My View of Life on the Dock
A little bit of elbow grease never hurt anyone. Its about time the boys start pulling some weight around the house for pete’s sake.
Loving our new fire pit!! A totally fun afternoon project for VERY little $$$! And…the boys and I were very proud of ourselves…which is a bonus. Had we been thinking we would have saved this project for Father’s Day….damn.
“Why teach?” you may ask. Well, here’s reason #9,827 why I do what I do.
A great day in the classroom.
Who knew! Well, I, for one, did not. I am quite certain, however, that some of GMG’s savvy followers are well aware of this problem, but it was news to me!
While some of the video footage of these highflying Asian Carp pelting boaters near the Great Lakes may seem funny at first, evidently this is a huge problem and a cause for great concern.
Not to make light, but it was hard to not envision this happening to us while boating down the Annisquam River or in the waters of Gloucester or Rockport Harbor. Not sure what I would do. It also reminded me of the time that we were fishing in the Sea of Cortez and I asked the captain, “What type of bird are those that are flying in and out of the water?” only to be answer with a giggle and, “Well, those swimming birds are actually flying fish.” I blame it on the coronas.
Article on Chicago’s Looming Asian Carp Problem
Disclaimer: Please forgive the language on this one. If you’re easily offended, turn down the volume. But this video shows how extreme this carp onslaught can be!
The sun is out, the wind is starting to subside, the beach is scattered with about 6 families, and we can back to school/work in the morning with one beach day under our belts and sand in our flip flops 🙂
Ok, friends, summer can start. We’ve finally hit the deck at the Studio. And…it did not disappoint.
I went to one of the “soft openings” at the Studio back in the fall and have been eagerly anticipating clocking some hours there ever since. Being the long weekend…and Thatcher’s birthday to boot…Saturday was the day.
We went by boat. Out of Rockport Harbor, around Halibut Point, down the Annisquam River, under the A. Piatt Andrew, and on into Gloucester Harbor….where we were greeted by the Thomas E. Lannon (a sight that never gets old).
We ate some manchego cheese in olive oil (which I could eat every day for the rest of my life), tuna maki rolls, the red dragon roll (maybe one of my favorite sushi rolls of all time), fish and chips, and some pork ribs. Everything was delicious….as was my cocktail (a muddled grapefruit something or other) and the decadent dessert that was brought over by our waiter (equally as decadent…kidding..kind of) for Thatcher’s birthday.
We went inside briefly to visit with some friends and it was hopping! It was crowded in that “everyone is giddy that summer is here and they’re enjoying awesome food and cocktails with friends” kind of jovial way. My favorite kind of way.
I can’t get back there soon enough and highly recommend that you do the same!
Oh, lookie here, cool…a ball.
Courtesy of SBNation.
Best catch in baseball so far this year…..someone sign this guy.
Greasy fingers and all…
I like the guy in the Sox shirt (as opposed to the Hartford Whalers) in the foreground. You can almost hear him say, “Wait. What? How? Shit.”
While I like to keep my husband on a short leash….I’ve never put one of my children on a leash. First of all, I’m kidding, I don’t keep my husband on a short leash. He may disagree with that statement however… so maybe I should change it to “I don’t mean to keep my husband on a short leash”. At any rate, that isn’t the point here. The point is that I’ve never put my kids on a leash. So, I am wondering who has? Or who thinks it is okay? Or who thinks it is abominable? Or who sees pros and cons?
Today I saw, what I am guessing to have been, a mother and a grandmother walking (literally) a toddler down the sidewalk…on a leash. I am not trying to cast judgement. I do not claim to be a perfect parent. For example….. there was the time that I let Thatcher lay in bed with my husband and forgot to transfer him to his own bed. I went into the bedroom later to find my husband sound asleep and 2 year-old Thatcher WIDE EYED with the sheets pulled up to his nose watching, none other than, the Gladiator on the TV. Excellently appropriate movie for a toddler. And then there was the time that my husband bought air freshener that looked alarmingly like the can of Pan Nonstick Spray and I used it to make the boys some grilled cheese sandwiches. I didn’t even realize that I had done so until my husband asked, “Why is the air freshener in the Lazy Susan?” a couple of days later. And, just today, as I was trying desperately to choose one hanging plant and a few perennials….and all the boys wanted to do was play bumper cars with the garden carts….and Wolf Hill was closing in 5 minutes…I absolutely said some words of encouragement for better behavior that I am now, in hindsight, not proud of. Nor, for the record, were they effective.
