Day One-Boston!

Ok....so I just noticed that I haven't blogged since August of 2010!  The kids have been asking me all day if I was going to blog our trip this year, so I caved.  We haven't really done a big family road trip in a few summers, since Scott became involved in the Egypt mission trip with our church.  He is going again this year and Thomas is going with him!  We decided to try and squeeze in a trip before they went.  Due to a completely packed summer schedule, we had to fly instead of drive the entire thing this year.  

My awesome little travelers!

We got up this morning at 4:00 a.m.  YES!  4 a.m.!!  Most of you know that I do not function before about 7 a.m., so this was a stretch for all of us.  Oddly enough, Mandy, the worst morning person of our bunch, was the most chipper today.  In fact on the way to the airport the chattered nonstop!  I was comatose until around 8:30 when our plane stopped in St. Louis. 

We arrived in Boston about 12:30.  Since we couldn't check in to the hotel that early, we drove to Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market.  We ate lunch in the market and did a little shopping.  Around 4:00 everyone started to crash.  All they wanted to do was go to the hotel.  After we checked in they played, read and had a great time laughing together.  Scott and I took a nap!!  After swimming in the hotel pool and showers, we headed out to find something for a late night dinner.  This was where they asked me if I would blog this years trip.  So, we resurrected the Top 5, only because this was a travel day, tonight you are only getting their Top 3!

Thomas:

1.  Mike's Pastry Shop-This was probably mine and Scott's favorite too!  The North End of Boston is Italian and has the most incredible pastry shop. It's a stop everytime we are here.  Cannoli's of every conceiveable kind, lobster tails, boston cream pie, cakes, cookies, cupcakes...amazing.

2.  Street Performer-There are all kinds of crazy street performers in Quincy Market.

3.  IHOP--that's what we had for dinner...I'll explain in a bit! :)

Grace Top 3:

1. The street performer

2.  Landing in Boston-"Cuz it meant the flight was over."  She had TONS of information about Southwest thanks to the Adopt-a-Pilot program that they did at school this spring.  Mandy was freaking out about the lightening and Grace explained how they monitor the weather and that they would "ground the planes" if it wasn't safe.  On the first leg of the flight, it was bumpy due to the rain.  It was also FREEZING in the cabin.  When I asked to borrow the blanket she had packed in her backpack, she calmly explained that when it's bumpy, they turn off the lights and make it cold in the cabin so that people don't throw up.  Love it!!!

3.  IHOP

Mandy Top 3

1.  Street Performer-- Everyone's favorite...

2.  Swimming--prediction...if we swim, it will be in Mandy's top 5 for the day!

3.  IHOP-Ok...so at 9:00 everyone is hungry.  We decide to jump in the car and eat a quick fast food dinner.  Only problem...we are in an unfamiliar town!  I bet we drove for an hour before we saw a restaurant!  We did however have a lovely night tour of the Revere Beach neighborhood and all the summer nightlife.  By the time we saw the IHOP everyone was just so grateful to find food that it was instantly in the Top 3 of the day!!

Tomorrow our plan is to head to Lexington & Concord and visit the site of "the shot heard round the world" & the Minute Men museum. We are also going to check out Harvard and MIT.  

Boston Blessings,

Leslie