We made it home! We had such a fantastic trip. Daddy is the last one who needs visit all 50 states. He has 6 left!
We enjoyed trying to get our picture taken by each state sign on this trip!
Georgia’s own version of potato heads!
Until our next adventure!!!!
Today we officially started heading south for home. We woke early with the hopes of making it to Baltimore before Fort McHenry closed.
Our first stop however was a potato head in the very south westerly corner of Rhode Island. Our last one, she was a sight!
My girls have been so great on this trip! Just a bunch of crazy kiddos traveling the US!
We crossed into Connecticut, and traveled along the seaboard. We had not taken a picture with the Connecticut sign, so we searched for one and found a really cute place!
New York was our next state, we traveled through the Bronx and then across Manhattan to the George Washington bridge. We hit the most traffic here on our entire trip…but it wasn’t terrible.
Onward to New Jersey, around Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland into the Baltimore harbor.
We couldn’t escape the rain, it drizzled on and off all day. At one rest stop it was sunny and when we came back out to the car it was pouring!
We arrived to Fort McHenry just in time to watch them take down the flag. The girls and Alan both got to help put up the new flag and help fold the one they took down. It was so neat, to have touched a flag flown at Ft. McHenry!
We also toured the fort!
Cannons, hidden passageways, bombproofs. The girls loved it!
It was a great day! We ended it with a surprise visit to our friends in Virginia for dinner and hanging out!
We had so much fun we only took one picture. It was a great visit!
Tomorrow home sweet home! 🏡
We woke up, to more rain. We had thought it was gonna clear up, but nope it was still raining. By now, on this trip we’ve come to just accept the rain and cold. There has been no traffic, no lines, no crowds, but also no sun. ☀️ It’s been a great trip, we’ve seen everything we wanted to, we’ve just seen it in the rain!
Poor Alan is the only one of us who doesn’t have a good rain coat. He has a plastic poncho. He asked if we were embarrassed by him wearing it and I said not in the slightest to me it shows a man who takes care of his family and forgets about taking care of himself. The girls and I are fully protected from all this rain thanks to him!
Off we go! First stop was a Dunkin Donuts for some coffee and a potato head! We’ve really enjoyed all these Dunkin donut trips. I feel bad for abandoning my true Starbucks but soon enough I’ll be back to my roots! ☕️
After this stop it was off to find more potato heads. This time they were at a market, Clements Marketplace.
When we got there it was pouring down rain and both of the statues were outside. So, we headed in for some shopping. We got some kombucha and drinks, walked around and by then the rain was just a drizzle so we snapped our pictures.
These were our last ones for today, tomorrow we hit our last potato head on our way out of the state! For now, we’re headed down to Newport, RI. A true tourist town in the state. The girls have been dying for souvenirs from Rhode Island so we searched for a souvenir store. We found one!
Next stop, Lunch!
When in Newport, we had to eat at the Newport Creamey. I had a waffle grilled cheese, the girls had a giant quesadilla and daddy had fish n chips. So yummy, we were so full we didn’t even try the ice cream.
We drove further down the coast to visit the Newport mansions! During the Gilded Era, (which the girls studied this year) the rich families in America at the time built huge mansions down on the coast of Rhode Island.
You couldn’t help but see the massive structures as you drove down the street. One of the most famous is the Breakers. A home owned by the Vanderbilt family. We stopped for a picture and to see just how massive it was.
I told Alan, I can’t imagine keeping up with a house that big! 🏡
On around the coast we drove and what to our wondering eyes should appear, but the sun!!!!
Woohoo!!! We had seen it, we got out to see a lighthouse at Castle Hill and enjoyed the sun. There was also a seal basking in the sun while we were there. So beautiful!
We kept driving and the coastline was so beautiful, the ocean looked angry after these storms we’ve had, so powerful!
Our next stop was across the bridge to Narragansett, in a tiny town called Galilee. My roommate in college always talked about Galilee and how much she loved it so we had to see it.
The girls loved playing in the sand even though the sun had disappeared and the rain was starting again.
We also got to see another Lighthouse, Point Judith. This Lighthouse is guarded by US Homeland Security so we couldn’t get right up close to it, but due to the clouds and rain that had rolled in the light was shining so bright. It was neat to see it.
