August 24, 2013

Finn's 3rd Month


August 14, 2013
3 months old



Milestones
recording all the firsts
  • Finn saw his first movie in the theater: Dispicable Me 2. Despite how noisy it was he pretty much slept through it.
  • Finn took his first dip in the pool. Toes in and crying... the cold water must have been shocking to him; we'll stick to baths until next summer.
  • He went to his first Major League Baseball Game.  The Rangers vs. Brewers in Dallas. He kept his eyes on the field and cried when I would turn him away... a baseball fan already!
  • Finn discovered his hands and will eat them if he's not trying to grab at something or drink milk.
  • From his back he can roll to his side. 
  • He had a babysitter for the first time!
  • Our family went to Dallas where Finn spent his days with daddy while mommy was at the office, working. He seemed to enjoy his "guy time." 

some of Finn's
Favorite Things
  • Baseball... we hope. He seems to enjoy watching the baseball games and is averaging one baseball game per month since his birth!
  • Daily walks to the park at the end of our street and sitting on mommy's lap as she swings on the swing-set.
  • Watching mommy do her dance cardio workout!
  • Laying on his musical, light up, play mat, staring up at the toys hanging down.  

some of Finn's
Not so Favorite Things
  • When human beings are out of eye sight.

Stories
of the Finn
  • One morning I decided to run to the store real quick and left Finn with daddy.  When I pulled in the driveway I was shocked to see Finn on Ben's chest in his carrier, head bobbling around, sound asleep as they moved about the yard WEED-WACKING, trimming, and raking. I cringed and had to bite my tongue and let daddy be daddy.  

 Finn's first Texas Ranger game!





Finn met his Uncle Tony while in Dallas. 

Finn and Daddy at his second San Antonio Missions baseball game.

Sitting in the lobby, sloughing class on Sunday.

Playing airplane with mommy!



August 16, 2013

NY. CT. MD.

Part Two: Connecticut



After NY, we spent a few days in Connecticut, at my parents home.  One of those days we ventured out to Newport, RI.  My brother Stephen, his wife Liz, their four kiddos, my parents and my nephew, Asa all joined us for the day trip.

Here, we are playing on the rocks at Brenton's point.  Handstands on these rocks was much more scary than it looks.  We are crazies when it comes to getting a good handstand photo.



We had a picnic and flew kites in the green fields across from Brenton's point. It was the absolute perfect, terrificly windy day for flying kites.  Ben rescued this kite from a tree... I was pleading with him not to climb the tree but thank goodness he made it down alive and with a fantastic, high quality kite that we now call our own. I guess it was worth the risk?

Our sweet neice, Avery.  When we said goodbye to her she gave us a note and cried that she didn't want us to leave.  I really do wish we could have stayed! It is so sweet to be around our neices and nephews on this trip.

We walked along the water, enjoying spectacular views of the ocean on one side and beautiful old mansions on the other.  
Asa and Eli found a tree to climb along our way.


Stephen and Liz, who come to Newport often, suggested we eat here, at the Brick Alley.  
It was delicious!


Back in CT, we went to Elizabeth Park, the location of our wedding reception.  It is hard to believe it has been about five years since that day and that we now have a little family of our own.  Our reception was held inside the Pond House in the dead of winter, which was gorgeous but it was nice to see the place when the flowers are blooming. 





My brother in-law Jeff and three of his kids, Asa, Ainsley and Ashby were in CT from Maryland and came along with us. 


While in CT I was able to reunite with my good friends from High School. Laura hosted us at her home where we chatted over lunch and I introduced them to Finn. 
L-R: Kristin, Laura, Brit & Finn, Ashley, Karen


On our way out of CT, headed to Maryland, with Asa, we saw a sign for the Pez museum! Of course, we couldn't help ourselves and just had to make the stop! 

Finn just loves Pez.





Part Three: Maryland

We spent just a few days in Maryland (not long enough) visiting my oldest sister Darlaina, her husband, Jeff and their four kids. We enjoyed staying with them in their home, which is like stepping into a Pottery Barn magazine. They made sure we had fun swimming in their pool, playing games, eating ice cream, walking along the pier and we even took Finn to see his very first movie in the theater: Dispicable Me 2!



The girls loved Finn!


Finn, sporting his speedo from Ali and Eric, and his shark towel from our friends the Rodericks.

What a whirlwind of a trip! We loved every minute of it and look forward to bringing Finn back one day when he can run and play with his cousins. 

August 02, 2013

NY. CT. MD.

Just 2 months old and Finn is already beginning to rack up his frequent flyer miles!  We took a trip to New York, Connecticut and Maryland where Finn could meet his Grandparents, some of his cousins and receive his baby blessing. 


Geared up for the flight!

Traveling first class style... nice and roomy, sprawled out and spoiled!
Finn was PERFECT during the flights. He slept just about the entire time-he must have loved the white noise and the vibration of the plane.


PART ONE: NEW YORK 


We started off our trip in upstate New York, where both sets of Grandparents met us at the Sacred Grove in Palmyra for Finn's baby blessing (see previous post). 


 After Finn's blessing we spent the day in Palmyra, NY visiting the church sites. 

View of the Palmyra Temple from the Sacred Grove and Smith Farm. 

Brit's oldest nephew and niece, Asa Streeter and Ambria Capson.

Inside Alvin's home.

At the Joseph Smith Farm.


Picnic lunch on the Palmyra Temple Grounds.

We hiked to the top of the Hill Cumorah where this Angel Moroni statue stands.


Finn was such a trooper, putting up with the go go go of the day. 
Zonked out in the arms of daddy at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center. 

We visited the Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first printed and Alvin's gravesite. 



A trip to Palmyra is not complete without a stop at the Chill & Grill, where they serve the biggest and best ice cream cones.  A small ice cream cone gives you 3 huge scoops! You can only imagine what a large would be. I'll take a kiddie cone, please!


We finished the day by seeing the Hill Cumorah Pageant. An amazing production about the Bible and the Book of Mormon. 

 Here we are with the character, Abinidi. 

 I grew up visiting the pageant and sites in Palmyra almost every summer and have been excited to take Ben for his first time. We'll be sure to take our little family here in summers to come. 

We spent the next day at Grandpa and Grandma Capson's campsite at the KOA in Canandagua (the place my family always stays). Of course, the site has changed quite a bit since I was a kid--there is now a huge bouncing bubble that made us feel like kids again, bicycles and go carts for rent, and new paddle boats. 

My parents surprised us with their new camper and a little shower for Finn!






We took a walk along the beautiful and clear Lake Canandagua.

  

The next few days were spent in Batavia, NY with Grandpa and Grandma Snarr.  They are stationed there as missionaries for the church.  We enjoyed meeting their friends there and site-seeing.


 Lunch at a quirky cafe that used to be the old railroad station. 



The Jello Museum in LeRoy, NY.


Ben's parents organized a "Mormon Night" for the Batavia Muck Dogs Minor League.  We were lucky to be able to attend and meet Vern Law, 1960 Cy Young and World Series Champion, who threw out the first pitch. He spoke to us at church on Sunday  and came over for lunch afterwards where we spent  hours chatting.  He personalized an enlarged ticket from the World Series game for Finn.   







One of Ben's favorite things are waterfalls, so a trip to Niagara Falls was a MUST!









After the falls we stopped at the birthplace of the buffalo wing--paying homage to a Snarr family favorite!




On our way out of New York, headed for Connecticut, we stopped in Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Likely, Bens' favorite part of our entire trip!






The  Knights.  From Ben's favorite baseball movie: The Natural.





Ben went on a shopping spree. This might be his 3rd visit to this check out counter!
);