Guest Post – Meet the Parent

While we adjust to life as a family of 5, a few local bloggers kindly agreed to keep MiniBury readers entertained with tales and adventures from their own lives. Today Faith Gong introduces us to a new series called “Meet the Parent.” Faith writes the bi-weekly “Faith in Vermont” The Pickle Patch

Maxine Saville

Maine Saville is one of those moms I see all the time around town at kid-related activities, but aside from a quick “hello,” or commenting on her very adorable newborn, I’ve never had much opportunity to talk with her. Whenever I do, she always makes me laugh.

Then last month I ran into Maxine at Junebug, and she said she’d been enjoying these “Meet the Parent” profiles; that she’d learned of a mom who’d just moved into her neighborhood through reading one. So I promptly recruited her to be my next profil-ee. (Lesson: Be careful about talking to me!)

I knew I’d made a good choice when Maxine emailed me her responses, prefaced by: I am on my phone in my driveway while kids sleep (ah, peace)! What parent can’t relate? Minibury, meet Maxine! 

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY? 

Matt and I were married in 2004, Neve was born in 2010, Beck was born in 2012 and Penn was born in May 2014. And we have a bunny, Dot. 

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? 

We live in a 200-year-old house in Orwell; It’s cold in winter and hot in summer! We came to Vermont from Kingsbury, NY (near Lake George) after we got married to follow my husband’s career — he does nutrition for dairy cows with Cargill. 

WHAT’S YOUR NON-PARENT ALTER-EGO?

I taught preschool in Middlebury at Otter Creek Child Center, and volunteer on their board. I love seeing my students around town!

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH CHILDREN? 

Since it’s summer, my kids love Branbury Beach in Salisbury, but we often take the ferry to New York  to swim in Lake George. The Hague Beach just south of Ticonderoga is my favorite! It has a playground right next to the water, a big grassy picnic area, restaurants, a deli and a few shops to walk to. We’ve even vacationed there in the cabins next to the beach!

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “FAR-FLUNG” ADVENTURES TO DO WITH CHILDREN?

I’m a sucker for all my old childhood memories-so every summer we will have to take them to Magic Forest in Lake George (cheesy little round & round rides like the fair, but with a diving horse too) and then Martha’s Ice Cream across from the Great Escape.

WHERE WOULD WE BE MOST LIKELY TO FIND YOU AT 10 AM ON A SATURDAY?

Probably begging my husband to work on a house project I saw on Pinterest. 

FAVORITE ICE CREAM/CREEMEE FLAVOR?

I don’t like ice cream. It’s like, frozen milk. Like eating a frozen slice of pie. Or a frozen hot dog. Even my 2 year old complains “too cold”. But I love the peanut butter delight sundae at Goodies — I dig for the brownie while my daughter eats the ice cream.  

WHAT BOOKS DOES YOUR FAMILY ENJOY READING TOGETHER THESE DAYS?

My almost 4-year-old loves Richard Scarry books. She has the giant one called “The Best Story Book Ever” and she thinks it is. My 2-year-old boy insists every book be a tractor book. My husband enjoys “The Hoard’s Dairyman,” a monthly publication featuring the backside of a cow on its cover.  I read parenting blogs and anything with the word “Kardashian” at the top. 

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER A PARENTING “MUST-HAVE?” 

Some sort of baby carrier! Keep trying till you find one you like. 

WHAT’S SOME OF THE BEST PARENTING ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

Have a bedtime for everyone.  

WHAT’S SOME OF THE WORST PARENTING ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

Someone once told me she tied her kid to a tree to get yard work done. I didn’t ask how or where to tie them, though. Maybe she used a harness. That’s more reasonable. 

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOURSELF AS A NEW, FIRST-TIME PARENT?

“Take a shower, the baby will still be here”

THE KIDS ARE WITH A SITTER! WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “ADULT FUN” ACTIVITIES?

I never miss an auction in Bridport! I was in labor and still didn’t miss the auction (Penn was born 90 minutes after).  It’s my equivalent to hunting; you have to spot, bid and win to capture the items from the pack! It’s a rush! You never know what you ‘can’t live without’ till you get there.  And the hotdog sauce is killer.