Our last stop for the day was Beavertail Lighthouse. It’s the third oldest Lighthouse in America. We were able to walk right up to it and because of the clouds and fog they had the noise/fog horn on. It was so loud but also really neat to explain to the girls why it was needed along with the light.
After dinner at Outback we headed home, as we did the sun was peeking out of the horizon. We are hoping the storms are over and the sun will be out for tomorrow. But, in the parking lot we saw a beautiful rainbow!
Thank you God for your promises to us! 🌈
When we woke up, the first thing we did was drive into Rhode Island!
All 50 states!!
Daddy will be in the club soon enough!
The All 50 club!!
Alan is at 44!
Now off to explore Rhode Island!
Our first stop was the Hasbro company headquarters and the first of many Potato Head statues!
When I was in college, I visited my roommate in Rhode Island and she took me on a trip to visit all the potato heads in the state. There were over 30 in the state. Today there are 8, so the family is gonna find them!!
The weather forecast isn’t great for today. It’s calling for 100% pouring rain from 1 on. We have a few places to go that we have to be outside so we’re going there first!
Roger Williams Memorial Park in downtown Providence. He is the man responsible for the freedom of our soul/religion. To choose what, if any religion we wanted to be.
This is the first and the oldest Baptist church in America. It is still used today and stands in the middle of the city.
Roger Williams house.
We had to walk around town to visit these sites. On the way back to our car…the rain started! ☔️
The first Baptist church in America
Our pew
Inside the church
Thankfully, our next stop was an indoor stop. We rode the carousel at Roger Williams Park. The girls were so excited! We also accidentally stumbled on an unplanned potato head!
Off we went to find another potato 🥔 head. This one was sitting in front of a business. It was pouring rain so we jumped out and got our picture. If you look closely at the picture you’ll see a little birdie down at the bottom who wanted to be in our picture too!
Next stop, Lunch! We had to try Iggy’s Doughboys and Chowder House! It’s a cute little place right on the water. I’m sure the view is normally beautiful, but it was really coming down when we stopped. We ordered Clam chowder for mommy and Ry, Bree and daddy had…you guessed it, chicken. We also ordered a dozen doughboys. The lady said they were small, HA! They were the size of my palm!! We got cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar. They were delicious!
Bree LOVED the doughboys!!
Chowder and doughboys!
Off again! More potato heads to find! It was still raining so spending most of our time in the car finding these spuds was a great idea. We got to see a lot of the state as we drove.
Still raining! Our next stop was Wrights Dairy farm. This was probably one of my favorite spots so far. It’s a Dairy farm and bakery, we got there as they were milking cows which was so fun to watch. I love cows! 🐮 it was pouring rain while we were here. Thankfully the milking area was covered so we could watch without getting soaked.
After watching the milking, we headed to the bakery. We had to have food made, from the milk, from the cows right there on the property!
This girl didn’t want to leave the milking area. She hung out and looked at us!
Being lactose intolerant, Alan went for the apple bear claw!
Coffee milk, so yummy!!
Breezer tried ice cream and milk, so rich and delicious!
Ry got ice cream and chocolate milk!
What a day!! Time for dinner and bed! We headed to our hotel and settled in, we didn’t want to be out in the rain anymore so we ordered pizza 🍕 to the room and then swam for dessert!
Tomorrow is another day in Rhode Island with more rain ☔️ scheduled! We’ll make the most of it!
We had a great day today in Plymouth, Ma.!
Our first stop was the Plimouth Plantation. This place takes you back to the 17th century when the pilgrims first arrived for a real glimpse into what life was like.
We started the day at the the Plimouth Plantation. It is such a neat place. Our fist stop when we got there was the barn, they were milking goats 🐐 and feeding the babies.
It was so cool because we were the only ones there and they asked the girls if they wanted to help feed the babies. They got to feed Heather and Rachel! Those baby goats came running into the barn straight to the girls and guzzled down their bottles. Listening to the girls giggle and talk to the baby goats was so neat. Love these opportunities traveling gives them.