Soooooo, I digress. I am by no means perfect, but the kid on a leash thing is something that I haven’t quite wrapped my head around. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel (or look I guess) more than a bit wrong to me. I am all about Safety First…I really am. So, if you have a runner and you really think that your child is going to dart into traffic with no advanced warning….then maybe a leash is the way to go? Likewise, if you are in an incredibly busy place…like, say, Disney World or the Running of the Bulls in Pamploma (in which case, I suppose, whether or not to use a leash would probably not be the parental decision that would be in question), I guess I can see the merit. We, as parents, have always opted for strollers or simple hand-holding. That having been said, we did once suffer through a horrifically long 2 or 3 minutes of not being able to find Finn at the New England Aquarium. While I guess, if I had to pick sides, I would call myself anti-leash, a leash would have prevented that from happening. So, I ask you honestly, what are your thoughts?
My mom, sister, and I went to Davio’s for an early dinner on Saturday to celebrate Mother’s Day together. We made a reservation, but upon walking in, decided to sit at the bar since it was fairly empty and the dining room was filling up quickly…and was kind of loud. Besides, when Mom says, “Do you want to eat at the bar?” you do it!
We split 5 items from the “Piccoli Antipasti”, “Marchi”, and “Piatti Del Bar” sections of the menu. All of it was incredibly fantastic. The sangria was perfectly amazing also!!! And then….came the dessert cart. Bliss!
Mother’s Day….what a happy, special, sometimes bittersweet holiday…to celebrate or remember…or wish and hope, or feel an overwhelming rush of mixed emotions.
The happiest of my Mother’s Days have been the most recent. I’ve been so fortunate for the past six Mays to not only honor and cherish my own mom, but also feel the joy of being a mom to two fantastically amazing, gorgeous, and rambunctious boys. But, not a Mother’s Day goes by that I don’t think of those who have already said “good-bye” to their own moms…..or who secretly feel an extra pang of sadness while others are celebrating because they’ve either so badly wished for children and have not been so blessed….or, unimaginably, they have had to watch their children leave this earth before them.
Not a Mother’s Day goes by that I don’t take a quiet moment to say “thanks” and to give pause to honor anyone who may secretly be hurting rather than celebrating.
My Mother’s Days have spanned over four decades….and, possibly like yours, they have run the emotional gamut.
1972: My mom’s first Mother’s Day as the mother of me (she had already welcomed my older brother and sister into the world and was, by then, a pro).
1972-1989: My school-aged years. I’m sure I went back and forth as children do between celebrating my mom and missing the opportunity to celebrate her enough in my adolescent naive years. I’m sure I made a slew of clay ashtrays (even though she never smoked) in addition to other art teacher inspired gifts. I’m sure I wrote some poems, but I’m equally as sure I never attempted to cook for her or give her breakfast in bed…as that has never been an area of strength. I’m sure that some years I made her smile with my thoughtfulness and other years, I am ashamed to say, I probably didn’t do nearly enough. Either way she was always the most amazing, most inspiring, and bravest mom I know. And still is.
1990-1994: My college years. I hope, dear goodness, that I at least called during these years. I was away in Virginia attending college and living the life. For which I have her to thank. And yet, I probably didn’t thank her nearly enough.
1995-2001: Grown-up Mother’s Day. My clay ashtray making days were well behind me…and at some point school systems caught on to the fact that making ashtrays was not very PC. We had some lovely trips to the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, maybe a polo match or two, and some shopping sprees. Mother’s Day as a grown-up celebrating my mom gave me that much more respect for all that she did.
2002: As a newly wed, Mother’s Day this year was full of “when will you have children?” or….even more importantly, between my husband and I, “Are we ready to have children?”
2003-2004: Loving being married, loving to travel, loving long days of boating and playing bocci ball on the beach….but, starting to think maybe there is more….
2005: This was the Mother’s Day of trying like crazy to get pregnant….and starting to get irrationally angry that it wasn’t working out.
2006: Having finally gotten pregnant, this was the Mother’s Day I had been waiting for. The Mother’s Day where I would be almost 7 months pregnant and glowing. But…it wasn’t in the cards. This, instead, had somehow morphed (which seems like an odd word, but describes it perfectly in my memory) as the year that we lost our baby during pregnancy. This was the Mother’s Day that not only was I sad…but angry and bitter. This was the Mother’s Day that I had also learned that tumors had developed where the baby once was….and, soon there after, unkindly spread to my lungs. This was the Mother’s Day that I was in and out of Boston doing some over night rounds of chemo. This was the Mother’s Day that my oncologist told us that trying to conceive again in the near future was out of the question…even though there was already a crib in our basement and 1/2 of a journal written to the baby that would never be. This was the Mother’s Day that I did anything other than handle matters gracefully.
