. Sometimes I wonder who these people are and how could I possibly be related to them! And then I say something like "Kyle- you look like you just broke out of Sing-Sing" and it's like I have channeled one of them in all their crazy, wacky wonderfulness.

The death of my grandfather has reminded me what I have known all along- how fortunate I have been to have these people in my life. When my dad called us before the sun had even risen that first morning of spring, I broke. Me, this person, who is always so prepared for everything had not the first idea of what to feel or think or do or say, to myself, to my dad who had recently moved from Maine back to Virginia in part to be closer with his parents and to my grandmother, who had devoted 22,612 days of her life for better but often worse to a man she adored so much she'd married him after only seven days. Over the next five days, my family put me back together in the most unexpected ways: when we comprised a third of the congregation at the church we took my grandmother to for Sunday service; as we laughed and ate sushi with my dad, stepmom and Kyle on a rock in a river during a hike deep in the mountains; and when three generations of my family (myself, my dad and my grandmother) sang as one along with a recording by my grandfather of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" around the tiny wooden box sitting in the dirt that contained his ashes.

My grandfather was a hardened and at times hostile man- from poverty as a child and from pain (brought on by crippling arthritis) in recent years. I was as close to him as I believe his personality made possible. Yes, he was flawed, but in his absence, it is not those shortcomings that left me sobbing in the shower or at the sandwich shop. For he was still the man who made my father, the man who bought me my first little red wagon, the man who to my delight took me to every Civil War battlefield within a 100 mile radius of his home (though he considered it "The War of Northern Aggression"), the man who made me spicy homefries every single morning that summer I lived with them because he knew how much I loved them, the man who helped spark a passion for storytelling and the man who danced with me at my wedding while wearing a wicked grin and his trademark cowboy hat. As a friend remarked at our reception after learning who my grandfather was- "There is one in every family." He was my granddaddy, and that's how I'll always remember him.

When I was younger, my dad used to chide me for not calling my grandparents enough, reminding me that they won't be here forever. He was right, and I am beyond thankful that I talked to my granddaddy less than two days before he died, and that he got enjoy those perky pink lilies in his final hours, as well as the daffodils my grandmother picked for him the day before he died, because he'd been admiring them out the kitchen window.

To this day, I see my grandparents -all of them- as larger than life, and until I was woken by a ringing phone on Friday, March 20, I've always figured they were immortal. Today I know they are. They will always live on through me.

To learn more about my grandfather, Carl W. DePoy (German, not French as he always noted when signing off on the internet genealogy forums he contributed to) you can read his obituary here or a story done after his death on his contributions to the Shenandoah Valley's music scene here. You can also see the local television station's tribute to him here or see their coverage of a jam session held in his honor here.