After the barn we headed to the Indian village, the Wampanoag Indians lived here in Mass. before the pilgrims came. The houses they made and how they lived were so interesting. The people here dressed as Indians are all descendants of this tribe in Massachusetts.
Our next stop was the craft center, they had a potter, a baker, and a weaver in there showing us how things were made back then. Bree is really into pottery so she loved watching the man spin a bowl on his potters wheel. Ryanna watched the baker knead a massive amount of bread.
Afterwards, they each got to take home some of what they watched.
Ryanna and her loaf of bread. 🍞
Bree with her ink pot.
Then we headed into the 17th century town. 
We saw a man repairing his home. He had to make drod, mud stuff he was putting on the walls of his home to seal it. He dug a big hole and then mixed it all in the hole with his feet. It was so interesting to watch and listen to him talk about construction of the houses when they first landed, while he was stomping in a hole of mud, that I forgot to take a picture!
The walls behind the girls are covered with drod.
The ultimate tiny house living
Next stop was a lady making bag pudding. She had oats and raisins of the sun, spices, milk and eggs. Goats milk, because they didn’t have any cows at this time. Any cows milk products had to be shipped over. She mixed it all up and then took a cloth and dumped all of it in. She wrapped it up which made it look like it was in a bag. Then she dropped it in a pot of water. She placed it over the fire and waited. Ry checked back on her on our way out of town and the water had just begun to boil so she said it would take at least an hour to finish cooking.
So grateful for my stove and microwave.
In another house a lady was making toast over the fire and had roasted a chicken. Then we reached the House we could play in, so we did.
My modern day vacuum is amazing…this broom was crazy!
We headed out of the town for lunch and they had authentic 17th century food so the girls both tried some. They loved it!
Ryanna tried succotash.
Bree had a turkey dinner.
Off to the grist mill! The mill was down in the actual town of Plymouth so we headed there. Here they make cornmeal and grits. The girls were so excited about the grits. Apparently it was a staple for the pilgrims and was served a lot in Massachsuetts, then it faded out of the north. We in the south still love it though!
After seeing the mill explained, they still grind at this spot every Friday and Saturday, we headed downstairs where the girls got to grind and sift for themselves.
They ended up sifting two pounds of cornmeal and two pounds of grits.
They also had a herring ladder in the river next to the mill so we were able to watch them as they jumped up the ladder and swam up stream.
Next stop, Plymouth Rock. We had been warned that it wasn’t much and it wasn’t. Just a large rock on the waters edge, about where they believe the pilgrims first landed.
Last stop for the day was the monument to our forefathers. This was a giant monument standing for what our forefathers believed our nation should be built on.
Off to our hotel for the night, tomorrow we touch down in the 50th state, Rhode Island!
Plimouth is spelled this way because when the Pilgrims landed they spelled phonetically, it wasn’t until later they believed to have spelled it with a “y”.
What a day!!
This morning we woke up in Portland, Maine and got to see the sun! ☀️ A welcome sight after all the cold and rain in northern Maine. Now, we are headed towards Boston. We are trying to plan our day to arrive in Boston at just the right time and sit in as little traffic as possible.
Our first stop was Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME. A friend of ours told us it was a must see, and it was so beautiful!
The weather was perfect! The wind was blowing the sun was shining. We took pictures, and searched the rocks around the light house for tide pools and sea creatures. We found some mussels and snails 🐌 . Before leaving the Lighthouse we had a quick potty stop and then we’re jumping back in the car when Bree said daddy what’s this??
She had felt something on her neck, Alan checked it out and discovered a tick had found its way onto Bree and bit her. We dug some Vaseline out of our bag and tried to suffocate him. We finally got him out after some tears. Poor Bree was terrified! 
Success, tick no more. Thankfully he had no blood in him so it looks like she had just recently picked it up…we’re thinking at the Nubble sign where the pine trees were. 🌲
Between Maine and Mass, is New Hampshire. On our way to Maine we weren’t able to stop and take a picture so we did this time.
Boston here we come! Our timing was perfect! We pulled in and parked with zero traffic!!
We started off in the Charlestown Navy Yard and started walking the freedom trail. Our first stop was bunker hill. 
