New England

We went to New England this past weekend for a wedding of one of my cousins. Ahhh...where to start.

I suppose I should start with our drive up there, starting at 4:00am, Thursday. It's downpouring. We got a new cartop carrier for our trip (the cool, new kind that looks like a duffle bag; not the X-Cargo gray and white shell that we all had growing up). Before leaving, Drew wraps all our luggage in Hefty bags just in case our "Weather-proof bag" isn't so weather-proof. We were worried about our luggage getting wet. Not 8 minutes into our 7 hour drive, a drop of water flies into my face. Then two. Then three. By Baltimore, the straps holding it down (we have a sedan, thus no luggage rack, thus the bag strapped in through our doors) are soaking wet and providing a steady stream of rain water on all 4 of the Manns. I was literally cupping water above my shoulder and shucking it down around my feet. Addison's carseat was soaked. Makenna had one soggy pillow. Drew and I were completely drenched.

Drew (an hour into our drive): Should we turn back home and repack the car?
Me: NO!!! We didn't pay all that money to NOT use this car top carrier. We'll survive, as soon as it stops raining. (Sidenote: "Torrential Downpour" is in the forecast for the next 36 hours.)
Drew (in his infinite wisdom): Let's pull over at the next exit. I think I can fit everything in the trunk. We can use the bag on our next road trip.
Me (deflated, but humble enough to know when The Mann is right: Fine.

We finally dried off by the time we reached NYC. By Vermont, it was still pouring with no clear sky in sight. We meet Mom and Dad there to start our soggy Covered-Bridges/Fall Colors driving tour. It let up a little for me to get some pretty shots, but began quickly thereafter.










(Last but not least, how cool is this old building in Bennington, VT? I wish I would have taken more pictures of it, but it started to downpour again.)

Onto Boston, where we visit with my Aunt and Uncle. More rain. But they live on a lake, which is gorgeous and home to three swans.



Saturday was the wedding in Connecticut and was amazingly, the ONLY day without any rain. Miracles do happen on conference weekend...
The bride, the flowers, the music, the food, the view...all were amazing.












Wow. That was a ton of pictures. More than usual, but so pretty up in New England. How do people not carry their cameras with them every time they step outside their house? Gorgeous. Such a fun weekend. So happy to have spent the extra days up there with my parents. Oh, how I love Autumn.