mom's visit, part one {5.1.10}

i'm backtracking a little, but i wouldn't pass up the opportunity to write about our time with my parents, not to mention sharing the 47 pictures i just edited (hence the part one).

my mom's birthday was at the end of april, so my dad surprised her with a little weekend getaway to tropical boston. she cried when she opened her ticket. my girls are lucky to have grandparents that love and adore them so much. my dad used to say when we were little, that he couldn't wait for the day we had kids so he could spoil them rotten and let them do whatever they wanted. then when they got home they would say, "but grandpa rob let me do it." well dad, i think you've won.

they got in "friday at five" (that's for you mom) and the unloading began.



for some reason my parents think it's necessary to pack half of their suitcases with things for the girls. it's like christmas every time they come. this was their first trip together, my dad even goes to babies r us on his own to pick out things.



sophie is still afraid of the sock monkey jack-in-the-box and piper still rips it open with no fear. i love their differences.



lots of reading and playing the rest of the night after pizza and cupcakes.



then it was time for my mom to open the gift. i thought of this idea back in november and of course waited until april to start it. i knew i wouldn't be able to be there to throw her a big bash, so i decided to do something a little more sentimental that would last longer.
i collected messages and pictures from important people throughout her life and compiled them into a printed book. it was such a fun project and i think it definitely paid off.



i think the contest in my family is to see who can get mom to cry the most (a good cry of course). thank you so much to all of you who contributed a little something for my mom! i know she feels loved by all of you!



our drive the next day was an adventure. we didn't have a car quite big enough to fit all of us so my mom and i were snuggle buddies in the front seat. i told her i didn't want to waste any of our time together. she's going to hate me posting a picture this up-close, but at least you don't have a double chin mom.



landen was our champ entertainer in the backseat. thanks for taking one for the team getting kicked all day by the pipester.



my dad has been wanting to see plymouth rock for quite awhile now. i think his "stop at every historical marker" gene completely rubbed off on me because i'm exactly the same way. i just want to be able to say, "i've been there... i've seen that." so we made a little stop in plymouth on our way to the cape. needless to say, he saw the rock.



and we saw plymouth harbor. it was a seriously beautiful day for the beginning of may.







we walked over to check out the mayflower II.





and my dad would be disappointed if i didn't mention we had an ancestor on the mayflower. impressive, right?



more spoiling ensued, because any historical stop wouldn't be complete without a trip to the gift shop.





then the boys (and soph) checked out the boat while we checked out the view on the dock.





just in case you thought piper wasn't present. she's a mama's girl, and i'll take it.



when we got back to the car it was surrounded by ducks. and this is what we call crackalackin' at our house. landen likes to say "release the crackin!" in a deep, dramatic voice. beware all you diaper wearers out there, this is what you have to look forward to come potty training time.



part 2 is cape cod.

on another note... we're supposed to be in vermont right now checking off my 46th state.

oh, and joseph smith's birthplace and the ben & jerry's factory. but sophie started complaining about her ears a ton last night (i've never had a kid with an ear infection before, yuck) and was up all night scared of the "funder" and lightening. "stairy estorm." so we're kickin' it today. rolling around on the floor. i think that's what we do best on the weekends. maybe a little trip up to lexington & concord, family style.