Summer Vacation

Each year, the kids and I go to New York to visit my family. My 4 sibilings either live in NY (less than an hour from each other) or CT (about 2 1/2 hours away from the NY contingent.)  It is always a highlight of our year - and I'm so thankful for the opportunity for my kids to get to spend some time with their relatives on the Hendricks side of the family.

I am very thankful that the kids are such good travelers - and that Joe has come SUCH a long way in the last year. The long (9-10 hour) drive was no issue at all and he kept busy saying "hello" and talking to all of the diggers, bulldozers, trucks and cars that drove by. And, of course, eating.  My kids can eat.  If car snacking were a competitive sport, they could possibly be undefeated.

We made it to our final destination (Auntie Jen's house) with no issues and Liv was SO excited to see her favorite Auntie and her big cousins. Joe was, well, Joe ... and took a little to get settled in and was soon showing his cousins his trains, construction vehicles and firetruck.

For the next week, we were busy playing, swimming, seeing family, going to amusement parks, animal parks, going out for ice cream and swimming some more.  Obviously, the highlight of the trip for Liv was swimming in Auntie Jen's pool and hanging out in the hot tub (very briefly) with her cousins.  Joe-Joe enjoyed playing with his toys, going for ice cream to the "Ice Cream Train" and going over bridges or through tunnels. Perhaps his *favorite* part was riding on the train at Hoffman's Playland with Auntie Jen not once, not twice but THREE times while Kim, Nuna and I went on some rides. Sadly, this will be the last time that Hoffman's Playland will be open.  Hopefully, the pool will be a little more enticing to him next time.

Here are some pictures from our trip out east.  Enjoy!