Catching Up! Our Back to School Tradition and 21st Anniversary!!!

I've been trying to get this post published all month long...and now it's October!!! Several years ago, my husband started taking the first day of school off of work, and we'd spend the day doing fun stuff. It's also kind of an anniversary day date, too, because that's always the first or second week back as well. It seems all our fun day trips this summer had the same thing in common: HEAT! This day was no exception, so we didn't walk through town like we normally do, but it was lots of fun. And no, I don't mind having our little third wheel along at all, because I KNOW how soon he won't be anymore.

We started off on Pierce Island in Portsmouth. Such a beautiful place to explore and visit.

Although, there was a group of women and kids in this area, extended family I think, and they were all smoking like chimneys and so, so loud. They were scattered...and in nearly every shot I tried to take, ha, so this is the best I got that morning.

Picnic by the harbor -
Levi was thrilled with the fact that he could step up and down, up and down, as much as he wanted, ha. It's the little things, I guess. ;)

Cutest little pink-cheeked boy I ever laid eyes on!

We braved the humidity and walked over to Prescott Park. I'm not entirely sure, because of the sweat stinging in my eyes, but I think it was as beautiful as ever. ha ha ha

The water you see in the background is the same as from the park, it's simply around the corner. Normally we walk all along the edge of the harbor and walk out onto the docks, but again, HEAT.

Mr. Rocket Scientist got himself some new anti-glare glasses, and we laugh because these are the first pair that seem to glow purple in natural light. :)

My favorite part!

I don't have one single picture from the second part of our day because I was sandy and my hands were full, ha. We went straight to the beach and got clam strip sandwiches from the boardwalk- they were good! It was super hard dragging the stroller through the soft sand, and the tide was in, so insanely crowded and not much sandy real estate. We finally found a spot and let Levi play in the shade cast by the stroller- he was pretty overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd, so one of us took turns playing with him while the other jumped into the ocean to cool off. Eventually he let me carry him out into the water and we jumped waves for a long time. Then my feet started to get tingly because the air was SO hot and the water SO frigid, so we packed up and headed for home.

Levi watched some Cars until he passed out cold. :)

I've read for years about decorating the door for the first day of school, and this year, I finally got around to it! Thank goodness for Prime! Ryder knows someone's coming!!

She loved it! I don't think the boys cared as much. Or maybe they really did and they just kept their excitement hidden inside. :)

I almost wrote Happy Monday since I tried to get this done yesterday, so... Happy Tuesday! ;)

When the Kids Go Back to School...

...the Mom and Dad spend the whole day together, doing whatever we want!

Granted, we had an adorable +1 this year, but it was a really great day. 

For me, one of the biggest treats about this day as that I'm not a single mother in the morning. For nearly fifteen years now, Bill heads out the door by 4:15, for a multitude of reasons, and so it's just me. Most of the time, it's totally fine and I don't even think about it because that's just the way it is. But on those days when he is home, I feel like I've won the lottery. 

And he makes the waffles around here, so...win win!

I shared some pictures of our beautiful children in this post. It was a smooth, rather peaceful morning. After the last one had gone- Isabelle has the later start this year- I walked around the house in a kind of daze and found myself smiling at the stillness. Not gonna lie, the quiet was so, so beautiful. :)

Oh wait, did I say quiet? We still had THIS nugget on our hands!

We always think beach when we have some free time, so that's where we went. It was quite cool and foggy when we got into Portsmouth, but it actually felt terrific. We parked over on Pierce Island and walked along the water's edge, then walked over the little bridge to Prescott Park.

If you've ever visiting the Portsmouth area, you should visit Prescott Park in the summer or early fall. It's spectacular! Every summer they put on a play during the weekends, and you can rent tables and buy dinner, or spread out a blanket and bring your own picnic. It was Mary Poppins this year and I wanted to go SO badly, but we just could not make it work with Levi's bedtime schedule. (Now that he's sleeping better, no, we don't mess with his schedule!) The plays are free to the public but of course they gladly accept donations.

 checking out the bumble bees and other bugs buzzing around the gorgeous flowers

 someone doesn't look too enthused about all the pretty flowers

such a neat little treasure!

Also, all you're really going to see from here on out is pictures of Levi playing on the playground, and Levi eating lunch, and Levi crawling on the sand. Don't say I didn't warn you, ha ha, so feel free to skip ahead. :)

This is back on Pierce Island. It's a beautiful place to bring a picnic and a book and spend a couple hours. Or a soccer ball and frisbee to play in the wide open areas. It's just a great place to visit.

Levi went through an entire battery of emotions here at the top of the big slide. Confidence, uncertainty, determination, fear... sweet little guy. 

Mommy went through an entirely different set of emotions: where has my baby gone?!?!? Waaaaaah!

 and those wispy hairs slay me :)

 He did it!

I have some videos of him going down all by himself...my big boy!

In the past, we've walked through downtown Portsmouth and eaten in the restaurants overlooking the water. But we thought it best for our +1's sake to grab something and eat at the beach.

 we had some subs and maybe a cannoli or two, Levi got fries and nuggets- ooh la la

Do I look windswept here?

Crazy wind, but it was warm and sunny so it felt nice.

baby yoga :)

Levi has been doing this all week and it has to be the funniest thing I have ever seen.

