Boston (the Short Version)

I spent last week in Boston.
These two went along: This is how Katie spent a lot of the trip:
She was an awesome traveler. Folks who went on boats and planes and buses with us constantly commented on how sweet and good she was. She was amazing! Best of all, she slept through the night four of the six nights we were there! I was hoping it would be the new trend (up until now, she's been one of my worst sleepers), but she was up four times last night, so no such luck. Instead, I think it was all the brain stimulation. All those sites, sounds, people, places, and events wore her out. She hated the Subway but seemed to enjoy everything else.
The rest of my kids -- seven of them! -- stayed with my brave mother-in-law. She did a great job, but I think she will probably sleep for a week to recover. Many of our neighbors took three of the little girls (Allison, Sarah, and Eliza) for a few hours each day to give her a break. I have wonderful neighbors.
We've only done something like this once before, in 2007, when we took our 6-year-old Joey and our 6-month-old Eliza to Paris and Armenia to visit my husband's dad, who was serving a three-year mission in Armenia. My brother and sister-in-law watched our other four children, including our almost-three-year-old twins. They were ten times easier than the year before, but still a huge challenge. My brother had an 18-month-old child at the time and I think the experience of our kids was a bit overwhelming -- years later, after experiencing a three-year-old of his own, he told me, "Now I know that's just how three-year-olds are!"
My mother-in-law raised eight children of her own and assured us she knew how kids are, and so, with strong counsel and a few bribes offered to our children to PLEASE be good, we left.
It was wonderful. Our flight was free (frequent flier miles). Our hotel was free (Hilton Points). We spent $115 each on Go Boston cards, which got us into tons of major attractions at huge cost savings. We figured out that the cost of paying for all of our things separately would have been over $300 each.
We saw graveyards, including Paul Revere's. We saw tons of historic sites including the Old State House, which is the site of the Boston Massacre, the site of governance both of the royal governor and the patriot government, and now the home of a busy Subway station in the basement.
We went to the aquarium.
We took a tour up the New England Seacoast, all the way to Kennebunkport, Maine. We went whale watching. The tour insisted that we had to pay to bring our baby along. We joked on the way back that we hoped Katie enjoyed her $33 nap. We went to Cape Cod. We met a lot of great people, some of whom may be reading this blog now (welcome!). This image, of the Old South Meeting House against a modern skyscraper, epitomizes Boston for me: a modern city that grew around its historic past. More to come as I get our photos sorted and my life back in order.

Comments

Holli said…
What a great trip! I've only been to Boston once - and it was actually for a sales training when I worked before having kids - and we were outside of Boston and went into the city once. But I loved all the history of it!

Glad your mother-in-law "survived". I'm sure your kids were a big help.
Your post made me homesick! I really, really want to go to Boston with Rusty. We went to Vancouver last year, and we bought passes for Vancouver. I think they were about $100 each, and we figure the same as you, we would have spent at least $300 each, and we did tons of things we never would have done otherwise. I think our next trip will have to be Boston. Boston is my very favorite city. There's so much history. We used to go on field trips to Boston when I was in high school. Isn't the aquarium cool? I always loved going there. Can't wait to see more pictures!
Maryanne said…
What fun! Great pictures.
Wendy said…
Wow!! So I'm wondering what the occasion was for?? An Anniversary?? And if not, I'm glad you got some time away from 7/8 of your children to try and do something for you.

Just in time for school to start and get all crazy that way, right??

What fun pictures!! Thanks for sharing.
Jacki said…
I've always wanted to go to Boston- what a cool trip!
Great pictures!! I am glad you had such a good time. We are going to Boston in October. How did you like the tour up through Maine? What was your favorite part? We will be going up to Acadia Park so I am interested in what you liked most.
amywilson said…
Hi Christina,
I am so glad you enjoyed Boston, it was too bad you didn't get too witness the magnificent great white sharks who are luking our waters right now. We are off to the Cape for a weekend and my boys are not sure they will enter the water :) I hope the heat wasn't too much, it has been one of the hottest and most humids summer ever. You probably did more in one week here than I have done my whole life living here!

Amy Wilson
Handsfullmom said…
Wendy, the main occasion was that our frequent flier miles expired this month! But we did manage to get the trip scheduled over my husband's 35th birthday as well. =)

Lori, I'll try to post some of my thoughts on what we saw later. Have a fun time in October -- it is a great place to visit!

Amy, have fun in Cape Cod. What a beautiful place to visit.
Claire said…
What great pictures! We still have not made it to Boston and we are only living a few hours away right now. I really want to try to go before we move.
Angie said…
What lovely fun. I can't tell you how jealous I am. Both of being able to take time away and of having family that can/will take most of your kids for such a time period. You are blessed. I am so glad you were able to enjoy it!
Katie said…
I'd noticed you were quiet this week! Beautiful pictures! How fun for you two to get away together with just one little distraction!
Found you from Peanut Gallery and Katie. You are completely amazing. A three and a half month old? And you did all that. Wow. I'm so glad she slept for you.
John said…
It sounds like you had a good trip. I grew up out there. In fact, I lived about 20 minutes from Kennebunk Port. My mom keeps begging me to come back.
Stacey said…
What a lovely trip. And she sure is a cutie!