A Big Announcement

When we came to Connecticut we signed up for three years knowing that if nothing else we would end up in Seattle.  We have enjoyed our time on the East Coast, but knew we wanted to be back in the West and closer to family.  Over the last eight months there were talks of us moving to Chicago for year or two and we got excited to try out another part of the country. Those talks continued until a month ago when we got a call asking Sam to come to Boise.  We are so excited, Boise had always been at the top of our list, but we didn't know if it was a possibility.  After a month of talks and waiting it is official.

 

We are moving to Idaho!

New England Tour: Day 5

Day five was spent mostly in the car.  We drove from Portland, ME to Stowe, VT.  On the way to saw some of New Hampshire including a trip up Mt. Washington. 

 

 About to drive up Mt. Washington

 

 GPS not too much help

good thing there was only one road

 

At the summit

(a little colder  and windier up here)

 





 

 

 

 

It gets so windy up here this building is chained down

 



The stairs from the parking lot to the summit

I got to climb these twice carrying kids

got to love last-minute potty "emergencies"

 



View from the top

 



Warning signs on the way down

 



We made it

 

 

After that adventurous drive we stayed in the car enjoying the scenery until we reached our hotel in Stowe, VT.

 



How one with a glued head enjoys a bath

New England Tour: Day 4

Day four was also our eighth wedding anniversary.  Today we made our way from Boston to Portland with stops in Salem to learn about witches, New Hampshire for some ice cream, a lighthouse, L.L. Bean and an unplanned stop to make sure we never forgot this anniversary.

 

Salem, Massachusetts:

 





 

 



Bewitched

 



Had to stop

 



and take a picture

 



 at every one

 

Back on the road: 



We made a special stop in Portsmouth, NH for ice cream we couldn't pass up the chance to try Annabelle's Natural Ice Cream.

So Excited

 



Showing off her White Pistachio

 



Enjoying their New Hampshire Pure Maple Walnut

 

Back on the road.



Our next stop was at the Portland Head Light.  We enjoyed the view and stretching our legs after spending so much time in the car.

Flamingo Stance

 



Running Free

 

We then headed up to Freeport, Maine and the flagship L.L. Bean store before heading back to Portland and our hotel.  The kids enjoyed playing in the kayaks and seeing the animal displays.

 



With the boot

Going for a row

 



Big Indian on Route 1

 

 

Once we got to the hotel the kids still had a little more energy.  Their roughhousing got a little out of hand and Annabelle's head met the corner of the wall.  With that we got to add one more stop to our trip: Maine Medical.  She did great and got her wish (no pokes) they ended up gluing her head back together.



The Patient

 

 

We returned to the hotel to enjoy our cold pizza and toast our eight years together.  Definitley an anniversary we will never forget.

New England Tour: Day 3

On Day 3 we were headed to Boston, but took the scenic route.  Our first stop was at the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory.

Before heading in

 



After wih the truck and their free samples

 

 

Our next stop was Plymouth, MA to see the rock of course. 



 



 

 

 

Then we were on our way to Boston.  Our first stop there was visit to the Public Garden and a ride on the Swan Boats.  We then enjoyed a late lunch at Cheers before tackling the Freedom Trail.

 



 

With George Washington Statue

 

 

Cheers!

 

Our tour guide starting down the red line

 

Massachusetts State House

 



Graveyard, where many important historical people are buried

including Samuel Adams

 



Ben Franklin and Annabelle at the first public school site in America

 

Riding the Democratic Donkey

 

"Standing in Opposition" to it

 

 

Old State House

 



Site of Boston Massacre

 



 Us with statue of Sam Adams in front of Faneuil Hall

 

Annabelle and the macaroni

 

Becca, Annabelle, and Paul Revere

 



Old North Church



Annabelle had to have pictures with all statues even the fish

 

 

After seeing the Bunker Hill Monument from afar (we had done enough walking and carrying children) and the USS Constitution up close we took a boat ride (again to avoid walking) to our car.

 



 

After a very busy day we got settled into our hotel.  I forgot to bring in our bag of books, but that didn't stop Annabelle from getting a story before bed.