Moving to Rhode Island

Well, we made it to Rhode Island! We are mostly unpacked and settled in. The first two weeks of moving to a new place are always the hardest. Both boys were very emotional about everything. But now they love it here. We had lots of help loading and unloading the truck and my friends Barbara and Sun helped me scrub our apartment from top to bottom. Rhode Island is similar to Connecticut, except a little more crowded. We've also noticed the people are more easy-going and not as snobby. We are excited to explore new places and make new friends. Jared is enjoying his clinical phase at Memorial hospital. He has started working with the patients this week doing pre-operating assessments.

Brig cruisin' on the power wheels we scored at a yard sale.

Benson petting a snake at the Plainville family festival.

Some of the primary kids lining up to do a 3 legged race for Memorial Day.

Brig and his friend Charlotte racing. She was heartbroken when we moved!

It was hard saying goodbye to our friend Dexter.

This is our house we are renting. It's a 1941 Cape Cod style house. It's 4 bedrooms (2 bedrooms upstairs and 2 on the main floor that we are using as a play room and dining room), 1.5 baths and has an unfinished basement and a great secluded back yard. It's cute on the outside, but hasn't been updated much on the inside.

Kitchen

dining room/office

Benson thought the marshmallows would make good face paint

play room

living room

living room looking into kitchen. play room, dining room and bathroom are through the open door

Hot dog roast in our backyard, scary makeshift fire pit.

We attended a fun colonial days parade. It was in celebration of the Rhode Island patriots sinking the British schooner "Gaspee" in 1772. It's known as the first blow of the American Revolution. The parade was an impressive hour and a half long, one direction. It was mostly marching bands and drum and fife corps. Our favorites were the bands dressed as colonial Americans that shot their rifles. Wow, were they loud! Benson did not enjoy any of it. He hid in Jared's shoulder almost the whole time.

We went strawberry picking at a nearby farm. Yum!

Palmyra, NY

Jared finished his first phase of crna school with flying colors. Before he starts phase two in June we decided to take a quick trip to Palmyra, NY. The boys and I had never been before, but Jared had been there about 20 years ago. We first stopped at the Hill Cumorah visitor center. The boys enjoyed the interactive displays and videos of Joseph Smith. We then hiked to to the top of the hill, which is steep but not very tall. Brig was sure he was going to find the place where the gold plates used to be buried. There was a storm rolling in but we made it back down the hill right when it started raining and sleeting. We then made our way to the hotel where we had a great time swimming and eating cookies and milk (Hilton's are the best!) The next day we took turns going inside the temple and touring the Sacred Grove and Smith farm. My favorite part was having a family prayer in the Sacred Grove and then having the boys each pick out a leaf to put in their scriptures to remember our special trip.

The boy's in the visitor center. I like this Christus statue because Christ is smiling.

The area of the hill where the Hill Cumorah pageant takes place.

This is a view about 2/3 of the way up the hill. It's steeper than it looks.

The angel Moroni statue at the top of the hill.

Palmyra temple

Brig pushing Benson through the sacred grove

The apple orchard on the farm

Joseph Smith Sr.'s cooper shop

The plates were hidden up in the loft one night while a mob searched under the floor boards.

The barn

The frame house Alvin was building before he died. This house was gorgeous!

The farm house

Brig was so tired on our way home he fell asleep eating his hamburger!

Spring in Connecticut

It turns out that spring weather in New England is almost as unpredictable as spring in Montana. We had a lot of rain, some snow, and now it's 75 degrees. With all of the rain we were getting a little bit of cabin fever so we got some bouncy horses to hop on. Brigham named his Red-ie and Benson's is Freddie. They have provided hours of entertainment.

Brig participated in a six week gymnastics class. He is a natural gymnast, but oh, it was hard for him to stand still in line and wait his turn. We survived though.

The boys were super excited to watch General Conference at home. I had to take a picture of them while they sat in their chairs for a few minutes. 

Brig is my handsome cowboy and wears his boots everywhere he goes.

Easter was fun this year with an egg hunt with our play group and dinner at our house with friends. The boys practiced hunting eggs at home weeks beforehand and were surprised to find actual candy in the eggs during the real hunt.

Benson still loves playing with his toy animals. He likes to line them up and count them multiple times a day. 

I got to be a "mystery reader" at Brig's preschool. He was so excited to show me off to everyone.

The boys and I took turns getting ear infections. Benson twice in the same month. Here he is enjoying playing at the park after a round of antibiotics.

Benson has decided he wants to be a BIG boy and is using the potty chair. It was his idea and he has been doing great!

Have I said how much I love our local YMCA? We all tried rock climbing and Brig made it 2/3 of the way up the wall. I was surprised because he is a little afraid of heights.

I received lots of valentines in February. My favorite one says, "Mom, you are so big and strong and I like you. -Brig."

The boys were playing with stamps one day and got into a fight over the letter "e". Guess who won?

Brig often fills up my phone with silly pictures like these.