Pam, Brett, Maddison, Cade and Emalyn McDonald: Another Fun Day in Boston

Saturday morning we went to Rockport, which is a town that Brett and his family have always visited when they go to Boston. They have so many cute little stores and it's really pretty there. I have to note that they have the craziest roads in the Boston area with little circles called roundabouts, or rotaries. Janet and Sara were both following us and as we pulled into a rotary, Brett cut off a car and a police was right behind him and we got pulled over. Janet and Sara went on while we got a talking to from the police. He was actually very nice and I think when he looked in and saw the baby and kids and heard us talk he knew we weren't from Boston and never even took Brett's license or anything. He explained how the rotaries work and made sure we knew how to get to Rockport. Very nice police man. The kids, Maddi esepcially, were very concerned that we got pulled over and questioned us about it all day!

We saw this cute little labra-doodle and of course we had to stop to pet the dog. Maddi and her dogs....

The crew in front of The Bearskin Neck General Store, our favorite little store. When Janet was a kid, they had penny candy. Now it's more like dollar candy. You fill your bag with candy and they weigh it and you pay by the pound. Janet let everyone get a bag and fill it with as much candy as the parents would allow. Janet of course bought her candy cigarettes, which you'll see later in our trip.

I think this red building is called Fishermans Warf and is the most photographed building or something.

It was a pretty windy and chilly day, although sunny. It's so pretty in Rockport.

Uncle Todd and Emalyn were having some fun together. We bought Emalyn the little giraffe puppet she's holding at one of the toy stores. Cade found it for her because of her giraffe face.

Grammy with the girls.

The kids loved climbing in the rocks.

Our family of 5 blowing in the wind. I'm pretty sure we have pictures on those same rocks without kids and with the kids when they were much younger.

Sara with her kiddos. Joel was on a plane to Boston from Denmark. He was there for work and got to visit the Lego (prounounced Lee go) factory there. The Legos were actually a little more expensive there, which I found interesting.

The McDonald kids with Janet, minus Joel.

When Brett was little, they would take a picture in front of a store each year. We looked and looked, but couldn't find the door that they remembered. So, this is the new spot for taking the little McDonald grandkids pictures.

Not a great picture, but you get an idea of the hecticness at lunch. Eating out with 5 kids is always exciting. Most people got seafood and they all liked it. Even Cade who is not adventurous in his eating, tried clam choweder, lobster, and fried shrimp and loved it!

Maddi and her faces...

Maddi makes this face to Emalyn all the time, and Emalyn cracks up. It's so funny that she knows that it's a different face and finds the humor in it.

Sara with her curly haired mini me!

Brett with his mini me.
After lunch we hit up a few more stores and then Sara left to pick up Joel at the airport. The rest of us went to the hospital to visit Aunt Jean, Janet's sister. A few days before we all arrived in Boston, she had a lot of pain and they realized she needed to have her gall bladder removed. Once they went in they found her pancreas and liver were very inflamed so she had to spend a few days in the hospital on some meds letting the pancreas and liver heal before they could remove the gall bladder. It was a bummer that we only got to see Aunt Jean for a very short visit this trip. She is so funny and we always enjoy being around her.

After the hospital we went to Brian and Courtney's house. The actually live in GG's old house and we hadn't been in it since GG moved in the nursing home. Brett was so happy to show the kids where he spent his summers visiting his grandparents. Grace, Bridget, Maddi and Cade were enjoying the swing set.