Memorial Day In Essex, CT!

Love how New England coastal towns decorate for Memorial Day. Its so quintessential and aesthetic. It inspires me to move here but I am grateful that we are only a 2. 5 hour drive away from some of the cutest towns in Connecticut. Essex is one of my faves and I captured a lot of red white and blue while we came here. I've explored this town before but not over memorial day weekend. It was quaint and pretty and we had a lovely time taking in the peace and the sounds of the ocean as well! 

The Martha-Mary Chapel & Redstone Schoolhouse.

After we explored this farm last year we stumbled upon a nearby church where they filmed "The Unholy" and I just had to stop! I love Jeffrey dean Morgan (even though he was not a good guy in The walking dead) but the movie was so good and the fact that it was filmed in New England made it even better. We didn't get to go inside the chapel as it was closed but we did get to go inside this cute little schoolhouse. There had to have been about 20 desks and if I lived back in those days oh how I would have loved coming here for school. Noah mentioned how he probably wouldn't be able to sit in one room all day, but he did like the nostalgia vibe it gave and all the antique desks. 

There is so much history behind the Redstone schoolhouse. The tour guide sat and told us all the history of how this schoolhouse is supposedly the school in the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb." It was very interesting and we could have talked to her all day! They even had a little library outside where you can take a book and Noah grabbed one to read. This gives us an excuse to go back and return it and add an extra book to put inside. Such a beautiful and peaceful spot surrounded by nature. We will definitely come back here again in hopes to go inside the church and take a peek!

The WaySide Inn Old Barn.

October is here and even though it's 80 degrees right now the weather is nice and sunny outside. Still, I long for overcast days so I can wear sweaters and drink hot chocolate and apple cider. We should only have these warm temps this week and then it should go back to the 60's! We love road trips during the fall and love venturing out to unknown territory. Last year on my birthday we spent the weekend in New England where we did a bit of traveling and we came upon this cool farm stand. New England has some of the most colorful farms and we stopped by and took some photos. I love, love this time of year and hope to explore more farms as we travel and go on more road trips. Truly quintessential New England. More photos below....

A Ferry Ride From Hyannis Port To Nantucket!

For those who may be wondering how we got to Nantucket Island there are several ports to leave from but we actually took the cheaper route. Even though we live in Jersey we stayed overnight in a hotel in Massachusetts and then drove to Hyannis port to catch the earliest ferry. It's about an hour and a half ride to the island, but if you bring a book or something to occupy yourself the ride goes by pretty quick. There is a more pricey route to take which avoids cape cod traffic and gets you there within an hour which is Seastreak but because of the prices we were like...NO! We had the best time riding the ferry and Noah got to see some boats and even got to wave to a few boaters passing by. Riding the ferry was half the fun of this trip and we would love to do it again off season. I wonder how Nantucket is like in the fall and winter months! Here are a few photos from the ferry ride...

Our Fourth of July Weekend In Nantucket!

Our fourth of July was a bit different this year. We usually explore historical places but his year we kept it low key. With the parades and fireworks being canceled we decided to make our own fun and decided to spend a couple of days in Nantucket. It was the perfect getaway for our family. Everyone needs a getaway from the place they live. Even it's your hometown or a place you've been living in for the past 13 years everyone needs to getaway. And that's exactly what we did over the 4th. Although Summer will definitely be different this year for everyone because of the pandemic we have come to terms that if we go anywhere we will do so with an abundance of caution and WEAR OUR MASKS! Cause for some of us we need that getaway. Jon has been working 14 hour shifts six days a week for the past two months and let me tell ya, he really needed this little vacay. He's hoping the deliveries will die down soon from 450+ packages a day to the minimum which is usually about 250. He works his tail off and I'm just so happy that we got to spend some of our days in Nantucket. It truly is a magical place and absolutely loved it here. To tell you the truth I came here to see the Brant Point lighthouse and all the hydrangeas in bloom and man they are everywhere! It is my favorite flower and I definitely had fun taking pictures of everything and everyone! I even did another little video on TikTok.  Here are a few highlights from our weekend...

Last Year In Rockport Massachusetts.

There are so many places we'd like to explore but Covid19 has prevented us from doing. So instead of blogging about recent adventures that have yet to happen want to share some lost photos from our trip to Rockport in Massachusetts last year. I have fallen in love with quaint seaside towns all over New England and this one has become a favorite. I love, love New England no matter what the season is. Spring, summer, fall. Even in the winter time the towns are charming and beautiful. The way they decorate for every season is aesthetic and inviting and hope to never stop exploring the quaint towns of New England.

A Day In Good Harbor Beach & Rockport, MA.

A little late in posting but I wanted to write a little bit about how  I spent my birthday this past Sunday. We spent in Rockport which is a quaint beach town in Massachusetts. I wish we could have stayed here all week since fall has been feeling more like summer, but because of work and school had to go home late in the evening. We spent the majority of the day at Good Harbor Beach where the kids collected rocks, and to their feet wet. I wish we would have packed our swimsuits, but the water was a bit nippy, but it still would have been fun to get a little wet!

Little Letters To The Places We Love In New England.

Dear Lakeside Diner, 

My kids and I have fallen in love with you. Your expansive windows with the view of the lake makes it a better place to enjoy while eating good food. Your burgers, and fries, and breakfast are absolutely delicious!  Those old fashioned donuts are amazing! You truly are one of our favorite diners in the east coast, and next time we come we will make sure we bring Jon! 

New Britain Museum of American Art.