This is where the first battle of the American Revolution was. We saw stuff from that battle in the museum and even got to see one of the cannons they were hiding in Concord that caused Paul Revere to have to ride and warn that the British were coming.
Our next stop was the Old North Church, the site where the lanterns were placed to let Paul Revere know how the British were coming. We had quite a walk from Bunker Hill as we crossed the Charlestown Bridge we found ourselves in Historic Boston. 
Next stop, Paul Revere’s house.
We toured his house and then headed off again towards the museum down by the harbor. When we got there the girls had finished their junior ranger books and got sworn in as jr. rangers in Boston!
Our last stop was back at the Navy yard to board the USS Constituiton. When we had talked with the ranger before, he told us the best way back was the water shuttle. That way we didn’t have to walk the whole way back. So we headed down to Boston harbor and boarded the water shuttle. Such a great way to see Boston! 
We boarded the USS Constitution who is still a fully commissioned US Navy boat. The officer on board told us that if the President asked them to go to war, they could because she is still part of our active Navy. However, if they were called, the war would probably be over before they got there due to her lack of a motor!
It was so cool to actually be on board a 213 yr old vessel. It is the actual boat that has just been restored as the years have gone by. She still has a full crew of US Navy.
Unfortunately, we finished our tour of Boston at 6pm…prime rush hour traffic. So, we decided to eat dinner before heading out.
So many people have told us to try Legal Sea Foods so we did!
Yummy seafood and delicious desserts!! A perfect ending to our day!
Goodnight Boston!
We woke up this morning ready for another day with Josh, Sarah and the kids. We headed to breakfast at the hotel and got all the kids fed before we went back to Acadia.
We had to get to the visitor center and get some Junior Rangers sworn in! They had completed their booklets necessary to receive their Junior Ranger patches.
Next stop, Cadillac Mountain! We had missed it yesterday due to the rain so we were off to try again. A lot of the mist and fog had burned off in the town so we were hoping maybe on the mountain too. As we drove up the road we were able to see some deer and a ruffled grouse, but no moose. There were also lots of waterfalls along the way up.
The fog however did not dissipate, but it got worse. When we got to the top the wind was whipping and the rain was stinging, but we got out to hike to the lookout spot. It was crazy cold!
Totally worth it! Great memories!
After Cadillac we headed back down for some lunch. Along the way we stopped for some waterfall pics, so gorgeous!
Before lunch we opted for some shopping! The kids desperately wanted souvenirs. Nana had given them some money and they wanted to spend it!! It took a good 30 minutes before they settled on their items. The girls all got matching shirts so us moms wanted to match too!
We had lunch at Geddy’s again, it was so good, both times! Josh and Sarah had about an hour before they had to head out so we decided to go to the Oceanarium I had read about…only to find out it had not opened for the season yet. The timing of this trip was great for us, but a lot of stuff up north hasn’t opened yet. Spring hasnt even touched Maine yet.
So back to Acadia we went! This time to thunder hole, hoping to see the waves crash this time. We spent a while there watching the waves and taking pics but then it was time to say goodbye. 😢
We had a quick birthday celebration for Bree and then hugs all around. We love our family and the times we get together!
After the Canadian Campbells headed out, we went back to the town. Bree was searching for a nutcracker from Bar Harbor! Thankfully there were two Christmas shops in town. She found the perfect one, which I forgot to take a picture of her with. While she shopped Ry settled on ice cream in the 40 degree weather…I had to have some too!
We left Bar Harbor behind still searching for the elusive Moose and headed south to Portland. We had about a 3 hour drive. We searched everywhere there were moose signs and had no luck. When we pulled into Portland we got a text from Josh and Sarah, they had seen a moose!!! They sent Alan a video so it was kind of like he saw one. Maybe next trip wherever we go he’ll see one…
Downtown Portland sunset
Tomorrow we take on Boston!
Early morning today, we got up and out the door as early as possible and headed north.
We quickly entered New Hampshire #48 and quickly exited. We are returning tomorrow so we’ll get a picture then, but we had one thing in mind and that was making it to Bar Harbor, Maine. Something special was waiting for us!
Maine #49
Maine, #43 for Alan
#49 for the girls, only 1 more!!!
