We're Back!

We're back from Rhode Island! What a trip...things were great and we had a nice time. Rhode Island is a great place to visit but I don't think I'd like to live there. It was great to be near the ocean and for everything to be so green but the roads and streets there are a little hard to get used to...thankfully Mike did most of the driving.

The wedding was amazing and very beautiful! The kids had fun and enjoyed dancing. And most importantly, everyone survived four plane rides!

The Beach

Here are some pictures of us playing at the beach. This was one of only like two sunny days we had while there.

Z taking in his first wave

Walking with Daddy

I wrote Ainsley's name in the sand and took her picture

Liz, Emily, Ethan and Ainsley combing the beach

Ainsley burying her feet in the sand

The house we stayed in. It had five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a large room downstairs for the kids to watch DVD's and tv. It was right next to a huge park with a playground. We could see the water from our deck. It was fabulous!

Mike enjoying the ocean on the Cliff Walk

The two of us back at the start of the Cliff Walk

Carousel, Save the Bay Aquarium and Rocco's

The carousel by the beach. It usually isn't open during the week but there was a field trip that day so the guys that were working were nice enough to let us hop on for a ride.

Emily, Liz and Ethan going for a ride

Mike and Ains

Aunt Liz holding a sea urchin at the touch tank

We ate at Rocco's Pizza for lunch after leaving the beach. Ainsley thought it was fun drinking both her water and her lemonade at the same time.

The Lighthouse

Getting ready to go find the Beavertail Lighthouse (I think that was what it was called). Ainsley looks like an old lady in her get-up!

We made it to the lighthouse...it was raining but we still wanted a closer look and some pictures. All Z had been saying all morning was "lighthouse" but he fell asleep minutes away from it and missed the whole thing! He woke up when everyone was getting back in the car.

Emily, Liz, Ethan and Ains in front of the lighthouse. I believe Mike said this is the 3rd oldest lighthouse in the world. We wanted to visit the museum inside but it happened to be closed the day we went.

Wedding Day

Here is Z in his little tie, vest and shirt

Ainsley and Emily went to get their hair done with the bridesmaids and Anna in a limo earlier in the day. Here they are during the ceremony after they walked down the isle.

This is Glen Manor where the wedding took place. Here is everyone getting ready for photos after the ceremony.

Marissa and Ainsley on the lawn

Pretty flower girl

The Groom and his lovely Bride during their first dance

Ainsley, Dawson and Emily getting down

Mystic, Connecticut

Here are pictures from our day in Mystic. We started out at the aquarium. Mike and I had been there 8 years ago, before we were married while he was doing an internship at Pratt & Whitney. It was really neat to go back after all this time. I love the aquarium because it is so different than the one here in Albuquerque. My favorite exhibit is the Beluga Whales!

My nephew Dawson before the sea lion show

Here is Mike getting attacked by a parakeet in the bird exhibit. It was a large enclosure that housed several hundred birds where you could pay to go in and feed them. All the kids wanted to go but us adults weren't too crazy about the idea of getting pooped on. We went anyway and wouldn't you know, I was the only one that got pooped on! We all had to laugh because that was the one thing we didn't really want to do during our aquarium visit and it turned out to be the most fun.

At one point I had about 5 or six birds on me (something about my sweatshirt) that were trying to get into my pockets, going up my sleeves and, I guess, trying to take pictures with my camera that I was holding.

The Penguin Exhibit

Matt, Kamrie, Marissa, Dawson and Ainsley

Later we went to Mystic Seaport and walked around there. Here are Ains, Marissa and Dawson hanging out on the giant anchor which we later saw a sign that said, "NO CLIMBING"....oopsies.

The fam in front of the seaport...Z is sleeping

Blast from the Past

As I was writing earlier, Mike and I had been to Mystic a little over 8 years ago and had taken a picture at the pond in the Old Mystic Village. I thought if we could find it again it would be neat to take a picture of us now. We ended up finding the spot and a nice couple to take the new photos for us. Below is the photo taken 8 years ago (as if I had to mention that!) and the next few are the present. Quite a change...not only the difference in the just the two of us but it was neat to see the additions of Ainsley, Zechariah and the little one on the way!

Then

Now

Funny how both kids are eating!

Ainsley was a little tired on the way home. Even the prospects of getting an ice cream cone from McDonald's couldn't keep her awake.

Shhh...don't tell Ainsley we stopped anyway!