Wordless Wednesday – Week 7 of summer in pics

We made up a new sport. We call it Sand Ball (patent and trademark pending)

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It’s really just a game to tire this one out (shhhhh. He has no idea. He loves it so much.)

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Maybe moving out further would be better. He doesn’t care. Any wave will do.

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Chillaxin with the mermaids in Chatham.

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Pretty pretty flowers.Week703
Planes Fire and Rescue at the Drive In.

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Seriously wacky storm on the cape.

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He’s a shadowy dude.

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MINI GOLF!Week78
HOLE IN ONE!!

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My butt?! A #belfie? I just super love my cute swim mini.

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No hermit crab is safe.Week73
Wave rester?Week72
The happiest boy on the beach.

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Long Island Trip in Photos

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Long Island Winery Tour

Last weekend the hubs and I offloaded the kids to Nana and Papa and set off on short excursion to Long Island. Long Island, you say?

Yes, Long Island.

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Specifically, we went to the North Fork of Long Island. I know you have all kinds of preconceived ideas about Long Island if you’ve never been there and maybe even if you have. I know I did. But this trip was not what I expected. Am I the only one that keeps saying Long Island Lolita over and over in my head? Well, my trip gave me new things to say over and over in my head. Like wine, cute towns, lovely people, great food, gorgeous scenery. It’s all there people. All of it.

The main focus of our tour was winery tours. Where. do. I. sign. up?

This is an overview of our trip. I’ll pull out some details in a couple of other future posts and, of course, there is video. Silly. Of course there’s video.

The Cross Sound Ferry took us across Long Island Sound from New London. A really easy 80 minute trip. Vintage Tours picked us up and we had a quick lunch at The Loft Restaurant in Greenport and then off to our first winery – Bedell Cellars. Two of my favorite wines from the trip were here. A lovely Sauvignon Blanc and a Musee.

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From there we went to see a vintage restored carousel in Greenport center and to an old boat building company, Wooden Boatworks. The boat builders had a clubhouse which was to me by far the most fascinating part of the boat house. I could just imagine decades of boat builders and fisherman gathering here for a drink or two after a days work. My husband was bowled over by the old wood working machines, but for me it was this lamp in the “Clubhouse”.

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We were dropped at our hotels and bed and breakfasts for a freshen up. We stayed at the Bartlett House Inn a few blocks from the center of Greenport. I’m not really a bed and breakfast kinda gal, but this place won me over. So very pretty and every detail is attended to. I will try not to give you this ear worm when I say their name, but Jack and Diane, our hosts were so very kind. You know, just two American kids growin’ up in the heartland… Sorry.

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I put on a pretty dress and giant heels, because, no kids. Off we went to Kontokotsa Winery. We sampled a few more wines and were treated to one of the winemakers climbing to the top of one of the barrels to use a thief to siphon to wine out and into a carafe for us!

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Noah’s of Greenport put out quite a dinner spread for us. Every bit of it was so tasty. Bacon and beer candied almonds (yes BACON and BEER), delicate crab cakes, lamb sliders, and Moroccan hummus.

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After our lovely soiree there were some nighttime shenanigans at Ruby’s Bed and Breakfast, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, and First and South. Shopping carts were involved I believe. We should consult Dollops and Muffintop about that. I’m old and I went to bed, but I saw the pictures!

The next day we all had lovely breakfasts and we set of in two groups to The Old Field Vineyards and the Harbes Family Farm. We stopped for a bit at Orient By The Sea for lunch.

Then off we went again on the Cross Sound Ferry. It was a whirlwind trip and I’d love to go back. I think  North Fork is a great romantic getaway or a family vacation the likes of the Cape or The Islands. It takes about the same amount of to make the trip as well.

Long Island Weekends can give you some ideas and Cross Sound Ferry can get you there.

Cheers!

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I was given a complimentary trip to North Fork Long Island. All opinions are my own.

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Missing Disney – Showing My #Disneyside

To be perfectly honest I don’t really know what #Disneyside means. I think it means, no never mind I have no idea, maybe a little. ??

I’m just going to go with what I think it is…So to me, showing my DisneySide means donning my sequined Minnie Mouse ears and talking about what a craptastic trip we had to Disney last year. Which is also not entirely true. Some of it was awesome. Some not so much I have talked at length about how we need a redo. But for now I just kind of wish we were going again this year. Sad face.

Here are all my Disney posts in one place

Enjoy the ears…

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All aboard the Train to Christmas Town!

The Train To Christmas Town

We’re so excited to board the train soon!

The Train to Christmas Town is coming visit Cape Cod Central Railroad.

Cookies, cocoa, and carols on the train. What’s better than that?

This holiday season, fall in love with the heartwarming tale of Janice, a little girl who looks forward to riding the Train to Christmas Town every year with her brother and Grandmother. This year is a little different though, as readers of the story already know. Accompanied by a bag full of surprises, woodland friends and jolly elves, Janice relives happy memories as she rides the train to Christmas Town once again.

The conductor will welcome you aboard and punch your ticket as you find your seat in warm, decorated cars. Meet Bumblebee the Polar Bear, Wabash the Squirrel, even Zephyr the depot cat and laugh along with Elves while they’re busy serving cookies and cocoa, and leading guests in singing Christmas carols. Upon arrival at Christmas Town, Santa climbs on board and walks through the cars greeting each child with holiday cheer and his signature “Ho, Ho, Ho”!

 

The Train departs from the Cape Cod Central Railroad Buzzard’s Bay Depot 70 Main St. Bourne, MA. It’s running on Nov 22-24, 29-30 & Dec 1, 6-8, 13-15, 18-23, 27-29 at 3:30pm, 5:30pm 7:30pm.

Please visit https://www.traintochristmastown.com/massachussetts/index.html or call 1-888-978-5562 to climb aboard.

 

We’ve never been so I’ll be back to tell you ALL about it!

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This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a program by 

USFamilyGuide.com. I have been given a free passes to board the train for this post. Image used with permission.

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ViolaCay and the fam go to Storyland!

I think the fall would be a perfect time to visit Storyland in Glen NH. The crowds are down, the prices are down, but the fun is still there!

The kids LOVE Splash Battle and the Raft Ride, but really, I could do without the soaking wet kids. In the fall I would have a built in – it’s a little chilly to do that today babies -excuse :-)

Not to mention the White Mountains in the fall – gorgeous.

This year we went to Storyland at the very end of August before school started. We stayed at the Residence Inn in North Conway. We had so much space for our family of 5 and a kitchen! Breakfast was yummy too, and included. Highly recommend.

Next year though, maybe the fall for us.

Go take a look, there’s still time to plan a fall trip. Have fun! We did…

There should be a cute video here, if not please refresh your browser. There it is, like magic ;-)

 

ps – Storyland has a new more user friendly, pretty to look at, website (well done web team!).

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