2007: This was the Mother’s Day that, despite my doctors telling me that the best decision would be to terminate my new pregnancy because of the risk to my own health, I had refused and was now just 2 short weeks from welcoming a baby boy into this world. This was the Mother’s Day that I was overcome with joy….and fear. This was the Mother’s Day that I was elated….and terrified. After Thatcher was born there would be follow up appointments to see if my tumors had come back….and those results haunted me.
2008: This was my 1st Mother’s Day…as a mom. CatScans and follow-up appointments confirmed that no tumors had reoccured and Thatcher was amazingly healthy…as was I. Thatcher was just 2 weeks away from turning 1 and there had never been a happier time in our lives. Still, the hole…and the sadness, was there. As was the thought, of “what if I had listened?”
2009: Blessed again, this was the Mother’s Day that Finn was just 6 weeks away from gracing us with his incredibly vibrant presence. This was the Mother’s Day that I was beyond grateful for our good fortune, but secretly felt like I was depriving Thatcher of being our baby by bringing home a new child before he was yet to turn 2.
2010-2014: These have been the greatest of all. These have been the Mother’s Days that I have been in awe of how much the boys have grown and how crazy motherhood can be. These have been the Mother’s Days that I don’t want to let the boys out of my sight, but, man, would I give anything for a night away. These have been the Mother’s Days that I know I should spend the day going for bike rides with the boys and relishing in the motherhood that I so desperately fought for…but, sometimes I secretly wish that a moment of Mother’s Day involved margaritas with my other “mom friends.” These are the days when I sit and smile as they play nicely side by side….and then think, “When was the last time I brushed my teeth?”
I am keenly aware, however, that there are others who are somewhere else on this Mother’s Day spectrum today. And my heart aches for them…for whatever the reason.
Happy Mother’s Day to you all, whether you are celebrating or remembering….whether you are happy or sad. Whether you are full of hope and dreams…or whether you are desperately wishing for a moment to brush your teeth and read a magazine 🙂
I’m a sucker for ricotta on my pizza…or on anything else for that matter. We ordered a pizza from Mike’s Place in Gloucester the other night and it was unbelievable. I’ve been jonesing for some sweet sauce pizza since one of GMG’s podcasts months ago that discussed a theory on favorite pizzas and it was finally my turn to pick the pizza. So ridiculously yummy…
Melenzane
Breaded eggplant, caramelized onions, ricotta and mozzarella with Mike’s favorite-sweet pizza sauce
Check out the Mike’s Place full menu
I knew this was a slippery slope the moment I opened my mouth. But, there was no turning back. Again, weak and vulnerable, and being peppered with questions, I let my guard down. This time, however, I was surprised to get off the hook…and surprised, dammit, to wish that I wasn’t left alone so quickly.
Once again, this little story comes from a day at the farm. Last week, we left school and went out to get some mini golf and ice cream gift cards for two of Thatcher’s friends who were having a joint party. (No, not a “joint” party….that would be wildly inappropriate for boys turning 8!! Although, those would be some parents that might be a trip to hang with). I digress. Anyway, with gift cards in hand, and our own ice creams to boot, we went around back to see the cows (again).
Somehow the question, “Are these cows boys or girls?” came up. I should have seen the writing on the wall….but my almond joy ice cream was dripping down my arm and a tractor was heading right for us. The next several questions led to a dissertation on cows. I explained to them, within the best of my ability, that most of the cows we were seeing were girls…or heifers…and that boy “cows” are actually called bulls. And that the bulls were kept separate.
Obviously….the next question was “Why are they kept separate?” Sigh….here it comes. “Well, this is a dairy farm and it is the girl cows who provide the milk…so that they can make gallons of milk that you saw and the ice cream that you’re eating. They don’t need the bulls for that. But, they have some bulls around so that they can have more baby cows (like the one we watched being born last year)…some of which grow up to be the next dairy cows. You see? Ok, let’s go see the goats.“
So….you can see where this is going. It went down a little something like this….
