Yesterday I took my babies on the ferry for a day trip to Marthas Vineyard. For you non-New Englanders out there, this is a large island off of the coast of Massachusetts. President Obama is flying there this afternoon for his annual vacation, so I knew we needed to go yesterday to avoid the presidential visit and the road block it entails. Two years ago we were there when he was vacationing and missed him at the restaurant we were eating at by about 3 minutes.
I make it a point to go there at least once every summer. The ferry is close to our house and it is a nice boat ride. I learned a long time ago that if I want to go somewhere, I need to be able to enjoy going on my own. Because I am a teacher, I am off all summer BUT everyone else has to work...so I have learned to enjoy doing stuff solo, or at least without any other grownups. The down side to this is it is EXHAUSTING! I have to lug all of our stuff, a double stroller (which is a total pain in the arse to get on and off the boat) and two toddlers.
I cannot tell you how many people tell me I am nuts for doing this. I don't really know why. The simple truth is, I can sit around on my butt all day, which would be easy but totally boring...or I can just get out there and bring the kids to places where they can have some fun experiences. Is it tiring? YUP, but I would have to live with regret if I didn't get out there and try to have fun. I try to live by this motto a lot because I live in a town where I have no roots, no family (other than my husband's parents) and I have had to learn how to enjoy myself by myself. I also believe very much in kids being outside and on the go as much as possible in their years leading up to school, because once school starts, so do the strict schedules that last for the rest of one's life
Some days it is easy to forget that I live in such a beautiful place. It is way too easy to take the ocean, beaches and beauty for granted. Some days I get sad that I don't live near my closest friends and family and I want to be mad that I have to take the kids most places on my own...but then I look out at the ocean and I think about what people pay to come to such a beautiful place, and I watch my kids crawling/ running into the waves, and I remember that I am lucky and need to experience what my town has to offer. And one of these things is a pretty inexpensive boat trip to an amazingly beautiful island.
It was a really nice day. We took the 9am boat, hit up my favorite bakery...the home of Backdoor Donuts. I indulged on a giant apple fritter, the same kind I get every year which is big enough for 6 people to share.We hit up the beach for a few hours, went to the famous Flying Horses carousel, had a picnic lunch, browsed some shops, got some ice cream and took the 2:15 boat home.
It was a pretty horrible day for healthy eating BUT I did push the double stroller around all day so that totally cancels it out, right? Here are some photos from our day:
Charlie-Girl looking fab in pink shades!
Siblings getting along
Yup, that chocolate one was mommies: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, no regrets on that one!
The boat home...it was a long day!
Tonight I walked hills with my friends two kids using her double stroller and it was definitely quite the workout. I was so hungry after! I definitely think pushing kids around makes up for a day of not-so-good eating ;)
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