Favorite Family Destinations For Summer

As the end of the school year quickly approaches, I'm faced with what to do to entertain my kiddos for the next couple of months. While they are very satisfied riding bikes, playing in the sandbox, swinging, and generally being outside, I do like to mix it up for them every once in a while with a day trip to someplace fun that we can all enjoy, and maybe if we're lucky, an actual vacation as well.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Friendly Farm - My kids really enjoy this small, family-run farm in Dublin, New Hampshire. It's close enough that we can go more than once a summer. There are lots of farm animals and most of them are open for the kids to touch and interact with. They have chickens who roam all over and a pen where the kids can go in and play with the goats. They also let the kids feed baby goats a bottle. It's inexpensive, close-by and a great for young kids like mine.

         

Southwicks Zoo - This trip is quite a bit farther for us. The zoo is located in Mendon, MA which is right on the Rhode Island border. But it's definitely a day worth of fun, learning and exploration. They have a playground for when the kids need a break from walking or being around animals and there is a Skyfari ride that takes you on a chair lift ride over the zoo. It's not something we can do with Maggie, but I'm sure it's a pretty cool view of the animals below. They have elephant rides and a deer habitat that you can walk through and feed the deer.

Look Park - What could be better than a park with a train ride? Look Park in Northampton, MA, is a great place for the entire family. They have a train, a small "zoo", splash pad, paddle boats and other fun activities for kids. It's a really great way to spend a low-key summer day with the family. 

Lake Winnipesaukee - I LOVE everything about this lake and the surrounding area. I could spend my entire summer on the lake (if only) and never be bored. Besides all the boating and water fun, there are plenty of great destinations in the white mountains area that are perfect for kids. I've been going to Winnipesaukee my whole life and I have so many great memories of my time there. I'm a Meredith girl (north end of the lake) because that's where we've always gone, but there are many, many wonderful places to stay depending on what you want to do. Our favorite day trip destinations when we are in the Lakes Region are Santa's Village and Story Land. Both are wonderful parks that have rides and fun for kids of all ages. As I said, I could occupy myself up there all summer long. 


I'm hoping we might be able to get a trip to Boston in this summer too, but it's dependent on several different schedules and if we can afford to go. There are so many places in the city that I would love to take the kids, but Roman has to work and that is an adventure that I will not embark on solo. So we'll see where the summer leads us and make our own fun as we go. Any favorite spots that you know of that I should look into in the New England area?

Our Attempt to See Fish

Yesterday after school we went with some friends to the Turners Falls Fish Ladder. We were on the hunt to see fish, but seeing the water conditions going over the damn, we would have settled for an eel. Unfortunately, it has rained hard the last couple of days and the river is flowing fast and dirty. The man working yesterday described what we were seeing in various shades of coffee; that's how dark the water was. Needless to say, we didn't see anything. If you've never been to a fish ladder, it's pretty cool on a day when you can actually see through the water. Fish ladders are built so that fish that need to go up the river to lay eggs can get past the damn by using a man made water way that allows them to swim their way up past the damn. It's really very interesting if you can see through the water. 

Evan, Braeden and Dylan

After the fish ladder bust, we walked over to the Great Falls Discovery Center. The Discovery Center is free to the public and has displays of the Connecticut River Waterway and the wildlife of our area. The kids love to go though and push the buttons to make the various animals and habitats light up in the exhibits. 

A huge topographical map of the Connecticut River and surrounding area

Posing with the moose

 Silly faces with the moose

 The babies entertained themselves with keys

When the boys were through with the animals and buttons, we headed back outside to the bike path so we could walk down and have a picnic by the river. It was a beautiful day and we found a nice area with shady trees and plenty of room for the kids to run around after they ate. 

Picnicking

We had a really great time despite the murky water. The kids all loved being outside and watching debris flow by on the river. I love that we got to be outside, the boys got to explore, and we were able to spend time with friends, all for free! That's my kind of afternoon.

Finally

Finally, this baby girl has her first tooth! 

The first corner of the tooth broke through on Memorial Day and the rest managed to push through those tough gums yesterday. I'm amazed that she's 10 1/2 months old and this is the first sign of teeth. I'd share a picture, but it's still the very tip of the tooth and she doesn't let me take pictures close to her without grabbing for the camera. But believe me, it's really there. I'm curious if more will come in quickly now or if the whole progression of her teeth will be slow. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Moving On Up

Friday was an exciting day in our house. Not only was it T-ball day, which is by far the highlight of our week these days, but it was also the Teddy Bear Tea at school for incoming kindergartners. This is the first year that our school has offered the opportunity for the kids to come in early and check out the rooms and meet the teachers. Usually they have to wait until the open house day in September. I thought it was really great and it was a nice first look at what's to come for Braeden. While he already attends preschool in the same building, the preschool is pretty insulated and doesn't venture far out of their own spaces. His teacher will take those kids who are old enough for kindergarten next year for a visit to each classroom in the next couple of weeks which will also help Braeden to feel more comfortable with the transition. I'm thrilled that he already knows what it looks like and who the teachers are so that he has all summer to get used to the idea of a full day school day without worrying about all of the unknowns that come with a new building and new faces.

