Auntie T had sand volleyball tonight so the boys went over to Mary and Larry’s where they will be staying for the next few days. We took advantage of the beautiful day today to go on a nice long walk collecting dandelions and checking out ant hills. Jacob was very sad that Grandma and Grandpa weren’t coming to TT’s house today, but was certainly looking forward to visiting Nonni and Grandpa and the kitties!
East Coast – Day Three – Boston
Yesterday was an exciting day of discovery in Boston. Heading out from Sandy Brook, CT we dropped the tux off at a Men’s Wearhouse and ventured toward Boston. On the way, we stopped at an outlet mall and picked up some great watches (via a recommendation from one of the groomsmen). We rolled into Boston around 12:30, parked, and checked in to the hotel (Hyatt Regency).
Afterward, we hit the streets in search for a brief bite to eat and then some sightseeing. We toured the Boston Common (giant park) and started out on the Freedom Trail (a red line in the sidewalk that directs you to a plethora of historic places that were important in the American Revolution.
Following the trail, we ended up in the North End and found Mike’s Pastries (another recommendation). We purchased some amazing cannolis and enjoyed them while watching a softball game next to the harbor.
By this point our feet were rather tired so we caught the ‘T’ (subway) back to our hotel.
After a brief nap and shower, we hit the town for some late night sustenance. We ate some wonderful ahi tuna and BBQ shrimp (with beer) before heading to an Irish pub (Emmet’s) for some drinks. After a long, but great, day of sightseeing we walked back to the hotel and hit the hay.
Tomorrow, it’s off to the Sam Adams brewery and then to Cape Cod.
Teddy Bear Park
Today brought more adventures with Jacob and Henry! Lots of playtime in the morning. Henry’s first tooth! Jacob remembering the toy motorcycle tricks TT taught him. Henry confirming he really does gag when eating peas. Jacob making us all laugh with his nonstop chatter. Henry thinking that last night’s blowout wasn’t enough for Auntie so tried out projectile vomit all over TT’s face and chest when she went to pick him up. Jacob letting loose at Teddy Bear Park and running and screaming and having a grand old time. Henry just taking it all in. And maybe enjoying a bit of a warm weather treat afterwards.
Beach
Yesterday afternoon was spent at a playground before a storm hit. Today was a trip to the beach and playground. Jacob woke up after his afternoon nap to sadly find that Grandma and Grandpa were gone. Fun play time this afternoon, and TT found out what the Dinosaur Train is. Also had a good laundry helper. Which was done, of course, prior to Henry’s blowout. Lovely. Henry is getting crazy close to crawling, which you’ll see in one of the pictures. The little cuties are sleeping and auntie is having a glass of wine. 🙂
Fun at TT’s
Jacob and Henry have had their first couple days at TT’s house. They are doing well! Grandma came last night and Grandpa has arrived and surprised Jacob this afternoon! Jacob is entertaining us all with his expanding vocabulary, and TT is making sure to teach him all about Ducati motorcycles and wheelies. Henry is just observing all of the craziness and getting very close to becoming mobile.
Circus
On May 9th, we decided to go check out the traveling circus. The circus was brought to Iowa City for two days by the local Shriners, and held an outdoor event at the Johnson County circus. We thought it would be a great opportunity for Jacob to see all of the animals that he knows from his books.
It was a great event featuring tigers, elephants, flying ladies, a hilarious clown, and other stuff that we didn’t see (we left at intermission due to the lateness of the hour). For the majority of the time Jacob sat with this awed look on his face, never really moving or talking other than to request some water.
Enjoy the photos!
[nggallery id=21]
Sickness and the End of Year
It’s been a while since I’ve last posted – essentially a month and a half! The time over the past month has been rather chaotic and filled with a number of activities. As is common this time of year, Elise and I were both substantially busy with the end of the academic year.
A few weeks ago, one of the favorite activities was going to the circus. I have been meaning to post photos of the event and will get on that soon (fingers-crossed). Within the past couple of weeks, Elise has been battling a pretty mean virus that knocked her out for approximately 5 days and still has residual symptoms. Jacob was also lucky enough to catch the virus, and stayed home with Papa and a brief stint with Nonni (Mary), while Dad and Mom wrapped up some major items at work.
As I write, we’re hanging out at Teresa’s house waiting to catch a plane to head east. We are leaving the kiddos behind, to be lovingly attended by the aunts and grandparents, and heading to New Haven, CT for Chris Thissen’s wedding. Since we’ll be out there, Elise and I are going to take a few days and hit a few sites (Newport, Cape Cod, and Boston).
Look for photos of the past few weeks and the pending vacation soon!
Easter Egg Hunt
I was unable to get the video uploaded due to size, but have an alternative in place. Be sure to check out this video of Jacob’s Easter Egg Hunt at the Degen’s. It’s rather large, so you will have to download the movie in order to view it.
Easter at the Zoo
Over Easter weekend, the family had a chance to travel up to Minnesota and see our families. We took off on Thursday night and headed to Glencoe to get a jump on the three-day visit. Friday was a gorgeous day and we (Fred, Cathy, Jacob, and Jon) enjoyed the warm weather by going on a walk with the red wagon – still going strong after 30+ years! After church, we spent some time with both Great Grandma A and Great Grandma Jean. It was a pleasure seeing both of them and having a chance for a more personal visit (as compared to family holidays).
Saturday morning we met Teresa at the Minnesota Zoo and spent some great time looking at all the animals. The weather was a little rainy, so we mainly stuck to the indoor/protected areas, but there was plenty to see. Later that day, we parted ways with the Werth’s and headed to the Degen’s. After mass on Sunday, we had a great feast and a exciting Easter Egg hunt in the downstairs (as there was still snow on the ground). While Henry was a little too young to participate, Jacob had a great time searching for the dozen eggs (I’ll see if I can get the video up…but it’s a bigger one).
In the meantime, enjoy these shots from the Saturday trip to the zoo:
[nggallery id=20]
Photos from March
[nggallery id=18]