Connecticut

The boys and I had a wonderful time in CT! We got to see aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and of course grandparents.

I got to sneak away and have a nice lunch with my sister and some friends. Don't you just love those friends that have known you forever and even if you haven't seen them in almost 4 years it's like you were just there yesterday talking to them. Kristine's daughter Kayla is the splitting image, like mirror image of her! It was like seeing Kristine again in elementary school - she has got some strong genes!

My sister's spent all their time that they weren't at work at my parent's with us. Sisters are the best aren't they - and my kids would tell you their aunts are the best also cause they spoil them to pieces!

We took 1 trip to Vermont to a Sugar Farm to watch them make maple sugar. The kids loved that and sampling warm syrup and maple sugar candies - way sweet!

Justin loved playing with his cousin Abby and was so excited that Shawn and Jen (my cousin and his wife) invited us over for dinner and to play. We also got to meet Abby's new sister Grace (18 months) - she is too cute and so... mischevous! They were so not kidding about having to put chairs on top of tables! Nic loved catching up with his cousin Tyler - they are the same age and his cousin Sabastian and neighbors Garrett and Emma.

My parent's puppies were a HUGE hit with the kids, although the kids were NOT a huge hit with the dogs. The dogs are very possessive of my dad. Justin decided to be possessive of Grandpa. NOT A GOOD MIX! There was some definite growling going on over who would rule and claim Grandpa's lap - dogs or child. I think the dogs kinda won!

In Winsted (at Alex's parent's) we were a big surprise for Grandpa! The day we flew in Grandpa came home from the hospital after several months spent there. We gave them a couple days to get settled and then borrowed my parents car and drove up the curvy steep roads - scary! We called Grandma from outside the house to let her know Grandpa's surprises were there,she let us in and Grandpa was surprised to tears! It was a really touching moment! Hopefully Granpa will be well enough to fly back out here to AZ soon. We also spent time with cousins and aunts and uncles on Alex's side while we were at his parent's.

We headed home on Monday, 12 hours in airports with the layover - ug! and I still made Nic go to school Tuesday morning :). Alex missed us a TON he said, he was so bored he didn't know what to do without us! ~ darn I should of left that list instead of told him to just relax!

Oops forgot to mention the snow. Justin was only 9 months when we moved out here so... my mom was very insistant the poor boy got to play in snow. (And yes I told her that it does snow in Northern AZ but... well, my mom tuned that out). So... at her house there wasn't a lot so she was positive that we would find it in Vermont. So she borrowed snow boots from my cousins and we had winter coats and gloves borrowed from Kristine's kids and all the way up and back she demanded my father stop - she even wanted to stop in a cemetery as the snow looked clean - my sister and I threatened dire consequences if my father stopped the car. So she finally settled on dirty snow that Justin threw on her in Wendy's parking lot (hehe) and cleaner truck stop snow that was kinda icey. Kerri took pics and emailed them to my other sister who was at work to tell her that HER mother was really crazy as we had both disowned her at that point!