 Working on his "who came with you today?" drawing

The finished product

Cool block toys

 Checking out "big kid" toys

I think they like it!

I can't believe that I am sending Braeden to kindergarten next year. I remember the details about the day we found out we were expecting him so vividly that I can't believe it's been six years since I called Roman to tell he we were pregnant. My world changed forever that day and Braeden has brought so much joy to my life. I don't know who's going to need more adjustment to his growing up, him or me! I truly believe that he is ready to move on. He's been in preschool for two years, which he definitely needed, but now it's time for new adventures. He misses school when he's not there and loves to learn so I know that he'll be ready and do great. I'll try really hard not to cry on the last day of this year, but I make no promises. Yes, I'm that mom. Lucky Braeden. 

Sweet Boys

Since I got pregnant with Maggie I have had occasional migraines. Yesterday was one of those days when I started to feel one coming on and I knew I had to get home, take something for it and lay down for a little while. Roman told the boys to leave me alone for a few minutes so that I could rest and they took it upon themselves to draw me pictures to help me feel better.

 "a purple flower with a green stem" by Braeden

"some guy" by Evan

It would have been impossible for me not to feel better after my boys showed such sweetness. I'm such a lucky mommy. 

Hitting The Town

How do you know you're getting old? Just go to a bar at 9:30pm on a Friday night! Even though it was already after dinner for us, it was apparently too early to be out. Ironically for most of us, it was too late to be out, HA!

Last night was so much fun. I got to go out with a truly special group of women. Of course Stacy was there, because I don't go anywhere without her being there too, and some friends I've made recently who have quickly become good friends who I look forward to sharing many memories with, as well as a couple of people I had never met, but whose company I enjoyed very much. I mentioned in a post earlier this week that we were going out for dinner and dancing, but the restaurant was closed for a private party last night so we went to a different place instead.

Dinner was so much fun. We laughed so hard!! There were lots of stories that only a group of mom's (and one single girl) would share, as well as tales of the past, discussions of weddings and so much more. We had a private room so we could be loud and stay as long as we wanted; we took full advantage of both!

It took about an hour to get the waitress to finally take a picture

A toast to the night and the future!

The Zumba Girls

Most of the women attend zumba classes taught by Katie (red hair in the back). I continue to hold out because 1) I don't dance, and 2) I am not much for public humiliation. However, those that do go love it and are convinced that they are going to get Sherri and I (the last two holdouts) to a class sooner or later. 

The Non-Zumba Girls

After we finished our dinner and paid the bill twice (the waitress may or may not have made a bit of an oops), we headed out to "hit the town".

We tried a couple of places, but I guess they weren't happening enough (I have no real reference because I'm not usually in bars), so we attempted to wait until the dancing place opened to the public at 11:00. But by 10:15, all but two people were done and headed home. We are so exciting! Quite frankly, we are all mom's who needed to get up this morning and go on with every day life. Everyone needs nights like last night to remind us that we are still people, not just someones mom. We can still have lots of fun, albeit a very different kind of fun than years past, and laugh until our stomach's hurt. Last night reminded me of what I missed in the past, but better yet, shows me what I have to look forward to in the future.

Making friends when we are adults is difficult. Often times the only thing we know about each other is which kids belong to whom. It is so important to reach out and take a chance. I have found in forcing myself to do just that that most other women at some point in their lives feel just as isolated as I did. Not everyone you meet has to be a BFF, but it's really important to widen the circle of people you know even if it's simply to have someone to count on when you're in a pinch. I can't even properly come up with the words to describe the change that making new friends has had on my life, but it is significant and I am forever grateful.

It's All About Timing

I've had a feeling recently that things really weren't right. My biggest problem was that I wasn't sleeping more than an hour at a time at night. I would wake up and have to get out of bed because the right side of my body was so restless that I couldn't stay still anymore. It's a symptom, along with the worried feeling in the pit of my stomach, that I am all too familiar with. Apparently, I wasn't ready to come off of the medication yet. Even though I had been on it longer after Maggie than either of the boys, the timing wasn't right for me. My symptoms became prominent with both boys right around 10 months after they were born and wouldn't you know, Maggie is 10 1/2 months old. I knew it was a risk trying to ween off at this point in time because of my past history, but I also wanted to see if having already been treated for six months would have resolved my Postpartum Depression issues earlier this time around. A big fat NO is the answer that I have clearly been presented with in the last couple of weeks.

I am hugely disappointed. Not in myself, because there wasn't anything I could have done about it, but in the fact that I now have to go back on medication for a few months. I was looking forward to a summer of fun when I would be full of the energy that I am robbed of while I'm on medication. For the last six weeks, I have enjoyed being able to stay awake all day without fighting the need for a nap, getting into an exercise routine, and preparing to start the rest of my life without having to face this challenge again.

This is the first time I haven't been able to go off medication after six months with success. But again, because of the timing I am not surprised. Something in my postpartum brain just seems to struggle at the 10 month point.  So I started the medication again yesterday and I am hoping for a decent night sleep really soon. I need a good night's sleep really soon. What I am not looking forward to is having to ween off again. But for now my focus is on taking care of my current situation and stomping out these mild symptoms as they reappear. I will worry about the end game later.