Attending the temple is one of my favorite things to do with my husband, but when we go as a family it is super special. Especially now that all my girls are of age to enter in. This past weekend we decided to take a day trip to Hartford. Lexie mentioned to us the other day how she has been going through withdrawal from the temple, and how she was in need of going.

Pumpkin Picking At Castle Hill Farm.

It's funny how seasons can really change someones mood, and turn you into whole different person. When summer ended I was a little sad, but at the same time was looking forward to fall only because this past summer was scorching hot. I have to say that fall is definitely my favorite season, and only wish that it could last longer than the other seasons.

Hartford Connecticut Temple Open House.

How incredibly blessed we are to have more temples in the east coast. It's not Utah, but having six temples in a proximity where you can drive anywhere form one, two, three, or even six hours to attend one is good enough for me! It most definitely has been a miraculous year of temple building here in the east as well as the west coast, and to have attended two open houses is indeed a miracle not only for me, but for my children as well.

This past weekend we attended the open house in Hartford, Connecticut and oh my goodness this temple is absolutely exquisite! It is beautiful, and totally reflects the New England culture. It is quaint, and old fashioned, and I love the lampposts that stand outside the temple as well as the one hanging in front as you enter in. Again, we are not allowed to take pictures inside, but being the avid art lover that I am observed every single painting that was hanging on the walls, and noticed that there were two that were duplicates as the ones being hung in the Philadelphia temple. Not sure which one has the original, but it was pretty neat to see similar pictures of Christ, and to have had a deja vu moment. 

I captured a few moments outside the temple of my sweet family, and only wish Sierra could have joined in on this moment. I'm grateful that she has had opportunities to attend a few open houses in Utah such as the Payson, and City Center. 

I love the mums that are planted outside the temple. My favorite plant and so New England! 

Jon's twin. I swear she's looking more, and more like him each day. She'll definitely be tall like him too!  

I'm so grateful to have made the time to come out and experience yet another temple open house. This is so important to me, and taking the kids for them to see how special temples are is important to us. I want them to know that this a special place where they can come to feel peace, and perform ordinances for their ancestors. To know that doing their work is the utmost important thing they can do for our loved ones who have passed on. To know that when they are old enough to go through that this is a place where they can escape from the world, reflect on the Lord's blessings, be strengthened, feel peace, and become hopeful again. 

Counting my blessings to know that this guy is mine for all eternity. We love the temple, and appreicate it. The temple truly is a reflection of heaven, and a place to go where I will always, always find peace. 

I love my family, and shutter to think of how life would be without them for eternity. Like Elder Holland said, "I don't know how to speak about heaven in the traditional, lovely, paradisiacal beauty that we speak of heaven. I wouldn't know how to speak of heaven without my wife, or children. That would not be heaven for me." 

And just like Elder Holland I cannot imagine heaven without Jon, or our children. No matter how much we may disagree, yell, and have spats I love my family, and cannot imagine eternity without them! 

**The open house is until October 22 so if you live in the east, or are planning a 'New England fall trip' please come. It is free, and such a beautiful place to be! You can reserve tickets here if interested! 

Labor Day Weekend in New England.

Labor day weekend for us was unforgettable. This is the one holiday where I look forward to a last hurrah before school resumes. And although I'm excited for the kids to start school it's always nice to finish the summer off with a trip where we can relax, eat good food, and enjoy each other's company. Even if our two youngest nag on each other on the drive up the fact that they are in loving arms upon our arrival assures me that their bickering never lasts. And it's all good. 

Here's a little video I made too, you can view it here on vimeo. 

On Sunday we drove by the temple in Connecticut which is located in one of the sweetest towns I know which is Farmington. It's 20 minutes away from Hartford, and this temple is so beautiful, and so white! I love the architecture, and it is so new england! The kids really love and appreciate the temples, and so I captured a few moments of them on the lawn. It's pretty much complete, and will be ready to be open to the public for free tours on September 30 through October 22. So if you live anywhere close to Hartford I encourage you to please attend. We are so excited to attend once it's opened! 

On our way to Maine we made a pit stop in Boston to see the temple there as well. This is one of my favorite temples. We didn't spend too much time here, but were so grateful to have had Rich take our picture for us. While we used our selfie stick to take a picture of us in front of the Connecticut temple it's always nice to have someone get a full photo of all of us with the temple in the background. 

I absolutely love taking photos in front of this sign. This seems to be our usual spot for photos since Noah was a baby. I look back at this post, and can't believe how quickly this boy has grown!!

I also captured a few moments of Noah walking around the temple. He's always willing to strike a pose for me. 

We stopped at a rest stop for potty breaks, and let the kids run around for a bit. I absolutely love this part of Maine. So outdoorsy! Noah saw Smoky, and once again he let me take a picture of him! 

As we were driving towards Cape Neddick we stopped to capture a few moments with this scenery! So picturesque! 

Cape Neddick is one of our favorite places to go and take in the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks. I can tell that it also relaxes the kids. Noah kept saying, "I wish i lived here." He absolutely has a love for the ocean as we all do so. 

We had lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in Kittery. Oh my gosh! I absolutely love this place. The food here is truly authentic to the taste, and the barbacoa here reminds me of home. This mexican restaurant for Maine is perfect! The first time we ate here I was in shock that it was so good. Being mexican-american and from Texas I know how true, authentic mexican food should taste, and this place hit it on the nose! Those tacos are truly loco!! 

My cheat for the entire trip! A sundae split! 

There are two things that the kids look forward to when we come to New England...the temples, and lighthouses. We absolutely love visiting here, and I swear it never gets old.