He is fully aware of the reaction it gets him, so of course when he's being naughty and caught in the act, he will flop flat to the floor and then raise up like this, just waiting for all to be forgiven.

ha ha ha ha

Thankfully he slept a little on the way back home, and then we heard tales from everybody's first day- all good, which was so nice to hear.

This was such a wonderful day, but truth be told, it has been a very sad week for me. I know there is so much suffering in Texas, and that's been hard to read and hear about, and also, one of my best friends just said goodbye to her mother rather suddenly. Our families have been friends for ages, so I grew up going to their house and vice versa. Last Saturday, early in the morning, I got a frantic call from Trisha, my friend, that her Mom was admitted to the hospital the night before for some tests and things- she had had a slow-growing cancer that had recently flared up, as well as complications from Lyme Disease- but that doctors had actually discovered several new cancers, all stage 4, and one was causing severe clots, and so she suffered several strokes, which deteriorated her condition quickly. I'm so thankful, though, that she had moments of clarity and was able to say goodbye before she died peacefully early Thursday morning. She looked me straight in the eyes when we visited, and I know she recognized me, and I was trying so hard not to break down and cry, because it's all just devastating watching someone you love suffer and watching their loved ones suffer through these final goodbyes. It's so hard growing up and losing the people who were always just there, always a part of your life. And maybe I just figured that they always would be. But of course that isn't how life works. Time marches one. People grow old. And they leave us, for now anyway.

And he who was sits upon the throne says, "Behold, I am making all things new."

And he also said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."

Revelation 21:5

WHAT TO DO IN PORTSMOUTH, NH WITH KIDS: ONE DAY

Good Monday morning! I thought it might be fun to put together a little summer fun series highlighting family-friendly (and often cheap!) things to do in New England, specifically Maine and New Hampshire, for those of you who will be venturing this way with your families. Or maybe after reading these, you will add New England to your itinerary.  =)

Portsmouth is a beautiful harbor town, rich with history, character, and fabulous architecture. We love to spend the day there. It's a great city to stroll through, and you'll find plenty of places to eat and shop that can accommodate any budget.

On a sweltering day, nothing feels better than the spray of the harbor. Take your little ones on a narrated harbor cruise. There are a few options, and they are such fun for kids and kids-at-heart. And you're bound to learn some new things, too! We use the coupons found in the Breathe Free Fun Pass booklet, which saves a bundle. Try the Portsmouth Harbor Cruise or Isle of Shoals Steamship Company (reservations may be necessary for certain cruises).

It gets breezy out there. Notice how everyone has lost their hats by this point, ha!

From here, you can venture over to Prescott Park, where the garden displays are breathtaking. Occasionally, you can find free parking along the side road here (2-hour limit), but there is on-street parking with meters, and just about a quarter mile over a small bridge, you can visit Pierce Island, with free parking, and walk back if you don't mind a little stroll. This is often what we do; there is more info further down. If you don't have a vehicle, check out the local trolley system: http://www.seacoasttrolley.com/

At Prescott Park, you'll find brick walking paths that meander through more private gardens, including a water fountain and this majestic towering tree, perfect for an informal family portrait. You can also walk along the Piscataqua River, venture out on a long dock, and grab an ice cream or other snack. There are plenty of places to sit and relax, too.

Stealing a smooch from my little leading man atop one of the impressive theater stages, part of a summer arts festival.

Take a stroll through Pierce Island, located on the left just over the bridge beyond Prescott Park. There is a playground, open grassy fields (perfect for playing catch or soccer), and plenty of wide open walking paths that meander all along the shore of the Piscataqua River.

You could even pick a few posies for your baby doll... You're looking at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in the background, fascinating history for all you history buffs out there. You can climb down onto the rocks as well and putter along, which is what my boys love to do- the shoreline is safe and flat.

There are several gazebos and picnic tables outfitted with trash containers and grill pits. If you look closely, on this particular day, there was even visiting wildlife, besides the gulls and birds anyway. There was a very large groundhog just having himself the best old time- he is in between these two picnic areas, near the water.

There is also a large public swimming pool on Pierce Island. Costs and times vary. You can find more information at http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/recreation/outdoor.htm.
  
Several nights each week you can see a play or musical at Prescott Park. They are fabulous! Pack a picnic supper or grab something from a nearby shop or cafe, and settle in to enjoy a free summer theater production. (Donations gladly accepted.) More information and schedules can be found at this website: https://www.prescottpark.org/ 

Here we are about to see Peter Pan a few years ago...this summer, Peter Pan is back! It was spectacular.

And since you're so close, check out the beautiful beaches, all just a few miles down the road. Our favorites are Jenness Beach (limited metered parking) and North Hampton State Park Beach. Wallis Sands is great for smaller children. These last two options cost about $15 per vehicle for all day parking. There are rest rooms available at each beach.

I hope you've enjoyed these insider recommendations for a wonderful day spent in Portsmouth, NH. I'll be writing another post about what to do if you've got two or three (or more!) days to spend in this beautiful area, as well as what to enjoy as a couple if you happen to be visiting sans kiddos- and all on a budget, of course- so be sure to check back. Happy travels with your loved ones.