new hampshire {part 2}

The thing about New Hampshire is that everything is about an hour away from where you are. People drive a lot there. We were so used to it as children that a 45 minute drive just to get to school seemed like nothing. All that to say, one of my best friends on the face of this planet was about an hour away from where we were staying so she invited us to sleep over one night. (Actually, she offered for us to stay the whole week which would have been nothing short of amazing. Although she may have come to regret that offer. Or at least her poor husband for sure would have.) She has four boys. FOUR. And she is one of the most amazing, strong, loving, giving mothers I have ever seen. I'm so proud of her and the way she is being the best mom she can to those four little ones. (Except Eddie, he's not little anymore. He was our ring bearer and, then, he was little. Now he's in the third grade and almost as tall as me. Tear.) 

I can't even tell you how much I loved our time together. Our visits over the past few years have been quick meals or coffee squeezed in during the rush of a holiday. So this long, un-rushed visit was such a blessing. Even though I don't call her nearly enough she's one of those friends where you pick up right where you left off. As if the last time you were together all day long in high school was just yesterday. Just somehow you woke up today with 6 kids collectively and houses and husbands and you talk about things like car seats instead of whatever it is you talked about in high school...probably TJ. {I can say that because she did end up marrying him. And I know we did talk about him.}

We were so busy catching up that these are literally the only pictures I took while I was at her house. The girls loved her boys. LOVED. I could see little, first crushes forming in the hearts of my baby girls and it just made me smile. And yes, that is my sweet little ring bearer who is just not allowed to grow anymore. Not. allowed. 

Completely off topic. But just for the record, the kid in the striped shirt is not one of Yolande's boys. He just showed up in the kitchen. I turned around and all of a sudden he was standing there and talking to me about how I was having another baby. Well, he hoped it was two babies again because otherwise that poor baby will feel lonely because the girls already have each other. And the new one will need someone, so I'll have to go ahead and have another baby for her. That's why his parents had his brother. {Good advice. We'll take it into consideration, wise little neighbor child.}

It was so encouraging to me to spend this time with Yolande and see all of our kids together. She's had a lot of challenges lately and she is taking them head on and truly inspiring people around her. I love seeing her as a mother. But, my inner high school self, loved seeing her as just a friend just as much. 

The bonus in seeing Yolande was that she has pretty much any baby item you may ever need in your life. So we borrowed a pack-n-play and a double stroller for our trip to the Fryeburg Fair the next day.

 The girls loved the fair. They got to spend some time with my dad (who CG named E-pop) and see animals up close. And eat mini-donuts. What a good life. They wanted to ride every single ride we passed but sadly, my miniature children will probably not be tall enough for even the kiddie rides until they're 16 or so. BUT they did ride some ponies (not impressed) and a sweet ride worker snuck (sneaked?!) them on a cute little train ride and wouldn't even take tickets for it. They could have ridden that little train all day and he probably would have let them. Bless him. They (legally) rode the carousel later in the day, twice. I personally would have found those fake, colorful, noisy horses to be more scary than the ponies but what do I know?

And then it was back to the farm and Jeri-Jo's dogs. Which are infinitely more exciting than ponies. 

Recognize this little face?! 

It's Dolly! Some people may have wondered whatever happened to our little addition we took on just before the girls were born. Well, she was the sweetest, cuddliest, most-in-your-face-have-to-be-on-top-of-you dog you ever did see. Which just did not mix well with having two newborns. When Jeri met her that summer she fell in love with her, so my mom ended up bringing her home to live with Jeri right after the girls were born. This dog was meant to be here. She roams around and eats strange things. Her favorite past time. And she is spoiled. Lucky dog. The girls were obsessed with her and with Lilly, their sweet older dog. 

And obsessed with being outside. Swinging. Walking aimlessly up and down the dirt drive-way. Moving rocks from one pile to another. More walking around. Then running around. Then moving rocks. Then chasing a cat. Then moving more rocks. Whoever said living in the woods is boring is clearly not an almost-two-year-old.