Finn: Because it takes a daddy cow and a mommy cow to make a baby cow.
Me: That’s right, Finn.
Thatcher: (Because now, thankfully, Finn is suddenly more enthralled with the massive amounts of pee coming from one of the cows…and why there is smoke rising as it pelts the ground) So, how does the daddy cow help make the baby cow?
Me: Oh, that’s a story for another day.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m usually a fan of full disclosure…but, by 5:00…after a full day of getting the boys ready for school, out of the house, into their classrooms and then walking down the hallway to teach in my own classroom all day long, I have already answered approximately 3,741 questions…and I’m tired!! So, “How are baby cows made?” is going to have to wait until I’m on my A Game. Whenever the hell that might be.
Unbelievably though, for the first time EVER, the questions stopped. The silence was down right scary. It was uncomfortable and unchartered territory. I knew I should leave it alone, relish in it even, but it was so foreign to me, that I was confused. I thought about explaining more, but I let the quiet settle in….and I liked it. After a few seconds, I even allowed myself to think, “Ok….well then…go with it…we’re good.“ But just then…just when I thought I was in the clear…the little bugger piped up…and with a sinister little chuckle.
Me: What? What’s so funny?
Thatcher: Well, I just figured it out.
Me: Figured what out?
Thatcher: I mean…so… the mother cow has to lug the baby around in her belly…but that’s it. Its the daddy cow who must be a G.E.N.I.U.S….because he’s the magic one who gets the baby in there in the first place.
And then Finn: Yup, the daddy cow is the magic genius.
….and then, just like that, they happily ran off to see the goats. Comfortable with the new found realization that they too will grow up some day to be the geniuses who do all the magic to “get the baby in there” so the mothers can simply lug the babies around.
Efff! Don’t get me wrong…my husband is a very smart man who amazes me often with the knowledge he can impart on our children. However, I figured that in regards to freakin’ pregnancy…just maybe, for once, I would be the magic genius. But, alas, no. Daddy is both magic and a genius. And, “getting the baby in there” is an act of genius! Fanfreakintastic. My boys are going to be big hits with whatever poor teacher is charged with the task of educating them in a sex ed class years from now.
That’s ok, though. Both boys have birthdays coming up within the next two months…..and guess who isn’t going to go all Pintrest Genius on their asses the way I normally do?!?! Kidding…kind of.
And, to all you parents of daughters out there, I promise I will set them straight when the time is right. Or better yet, I’ll defer to the genius.
From the album Genius Loves Company…. 0f course
Happy Birthday Wally!!!! XOXO
These guys are tremendous….Yikes!!!!
I was reading Craig Kimberly’s post, Donald Sterling: What Say You?
and couldn’t quite put my finger on who he reminded me of…until now.
GMG phenom, Paul Morrison, has told you to get yourselves down to Wolf Hollow before…but in case you didn’t listen, it bears repeating. I, like many of you, had driven by the relatively small and unassuming house that doubles as Wolf Hollow in Ipswich so many times without ever even considering stopping in. Shame on me. As is typical of my life now, it took my boys all of a sudden being super interested in wolves and coyotes for me to think, “Hey…we should go there!” So, back in October we stopped in and my boys were immediately in love. So much so that we got them the Junior Membership for Christmas and “adopted” two of their favorite wolves. They were so excited to get their membership cards, stickers, and beautiful photos of Argus and Bear Christmas morning. And….couldn’t wait to get back for their next visit!
If you ask me, it is a perfect example of a Sunday (or Saturday) afternoon trifecta! 1. Get outside 2. Learn something 3. See some beautiful animals up close… and the bonus #4. Some quality time with your children during which they get the opportunity to learn about conservation and the balance of nature. NO brainer!!!
The “dock talk” as my older son called it (even though we were no where near a dock) is just the right length. Not too short and not too long. The staff member who taught us about the wolves easily engaged a crowd of 30 or so people who ranged in age from 3-83 years and allowed for a long session of questions when she was done.
Kudos to Wolf Hollow for devoting themselves to these gorgeous animals and making a difference while doing what they’re passionate about! I, as a mom and a teacher, am so thankful for the plethora of places (such as this one) where my boys can learn and be inspired. Selfishly, I also had a great time photographing them in all their majesty.
If I’m being honest here….you should really be doing this in the privacy of your own home anyway. But, nice to have the reminder.
