Happy 19th Birthday!

Today we celebrated Kayla's birthday before she heads back to school. This will be the first year I have not seen her on her birthday, but we've ordered a cake that her friend is going to pick up, and I know she will will have such fun being with her friends all day on Thursday.

Kayla,

This has, without a doubt, been the hardest year for me as your mother.  To send you off into the next stage of your life has brought many tears, but to watch you take your wings and soar has been one of the greatest things to watch as your mama. You are learning to embrace who God has designed you to be.  You've learned hard things, made new friendships that will last a lifetime, and you've started to figure life out.  There will be many hills and valleys, and I promise to always be by your side as your biggest cheerleader. Keep shining bright for Jesus. Love others, and keep spreading those wings. 

Love forever and always, 

Mama

Boston Day 5

 I always love to see my babies sleeping, even if they are 16 and 18.

Benjamin Franklins grave.

Old and new. Side by side.

We took a tour of Harvard University.  It was a pretty interesting tour and a lovely campus.

We ended our day with the Boston Tea Party Experience.

Everyone was able to throw some tea into the harbor.

We made it home with lots of laundry, but the dog didn't care that it was all dirty.  She just wanted to be close to the people who abandoned her for 5 days.

It was a fun, educational trip despite the weather.  We're glad to be back in the south where it is warmer and the sun is shining.

Boston Day 3-4

The next day was cold, dreary, and rainy. We headed to the Boston Museum of Science. We tried to mix up our time indoors and outside.

Along the way some snow was found. Really it was ice.

We found dinner in Faneuil Hall, and of course Brooke had to have a waffle with nutella and strawberries.

The girls really liked the evening snacks and soda on tap that was offered at our hotel. 

The next day we headed out early for a drive to Salem. Our first stop was The House of  Seven Gables. This house served as the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's book of the same name. 

Heading up the secret staircase.

After lunch we headed to the Salem Witch Museum.  It's an older museum, but it told the story well. 

Hocus Pocus house.

Salem was somewhere the girls really wanted to visit, and we were glad we could add this onto our trip.

Boston Day 1-2

Our Spring Break this year lined up with Kayla's break since Easter actually fell on the first weekend of the break. We decided to take advantage of the opportunity and take the girls to Boston.  We've all wanted to visit this city

Old North Church

One if by land, two if by sea.

Site of the Boston Massacre.

I love the architecture of early America.

We had to hit a local bakery.

View from our hotel room.

The next morning we headed out to visit the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides. It is the world's oldest commissioned warship that is still afloat and it could still float today if it was taken out of dock.

The weather was pretty miserable for most of our trip.  A nor'easter came through and it was cold, rainy, and icy most of our trip.  We didn't let that stop us.

We did, however, make reservations on the rainiest night at Boda Borg. This was such a fun experience that we all loved.  We didn't escape out of many rooms, but we had fun trying to figure the puzzles out.  Unfortunately Macy twisted her ankle a bit in one of the rooms.  She's such a trooper and pressed through the rest of our week with what we later realized could have been another hairline fracture.

Enjoying the leftovers from the bakery.