Inaugural Girls Weekend Boston 2012

Memorial Day weekend was...wait for it...legendary! So much so that it's taken to me till today to recover and be able to sit down and blog about it. I was exhausted. Plus I had 92 loads of laundry to do.

About a month ago my best friend Cory asked if she could come visit with her daughter Abby, age 3. Love Jetblue for it's cheap flights between Boston and Buffalo...that is something I will definitely miss when we move next year. So then I was talking to another of our best friends from high school, Katie, and she wanted to come visit with her daughter Madison, age 5. She was able to find a cheap flight on Spirit Airlines (I had never even heard of Spirit lol) and our plans were set. Of course I wanted to keep Katie's visit a surprise for Cory, but Katie was too excited and put it on Facebook immediately that she was coming. And of course I immediately got a text from Cory saying please tell her that Katie was coming the same weekend as her. lol

The big weekend was finally upon us. I picked Cory and Abby up at the airport Friday at 4:30pm. Of course driving there I noticed all the traffic building up in the return direction. Yay rush hour! The traffic gods were smiling upon us because it was clear when we left the airport and we made it back in record time. Katie and Madison took the red eye and I got up at 5:15am Saturday morning to pick them up at 6am. You know you love someone when you get up at 5:15am to pick them up from the airport.

After a sugar filled breakfast of the best muffins ever and copious amounts of coffee we headed into Boston for some sight seeing. Cory believed we saw all of Boston, but we didn't even venture out of the Quincy Market/North End areas. We enjoyed a Quincy Market picnic lunch in Christopher Columbus park, followed by walking, harbor seals at the aquarium, Mike's Pastry...oh, and the rudest waitress I have ever encountered. Paul got to play babysitter, along with a large group of homeless people, in the park while we went and grabbed lunch.

We wanted to stop at the Bell and Hand for a beer, but it was super crowded so we went into The Point instead. We found a table in the corner and were able to get strollers of sleeping kids tucked in around us. The waitress came over to take our order and seemed immediately put out. She was so rude that I will A) never go back there, B) asked to speak to a manager. They didn't have one there, but I did tell another employee that when your waitress complains she didn't get a tip you can tell her that my tip is to be nicer to her customers. And for the first time IN MY LIFE I didn't leave a tip and no one else did either.

After that we headed towards Mike's Pastry and then home. Yum, yum, yum. After Mike's Pastry we stopped by the fire station. Abby was asked if she wanted to get in the truck and she said no, but I was all over it! They even let me turn on the lights and sirens!

I made Mexican for dinner and then it was on to wine. I also got to go to the Abby and Madison school of hair design.

Sunday was sleeping in...well, for those of us that don't have kids that get up at 6:30am. Emma doesn't really get weekends. Katie and I went to get delicious donuts and coffee (always with the coffee). We then got ready for a cook out. Paul was on dog poop patrol and I cleaned off, for the second time--stupid pollen, the tables and chairs. We filled up the kiddie pool for the kids and then guests started arriving.

What happens when 3 friends from high school who haven't seen each other in a long time start drinking wine outdoors? Redneck slip and slide of course! Followed by a dip in our pool. haha

Sunday night we sat around the fire and reminisced. Oh and we also drunk dialed our friend Amanda back in Florida. I'm sure she appreciated that.

After staying up much too late and having to get up much too early, Monday morning we headed back into Boston. Katie was obsessed with riding the subway, among the list of 900 other things she wanted to do while she was here, so we took the subway to the Children's Museum. Look at our big girl riding the subway like a pro!

Emma loved the 0-3 play area, as did Paul, and we stayed there pretty much the entire time while Katie and Cory explored the rest of the museum with their kids. Everyone was exhausted and fell asleep as soon as we left the museum. Well, the kids did at least. I felt like I could have.

After the Children's Museum we stopped by the Cheers bar for some cocktails and appetizers and to fortify ourselves for the walk back to the car...why, oh why, did I wear flip flops and a dress? The breeze was a little chilly and flip flops are NOT made for long walks. It was Memorial Day and they had a beautiful display in honor of the fallen soldiers from MA. It was truly breathtaking to see so many flags and there were tons of people out taking pictures.

And as Abby and I have the same size bladder, that of a 3 year old, we had to stop at the Burger King to use the restroom.

Monday night was another late night involving lots of wine and junk food. I was sooo tired on Tuesday. Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. Em fell asleep in the car and she was so confused when she woke up on the way home from the airport. It was funny to watch her peaking over the side of her car seat looking around for everyone. Paul got a LOT of use out of his man cave this weekend. It actually may be the most time he's spent down there in over a year. haha It was good preparation for this fall's football season.

And I just included this pic because I think it's so cute to watch her climb in and out of her bumbo on her own now. She loves it now more than when she needed it to sit up. lol