Last week Nathan and I took off on an adventure to New England. We planned this trip last year as we knew our 10 year anniversary was coming up and we wanted to travel somewhere new, together. We've found that these little adventures are marriage boosters. We love our munchkins but sometimes you just need a little parent "time out" to reconnect and get back on the same team with the same strategy. You return loving each other more and your kids more. Double win!
Here's how we planned this. We thought about some place warm and beachy but I knew I'd have a hard time relaxing if I was left with space to think about the boys, at home. Then we chatted about traveling to Europe or Costa Rica but again, seven or more days was going to be a long time away from a 5 and 2 year old and would probably speed up the aging process for my in-laws (bless them)! We also didn't want to fight jet lag or spend most of our away time on an airplane rather than at the destination.
We continued to think about what would be fun and new to do together that might be boring for older kids later on in life. New England it was! We wanted to see what fall in New England was really about and wow, did we ever! We couldn't have asked for a better trip. The weather was stunning and the leaves were just right. The pictures speak for themselves. So, here you go! - If you're in the midst of planning a trip, really, consider New England at the end of September. I cried... Okay, I cry easy, but I was so overwhelmed by God's beauty! Fall is my favorite!
Note of warning - you may experience severe emotions of jealousy when seeing these photos, please turn back now if it's too much the bare. ;)
First stop, right outside our hotel room door: the U.S.S. Constitution.
The view from the Navy yard.
We raced on to the Boston Commons. I remember seeing the swan boats when I was little. 5 or 6 maybe, when we lived in Cape Cod. But the boats were away for the season. The park was still gorgeous!
Here's Nathan being a stud like George Washington whose behind him. We love George (read 7 Men and you will too)!
A pic for my parents. I remember visiting the cheers bar. I never watched the show but it was a hoppin place then and it still is now!
Westward, onto Cambridge to check out Harvard.
I thought I would definitely feel smarter walking through those gates... Nope. Still me. And I couldn't help but notice how young the students looked. Sweet babies! All stressed out in their cute east coast attire. Some sport-in their backpacks. Aww!
Then we headed north through the worst driving/traffic I've experienced since visiting LA. The kind of traffic that causes back seat drivers and their husbands to file divorce papers. Thankfully, my husband is very gracious! Oh!!! and don't get me started on Siri. We're going to need some counseling to mend our relationship. There's a lot of broken trust there...
By some sort of miracle we made it to Lake Winnipesaukee. We wanted our trip to include #1 foliage, #2 ocean and #3 a cabin on a lake. Done.
The Bayside Inn. Lovely little place. The rooms, ehh... but the view made up for them.
There was a charming little open shack with a fireplace and bar on the side of the lodge. At about 9pm we decided to take a peak and see if we could light a fire. That's when Marilyn caught us looking from afar and beckoned us in... then she chatted us into our seats. Her husband Mike came along, then another young couple and we all told stories until 10:30... Mike and Marilyn have visited every year for nice years. They swear by the place mainly because of the shack - they were people people. :)
We moved on up into the white mountains in New Hampshire. A friend of mine and her family gave us the suggestion to drive the Kangamangus highway and so we did, and was it memorable!
When we started the highway drive up into the mountains we came across this view... That's when I started to cry. Overwhelmingly breathtaking!
Look at all of those colors? How is that even... I mean.. WOW GOD!
We also came across a covered bridge and a bunch of white churches (they're real! I mean really real, they exist, not mythical unlike the unicorn...)
Then we made our way to Maine for Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Not before stopping at a roadside stand for some apple cider and maple syrup. Yeah, it happened. Check. Done. Unbelievable...
First stop in Bar Harbor: Lunch! Ever heard of a Lobster roll? I hadn't until this very moment -
Yummy in the tummy!
I made him do this. It wasn't voluntary.
We enjoyed taking in the sites from some Maine-esk Adirondack chairs.
We stayed at this inn, Bass Cottage Inn and it was worth every penny. Beautiful place inside and out. We felt like a million bucks. Pampered.
Then we took a drive around the park.
That's my house in heaven, the one on the left. You're all welcome to visit. ;)
That's my house in heaven, the one on the left. You're all welcome to visit. ;)
Otter Cliffs.
What's this guy doing? Oh just painting... you know... It's a lovely day to paint some Maine scenery.
Bass Lighthouse
Then on to find some dinner! Thurston Lobster Pound was unsuspecting. It was the busiest place on the West side of the Island by far and oh so yummy!
Here's how they caught them. The bays were colored with lobster buoys bobbing about everywhere.
Here's how they caught them. The bays were colored with lobster buoys bobbing about everywhere.
There he is! I have a video of him...
He was scrumptious!
Our view during dinner.
We then walked around Bar Harbor which is a lot like Seaside, Oregon.
We made the best decision of the whole trip. To catch the sunrise the next day.
We left Bar Harbor 24 hours from when we landed and headed to Kennebunkport, Maine. We stopped in Portland on the way. More piers, more sailboats, more brick. Lots of padlocks?!?
The weather turned at that point and I was a little picture tuckered out so I didn't take many that day. Kennebunkport was a beautiful little town though. The summer house of Bush Sr. is actually there. We had no idea, we just wanted to find an inn by the ocean and we came along Kenny, quant beautiful little town. I would not recommend the inn that we stayed at however... For the whole trip we had two great lodging choices, two that could be do-overs and one that seemed a bit unsafe :) Adventure!
The next day we headed back to Boston with a quick stop in Salem. Again, I remember visiting as a little kid but it never being/feeling as creepy as it did this time. We went down the main street to find a restaurant and after viewing all the shops, I had to get out. But the roads, sidewalks and building were beautiful!
I didn't get any pictures of the houses we saw on our drive. Now, looking back, I wish we had stopped to take one. We never came across anything that remotely looks like suburbia here. There was just a lot of land and beautiful houses. They're exactly what you picture (if you haven't seen them). I wish I could explain architecture better. More than that, I wish I could just pick one up and move one here and live in it!
We had a whirlwind of an adventure! Non stop, go go go, with many precious memories made along the way!
Thanks for looking through our photo album with us :) Love!
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