Our Vacation To... Boston!

Through a series of fortunate events, we ended up having a VERY long weekend together - Friday through Monday, with no work, school, or church (thanks to the semi-annual Pajama Services). And that means, vacation! Where to go, where to go? I know... Boston! hehe I mean who ever takes the time to really enjoy the beautiful places they call home? Not many.

And so, we began our vacation with an indulgent breakfast at the local IHOP:
Then it was off to the educational "Disneyland" of Anytown, U.S.A. - the requisite Children's Museum, which in Boston's case is newly renovated & just excellent! And now that Emma is so wonderfully mobile, she had quite an entertaining day:

She LOVED these bubble tubes, kept going in between & around them.
I think this was her favorite thing, the water ramp. Other kids would send things down & she'd try to grab all of them as they came to the bottom. I'm sad that this picture got blurry, but it's stil a cute one of Emma & Dad clapping together.She went for this all on her own & got up to the top without any help - of course!This wall was cool, it had these computer-animated butterflies being projected onto it, and they would follow your shadow around wherever you went. Emma got a little irritated trying to grab the "butterflies" with no success.Here's just a little taste of Emma's speed capabilities - this is what I get to follow around all day.

The next day, we joined our Allston/Brighton church neighbors for a morning party-in-the-park before the beginning of General Conference. Emma happily toured the grounds, overseeing the various games & activities, and enjoying her turn on the swings, both tire & traditional:

Emma & McKinlay on the tire swing - and yes, they both fell off at one point or another. Emma, in true monkey-fashion, clung onto the chains until I came over to get her. :) And McKinlay, in true happy-baby-fashion, didn't really seem to be upset by it all that much. What an agreeable little lady!
"Wow, this is pretty high up!"*Those of you who know me well will understand the effect that the silver Volvo in the background had on me when it came pulling up... :)
Sunday, we took advantage of the empty Lazenby household to enjoy Conference on a real TV screen - and, of course, to use the washing machine. :D The highlight of the day came when I discovered yet another addition to be made to Emma's at-work mealtime protocol. Look what Emma did all by herself while I was turned away, filling her sippy cup:
Oh fabulous. Lucky thing I had her on that side of the table, with the wall there to halt her tilt. Good grief, Charlie Brown. So anyway, we've now added to the equation - the "backstop":
That should do it. For now...

Monday we enjoyed the fine shopping fare that Boston has to offer (e.g., the nearby Target & Carter's), and enjoyed ourselves a hearty round of "Emma-tickling!"

And even though Dad had to truck off to work Tuesday morning, we just refused to let the fun end! We went to visit & have lunch together, and Emma got her first up-close experience with a balloon - but surely not the last! She kept pinching it with each hand & pulling - we were sure that she was going to pop it & scare the beans out of herself, but no such luck. Would've been fun, though!

What a weekend! Let's do it again soon!