Vacation finale!

You know those times after you go on vacation, you come home and realize the moment you walk through the door that you need another vacation to relax from the first one? Yeah, that was how our time away was starting to feel when we were winding down our time in AZ.
We were go, go, go from the second we left Norfolk. After the road trip, flights, parents, hotels, graduations, grandmothers, dinners and siblings we were beat. It is truly amazing how many activities you can cram into a 14 hour period! But thankfully I have a husband who can see into the future a bit and saw this exhaustion coming. So he made a plan for us to take a nice, slow drive down the east coast on the way back home. We'll meet up with friends, stay in divine hotels, and just enjoy ourselves all the way home.
Our first stop after Arizona was back to Boston to pick up our sweet little Mustang that was left behind at the airport. The poor baby must have thought we abandoned her.

Then we went to one of the most historic areas of America; Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

That's it. The rock our country was founded on. You can faintly see the 1620 that was chiseled into it. I hate that there was graffiti on it. So disrespectful. And don't worry, I wasn't scoffing at the rock. I was simply perturbed by hubby taking my picture. I love him so much some times :) 

  

But my annoyance with him quickly dissipated when he found a restaurant with the most amazing lobster roll I have had. Just look at the picture! We are pretty sure it was an entire lobster or two that was in there. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I would go back to Plymouth for that sandwich alone. Thank goodness there is so much there besides that place, because I would have spent my entire day in that restaurant gaining more weight! There is some great shopping to be had in that little town. I even purchased a mink pillbox hat in the spirit of Jackie O. Don't ask when I will wear it, because I have no idea but I will make it work at some point. Maybe a holiday party? 

NYC was the next stop on our road trip. 

In all of my visit to the city, I never had the opportunity to visit ground zero. I have wanted to see that hallowed ground ever since they opened it up to the public. It really helps to internalize and remember exactly what happened that infamous day. The 9/11 Memorial with the fountains and soon to open museum is truly humbling. It is a somber place but it is also hopeful in a way. Everyone that walks by these fountains and sees the skyscraper that is almost finished is filled with the hope that we will be alright. We will move on and move forward but will never forget those that perished and their memory will live on.   

As you may remember from my previous posts, my little sister Katie lives in Manhattan. And now, one of hubby's roommates from college, Bob, lives right across the river in Jersey City, New Jersey. We all went out to dinner in Hoboken, NJ. This was my first experience in New Jersey aside from all the times I was stuck in the Newark airport. And you know what...New Jersey is not bad. Where else can you get that view of Manhattan? Absolutely gorgeous. And the company was fantastic as well.  I am so glad that we had the opportunity to hang out with such cool people. Bob and Kat, on the left of the picture, made our NY/NJ time a blast.

 The adorable couple with the little cutie on the top right were our next target in Maryland. That is another of hubby's roommates from college, Adam, and his family Stephanie and Audrey. I don't think a family can get much cuter then them. They put us up for the night and fed us delicious food and margaritas. It's like they know us or something. lol. I of course got a another baby kick while staying with them. Just look at her! Oh that fever is getting bad again after this trip. Especially after tossing in another blissful baby named Madeline! That's her in the purple hat on the bottom right with her mommy Mary. Madeline's daddy was in hubby's squadron but now they are living in DC. We all hung out together in Georgetown during their Taste of Georgetown festival. It was a really good time. Great food, excellent drinks and extremely loud, slightly off key music. lol. It was still a riot. Even the babies had some fun in the sun and played with each other a bit. Oh man, here comes a wave of baby fever like none I had ever had before.  

We are now on the last day of vacation. And what did we do with it? Why we went to a soccer game of course! US vs. Germany. And guess what, the US won! Apparently everyone had the Germans set at beating us by fantastic odds. I think they won because it was my first soccer game. Yes, my first game ever. I think the last game I watched was my youngest sister's game when she was 6 years old. That doesn't really count. So obviously I did not know rules or strategy, but I did notice a lot of bad acting on the US's part. When someone taps you on the shoulder and you hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, grabbing your ankle; I don't believe you are actually injured. Especially when you hop back up faster that a jack rabbit and keep on running. Oh well, it was entertaining non the less. And I appreciated the win guys. Made my day, and my vacation :) We hit the road as soon as the game ended and did not stop until we go home. It has been a long couple of weeks but you know what, I loved it. I thrive on running around. It keeps me going on all cylinders and I love that. Now it is back to housewife-ing like a champ. Sixteen loads of laundry, here I come! 

Oh and we weren't the only ones that were glad to be home. Gotta love that Luna girl.