All Oliver, All of the Time

This is my last post about Boston. Sorry, It's been a long time in coming. (These last couple of weeks before school starts have been hectic and, yes, difficult. I am very ready for the summer to be over.)

I took a ton of pictures of Lutece and Oliver. No "perfect" cousin pictures here, but still very fun to see their expressions change from frame to frame.

I took a bunch of Oliver and Scott as well.

Thanks to Oliver for showing us a good time in Boston.*

* Oh, well, and Scott and Irena too.

The Public Garden

Lutece and I decided that this was the year to re-visit Boston's Public Garden and ride the swan boats again. It was a peaceful ride around the pond and probably the quietest 15 minutes of our entire three days together. (I think she was hot and tired, but also affected by the calmness of the pond).

I took this series of pictures of her, and I think it may be one of my favorite ever of Lutece.

To me, these pictures capture what Lutece is like right now at nine years old (almost 10).

Also, she's so stinkin' cute. Boy, she knows how to push my buttons, but I just adore her.

Classic Boston.

She also hopped right onto Mrs. Mallard's back (Make Way for Ducklings) and even smiled for a picture (gasp).

She sure has grown up since the last time we visited the Public Garden!

Half of the Freedom Trail

Lutece and I have walked most of the Freedom Trail twice: once with Scott and Grandma Terry; once with Stayc, Phoenix, Grandma Terry, and John*. Both times, though, we've started at the "end" of the trail, because that's where the best sights are (USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument).

This time, we wanted to see all the sites along the trail that we have missed in the past due to the extreme fatigue, heat exhaustion, and hunger we feel by the time we get to Faneuil Hall. As it turns out, it's a good thing we always started at the back end. There's not as much to see on the front end.

We did, however, see some fabulous performers at Faneuil Hall, lots of gift shops, and some cool bronze statues. We have warm spot in our hearts for bronze statues. This particular one was educational, as we learned all about the party symbols. Lu chose to sit on the donkey (what kid wouldn't?), but I thought I'd give both sides equal screen time :).

There was also a very cool cemetery along the Trail (there's another one at the other end of the Trail). We stopped and read some of the headstones. Benjamin Franklin's parents were buried here.

We ended up at the Boston Common, which we walked through on our way to the Public Garden. It's nice to know that we've been walking the Freedom Trail the best way (backward) all these years.

* When I went to link last summer's post of the Freedom Trail, I realized that I had mistakenly called it the "Liberty Trail." Gah. How embarrassing! There are, in fact, various "Liberty Trails," but they are in places like Liberty County, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia. 

Boston with Lutece

The Taylor House B&B where we stayed our last night in Jamaica Plain. Our lovely room was the second floor window on the left.

Lutece and I had a fun time in Boston. It's Lutece's third time (!) visiting Boston, which is pretty good for a nine-year-old from Kentucky. When you go to a familiar destination, especially with children, you have to find the balance between seeing/doing familiar things and experiencing new things.

On Sunday, we took Scott's car and found our way to Church in Belmont, MA. Ellen, an old friend who lives in the area, meets in the building adjacent to the Boston Temple, so we were able to attend church with her AND see the temple and grounds. Double bonus.

She took this lovely picture of us after Church (which I stole from off her blog . . . I hope that's alright Ellen :).

After Church, and on Ellen's recommendation, we drove to Concord, MA to visit the Louisa May Alcott home. It was a fantastic tour--one of the best I've done--and Lutece and I determined to read Little Women together in the near future. Louisa May Alcott was a woman after our own hearts. 

Sick of pictures.

On Monday, Lutece and I went downtown (pictures to follow) and then came back to JP for Thai food. Of course, interspersed with our sightseeing was lots of time spent with Scott, Irena, and Oliver (since that was the reason for the visit), but it's always fun to see a little of Boston while we're visiting family.

Lutece and Oliver

While Stayc and Phoenix stayed in Washington DC, Lutece and I made a quick trip up to Boston to see the newest edition to the Hendricks' side of the family.

Despite Scott and Irena's insisting that Oliver is a normal baby who gets cranky sometimes, we only saw him cry once for about 30 seconds. He just grunted occasionally when we was uncomfortable or put out, and other than that he smiled a lot. Needless to say, he was a delight to be around.

