The Engstrom Spot

Summer started off strong with burning school papers in the fire pit and eating s'mores, trips to crystal springs, the beach, celebrating Adam's birthday with water party sleepover, and a outdoor family movie night.

Adam turned 12! He has now crossed the threshold into the youth program at church and ordained into the priesthood as a decon by Josh. Wow! A lot for one week.

The birthday celebration was small and simple. Adam chose a few friends (James Reilly, Eric Alongi and Vincent Arpino) to spend the evening and night. As a mom I couldn't ask for nicer boys for adam to be with. They all had a good time playing with each other in the yard, pizza, cookie cake, nerf war, staying up late with friends, yummy breakfast in the morning and hanging out the next day.

Grandma and Grandpa finally arrived. We played at Sandy Hook and walked around the old base and played on the rocks. I found the best sea glass ever! Grandma and grandpa got in later than expected and they missed their planned trip to Rhode Island so we decided last minute to go to Rhode Island with them. It was the best thing that we decided to do turned out to be a fantastic trip for the family.

We decided last minute to go to Newport RI

Stayed in Kingstown at a Hampton Inn with a pool!

Monday, played on the rocky beach at the sourthern tip of Newport. The boys discovered that they could throw the slate rock down onto other rocks and they would shatter. They thought this was fantastic and had a great time been very destructive. The rest the evening was going to the hotel and swimming.

Tuesday, this was the best day in my mind we ended up going to a mansion with grandma and grandpa in the morning. Then we went on a bike ride we started in Bristol Rhode Island. I thought it would last only 3 miles tops and we would turn around. The boys however we're having a great time, the weather was perfect, the path is easy, and we road 7.5 miles on the 14.5 mile path. It was the perfect path for a family to ride on we went through a little town stopped for a lemonade and lunch we stopped in the salt marshes we rode over bridges played at the pond. It couldn't have been a better day it was truly a dream come true for me. We rode back. Met up with grandma and grandpa at the red parrot to Newport had a fantastic dinner. And went back to the hotel where the kids had ice cream and Andrew went swimming and made lots of new friends. One of my favorite parts about the bike ride was riding tandem with Andrew he sat behind me and saying and talked and jabbered and it was fun to hear all the little things that he would say and think about. I really enjoyed being close to my little one. I was really impressed with Adam and Zachary stamina Adam let us the hallway and was not going to be beat by me at the last one we had a headwind and a slight incline and it got really tough he kept up really well.

Wednesday, we decided to do the cliff walk with grandma and grandpa in the morning. It was a beautiful morning and it was nice to walk along the path see the impressive old mansions and views from the cliffs. We enjoyed taking pictures and capturing us in the pretty setting. Our walk back to the car we found an Easter egg hunt was planted on the car. This excited the boys and added a sweet treat to this low key walk. We continued our fun to go to the at Fort Adams. We got to take the guided tour and walk through this old for which never really was used but was at one time really beautiful my favorite part was walking through the tunnels I think that was Andrew's favorite part too otherwise he's kind of grumpy.

The rest the day was just the drive home.

Thursday, Philadelphia! We decided to go see Philadelphia with grandma and grandpa which we never done before so did everybody else in New Jersey it was very crowded but we did not buckle at the crowds. We ended up getting to see the Liberty Bell, the Federal Reserve, and the Mint. Andrew's spirits were almost completely depleted but will reroute five with the reminder of a gift shop at the end of our tour so he made it through the promise of a little goodie. Sacree and Andrew decided on slap wrist bracelets as their prize of the day. Adam of course didn't care for anything and sat patiently with grandma and grandpa as his brothers picked out something from the gift shop. I love that this kid doesn't care for things.

Friday, grandma and I went off on her own to go see museums in New York City we had a good time making our way up to the Guggenheim and going to the new museum where we saw the lady in gold had lunch at some really expensive diner ask place on the upper Eastside got a fun desserts in Grand Central Station, and made our way home. Grandpa and Josh got Adam ready for his camp out and he went off on his camp out and Zachary and Andrew and everybody got to hang out here

We said goodbye to grandma and grandpa and recovered. Adam came home from his Boy Scout camp out and we with tomato to the Power Ranger movie. Andrew had a fantastic time watching this on the big screen. It was cute seeing him get so excited. He is signed which ranger each one of us were at the end of the movie I am the pink Ranger and of course Andrew is the red ranger.

I scripture study that night was our 12 egg Easter devotional. Inside each egg tells has a little reminder of an event that happened the last week of Christ life. I felt the spirit as I testified to my children about Jesus Christ and that he lives.

Easter Sunday! Basket finding started out our morning. Andrew found that the Easter bunny pooped in our toilet. He went on and on abt that. That is what he shared with his primary class. we had a big pancake breakfast and miraculously made it to church on time and I really enjoyed listening to the boys seeing the special music number that the primary had prepared it made me cry. I was touched by the spirit.

I made the kids stand outside in the hot as I try to take the picture it was witnessed by our Brooklynite neighbors across the street and Lori Colona came to the rescue to take a family picture of us all together it was my favorite part of my Easter. I'm so glad I have that beautiful picture that Lori Colona took. Our day ended with a nice meal and Easter egg hunt and getting ready for the new week.