The Big Trip

In just 6 months, we will be packing up our life for Finland for 4 months...so this little 2 week vacation should be nothing, right?
Wrong.
Well, sort of wrong.
Travelling with a nearly 3 year old is a challenge...then combine that with a red-eye cross country flight and little sleep, and a beach vacation with other kiddos...and a few days in a big city...then a few MORE days in a bigger city (that is likely to be HOT and HUMID...) well, we are doing really well when I look at it like that!

We flew the red eye to Boston (partly because I am cheap, partly because we were using a companion ticket, partly because I thought "she would sleep) and then caught a Peter Pan bus to Woods Hole to catch the big ferry to Martha's Vineyard. Bless Ray and Celena for inviting us to a lovely house on the Island for the week...and letting us sleep for 3 hours as soon as we got there! Rob was the worst for wear, actually, being a total non-fan of turbulance and he got the least sleep of us all. Poor Marieka literally fell asleep sitting up, cross legged on the seat. It was sadly sweet to witness. And she barely cried, just wanting a snack the moment her eyes opened at 630 am (I mean...330 am...). She loved the bus because I let her watch a video on the new mini dvd player...then we both crashed out for an hour (Rob said he had to hit me 5 times with the pillow to get me to wake up...this is totally unheard of). Then the ferry and Ray generously picking us up and navigating the roads to the house, because you would not have wanted either Rob or I to drive at this point...10 hours into travelling with minimal sleep.
The weather was warm, but not stifling, and a great breeze scooted off the water just enough to keep you from sweating too much. The house outside of Edgartown, was in a perfect location...1 mile from the beach, 2 miles from town, 3 minutes from the miles of endless bike trails. We couldn't manage our bikes this trip however, you need them for MV because the trails are amazing and go everywhere, and the traffic sucks.
The week flew by...where did it go? We rode bikes (tandem plus trailer AND we are still married..impressive!), we went to Gayhead beach and discovered the very cool clay cliffs, which have "rocks" that squish softly under your feet and color the water a light grey (we also discovered the "nudies" as someone so eloquently named them...that was a surprise too, just like the soft clay!) and we took the 2 min ferry to Chappiquidick. Which was a bit of a letdown, but surely the smallest ferry I have every ridden! Marieka loved playing in the sand, floating and diving in the freshwater pond (just steps from the salt water beach....totally cool) and playing with Parker, 6 and Sam, 2...though it appeared to take her days to figure out Parker's name, often referring to her as "that girl." They pretended together, did dances and performances, and participated in Parker's favorite activity..."movie night" "Where I get to stay up later than I usually do and watch a movie and eat a sundae." This is big girl stuff, I tell ya!

After leaving the island, we went to Boston, where Celena's nice neighbors let us stay in their empty house that they are selling...great, because Celena's house is the same size as ours without a basement, so 3 additional bodies is a lot! After a yummy breakfast, we headed out for the Duck Tour, and while I have always said I would never do a Duck Tour (I prefer the hop on and off style busses...really...we ALWAYS do those, but the Ducks, well, they seem so "tourist") but well, we did it. Amazing transit system here...1 block to bus, which brought us right to the T in 10 minutes, which took us in just 15 mins to the Duck stop. Very cool, and only $3! Driving here is not easy, as the tour guide noted...turn signals are not used (don't want to confuse the other drivers), red lights are merely a "suggestion" and we found ourselves stuck behind a driver in a right turn only lane...going straight. Nice. Marieka liked the tour, wanted to hang out the window, and my favorite, laughed at the history jokes that the driver told (really, she did, and the amazing part was that she looked like she actually got them...she had that knowing look in her eye, like, "yeah, I totally know what you mean" as she chuckled). After the tour, we checked out the library (Marieka insisted on a photo with the 2 flanking statues after confirming that yes, they did seem to have nee-nees) and just missing the man urinating on a tree behind the hot dog cart on the corner of the public church garden...we got back on the train...then the bus...then home. No nap. Red red eyes...but we pushed on and wrestled and insisted she hold our hands as we walked down the busy streets ("Why?" she kept asking...)
And then dinner, and the best of it all...movie night. With ice cream and The Backyardigans. And then. sleep. Finally.
Now, sleep for me and another day in Boston. Whew.
Practice for Finland...right?