Family Trip to Boston

Emmet and I are in love with Boston. There are a million reasons that people love this town, but for me, it is a sentimental one (and as you all know, it is NOT THE RED SOX). After college, I had lived a year away from home in Russia, followed by a year away from the east coast in California, so moving back to Boston with Emmet back in 2007 was like coming home- to family, to college friends, to my old time zone... basically to everything that was familiar and fun. We had an incredible two years there full of happy hours with friends at local bars, great regional hikes and day trips in New England, and countless afternoons relaxing and loving life on our old couch in Brookline. Ahh... the good old days.

Since kids have come along, it is much less frequently that we get to visit, so when we had a free few days over Emmet's October vacation, this family trip was a no brainer. Poor Auntie Mary had to put us up in her half renovated two bedroom apartment in the West End for "Five days and four nights... but whose counting?!!!!) as she says.

As always, when traveling anywhere, Emmet had a jam-packed, yet perfect itinerary. We drove straight from my cousin's house in Braintree Thursday morning to the Children's Museum, which was ideal for a rainy day. Then we settled in at Mary's, took a family nap, and headed out for dim sum in China town.

Friday morning, we headed with the double stroller all the way to the North End, where Emmet had researched a great, gated playground with lots of 1-5 year old push toys and a nice playscape. A cup of coffee for us and an hour for Keeley to ride her scooter and Cora to run in circles was perfect. We walked home to the West End taking our time, looking at the brick buildings, enjoying the stoops decorated with mums and pumpkins, stopping at the waterfront, and weaving through Quincy Market.

After nap time, we decided to walk some more, with the Boston Commons/ Public Gardens and the duck statues from McClosky's "Make Way for Ducklings" as our destination. The parks were full of tourists, families and young kids in love, all taking advantage of the fall sunshine.

Obviously, a walk though Beacon Hill is not complete for the kids ( or for Mommy) without an ice cream cone at JP Licks! 

And now for a huge shout out to the "Aunties," Auntie K and Auntie Mae-Mae who watched our children so that we could go up to a wedding in Maine. The girls adore them both, and so do we. Keeley is still running around repeating Mae-Mae's "only rule:"  "NO CHOKING CHILDREN."

The playgrounds on the Charles River up the block from Mary's place were our home away from home for the time we spent on Hawthorne Place. You always need a go to place to wear out the munchkins when you're staying in a city, and it doesn't hurt to have a sister-in-law full of energy and giggles to help you take care of your kids.

PS - Let it be known that Katherine even had the guts to take the two girls to the Aquarium while we were away= AUNT OF THE YEAR!