I thought twice about writing this post (maybe even three or four times) because I didn’t want to seem all self-righteous and “I’m so awesome” because I’m not….but rudeness seems to be following me like my back pocket these days, and I simply couldn’t fight the urge any longer. I just don’t get it. I am F…A…R. from perfect and have enough flaws and faults that we could make it a full fledged category here on GMG (don’t get any ideas, Joey). Just ask my husband. Likewise, my boys have plenty of skills that could be worked on. Lately, though, I have been more than the average dose of disheartened by the interactions that I’ve had “out there.” The thing that started to push me over the edge is something that has chronically happened to me for years….making me wonder if, indeed, I am actually at fault.
Scenario #1: Aisle of any given store. Me: Heading one way. Another shopper: Headed towards me. Me: “Sorry. Excuse me” while we jockey for space to get by each other. Other shopper: Nothing. Nothing! Crickets! As if I was actually at fault! Why am I always the one saying, “excuse me“?? Aren’t we both equally responsible for sharing the aisle? Maybe I open myself up for being at fault by saying “sorry“….because that is probably a bit much? Maybe I should just stick with “excuse me.” Well, I’ve done that too. Still….crickets! How is it that I never hear, “no worries“or “excuse me too“? Sometimes, the lack of response even comes with a quick glance that almost implies, “You’re darn right you should excuse yourself! This aisle is all mine!” Which I get, I don’t shop a lot. I’m not a “regular” anywhere when it comes to shopping. Well…my Amazon account and J Crew card would disagree, but they don’t have aisles. Oh, and when I’m talking about said aisles, I’m not talking like Vineyard Vines… where I would expect to be looked upon with a bit of pity or quickly dismissed because my grosgrain ribbon belt doesn’t match the whale on my cardigan and headband. (Before you write in…I’m kidding….I don’t really think it is ok to treat customers or fellow shoppers like that even in establishments like VV…and, for the record, my belt, cardigan, and headband always match…kidding, again). I, to get back to my original point, am talking about places like Market Basket, Staples, Michael’s Craft Store, and Sports Authority. Do these people really think they have more right to these aisles than I do?
Scenario #2: Door Holding. And lack there of. I ALWAYS hold doors. Sometimes too much so. By that I mean that sometimes the necessity to hold doors is actually questionable. Like, sometimes the next person is a good clip away and I think, for a second, “Do I really need to stand here and hold this door for them or should I let it go?” Often though, in that space of a thought, I’ve inadvertently made eye-contact with the next person, and then feel obligated to stand there for a slightly awkward period of time. Efff. Insert Chariots of Fire slow motion music….and awkward wait period. However! What is up with all of the times that I hold doors for people and they DON’T say, “Thank you?” Seriously!! What in the world is wrong with people! Does this happen to anyone else or just me!? Blasted common courtesy, people! I know that I didn’t hand you $1.000, but come on! Likewise, I don’t do it for the “thank you” but when the other person acts like it is my purpose in life to stand and hold a door for them, I get pissed. I won’t even bother getting into the lack of door holding and my secret ill-wishing towards those who let doors slam in the faces of my young children.
Scenario #3: Driving Etiquette. Turning into parking lots. This indeed may be pushing it, because if you were to read the actual laws-of-the-road, these people are in the “right”, but I don’t think so. I can’t tell you how many times I have been waiting, with my directional on, to turn into a parking lot across a lane of on-coming traffic only to finally see an oncoming car put their directional on to turn into the same parking lot and have thought “oh, good, they’ll let me go“(because now I’m starting to feel bad for the back-up of cars behind me) …..only to have them sneak in in front of me. I know they probably really have the right of way….but, doesn’t common courtesy dictate, “hey, that person has been trying to turn in there for quite a bit now, and even though they’re in the opposite lane, they were here first, so maybe I’ll let them go???” I accidentally did that to someone at Dunkin Donuts once and then bought their coffee in the drive-thru because I felt so bad. And, for the record, if someone actually did let me go…I’d wave an appreciative “thank you.” Just sayin’.
