So much to do, so little time

What a fantastic week we just had.  Jared and I both have siblings that have for some unknown reason chosen to live back east where people can rarely visit.  This happened to be one of those rare times, as we decided to take our oldest (Preston) and fly back there.  We left poor Noah home to harass Jared's mom and my sister, Jayne's family (we owe them for life).  We left on Saturday which happened to be my birthday.  I tried to think positively that this was really the best birthday present I'd ever gotten, but after 9 hours of sitting on an airplane with a four year old, I began to question that.  We eventually got to New Hampshire where Jared's brother Jay and family live.  As we were about to land, Preston leaned over and asked me why they planted so many trees.  I agree, why did they?  We landed in a deciduous jungle.  Very beautiful and we didn't get one picture of it....I guess we'll just have to go back.  

So here we begin with the ever so muscular, Ronan.  He ran around with Preston on his shoulders for at least 2 laps of the house before the inevitable happened.  Seriously, never seen a buffer kid:)  The kids treated Preston to games of Bottom-ho (Jumping off the top bunk into love-sacs), finding salamanders in the woods, and probably too many hours of Preston's favorite game of Lego Star Wars (its hard to say no when they all look like they're having so much fun).  

They took us to a pottery store where Preston picked out his cereal bowl of choice and painted it green, blue and pink.  He's so talented and doesn't he look so artsy in his cover-up shirt he chose all by himself.  Talented and stylish.

WICKED!!! Need I say more?  We'll probably get sued for this picture but we were so excited to be there and it was the BEST experience.  A must if anyone has a chance to see it.

After we spent time with Jared's brother and family, we drove four hours to my sister, Liz's house.  They live in West Point, again another beautiful area that I have no pictures of.  The place is either like living 200 years ago or else living at Hogwarts from Harry Potter.  Massive grey stone buildings and halls that look like they came right out of JK Rawling's mind.  We also decided to hit an outlet mall there.  We had limited time and lots to see and honestly came away seeing about 1/50th of the place.  It was gigantic.  

We had so much fun their family and started missing Noah enormously, since they also have a 2 year old who was cut from the same mold as Noah: Sassy, bossy, and way too cute.  

Which then brings us to the above picture.  So I look like I have a really bad boys hair cut in this but here we are: two small town hicks dropped in the middle of Times Square.  You'd think that since we'd lived in San Francisco, we'd be used to this but wow, how do people actually live there.  Visit?  Yes.  Live?  NO.
My sister and her husband, Chip's adorable kids with Preston on Chip's bullet bike:)
  Oh how we love the beach.  

We had such a great time and want to thank our siblings for housing us.  We wish we could be out there and see them every month.  You guys are great and we love you.