After a full morning of Mom trying to clean the house, and Mom and Dad packing up Rocket (the family car, name derived from the Lil' Einsteins cartoon), we set off to get travel guides from AAA, then back to the house to pick up the electronic games for the boys to play in the car, and the Entertainment Book. After a quick stop to check Nana & Papa's house (they are away in Columbus, OH for the week), and picking up a Room Saver at Denny's, we're on the road to Boston--about 1 1/2 hours after we left the house the first time. We decided within the first few minutes on the road to spend the night in Sturbridge, Mass. We quickly found the Motel 6, right on Main St., and right across from the Old Sturbridge Village, which we are planning to visit tomorrow. We had dinner at the Piccadilly Pub--Mom loved the lobster-stuffed Seoul that our server, Crystal, had suggested--YUM! The boys liked the bowls of popcorn while we waited for dinner. We drove around a bit after dinner, and found a really cute park down the side street adjacent to the hotel. It has tennis and basketball courts, a playground, pavillion with picnic tables, and a nice little beach--we thought it would be perfect except for the rain! We decided this could be a weekencd getaway spot for our family in the future. Back at the hotel, Dad was glad to find his favourite TV show, Hell's Kitchen, on TV--Mom and Dad had a good time watching TV and going over the Boston travel books together. Looking forward to the Old Sturbridge Village tomorrow (maybe even a swim in the pool first in the AM!) then on to Boston!
Our favourite parts of the day:
Paco: watching TV together in the hotel room
G-Man: playing games in the car
Bean: having his stuffed frog, Alfred, along for the trip
Mom & Dad: dinner at Piccadilly Pub
Day 2, Wednesday
This morning, after a nice, easy breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, and a quick trip to Walmart for sandals, we packed up and were off to Old Sturbridge Village. Mom and Paco liked it so much that we got a family membership (we even got the plus one membership, so a guest can come free with us each time--Mimi?) We didn't get to see all of the village, but G-man and Bean did make it long enough to stay for the 19th century baseball game--they ran the bases backward, which confused most of the kids--it was fun to watch! Paco & G-man participated in the game, but Bean was content to play in the dirt under a tree. Then we were on the road to Boston! Had quite a time trying to find a hotel, and wound up in the middle of downtown for rush hour, but in the end, we found the original Motel 6 in Danvers, where we were planning on staying before we even started out this morning. Papa Gino's for some pizza, Hannaford to get some breakfast & picnic lunch, and back to our hotel--finally! We happened to get a handicapped accessible room, which is nice, because it is bigger than average. The plan is to stay here for 3 nights 
and use the park & ride to take the train into downtown each day. Looking forward to our first day in Boston tomorrow--probably to the science museum.Favourites:
Paco: firing of the musket at Sturbridge Village
G-man: FINALLY finding our hotel
Bean: the pigs at Sturbridge Village
Dad: the tin shop and the cobbler at Sturbridge Village (learning from the people who work there about how things were in the 1830's)
Mom: "Meet the Schoolteacher" time at Sturbridge Village
Day 3, Thursday
Breakfast of donuts and bananas, then off to our first day in Boston! It was the boys' first time on a train, which was really cool for them. The walk from the North Station to the science museum goes through Nashua Street Park, where we stopped for our picnic lunch. It was hard 
for all of us to stay together with all the different exhibits to see at the museum. Dad, G-man, and Paco's favourite part of the museum was the hands-on Discovery Zone. Bean's favourite exhibit was Science in the Park, especially the see-saw. Mom's favourite part was the gathering to learn about animals' defenses and predator mechanisms, particularly seeing the live owl. We took the train back to Salem, missing most of the rain on our walk back to the station. After driving up and down the strip of rt. 114 with all the restaurants, we finally settled on Tennessee BBQ--delicious!
for all of us to stay together with all the different exhibits to see at the museum. Dad, G-man, and Paco's favourite part of the museum was the hands-on Discovery Zone. Bean's favourite exhibit was Science in the Park, especially the see-saw. Mom's favourite part was the gathering to learn about animals' defenses and predator mechanisms, particularly seeing the live owl. We took the train back to Salem, missing most of the rain on our walk back to the station. After driving up and down the strip of rt. 114 with all the restaurants, we finally settled on Tennessee BBQ--delicious!Day 4, Friday
Writing this Saturday morning, because we were all exhausted last night! Friday, we missed our train, so we gassed up Rocket in Salem and had our picnic lunch at the train station, waiting for the next train to Boston. We walked across the Charles Street Bridge in the rain (Dad wasn't crazy about that, and would not have agreed to it if he had known the floor was a grate through 
which you could see all the way down to the river). We waited to see the USS Constitution in the rain, too. It was reallly neat seeing the Constitution, especially since the tour included what life was like on the ship. For example, the sailors slept in hammocks, and had to drink two pints of grog each day to keep from getting scurvey. By the time our tour was finished, the weather was beautiful, so we took the water taxi to the aquarium, to see where we would be going Saturday. We found the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Park, where the boys got drenched in the fountain. Took the subway back to the North Station, train to Salem, and picked up McDonald's
on the way back to the hotel. We put on the movie "Independence Day", but none of us made it through the whole thing.
which you could see all the way down to the river). We waited to see the USS Constitution in the rain, too. It was reallly neat seeing the Constitution, especially since the tour included what life was like on the ship. For example, the sailors slept in hammocks, and had to drink two pints of grog each day to keep from getting scurvey. By the time our tour was finished, the weather was beautiful, so we took the water taxi to the aquarium, to see where we would be going Saturday. We found the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Park, where the boys got drenched in the fountain. Took the subway back to the North Station, train to Salem, and picked up McDonald's
on the way back to the hotel. We put on the movie "Independence Day", but none of us made it through the whole thing.Favourites:
Paco: walking over the bridge in the rain
G-man: McDonald's
Bean: (Saturday) "I don't remember."
