the little gunnell family : Our Boston-New Hampshire Trip

I wrote the majority of this post while I was in New Hampshire. Obviously, I'm a tad late in posting but I've simply been enjoying my time home alone with Tenley, especially the last three days since Dalin has been at work practically 24/7. We've missed him but we've also had a nice time playing together and Ten has been in an extra great mood the last several days. She is such a wonderful girl. Anyhow, here's the post about the first week of our trip:
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I don't really want to spend a lot of time on here while I'm enjoying our trip, but I also don't want to get so far behind that I don't talk about how awesome the first few days have been. So here it is in a nutshell:

Monday- We flew into Boston and while the boys went to a Red Sox vs. Angels game at Fenway, my parents, Tenley, and I met up with my best friend, Megan and we walked around Faneuil Hall for a few hours. We stayed at a very nice Marriott outside of Boston.

Tuesday- Our third anniversary! We started the morning at the Boston temple which felt so cool being in the same place, doing the same thing three years later. We got my great grandparents sealed to each other and then to their daughter. After, we took some family photos outside (which, by the way, was a million times less humid than our wedding day had been. It was a perfect day as far as the weather goes) and then drove into Boston to go through Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall with the boys. Dalin and I got our traditional clam chowder bread bowl and the most amazing smoothies you've ever had from The Monkey Bar (both of which we get every year--they're both so perfect we don't feel the need to change anything ;). After, we headed home earlier than planned because we were all so tired and ready to relax at home!

She gives the sweetest kisses:)

And she loves kissing daddy especially when she's on his shoulders

Wednesday- It was overcast and very green out today. After I got my annual haircut from my trusted hairdresser (it used to be like every two months but I am too scared to try a new hairdresser in Utah), Dalin, Tenley, and I drove to the Moultonborough Country Store. It's this awesome old-fashioned store where they used to sell penny candy and now they have candy (old and new types), jerky, pickles in a barrel, old-fashioned soda, and tons of gifts. Pretty much they have every kind of gift you can imagine. It's a really fun store to look through. After, we stopped at the Longfellow Country Store on the way home and got a few fun things. At home, we met up with my family and went to one of our favorite restaurants, T-Bones. After that, we drove to the Stephenson's old house for a surprise party for their 50th birthdays where we visited with lots of family and ward members. The boys and kids played lawn games and then started kick the can. I mostly snacked, caught up with friends from church, and kept an eye on Tenley until the mosquitoes annoyed us home.

Thursday- We got up early and after breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, drove to Clark's Trading Post in northern New Hampshire. It's this cheesy little place that my family loves. We enjoyed their black bear show, went to the various shops and attractions there, and also rode the train to see the Wolfman. Dalin thought it was fun which made me happy because as dumb and little a place as it is, my family loves it. We also dipped candles, ate several varieties of fudge, and I got delicious peppermint ice cream and Dalin had a brownie sundae with hot fudge. After, Dalin got to see our mountains up close for the first time (they are mountains, though you cannot tell from far away because of all the luscious trees) as well as Franconia Notch and Profile Lake where the trout were jumping out of the water like crazy. It was a fly fisherman's dream (and several were there). I was really glad I had chosen to wear jeans and a sweater because it was a chilly day! (At least for me...the 50-degree weather was a lot more fallish than I had been anticipating). We ate lobster rolls, fried onion hearts, and other delicious fried seafood for dinner. Then Tenley and I opened belated birthday gifts while the boys played several rounds of poker.

I told her to make a double chin;)

She was a little excited.

My precious baby girl

I love this look of genuine concern (she was smiling for every other pic but this one fit best)

Um, maybe she was too hot? She did not want to wear that onesie. She tried to take it off all day haha

This girl loves Grandpa Searle

Her excitement at the awesome bear show;)

She couldn't believe her eyes haha.

We are a happy family

My best buddy

She is a snuggler...and a goof

I love our family:)

My awesome husband

Friday- Payson's 22nd birthday. We made today somewhat chill and relaxing which was just fine with all of us. We played poker this morning (we were a little addicted) and I was doing so well much to the boys' surprise, then Payson started to catch up and of course I had to let him win on his birthday;) After, Dalin, Payson, Donovan, and I went to play tennis for a couple hours which was fun except I could not keep up with the boys--not surprising, being 16 weeks pregnant and already having a pretty large belly. We did really well for a while (Payson and I were a doubles team) but when I got tired (it didn't help that we forgot water), I sat in the car while the boys played for a while longer. My mom happily watched Tenley for us. We had lobster and corn on the cob for dinner--Payson's favorites (well, everyone in my family's favorite except maybe Donovan, though he seems to go back and forth)--then he opened gifts. After, the boys and I went to Funspot (the world's largest arcade though the record may have been surpassed, I don't really know) around 9pm and had a competition for who could get the most tickets. Donovan got lucky, winning a huge jackpot on a Frogger game, and the rest of us didn't stand a chance. With our tickets, we bought a doll for Tenley and some candy and whatnot before heading home just before 11pm. It was a great day!

Saturday- Gilford Old Home Day. No one ever knows what this is, but basically it's our town's founder's day celebration. There is a parade, a pie tent (with everything you can imagine), an auction, book sales, rummage sales in the community church basement, tons of stands with fried dough, fresh lemonade, carnival food, (AMAZING roasted red pepper and sausage subs by the fire department...yummm), live music, dancing, vender tents, a 5k race, activities for children, and fireworks in the evening. After spending time with my best friend Megan and giving Dalin a taste of it all (we ate fried dough, strawberry-rhubarb and strawberry-blackberry pie, plus lemonade and those amazing subs I mentioned), we decided to head home and relax for a while. A little later in the day, we went jetskiing (Dalin and I on one, Payson on the other) on Lake Winnipesaukee because the water looked so calm. Dalin and I took it easy because the baby of course, so we didn't go over like 27mph. (Next year, we're going to have Dalin get his NH boating license so I don't have to be a driver). It was fun though and the lake was just beautiful and the islands were so green and pretty. We headed back around dusk then changed into warm clothes and drove to Gilford sports' fields to watch the fireworks with Megan and other friends. The fireworks, which I had bragged about endlessly, were really lame this year. Clearly the donations from last year were horrible and someone had the genius idea to space each firework like a minute apart. It was ridiculous. I was embarrassed because they were a million times worse than they used to be. At least the finale was awesome though. The finale was crazy and I tried to explain that that was what they were like throughout the whole thing in past years.

Sunday- We attended church at my old ward in Laconia. It was wonderful to see everyone and so weird to see the little kids all grown up. In just three years they went from babies to little adults. Crazy! In the evening, we had a Sunday dinner with my Nana and then played games until bed.

I'm going to have to add some pictures later because I am just so tired right now, but I hope this re-cap didn't bore you too, too much...at any rate, we had a wonderful time and I wish we were still there. So much.

Do you miss home?

I miss a lot of parts...the ocean for sure. (We went to the ocean a few times during week 2).