Lutece wanted to "hold" him often, which amounted to propping him up in sitting position and leaning him on her.

She never fully mastered the high, squeaky voice that babies so dearly love . . . which is completely ironic if you've ever heard Lutece speak. Anyway, even though Oliver didn't quite know what to make of her now, one day he'll adore her for the cool older cousin that she is.

The Whole Fam-Damily

Everyone took a lot of photos on the day of the wedding. There are too many to post even a fraction of them. Honestly, I'm not sure who took all of these photos (mainly my sister Courtney, I think, but obviously she didn't take the ones she's in :). However, I thought the pictures of family deserved its very own post.

The kids are SO into their plastic animals lately (actually, this whole summer), so they both brought a small bag of animals with them to Boston and carted various ones around to different events. (Sadly, Phoenix lost his favorite shark in the Charles River when we were on the Freedom Trail . . . at least we know he's in a better place. Sniffle.) The sharks attended the wedding.

Scott and me. My big brother got married!

Tim, Scott, me, and Courtney. I feel so blessed that we are all such good friends, that we love each other, and that we are all married to wonderful people. Wow. When I write that out, it makes me cry happy tears a little. Just a little.

 Our happy little family

 Courtney and Aaron

Tim and Liz

 Mom and John

And one more picture of Irena and Scott at their apartment. I love the look on Scott's face. I really am blessed with a great family.

Boston Courthouse or The BIG day!

On the fourth day of our trip to Boston, we DID, indeed, take the T downtown to Boston's Courthouse where we watched Scott and Irena get married. Only a small group of participants were allowed into the judge's chambers (just six in addition to the couple), but everyone else was outside waiting when they came out, a newly MARRIED couple!!

Doesn't Scott look giddy with excitement? (And hey, barely any stress showed through all day long . . . good for you Scott!)

The judge was really nice, personal, and accommodating. She told us to feel free to roam around her chambers and take any pictures we wanted . . . They exchanged vows, then the exchanged rings . . .

. . . then they exchanged kisses. Very sweet and so exciting! I have loved watching all of my siblings get married. Scott was the last one though (I hope!).

The happy couple. Really. They were very happy.

The judge took a few pictures for us afterward of the very happy occasion. Congratulations Scott and Irena! We love you very much.

The LIberty Trail

No trip to Boston (with kids) is complete without walking SOME part of the Liberty Trail. We didn't walk all of it (although we weren't far off), but let me tell you, it was TOO much! Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed all the sights along the way, but it was just a little too much walking for one morning. Next time? Start from the beginning instead of the end (so as to hit the huge food court near Faneuil Hall closer to lunchtime), or find food earlier. Really, it's always about the food . . . and I'm talking about me, not the kids.

Nevertheless, this time, we started the trail at Bunker Hill Monument, which was pretty awesome. Mom and John came with us as well, which was fun.

We walked from the T to Bunker Hill, which gives a lovely view of Boston. I suppose it was a good thing we started from this end of the trail since we still had enough energy to climb all 294 steps to the top of the monument, which gives an even better view of Boston.

After reading up on the history surrounding the battle of Bunker Hill, we found the red line that leads to the next stop on the trail, and my personal favorite, the USS Constitution. Even I, a land-lubber, can appreciate the magnificence of this ship.

Lutece, my mom, Scott, and I visited the USS Constitution years earlier on my only other walk along the Liberty Trail. This time there weren't any guided tours, which was probably a good thing, since the kids wandered around the ship at their own pace.

At Bunker Hill, we asked about the Junior Ranger program, something offered by most of the sites in the National Park System. Sure enough, there was a Boston Historical Sites worksheet for the kids to complete and turn in for a Junior Ranger badge and certificate. We've done this at a few other sites and it is always fun. Lutece became really engrossed in completing her worksheet. She studied various parts of the ship avidly.

In fact, when we finished with the USS Constitution, Stayc stayed behind with Lutece so she could collect a few missing answers from the museum and also the other battleship moored at the dock.

She eventually completed the entire worksheet and in a funny turn of events, she ended up getting sworn in as a Junior Ranger and receiving her badge and certificate on the day of Scott's and Irena's wedding . . . in fact, WHILE they were getting married. Pretty exciting stuff.

Pretty exciting stuff all around.