The Fernie Family : Vacation, Part 1

Rebecca's not even two, and she's already been in 5 different states (CA, TX, MA, NH and NY) and 2 countries (US and Bermuda). She has a passport. She is a traveller.

We just returned from an almost two week vacation, which I will have to chronicle in multiple parts.

Part 1: New Hampshire

The first part of our journey involved a flight to Boston. Rebecca did fine on the flight, but it was delayed a while, we arrived into Boston very late, it was rainy and we had a challenging situation with the rental car and a one hour drive into New Hampshire. However, once we arrived at the hotel (at about 2 am) and got some sleep, things started to turn around.

The highlight of the trip...Rebecca was able to meet her paternal grandparents, her only great grandparent - Mike's maternal grandmother, two uncles and an aunt!

Aside from getting to spend some time with Mike's family, I must just comment on how beautiful New Hampshire is! I was there once as a child, and again several years ago when Mike and I were dating. I am in awe of the natural beauty each time I go. Even just on a drive up the road, you are surrounded by trees and green and nature wherever you look. I love all the little cute New England towns that might be stereotypical, but to me, they help make New England the beautiful place it is. The drive up to Great Grammy's house, and the property surrounding their home is breathtaking...and amazingly quiet for a girl who grew up in Southern California. I stood in their backyard and just wanted to lay on the grass and listen to the birds. I am grateful to have beautiful and peaceful moments like that. I know each state and region has pros and cons, but Mike was lucky to grow up in a place like this!

Rebecca seemed to have a really good time, warmed up to all of her family members pretty well and made especially good friends with Max, the dog!

Here are some pictures and explanations of our time in NH:

This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip. It was taken in Canaan, NH at Rebecca's great Grammy's house. They live in a very wooded area - just beautiful. As soon as she saw the yard, she saw all the dandelion flowers and couldn't help but pick them! Dozens of them! She presented several to Grammy, Uncle Jim and me and Mike. So cute!

This is Rebecca's first meeting with Mike's dad...she's showing Grandpa where his nose is!

Here she is playing with Grandma.

This was one of her favorite parts of the trip - playing with Max! Max was quite a heavy breather, and even now, when we ask Rebecca "What does Max the dog say?" she pants like a dog!

Another favorite - Rebecca and Great Grammy

Picking dandelions. I tried to show her how to blow them and make a wish, but she ends up breathing the little seeds up her nose instead!

Rebecca and Daddy

Rebecca and Mommy

This was in Grammy's backyard...there were all these little stumps and she picked up a stick and started banging all of them - it looked like she was playing a little drum set.

Rebecca walking with Great Grammy up to her garden to pick rhubarb.

Mike's family - L to R Mike, Grammy, Uncle Jim, Uncle David and Aunt Letty and Rebecca in front.

Mike and Grammy

Here's Rebecca playing in the sand at Hampton Beach. We had just eaten one of the magical foods NH has to offer - Blink's Fry Doe...it's essentially just a fried piece of dough with cinnamon sugar or some other topping on it, but it is wonderful and I've never seen it anywhere else.