Boston/NYC

We took a quick there-and-back trip up to Boston to see my brother-in-law Joel graduate with his Master's degree from Tufts. Boston is a cool old town! We didn't see too much, because our trip was short, but we did go to this cool church for Joel's fancy graduation. On a side note, everyone clapping for the grads was so disappointingly composed, we really whooped it up when it was Joel's turn. I hope we didn't embarrass him. If that didn't do it, though, the goldfish smashed into the floor surely would have.
We also went to the Old North Church of Paul Revere fame and I recited as much of The Midnight Ride I could remember.

The other highlights of the trip were our visits to the U.S.S. Constitution and the U.S.S. Cassin Young. We had so much fun touring these ships. Becca and Joel took pictures for us because we ran out of batteries in the camera. I'll post those when they send them. The kids did really well in the car. Brody had the hardest time. He just loves to move and a five-point harness cannot be comfortable for a two-year-old.

On our way home, we drove through Manhattan on our way to the Statue of Liberty. Isaac had been studying symbols of freedom in school and we told him we'd stop and see it on our trip. He was totally enamored of the city. He kept pointing out buildings and saying "Take a picture of that one!" We have about a hundred of these pictures of buildings, taken out of the sunroof.
Lots of work going on at Ground Zero.
We rode the ferry to Staten Island.
I think when I was younger, and without children, and not driving, I would have loved the energy of the city. It was Sunday evening and cool and everyone was out. But I felt a bit claustrophobic by all the tall buildings and I just kept thinking strange things like, "Where do all these people buy things like beds and toothpaste?" "Where does their trash all go?" "How long can this small bit of land possibly maintain all these people?" Deep, I know.
It took us forever to get through traffic, but I think I got pretty good at what Dirk calls "combat driving." And the city was beautiful from the ferry. Just beautiful.
Lady Liberty was pretty too.
We had time to kill while waiting for the ferry on both ends and the kids ran around taking pictures of everything.


Brody-man and I have been at odds lately. I think between the potty training and the pesky habit of crawling into my bed at four a.m. and asking me to make him breakfast, we have been having trouble seeing eye-to-eye. He also likes to punch me and kick me in the shins when he is upset. As feisty as he is, though, he is so charming! He sometimes hugs and kisses me spontaneously and says, "I love you so much, Mommy!" And he loves his siblings and his cars and his trains with such passion and energy. And his eyes are round enough and blue enough to convince me that he is guileless and that he will not always be two.