New Hampshire

On our way to NH we passed through Waterbury VT, the home of Ben and Jerry's. We (ok, me really) had to stop for a tour. Sadly, Peter got sick in the car (and had a fever for the next two days) so Pat stayed out on the grass with him and Jamison and I had to go alone. At the end of the tour they gave out icecream! Cowalate (vanilla icecream with fudge cows in it)Peter was able to stand in for Jerry on a fun photo opportunity. I promised him when we got home that he could pick some B&J icecream out from the grocery store. We made it to NH to visit Pat's uncle Culley and Aunt Donna and they were very gracious to show us all around NH. First stop was the Rock Shop in Conway. The boys could have spent the entire day in there looking at all the treasures! There was even a meteorite display. Uncle Culley told the boys they could pick out a treasure, man! were they excited. The man in the store told them they had to keep them wrapped up until they got home. It was hard but once we pulled up in the driveway at home, that was the first thing they wanted to take out of the car! I think the gator has Jamison on his menu! The off to Mt Willey. The mtns were beautiful! Uncle Culley was on a mission to capture the boys in film....the boys were playing hard to get!Man! my husband is strong! that rock was in the way of the walking path and moved it all by himself! About 5 minutes after Donna told us to keep our eyes out for moose, we found one! (photo taken by Culley, my picture looks like a tiny brown dot). Then off ot Mt Washington, the highest peak in NH (and i think NE, but I dont know my geography very well). And in front is the Mount Washington Hotel. It was booked, so we did not stay there (ha!). We stopped at the Cog Railway and check out its museum. We could have gone up....but when we learned the only way down was on the "Devil's Shingle" at about 60 mph we decided not to. (ok, that is not true, you could take the train down, but some nutball did it under 3minutes!) Off a beaten path was the Madison Boulder. Largest "rock" I have ever seen. Sadly there were some hoodlems spray painting it when we got there....we wish we would have taken their license plate number. Pat then decided it to be a goal of his to visit every Madison in the country. I think that is a little ambitious. Second day at Culley and Donna's brought us to the ocean. We checked out a cool state park with tidal pools and salt marshes. We looked and looked but only found 1 tiny crab. Maybe the family christmas card photo? Jamison has become very interested in taking photos....he took some pretty good ones! Culley was able to capture the elusive Peter.! (Peter was a trooper, still fighting a fever! but was a bit over sensitive....he and Jamison fought a lot during the hike). Say "HERONS!" Fun picture of Jamison in a tall tree- but this is what was right before that. What a parent will do for a cute picture. For a little history lesson, we stopped at Fort Consitution (aka Fort William and Mary). There was a sign that told visitors to stay on the blue line. I told the boys if they stepped off the blue line they would be arrested....they walked the straight and narrow. The boys did not really take in the history, but when they were told this is where they kept the big guns, they were interested. I love a nice light house. We stopped at a fun restaurant in Portsmouth where the boys enjoyed M&M pancakes and then Donna told them they could pick out a toy from the toystore for an early birthday present. Jamison picked out twin chinchillas and Peter picked out a dragon. Oddly, the chinchillas and dragon played well together. I thought the monster chinchillas would tag team the dragon and take him down! Thanks Uncle Culley and Aunt Donna! Then to Maine (to get another state checked off of our list!) for some ocean swimming and lobsters. The boys had a blast! and claimed that the ocean was colder than Lake Superior.

Right before the wave broke......And it took them both down! Sorry lobsters, you are going to have to be eaten! And they were tasty!!!!! Also, the boys now know what it means when they take hot showers and we say that you are red as a lobster! Thanks Uncle Culley and Aunt Donna for a great time!!!!