defining style

we love cape cod style.

ever since we met, we’ve been dreaming of the house we will one day own.  yup…we’re not anxious to make the leap into home ownership.  although i miss certain aspects, but it’s worth the wait if we can one day transform a house into “THE house” for us.  plus a small mortgage wouldn’t hurt either:)

inspiration abounded on the Cape.  Yup, this is how we spend long, relaxing days in Cape Cod.  Driving around stalking other peoples houses.  gotta love it.  if there would have been open houses you better believe we would have scurried in.

 

our dream house is not big but styled after sarah susanka’s “not so big house” approach.  it has cedar shakes and rustic details. 

 

we love the idea of having one main house with space above the garage and outbuildings in the yard.  alex needs a workspace of course:)  it’s filled with comfortable furnishings and there is nothing pretentious about it.  a mix of rustic, traditional, and contemporary.  my dream is that it will have barn doors installed separating the family room from some other room in the house. 

barn doors make me swoon. 

                       BHC                                                        AT

there you have it…this is the recap of the next part of our vacation.  i guess if you need some other highlights we also visited one of the best outlet malls i’ve ever been to.  Restoration Hardware, Williams-Sonoma, Vera Bradley, and more.  mouth dropped wide open.  we’ve also eaten; hole in one donut shop, joes, and the bangkok kitchen for quite possibly the best pad thai i’ve ever eaten. laundry.  rest.

i love the cape.

Burlington, VT

After lunch in Portland we headed off for a very scenic drive through the White National Forest on our way to Burlington, VT.  I was so excited for this leg of the trip and it did not disappoint.

Alex asked me what I was most excited about before we headed out on our trip…my answer?  Eating my way through all of the states.  And eat we have.  Other than the couple of Dunkin Donuts we have hit up due to extreme hunger and need for coffee, we’ve relied on Yelp and Urbanspoon to point us to the local places and they have been so yummy!

Highlights of Burlington include Ben and Jerry’s, Bennington Pottery, vineyards, Champlain Chocolate Factory, Cider tour, visit to JK Adams, and finally eating some of the best food ever.

Burlington is situated on Lake Champlain and the area is home to some of the yummiest foods.  Ben and Jerry’s, Stonyfield Farms, Cabot cheese, and Champlain Chocolates just to name a few!

Here are some pics from this leg of the trip!

Visiting the Cider Mill..it was my trip to the “orchard” for the season.  We ate apple cider donuts and drank hot apple cider.

 

alex made me pretend to milk the cow…utterly embarrassing!

 

 

        brogle’s doing what we do best

    visiting vineyards & taking in the view

 

after playing all day we made it into downtown Burlington and perused

then we ate this at the Flatbread Company…eat there if you ever visit as well as burlington bagel…amazing bagels, we ate here for breakfast

the end.  goodbye burlington.  we’ll miss you!

Maine to Vermont

Days have been filled with sleep, national parks, food and gorgeous scenery.  Other than the one time Alex and I were down in Cannon Falls at the peak of fall I have never seen such beautiful fall colors in my life.  Preface, these are better than anything MN can produce, God did quite a work when He placed the trees in this area years ago.

Dunkin donuts fueled us yesterday morning…their pumpkin donut holes were amazing!  The pictures I will post do not do the area justice as our first day in Maine was overcast and rainy, perfect for a trek up to Acadia National Park where we drove the scenic route.  It was quite the drive but I don’t mind road trips if the scenery is new  to me and gorgeous and we headed up the coastal route, which was scenic indeed!

Today after waking refreshed we jumped in our rental car and headed to the wharf for fresh Maine lobster.  I have eaten lobster before but not like this and believe me, fresh Lobster caught that morning is so much better than anything we can get in the Midwest.  It was also Alex’s first time experiencing the yumminess.  Maybe by the end of the trip he will enjoy seafood more?!?

  

After our bellies were full we headed across Maine, then New Hampshire, and then into Vermont through the White Mountain National Forest.  We’re staying in Burlington and I’m looking forward to our itinerary tomorrow…you’ll have to wait and see what’s in store!

On the road again

And we arrived safely into Portland Maine today and we are ready for an adventure!

This is the first time we have ever traveled without a set itinerary.  We dabbled with adventure in Scotland last year and decided that this time we would live on the edge.  With lodging set for the next 2 nights we are settling in and planning where we will go next.  I’ll admit, it’s a little out of my comfort zone but I know it will make for a vacation to remember.

We headed out this morning after stuffing 3 weeks worth of clothing for every possible activity and type of weather under the sun into two small suitcases, armed ourselves with one overloaded purse and a full backpack and jumped on the plane.  With a short stop in Philly for a quick bite to eat we loaded back on the plane and arrived in Portland in no time.

Alex enjoying an authentic Philly cheesesteak

While that was enticing, I couldn’t resist Chick Fil A

Upon arriving into foggy and drizzly Portland, coffee was in order

Planning out tomorrow

And He answered…

  Asher Clark Johnson

My heart surged with joy when I heard the news yesterday.

My God has answered.

In His timing.  With His plan.

My God has not let them go.  He has not forgotten.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4

When we heard the news we remembered what had been written.  Your brothers, Asher dear, are dancing on streets of gold.  We remembered the sadness that weighed heavy on your parents’ hearts.  We remembered how God carried them through…how they trust in the deep, deep love of Jesus.

We were on our knees for you.  When your mommy was rushed to the hospital, we heard the Lord.  He said, not yet.  It’s not his time.  And we knew, He had plans for you we could not comprehend.

When your mommy lay at home, keeping you safe inside her, we sought refuge in the shelter of the Lord.  He answered. 

He kept you safe.

“You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.” Isaiah 43

Yesterday we saw a miracle when we held you, an answer to prayer that is not deserved.  We have seen history written, evidences of grace.  We are witnesses to the goodness of our God.  He has not forgotten.

Asher Clark, the Lord has a plan for you.   On our knees we ask that He will summon you by name to be His own.   That Jesus, who has sustained you and kept you safe for this day, will be your Savior. 

For you are loved.