To Boston to Boston

Here's what I am undecided about: Blog post titles.  Sometimes it is nice to have to summarize a day but sometimes it's just too much pressure.

On Labor Day we had the 'always fun' opportunity to go up to Boston.  Clark's sister Alexa and her husband Shane were in town for a wedding (a wedding in Vermont, could anything sound dreamier?) and let us come play with them in Boston for a day.  A day in Boston? Why would I ever say no to that?
We met them at the USS Constitution, you know, ole Ironsides.  I love that place.  What an amazing ship, with an amazing history and the museum is one of my favorites (and it's all free, that rocks too.)

Walking the Freedom Trail, because that's what you do in Boston.

Hazel scaled the canon balls...kind of.

Lex hung out with my kids so I could listen to the shpeel from Mr. So and So in the old timey sailor uniform.  I'm pretty sure that she and Shane saved my kids from getting lost or run over several times during the day...hanging out with other people makes Clark and I slightly neglectful but it sure makes the kids happy.

I made them all secure the rigging while I watched and said as many sentences I could, using the phrase "poop deck".

Then they ate some plastic food and probably got scurvy.

Lunch at Faneuil Hall.  Love it.  There were street performers everywhere and the weather was absolutely magnificent, except for the sweeping ladies that kept coming up and literally sweeping under our feet while we were sitting there.

Then we went to Paul Revere's house and Old North Church.  Do you know how badly I wish we sat in rented pews like that? Really all I can think about while sitting in them is how I would deck it out for our family, wallpaper, pictures, comfy seats, snacks, heck-pillows and blankets!

THANK YOU FOR THE FUN DAY LEX AND SHANE!!!

Fade out....fade back in.

Then Clark, who can't stand being the same age with me for more than two weeks, turned 33.  It's OK, I like being married to an "older man".  Also I just made that up, he doesn't mind being the same age as me at all.

Isn't he handsome? I think he is rather handsome.  I'm grateful for that because it means that our kids are real cute, even at 6:30 in the morning.

Then we left him alone to eat breakfast in bed and watch Sports Center.  I wish he would have enjoyed it for a bit longer but the man has hurried downstairs every morning so far to help get the girls fed and off to school.  That, I don't mind so much.

Then this is the part where he requests the same dessert as two years ago and while I said that I don't really like making birthday cakes, this doesn't really count, because it is easy and delicious and I don't mind making it so much...and then he makes the exact same face as in the pictures two years ago.
I also thought it was funny that two years ago we didn't share it with the kids either but that was because they all got in trouble whereas this year we just decided to put them all in bed before enjoying a scrumptious meal and dessert by ourselves...and Nolan.  But we really like Nolan so we didn't mind.  Plus, he picked up the scrumptious dinner on his way over so we needed him.
Clark wouldn't pose normally for any photos so his punishment is that I post all of the ones I tried to take.

Take that, Birthday Boy.

I thought 33 was when you stopped being so silly.

I'm sure glad it's not.  Clark is funny and a little bizarre.  Which makes him just right for me.

Which got me thinking earlier today.  I don't really believe in "soul mates" and yet I think that Clark is so totally and completely perfect for me.  And the way that we got together really is so miraculous and right that I can't really deny that it was anything but providence that I am with him.  And for that I am grateful.  So Clark, be as goofy as you want to be.  You know I love you more than my luggage.  And I am glad that you were born.

And now I would like to share with you, two other reasons why I love hanging out with my family:

First, this one.  Typical of us driving anywhere.  Beyonce brings out the diva in us all...except the man in the front seat who was in his own little world for a moment.  When I showed him the video he said that he wished he had known I was filming and he would have added some of his own Beyonce moves.  I've seen them and I can assure you that you are missing out.  The man's got moves. 
I love hearing the girls sing from the back seat...even a little bootylicious Beyonce.

And then this one because it creeps me out and makes me laugh.  The girls were in bed, Clark was downstairs watching TV and I was upstairs working on the computer.  I got a phone call (because that is way better than yelling up the stairs after kids have gone to bed...and way easier than actually getting up and walking up the stairs...) I was told that I must come down immediately because there was something I had to see.  What I found was that Clark had been watching a local access cable show about Horses, Tennessee Walkers to be more specific.  The men talking were bizarre but not nearly as funny as what they were commentating on.  Clark and I love horses, we go to horse shows on occasion, we ride.  I thought I was no stranger to the things that horses could do.  I was wrong.  It made me uncomfortable.  I mean, look at the rider, look at the horse, and for heaven's sake, turn up your sound so you can hear the music that they play to commentate on this footage.  Clark had been watching it for a half hour...I made him change it after 5 minutes because I couldn't decide if laughing so hard was worth how odd it made me feel.   And then we decided that if we ever get horses we would name them "Vote for Pedro" (because you can name horse entire phrases, did you know that?), Uncle Rico and Napoleon.  We thought those sounded like good names.