So, why rant now? What brings this all to a head, you may ask? A trip to the zoo, I would answer. I love kids. I love my kids, I love my students, I love my friends’ kids. What I don’t love is kids that run freakin’ wild in public while their parents ignore them like crazy….so much so that they ruin other people’s fun. Yesterday, there was a group of kids barreling between exhibits while shouting and hollering at the zoo. I realize that I expect too much from my own children when it comes to manners in public…I absolutely border on the “strict” side….and I might even go so far as to say that sometimes I hamper their fun because I expect them to let other children have a turn too quickly or I make them wait longer because someone else’s child has cut them in line and I’d rather they take the high road. I’m working on getting better at that. That having been said, I have a super low tolerance for other parents who let their children act rudely in public. This same group of children kept jumping in front of other children and one of them ran right into a lovely grandmother who was trying to show her grandchildren the jaguar. No one told him to apologize…and it was kind of a rough hit. Another snatched a view finder right out of a little girl’s hands. No one told him to wait his turn. Later, I watched a boy finish a snack and drop the wrapper on the ground. WHAT!!?? Then, on the playground, this entitled little 5 year-old or so, snapped at Finn….who was soooo in line before her for a turn on the little zip line thing, and actually put her hand up in his face and said “I’m next“. She then complained that “that kid (meaning my other son) left the bar 1/2 way across and I can’t reach it now” to me and added, “Can you get it?”. To which I said, “Come on Finn. We’ll come back when she’s done trying to have her turn” and walked away. Where were little bossy pant’s parents….no idea? Ironically, just 10 minutes later, when my boys wanted to ride the little train, we found bossy pants sitting mid-train crying like crazy because “she wanted to sit up front in the engine and it isn’t ffffaaaaiiiirrrr.” Still not sure which parents in the crowd were hers. But, I am sure that no one was telling her to “enjoy the seat she had or feel free to get off, but either way stop screaming” like I would have done. My boys chose to wait until the next ride. A much quieter one. And sat in the engine.
And then lunch. I’ll make it quick. Picture if you will, two clearly marked cans. A blue one that says, “Bottles and Cans Only” in large letters across the top…with a recycling symbol on it and a brown one with no words. Wouldn’t you know that just as my 4-year old was done recycling his water bottle a lady came and dumped all of her trash…ketchup covered french fries, napkins, remnants of hamburgers, chicken fingers, drink cups, you name it….right into the recycling can. Dumbass. Ummmm….and allow me add…it was Earth Day.
I’d like to finish by saying that I am well aware there is an ocean of lovely, well-mannered people out there…including all of you, but for some reason, the way my stars have aligned, I seem to be missing them.
Forgive my self-indulgence, but how often can one post something like this?! So proud of my little guy!! And….those employees at Fenway Park who arrange and execute these pregame ceremonies are beyond phenomenal!! They made him feel like the most important person in the world even though they do this 81 times each season.
Warm fuzzies.
April Vacation is here….and not a moment too soon if you ask me!!!
I made a crazy, long list of activities to do with children over February Vacation.
While several of those activities focused on ice skating, tubing, or winter weather activities, many did not.
For this week’s April school vacation, I am going to start my list of activities by focusing on a few “stay-cations”…..so, either kind of long day trips, or quick over night getaways. Please, though, if you’re looking for more local activities, go back and check out February’s post for some awesome museums, indoor climbing, trampolining, etc. They all still apply as great things to do…some of the shows/exhibits offered may have changed, but the places are all still awesome!
Some of those choices were The Charlestown Navy Yard: https://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
The Larz Anderson Museum (to see some pretty rad cars): http://larzanderson.org/
The Seacoast Science Center, NH http://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/
The awesome smartphone based scavenger hunt in Boston called Stray Boots https://www.strayboots.com/locations/boston/tours
Some serious trampolining at SkyZone http://www.skyzone.com/everett
And some mad rock climbing at MetroRock http://www.metrorock.com/
Disclaimer: I’m not going to lie…most of my suggestions for this April Vacation post would be a wee bit better if the weather was warmer, but if this is your one week off for some FFF (forced family fun) then you may want to buck up and make some plans.
The first must do is in Nashua, NH. So, not too much of a hike…but a solid day trip. At SkyVenture New Hampshire you can do indoor sky diving, climb the giant rock wall, brave their awesome Fishpipe water slide or catch a wave in the Surfs Up indoor pool! So cool!! http://www.skyventurenh.com/index.php
Second on the list is an all-time favorite of the Schrafft family. The Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. My boys are literally counting the days until they are tall enough to chill with amazingly incredible beluga whales!!!!
Mystic is just over a 2 hour drive. Not bad….other than the yucky part of driving through Providence. For the record, I have nothing against Providence, but I’m kind of a horrible back seat driver and the stretch of highway through Providence (and Quincy, Ma) for that matter, brings out the worst of my door grabbing and fake break slamming.
