The Freedom Trail

Yesterday was SO MUCH FUN! It's indescribably fantastic to have a husband who's available on the weekends again. We walked the Freedom Trail from beginning to end with breaks to check out historical sites, buy pastries, eat lunch, and finally eat the afore mentioned pastries. This post is a little over the top with photos, but for those of you who used to live here, I hope it's a treat to see Boston. Most of the photos were taken by Colin, all rights reserved...some of them are really nice!

Waiting for the train

Beacon Hill

Go Celtics and Bruins!

(But actually, we're rooting for the other

black and gold team.)

Follow the red brick line!

This little guy is SO glad to be with his daddy.

Paul Revere & Old North Church

I wanted to get Boston sweatshirts for the whole family, but I couldn't sell Colin on the idea and they didn't have Brian's size. So the girls got new sweatshirts! Mine will replace a grey zip hoodie that I've had since Elizabeth was about 4 months old. It's beat and it's time to say good-bye. Elizabeth's is huge and will fit her until she's ten. I felt like such a tourist; it was fun!

Have the kids grown or is this door really small?

My husband's artistic work:

the tower at the Old North Church

Fancy car!

Did you know the Bruins were in the playoffs?!

Zakim Bridge

Copp's Hill Burial Ground:

it's old.

I loved this little row house and only after I took the picture did I realize how the mini made it even more enchanting. It was such a delight to walk these back roads of Boston, with the narrow streets and row houses all smashed together. I've never been on the trail beyond the Old North Church. Boston is a dear old town. I will miss it!

Colin humored me to get a cheesy and touristy family photo next to this Freedom Trail map. At this point we were in Charlestown and headed down to the Navy Yard to see Ol' Ironsides before we climbed up Bunker Hill.

Segway Tours,

ha ha ha!

Bunker Hill Monument

We made it!

But did not climb it.

Lunch at the 99.

We always come back for more!

What is this all about?

Choo - Choo!

You may be familiar with Mike's canoli, but you gotta try the Lobster Tail. It is ENORMOUS and stuffed with a blend of vanilla cream, ricotta cheese, and whipped cream. What?!

As I thought about things I wanted to do before we left town, this was one day-trip I wanted to spend with the family. It exceeded my expectations!

When in the course of human events...

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Yesterday we went out to Lexington and Concord, where it all go started on April 19, 1775. Elizabeth's still a little too young to appreciate it, but it was fun to introduce her to the area where the American Revolution began. Daddy came along, the park was not busy, and the sun started shining; it was a wonderful morning!

We started at the Minute Man Visitor Center. The area is part of the National Parks Service and they have a twenty minute audiovisual presentation about the events of April 19, 1775. It's well done and Colin had never seen it. Brian made it through the first 3 minutes and then I had to take him out. While Colin and E watched the show, Brian walked all over the visitors center and outside, so proud of himself. Afterward we had some snacks before moving on. Everything was so lush and green, what with all of the rain we've had. Colin got some great pictures of a pond and one of its inhabitants. There was even a turtle hanging out in the middle!


Our next stop was Hartwell Tavern. The first picture shows how the sun was coming out and E didn't have her sunglasses. (I'd brought mine with a chuckle ... but was really glad to have them! For those who don't live up here, we just finished up the gloomiest June in 100 years.)


There are some folks around in period dress. This woman had been at the Visitor's Center earlier and Elizabeth really admired her clothes. E had asked her, "Why are you wearing such pretty clothes?" The woman was very sweet and explained her outfit, using the word petticoat, which E recently learned in Little House on the Prairie. I love that cross-experience learning stuff!


There was this adorable little chair by the hearth, just Brian's size ... but he didn't want to stay in it!

And a butter churn, which we've talked about in LHotP as well. What a pose, huh? Ha!
This is Brian in the backyard, just because he's cute.

Our final stop before heading home was the North Bridge, where the first British soldiers died in battle. It's a lovely, solemn place. I can't imagine what it was like 230 years ago, the place or the ragtag army that somehow won that war. We are indebted to them.


On our way home we listened to an Adventures in Odyssey episode called "The Day Independence Came." And stopped at McDonald's for lunch. It was so fun to go on a family outing and ponder our nation's beginning.

"Oh no, Mommy! You're already feeding me french fries?!"