We traveled the gorgeous highways of Maine. We had to exit the freeway and follow the coast to Bar Harbor. Our first stop was Geddy’s, for a little taste of home!
Josh and Sarah traveled a few hours to be able to surprise our kids with a whirlwind 24 hours together. They were so excited to be together. Thankfully the happiness of being together clouded the over cast rainy 36 degree weather.
Neither rain, nor cold, nor fog could ruin this day, so off we went to Acadia National Park.
We got our junior ranger booklets and we’re off to explore!
Our first stop was Sand Beach. People can swim here but I can’t imagine why no one took me up on the offer.
Our next stop was Thunder Hole, the water comes rushing in and thunders into a hole created in the rocks, doesn’t that sound awesome???? We wouldn’t know, we missed the high tide when it makes the noise by about an hour. We didn’t realize it wasn’t happening all the time. But, we made the most of it and climbed all over the rocks.
Otter Cliff was up next, we missed the parking spot and had to reverse on the one way road up the hill and around the bend. Thankfully Mommy was the lookout and no other cars came! We searched for otter and puffins we were so excited to spot them…only to use our binoculars and realize they were buoys and ducks. Oh well!
We had one more stop in the park and that was Jordan Pond. The ranger told me that the Pond and the Bubble mountains behind it reminded people of the Tetons, so we were super excited to see this!
I’m not sure what the Ranger thinks the Tetons look like, but nothing like this. We didn’t even get a picture because it wasn’t that spectacular. However, the river running out of it was beautiful and we snapped a pic of that!
All the mist, rain, cold, and hiking had wore us out so we headed to dinner!
Side street cafe was a tiny little place our hotel recommended, it was so cute!! Coffee was a must because I was so cold.
We had burgers, mac n cheese, ribs abs and fries! A delicious end to the day, but the kids weren’t finished yet!
Swimming!!!!
They said the indoor pool wasn’t cold, but their chattering teeth told me different so we spent about an hour in the pool and then it was off to bed. After showers and getting all tucked in Bree started crying because her favorite earring had fallen out and she couldn’t find it. Mommy ran back to the pool and searched and searched. Their was a nice couple there who asked what I was doing and offered to search the pool for me. I felt bad but they searched too. After about 15 minutes we decided to give up…then the man said “no way!” Wouldn’t you know it he found her earring IN THE POOL! I couldn’t believe it! Thank you Lord for your goodness to us!
What a day! Tomorrow more family fun, and of course the dreaded goodbye to our family, but we’ll take any time we can get with them!
We spent the night in Hartford, Connecticut. Thanks to our pit stop in Philadelphia we got in late after having dinner at a quaint travel center along the New Jersey turnpike. Burger King, Nathan’s hot dogs, pasta, and a sandwich, there was a smorgasbord of options for us!
We woke early to make the drive to Danielson, CT. We were able to be in a church pastored by a missionary sent out from our home church. It was so neat to see a ministry of our church. The church people were so kind. Alan was going to play the piano, but after too many wrong turns we ended up arriving 15 minutes late. The service was great and the girls enjoyed going to the Children’s Church.
Ready for church!
Afterwards we headed toward Nathan Hale’s homestead, about halfway there we realized if we didn’t change course we would miss being able to see Minute man National Historical Park. This was one of our must see stops, so we changed direction and headed north.
Massachusetts #47 for the girls!
“Listen my children and you shall hear, of the midnight ride of Paul Revere”
We made it! We were an hour before it closed. We got junior ranger booklets learned a lot of history and then traveled the road that Paul Revere took to warn the people.
We traveled from Lexington to Concord. We saw where Paul Revere was captured. Did you know he never actually made it to Concord to warn Sam Adams and John Hancock? He was captured but had warned others so they continued the ride to Concord. 
Paul Rever captured!
It was rainy and cold while we were here and when we got to the bridge where “the shot heard round the world” was fired it was pouring. We had not come this far to miss seeing such a historical spot! So Daddy fashioned a large umbrella for the girls out of a trash bag, dug out a poncho for himself and mommy had her rain coat and out we went. 
The beginning of our freedom as Americans!
It was so much fun to have this adventure together! We finished the day warm in our hotel. Tomorrow we hit states #48 & 49!