This aquarium is really something special. Small, but not too small. Some really decent marine life (including the only beluga whales I’ve ever seen), several outdoor exhibits, a great opportunity to hand-feed the little rays, a bird aviary where the birds literally land on your hand/arm/shoulder to eat, a sea lion show, tons of crazy-adorable penguins (which you can sign up to spend some quality time with….not like that…that’d be weird) and a state-of-the-art indoor aquarium too. http://www.mysticaquarium.org/
We usually stay at the Hyatt Place. Modern, nicely appointed rooms…super clean. A small outdoor pool is a bonus along with a pretty decent free breakfast before heading off to the aquarium. Reasonably priced too…otherwise we wouldn’t be there!! http://mystic.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?mckv=spp3JxBO5_pdv_c_pcrid_41084940502_pmt_e_pkw_hyatt%20place%20mystic%20ct&src=agn_pfx_ppc_Brand_Mystic_google_Brand_Mystic_HP+Mystic_Exact_e_hyatt%20place%20mystic%20ct_Brand
Banging in at third is actually a repeat. Forgive me if you actually went back and checked out February’s post, because this was on it, but I didn’t elaborate too much on how truly cool it is! The Roger William’s Zoo in Providence is truly perfect. I have only been there once, but plan on making it a frequent day trip from here on out. It was spotless and so beautifully manicured. The animals have fantastic habitats and it seemed to me as if there was a zoo volunteer around every corner! Only about 1.5 hours away….totally worth it. “A great take”…as Joey would say. We seriously watched the river otter for 30 minutes easy…never mind some of the amazing larger animals! AND…April vacation week happens to be Fairy House week. You can explore the botanical gardens to hunt for Fairy Houses. The week concludes with the Fairy Festival! https://rwpzoo.org/
http://www.providenceri.gov/botanical-center/fairy-garden-days-at-the-roger-williams-park
Fourth in line is definitely an overnight trip. If all goes as planned, we’ll be hitting the road for this little getaway sometime next week…or one spring weekend. One word. Portland. Other than being super pretty and home to great shops, outlets, and restaurants, top on our list of things to do while there are: 1. Catch a Portland Sea Dogs’ Game at Hadlock Field (home games towards the end of vacation week). Super reasonable prices and small venue make seeing this Red Sox affiliate team a no-brainer http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t546 2. The Main Wildlife Park https://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wildlifepark/ Again, crazy cheap…and crazy cool if you have nature lovers like my boys! 3. Hop on the ferry and spend some time on Peaks Island. The island can be walked in shortly over an hour or biked in less than 30 minutes…depending on the biker (obviously). Pack a picnic..grab an ice cream…enjoy the short scenic ferry ride. http://www.peaksisland.com/index.html
For some other destinations…some closer than others…check out Discover New England’s list of best day trips from Boston here: http://www.discovernewengland.org/about-new-england-usa/day-trips-from-boston/
For a shorter day, but not your average trip to the movies or bowling alley, head to Fenway Park. Not for a game….although CLEARLY that is a great option too…but for a tour. If you’ve never had a tour you are missing out. I think one of the best things about the tour is that you have the opportunity to be within those magical walls of Fenway without thousands of other fans. I’ve said this before, but one of my favorite times to be in the ballpark is when it is empty. Corny, I know, but the sense of reverence can take your breath away.
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
And, while in Boston, the opening day for the Swan Boats in the Boston Commons was on Saturday, April 19th!! http://swanboats.com/about
The Wheelock Family Theater is always a great option. They are family friendly and it is a nice venue for kids to take in a play! Over school vacation week they are offering performances of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. http://www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org/
The Arnold Arboretum is gorgeous! It is a must see if you’re into botany…or not. The last time I went I went to their website first and made a little booklet of trees and flowers for my children to hunt for during our visit. http://arboretum.harvard.edu/
ALWAYS check out the many, many properties belonging to the Trustees of the Reservation AND/OR the Massachusetts Audubon . So many great ways to spend the day!! With the weather getting a little warmer many of these are such a great way to spend 1/2 a day.
Some of my favorites are Drumlin Farm, Joppa Flats, obviously Ipswich River, and even the very close Long Hill Farm in Beverly.
http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/list-reservations/
http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries
If you’re like me, yard work is top of the list of this week’s activities too. No matter what you do this week, enjoy! Please feel free to add to this list by including activities that you are planning on doing in the comment section!! We are all always looking for new ideas!!!
