Stop One, Kind Of

If you've paid any attention to pretty much anything I've said for the past year, you might know that we're packing up this summer, attaching our Honda Pilot to a 12 foot pop-up camper, and heading from home out to California and back.  We leave in one month.

I am terrified.

I am terrified that I have overpacked the trip, that I haven't budgeted enough time for car travel, that the kids will revolt after that many hours in the car.  I am terrified that we will spend WAY more money than we anticipated.  I am terrified of following bad weather west, and then turning around and following it east.  I am terrified of the state of Kansas.

Sure, it looks cute here, but what if they ACTUALLY end up in prison?  What if I do?

But I am trying to put my terror on the back burner and really look forward to this amazing experience.  While I have been to a couple of places we're hitting on this trip, I haven't been to most of them.  I am (cautiously) hopeful that the kids will have fun together and might also make some new friends along the way.  I am looking forward to a whole summer that is truly vacation, with no major "to do" lists.  I am thrilled that, especially given all of the events of the past 4 years, that Pete and I will get to spend three full weeks together with the children as a family.

Here we are - family in front of the Atlantic Ocean!

Given that the rest of the month will be spent finishing up the school year, packing, rounding out baseball and gymnastics for the kids, packing, acquiring all the necessary odds and ends, packing, learning to drive a car with a pop-up camper attached, and packing, we decided to make our "first stop of the trip" over Memorial Day Weekend.

We thought it would be really cool if our trip literally went from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean (and back).  However, there was NO WAY I was going to drive an hour in the wrong direction before setting out for Western NY right when we left, so we decided our annual trip to Georges Island (in the Boston Harbor Islands) would be our first stop.

The first time they stood on this bridge, we had to take Jax out of the stroller.  

If you haven't been to the Boston Harbor Islands, you should go.  Whether you live here or are just visiting.  We have been every year for the past 5 years, and even still we found new things to explore this trip. 

Case in point - who knew this gigantic munitions storage hall was here?  Not us.

 The ferry ride is fun

See how much fun?

 it's walking, rather than hiking, 

and they have really cool activities on the weekends.  We always pack a picnic, but there is a small take out restaurant right on Georges Island, so you can travel super light.

We left later in the day than usual, and it wasn't a gorgeous day, but the rain held off, the clouds kept the heat from being too unbearable, and we had fun.

So there you have it.  The blog has started.  The first stop is done.  All of the other stuff that has to happen will happen.  And I will remember that, while things won't be perfect, they'll be great anyway.  Looking forward to sharing the journey here.

More pictures can be found here.