cool things about New York...

 old cool looking churches...

 YMCA buildings that probably used to be churches...

 Amish

 trains

 some people might say baseball...

and Jovey of course... I mean, she may not be related to the area but she will always call it her birthplace  :D

VERMONT!

 Thats right... one of the best things in Vermont.  Ben & Jerry's!

 One can hope, right?

 Replica ice cream bus... first one died in a fiery accident...

 Then we drove through a quaint little town of Pearl to cross the lake Champlain... by ferry, because driving over the bridge would be boring!

Why Maine?

 Chamberlain of course, Joshua Chamberlain, Jackson's favorite civil war military leader.

 He was a pretty awesome leader, earned a few things...

 commemorated a few things for his wife...

 President of Bowdoin college...

and lived in a house... go Chamberlain!

MAINE

 What else but lobster? 











and moose...












well by golly, its the way life should be

 with some really cool wind art...

 and beer...

 and family!  Hello second cousin Junior and cousin Tina  :)

Providence Zoo

 African wild dogs (beautiful coats)

 Crowned crane and petting zoo sheep...

 Emu sitting down to eat....

 Elephant bath....

 and a sun bear lounging in the sun.

Driving in New England!

 we drove a lot...  but there was plenty to see from the road... houses...

bar cafe...

 old rock walls farmers built from rocks they tilled up to mark the edge of their land...

 Voluntown...

and gorgeous scenery (and houses)...

New England!

 For spring break we went on a tour of New England... I enjoyed much of the area, and yes, it really is just like all those pictures... older, used but taken care of, overcast....  lol

We stopped at the Children's Museum in Hartford CT.  They have a bit of everything: giant sperm whale sculpture, dinosaur on the roof, giant lite brite, exhibits on animals and mars, massive lego area...

and the boys decided that life as a turtle wasn't very fun, those shells are pretty heavy.

basketball

 Shooting hoops...

 Hanging on a brother...









Duck Duck Goose!  (our favorite sports instructor Miss Shannon)

 

  Where was Jovey?  Oh, Jovey loves "baaa" of all kinds, and loves to POINT them out  :D

Daddy Comes Home

 Jackson came home in March... he's standing directly behind the guy the in middle of the front row... see him?  well... half of his face?  I didn't take the kids because the ceremony was at 3 or 4 in the morning and... well do you really need more of a reason?  So he had a friend spend the night.

The boys were totally overwhelmed by the surprise.  Coryn already had a surprise that morning by a visit from the tooth fairy (lost his first tooth at said friend's house the night before that) and we brought donuts for breakfast.  Both managed a dropped jaw before immediately running their mouths...  Coryn about the tooth and Carter saying "how did you make it in time?"

Jovey wasn't phased in the slightest...

It was a gorgeous day!  Perfect for baseball.







and a nap.  (or 3 :)  )