New Hampshire Trip

Last summer, while grocery shopping at Hannaford, Kaitlyn, Kevin, and Grammy were randomly selected by Hood as winners of a weekend in New Hampshire.  They met one of the Red Sox players and were even on the news that night!  The prize included two nights at a hotel, several meals out, and various other gift certificates. 

The hotel was the Red Jacket Inn.  It was pretty cool because besides traditional hotel rooms, they had townhomes, and even full size homes to stay in.  We were in one of the townhomes.  Kaitlyn loved having all the room to run around.  They also had a playground on site and free activities throughout the weekend.  The first night we were there they were offering horse and carriage rides.

Afterwards Kaitlyn asked to play on the playground for a bit.

Then we used one of our meal certificates at the Black Cap Grill, the sister restaurant of the White Cap Grill in Portland.  Kevin got the build-your-own burger and sweet potato fries.  I had the salmon with mango salsa.

The following morning while Kaitlyn took a nap, Kevin and I went hiking on one of the trails by the hotel.

Then we met up with Kaitlyn and Grammy for lunch on the deck of the Muddy Moose.

Next we went mini-golfing.  Kevin got a hole in one and I got two!  Kaitlyn continued her tradition of cheating

We used another gift certificate at the 1785 Inn for dinner that evening.  The food was amazing.  I got my escargot and tried elk sausage for the first time.  Kaitlyn discovered a love of lobster and scallops.

I tried their award winning dessert…  Sorry for the poorer picture quality.  Gotta love the low-light setting.

Kaitlyn back in the townhouse after dinner, still all dressed up and looking pretty…

The next morning Kaitlyn played behind the hotel before we had to head home.

Stopping for pictures on the way home… 

We will be heading back later this summer.  We have one more gift certificate to use on a dinner train, but that only runs during summer months. 

My Birthday in Montreal

For my birthday we took a short trip to Montreal.   We planned our departure time, so we were in Lyndonville for lunch at the Miss Lyndonville Diner.  Once we made it to Montreal, we had fun exploring the old city, St. Catherine’s Street, the Underground Mall, Olympic Park, the Biodome, and the Botanical Gardens.

Kaitlyn and I are ready to shop!

My new birthday purchases

The hotel we stayed at, Le Philips Square Hotel and Suites, gave us a book of coupons.  We used it get one free adult admission pretty much everywhere we went.  And there we coupons for free ice cream…

Here’s Kaitlyn in the Basilica.

Kaitlyn posing in the maple store.   Although I’m not quite sure where she learned to pose like that.

For my birthday dinner we went to the Keg Steakhouse.  So yummy!  Kevin told them it was my birthday, so for dessert they brought me a slice of cookies and cream ice cream pie with a sparkler stuck in it.  No pictures of that though.  Kevin wasn’t expecting the sparkler and was too mesmerized to remember the camera .  Kaitlyn was enthralled by it too!

The next day we headed over to Olympic Park…

Kaitlyn loved the huge greenhouses at the Botanical Gardens.  Next time we’ll have to take her in the summer when all of the outdoor spaces are open.

Then we headed over to the Biodome to see the animals.

Kaitlyn loves her penguins!

Then we rode up to the top of the Observation Tower.

And yes I am still terrified of heights.  I’m trying not to look like I have a death grip on that pole…

Taking in the views at the top.  I was totally that mom saying “stop jumping, stay back from the windows” pretty much constantly. 

Dinner at the microbrewery.  That was an experience… Bruins fans in a restaurant full of Canadiens fans.

The food and drinks were awesome!  I had this great flatbread with German sausage, sauerkraut, and grilled onions.  Kevin had the sausage platter.

Kaitlyn in front of our hotel on the morning we left.  They were so kid friendly!  When we checked in, they gave her a small gift bag full of juice boxes and snacks.  Then they rolled out this huge wagon full of  books, toys, and Lego sets.  She got to pick one thing to have.  So, she brought home a little soccer game.

On the way home, we swung through Lyndonville for lunch at one of our other favorite restaurants,  Asia.  We drove up by the college to show Kaitlyn where we went to school.  Then we took a slight detour to another old stomping ground… P&H for a slice of some of the best pie ever.  We stuck to our college favorites… banana cream for me, Reese’s for Kevin. 

We also took the scenic route home.  Stopping off on the Kancamangus Highway for a photo.

Exhausted…