The McLaughlin's: October 2006

Our long awaited trip to New Hampshire!

Our long awaited trip to New Hampshire! I can't believe we were finally able to go. I've been waiting for this trip for 15 years! The kids were as excited as Jim and I were, finally they were going to be able to meet Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and a Great Grandmother that they've only heard about, and see the places that Daddy is always talking about. It was the same for me to and kinda the same for Jim as well since he hasn't been back there in 22 years!
We got there just in time for a couple of things, the fall colors which change so fast, and since we left the family house that Jim's Dad grew up in has now been torn down to be replaced by a brand new 3 bedroom house! How exciting for them!!
Well the pictures tell the rest of the story and all in all we had a fabulous trip that I'd do all over again in a minute! I want to send a special THANX to Jim's Grammy for letting us invade her house for 7 days and for spoiling us rotten!

The kids found this wheelchair to play in while we waited to get on the plane at the Abbotsford Airport. Our trip started at 4am.

Haley's so excited for her first plane ride! (well not her first...but the first one that she can remember)

Jay was very excited too...but also a little scared at the same time. I guess he takes after his mother!

We had a 2 1/2 hour layover in Toronto, so we just hung out at the airport. We didn't have much time to do anything else, but it was fun to say that we had been there.

This is in Newport, Vermont. What a pretty town and very friendly people!

This is where we stopped for a very yummy breakfast...a little cafe in St. Johnsbury.

My little non-travelling girl!

The school in Holderness, NH.

The driveway up to the school...isn't it beautiful?!

This is the house Jim lived until he was 6 years old.

The tiny house that Jim's Dad grew up in, only one room plus the kitchen and no running water!

This little house, also on the same property, was Jim's Great Gramma's house.

Nobody has lived in the house for many, many years (this was the living room/bedroom/etc.).

The kitchen

The trailer which they live in now.

Since we took these pictures, all of the out buildings including both little houses have been torn down, we got there just in time!

The church in Holderness that Jim and his family attended when he was little.

Our first covered bridge! This one is in Ashland, NH.

The tree behind the church that Jim fell out of when he was 5 years old and managed to split his head open. He had told the kids the story many times and now had the chance to show them.