Our train trip to Brighton

Taking daytrips is proving to be a difficult task with our little ones. (Duh). We decided to take a Saturday and head to the south shore to the tourist trap of Brighton. Lucky for us, it was a beautiful day and there was plenty of entertainment for the girls.

We took our first long-ish distance train ride.  Through our travels I’ve realized I really like train stations. Not just the little stops along the way but the full, humongous stations.

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How can you not think of Fievel Goes West?? Awesome.

We headed to the beach but first Devin needed some sunglasses. While he waited in line to pay at a sporting good store, Katelyn decided to pull up a chair.

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We hit the beach first thing where the girls were in heaven.

Abby hung out with Devin, eating oranges and attempting to eat rocks.

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Katelyn just had to get into the water. The shoreline was a bit steep so, what started out as rolling up her pants, quickly turned into…

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Sporting nothing but a diaper.

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Later, Katelyn rode some pier rides.

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She loved every minute of it.

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Walking around the pier reminded us of San Francisco. We felt the need to take a picture of this:

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Fortunately it looked as though he was sporting the shorts to be silly.

Or at least I hope…

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A stroller update

I just have to add this or it wouldn’t be right.

For the days leading up to moving here we spent hours researching what we should do for a stroller while here. Since there is no perfect stroller, we decided to drag the old Graco along for the ride and just see what happened.

We quickly realized that even though the girls actually rode together in it quite well, it wasn’t going to last. It’s great for a mall stroll but just wasn’t going to cut it for daily use on sidewalks, not to mention cobblestone.

So we took the plunge. I’ve wanted a Phil & Teds stroller for the longest time. I think the doubles kit is genius. We found used ones to be more available and less expensive than in the states.

The stroller coupled with the rain cover…I am in love.

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(You can see a smidgen of Abby in the back).

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Party Time – Abby’s birthday celebration

The day after Abby’s birthday we found the time and energy to celebrate. Katelyn could hardly contain herself. I had taken her shopping a few days before to have her pick a gift for Abby. I gave her two options to pick from to avoid the inevitable choice of the biggest toy in the store. She went with the water squirt animals which, in reality, she wanted for herself.

Devin helped Abby open her presents while trying to control Katelyn who was bursting with desire to “help” Abby.

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As long as we kept Abby interested in opening the gifts, she seemed to get the concept of what she was doing.

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I’m sure she is pleased to finally get something that belongs to her and not Katelyn.

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After the gift giving chaos, we moved on to the cake festivities.

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Clearly this family only makes one kind of cake as seen here and here. Don’t mess with a good thing.

First she went for the fire…

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Then she wasn’t too sure…

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She gave it a good poke…

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And went for the first taste…

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“This could be fun…”

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Then she went for the big bite…

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And decided…(cue the signature Abby pucker face)

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Cake was definitely not her thing.

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