away we go... {Cape Cod}

June, my favorite month so far - seeing as I was on vacation for almost half of it - has come and gone, and so has Cape Cod. It was just as wonderful this year, as any other, and maybe even more so because with every new year Gwen is more independent and can do more without us, therefore allow us more rest times. More actual, you know, vacation... ;-)  I read my way through 1 and 1/2 Harry Potter books, so I'd say I had some good relaxing time.

Prepare yourself, vacation is often best recapped by pictures... 

We headed up Friday evening (and had a very easy drive!), so our first real day there was Saturday. Even though it was chilly and overcast, my boy and my girl could not wait to hit up the lake beach. So that's what we did....

I stayed warm, reading in the sand...

The water was so clear off the dock it looked like a puddle... but that's deep enough to be over my head!

We also hit up our favorite ice cream joint (Four Seas) for the first, but definitely not the last, time.

Sunday was more of the same. I think this was the first year that we were the first one's at the house (of immediate family)... so we really enjoyed our first few days to ourselves.

Ice cream, trips to the lake beach, and reading.

Monday we headed in-land. First for a quick jaunt to North Easton to meet a girlfriend of mine and her 3 kids. Then North-Westward to see the Quads. I million years ago when I was in college, I used to watch these amazing kids as a Mother's Helper/Babysitter. From age 1 to age 5 these lovelies were my babies too! 3 days a week, 4 hours a day!

With little brother, Sam, to my right.

At one point, I could carry all four of these kids at the same time! Now I'm the shortest of the bunch.

It absolutely blows my mind, and I really hope the next ten years with Gwen go slower then the last 10 years since these guys moved up to the Boston area.

Trav's parents arrived on Tuesday... though it didn't change our days too much!

There were two days that it rained... one torrentially, with a tornado warning to boot. But otherwise we had really great weather. Cool, but nice. Sunny and breezy.

Thursday Trav's oldest brother, Scott, and his wife and step-kids arrived.

Friday we went to a Hyannis Harbor Hawks baseball game. They have an amazing summer league there that draws kids from colleges around the country!

Friday we all went to the ocean beach, where I ran into another girlfriend and her kids.

Saturday, Trav and I snuck away for a nice lunch alone...

One of our favorite chowder places (Baxters), with one of our favorite views!

Gwen hit up the 4th of July Parade with her Nana and PopPop. When they got back she and I walked down to the lake beach one more time.

Sunday came too quickly for all of us.

Rare that I get to wake up first and see this next to me!

We had packed 90% the night before, so we got up, showered, ate breakfast and got the rest of the stuff in the car. We said our goodbyes and before we knew it we were on the road.

The trip home was a lot longer, but we made it. And then it was back to work.

I'm so happy that we all get to make these great memories in Cape Cod... but I'm especially glad that Gwen gets to have this place that she loves to visit so very much. I'm already looking forward to all our visits for years to come.