Another blogger recently described vacations for stay-at home moms as taking their work with them but in a whole new environment that is totally not set up for their needs. I think that could describe the experience of anyone traveling with a 3 year old. It's been very sweet to see folks and...not what I would call a "vacation". This experience shall now be called " Our 2011 Trip Back East to See People We Love". Simon is a trooper. Mommies are wiped out and hardly had a minute together because one of us is on the boy so the other can spend time with whomever we're visiting. We might need a vacation after our vacation.
We spent Fri-Monday in Newtonville, MA (just outside Boston) at our friend's Dad's house (thanks Dan and Bara!). Here are a few pics:
We had a great few hours there and then drove up to Vermont. It was a pretty heartbreaking drive. The massive damage was evident in almost every town we drove through. Restaurants with every piece of equipment out in front trying to dry out. Houses with all their belongings heaped in a pile at the roadside. Homemade signs warning folks that bridges were out or about new routes. Roads washed out. It was all a little shocking.
We spent Fri-Monday in Newtonville, MA (just outside Boston) at our friend's Dad's house (thanks Dan and Bara!). Here are a few pics:
Simon looking adoringly at his Auntie Maia, in Newtonville, MA
Mama and Simon, trying to not get eaten by a shark at the New England Aquarium
Simon, cooling off at a park in Boston.
Laura, explaining the Hebrew on her tattoos to Joshua, the quirky Orthodox Jewish kid who totally got that we were married and that therefore, Jaime/Mama is part of Laura/Mommy's family.
Simon and Pop Pop on the Carousel near the aquarium
Ending the Boston leg of our trip
Monday morning, we left Boston and drove through Western MA to visit our old college (Smith and Mount Holyoke) stomping grounds.
A big old passel of long time friends and their kids (24 of us total) meeting up with us in Northampton. Plus a random Smith senior on the far right side whom we invited to join us in the photo.
We had a great few hours there and then drove up to Vermont. It was a pretty heartbreaking drive. The massive damage was evident in almost every town we drove through. Restaurants with every piece of equipment out in front trying to dry out. Houses with all their belongings heaped in a pile at the roadside. Homemade signs warning folks that bridges were out or about new routes. Roads washed out. It was all a little shocking.
Since we've been in Vermont, we hit the store for some basics, like Dragon sunglasses
Smooching at a playground in Rutland during a break in the rain
Going to the Montshire Museum, about an hour and a half northwest of our town.
Lying on a Black Bear (a stuff one, fear not)
Eating lunch at the King Arthur Flour Company aka Baking Mecca
And lots of swimming at a pool where Laura's parents have a temporary membership.
We have 4 days left- 2 in Vermont and then back to Boston for a make-shift Farm and Wilderness camp reunion (the camp is completely cut off and the reunion was postponed until next year due to the damage to roads from the floods). We might get to meet a family or two from our Cardiomyopathy listserv who live in New England, which would be amazing!
New England is gorgeous and...Oakland is a pretty awesome place to come home to. It's good to be us.