Dad: being with my family--really feels like a vacation is supposed to
Mom: watching the boys play in the fountain
Day 5, Saturday
This morning, we all slept in. Being on vacation wears us out! We made it to the train station just in time to catch the 11:20 train to Boston. We had a picnic lunch at our new favourite Boston
park (the Rose Kennedy Park) and then went to the aquarium. Mom stood in line for about 20 minutes to get tickets. All the animals and fish at the aquarium were fun to see. After that, we returned to the park to play in the fountain (this time, we brought dry changes of clothes!) Then, Dad thought we should take the subway up the blue line to check out Revere Beach--great idea! We had a delicious dinner of pizza & a steak sub from Nick's Place. The boys played in the ocean for a while, and then we got some ice cream (Dad had the biggest cone EVER) before catching the T back to the North Station. We've been sitting there now, waiting for the 10:15 train to Salem. 
The man sitting next to us asked if we tried Kelley's Roast Beef, so I guess our trip to the beach tomorrow will have to be back to Revere so we can try Kelley's before heading home.
This morning, we all slept in. Being on vacation wears us out! We made it to the train station just in time to catch the 11:20 train to Boston. We had a picnic lunch at our new favourite Boston
park (the Rose Kennedy Park) and then went to the aquarium. Mom stood in line for about 20 minutes to get tickets. All the animals and fish at the aquarium were fun to see. After that, we returned to the park to play in the fountain (this time, we brought dry changes of clothes!) Then, Dad thought we should take the subway up the blue line to check out Revere Beach--great idea! We had a delicious dinner of pizza & a steak sub from Nick's Place. The boys played in the ocean for a while, and then we got some ice cream (Dad had the biggest cone EVER) before catching the T back to the North Station. We've been sitting there now, waiting for the 10:15 train to Salem. 
The man sitting next to us asked if we tried Kelley's Roast Beef, so I guess our trip to the beach tomorrow will have to be back to Revere so we can try Kelley's before heading home.Favourites:
Paco: seals, the electric eel & the beach
G-man: the octopus & finding his seashells
Bean: the frogs & riding the train
Dad: the beach--Nick's Place and the half-gallon ice cream cone!
Mom: turtles at the aquarium (especially the granddaddy turtle) & seeing the ocean
Day 6, Sunday
The last day. This morning, after an uneventful packing up and loading Rocket, we drove back
along the coast to Revere Beach. In spite of the gloomy forecast, we had several hours of beautiful beach weather. We played in perfect waves, built several sandcastles that promptly got knocked over by the rising tide, with the exception of the last one, which was knocked over by the boys' new friend, Adam, before the waves had a chance. G-man and Mom took a walk down the beach and collected quite a few seashells. We changed in the car, and stopped at the famous Kelley's Roast Beef before leaving town. We decided it was good, but next time, we'll stick with Nick's Place, down the beach. It's just as good, for half the price, and there's a bath house
close by, so G-man won't have to pee in a bottle again. Speaking of peeing, it is worth mentioning that during our time on the beach, Bean had to go, and since there were no bathrooms around, he just pulled his suit down, and was ready to pee right there on the beach, in front of everyone. Dad caught him just in time! We drove back through Boston, saying goodbye to the USS Constitution, the big bridge, the science museum, and the fountain. We got to go through the tunnel part of the "Big Dig", which was absolutely amazing. The name is no exaggeration. It was a HUGE project. Dad wanted to take rt. 20 back for part of the way, so once we were well 
out of Boston, we got off I-90, and went through some of the towns. We got lost in Springfield, and the rest of the navigation home went downhill from there. We found rt. 20-W out of Springfield, but ran into a detour, which got us lost again, taking us over a few mountains and through a little town called Middlefield. Finally, we reached Pittsfield, where we all felt better, because we finally knew where we were and how to get home. It had been a wonderful family vacation--I'd go through everyone's favourite part, but the three boys are all tuckered out and sleeping, and in about 3 minutes, I will be, too!
along the coast to Revere Beach. In spite of the gloomy forecast, we had several hours of beautiful beach weather. We played in perfect waves, built several sandcastles that promptly got knocked over by the rising tide, with the exception of the last one, which was knocked over by the boys' new friend, Adam, before the waves had a chance. G-man and Mom took a walk down the beach and collected quite a few seashells. We changed in the car, and stopped at the famous Kelley's Roast Beef before leaving town. We decided it was good, but next time, we'll stick with Nick's Place, down the beach. It's just as good, for half the price, and there's a bath house
close by, so G-man won't have to pee in a bottle again. Speaking of peeing, it is worth mentioning that during our time on the beach, Bean had to go, and since there were no bathrooms around, he just pulled his suit down, and was ready to pee right there on the beach, in front of everyone. Dad caught him just in time! We drove back through Boston, saying goodbye to the USS Constitution, the big bridge, the science museum, and the fountain. We got to go through the tunnel part of the "Big Dig", which was absolutely amazing. The name is no exaggeration. It was a HUGE project. Dad wanted to take rt. 20 back for part of the way, so once we were well 
