Well, a lot has happened since the last time I posted. Chiefly, I birthed an amazing and amazingly adorable baby girl and then moved cross country, FUN! Feel free to read slight sarcasm into that last statement, but really it wasn't all bad. The birth was actually completely painless and quick (unlike the two day road trip), because my little strong-willed diva was not turning for anyone, and decided breach was best, to which the doc and I agreed c-section was best. Oh, and please no comments on c-sections being terrible or any alternative things we could've tried before resorting to that procedure. I promise you we considered all options, and anything you say to rant otherwise about my choice will just read as "blah blah blah" to me, and will just make you look like an internet troll. You or your friend had some turning massage procedure (massage really is a misleading term for it in my opinion) to get your breach baby in proper position for natural birth? Congrats, but I really don't care.
Anyway, as I was saying, I had the cute kid and then moved her (with the help of my husband and parents, but no help from our two dogs), up to Virginia less than 6 weeks after having her. That's right, mother of the year here, but we had no choice in the matter really. We lived out of suitcases for about two weeks and then found a house. We are now all settled in and doing great. It all seems like a long time ago now. We've even vacationed up to Maine since then, took Bundles on her first sailing trip, etc. The kid has already been to no less than 10 states! She's an amazing road warrior, thank goodness. I told you guys that having a baby would not stop us from traveling. I do admit it's way more complicated now, and we definitely have no room to spare in our car with all our baby gear. On the upside, I've become a much lighter packer! Oh, and we haven't tried flying yet, but I think I'm going to wait for her to be on solid food and/or walking before we get that adventurous.
Well, this is my very little humble attempt at a travel blog, so here are my newest recommendations, based on our recent travels:
-Sleepy Hollow, NY, which is the one from the famous legend, and where it's author, Washington Irving, is buried (along with a bunch of other famous rich folks, like a Carnegie, Rockefeller, Elizabeth Arden, and so on).
The cemetery offers tours by appointment in the evenings (which would be fun, and more in depth), but you can also do a pretty good self guided one. They provide maps and such at the front office, but know that the map is not at all to scale, so locating things can be a bit tricky. Located inside the cemetery you will find the made for tourists (but fun for photo ops) Headless Horseman Bridge,
and the Old Dutch Church (original from Irving's time, still open for visitors and services, bring cash if you'd like to make an optional donation towards it's upkeep). Sleepy Hollow itself is a village, but the town is called Tarrytown, and it's a beautiful historic place in the Hudson River Valley that is worth the trip, with lots of interesting things to see. We loved it, and this was just an impromptu side trip on our way back from Maine that only took us 5 min off our route. It's a pretty drive, much nicer than I95. Like any place with a creepy history (real or fictional), I'm sure it's loads of fun around Halloween! In fact, I know they have a storyteller at the Old Dutch Church for the telling of the legend that time of year, but tickets are needed. When you go on a normal basis, at least when we were there, there was a man that either worked or volunteered who was very nice and gave us some history on the church. I found the info about the tulip style German made pulpit interesting (it's gorgeous), and the fact that the whole place is still only heated by an old wood burning stove that they light 3 days in advance of the Christmas service to get it 60 degrees F inside!
-Cape Elizabeth, ME, it's a really pretty place that's a little ways outside of Portland, ME.
You'll find the famous Two Lights park there, as well as beautiful homes and farms on your drive out. I highly recommend grabbing a bite to eat at The Lobster Shack there by the rocks and waves.
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| That is a real seagull perched on the shack, not decoration, lol. |
They offer in or outdoor seating (depending on the season, obviously), but the food is delicious and you can't beat the view (except maybe at Portland Headlight, my personal favorite). I do suggest going at an off time if you don't want to deal with the lunch rush. It's not uncommon for lines to be out the door, but they do have an outdoor intercom so you can hear your order number being called. Oh, parking is limited too, so another reason to go at an off time.
-Mt Vernon, VA, home of George Washington.
It's a massive property (but mind bogglingly only a small segment of the property he originally owned), and it's a great place to spend a day. I recommend taking the whole day so you can fully enjoy all it has to offer. Also, while it's largely an outdoor attraction, most things are stroller or handicap friendly with an indoor museum and exhibits. The tour of the house itself is the only thing not friendly to those on wheels, but there's an area where you can park the stroller for that bit. It's a lot of walking, sometimes on steep hills, but there is a tram at the bottom should you wish not to scale back up on foot. That being said, I strongly suggest going in the Fall or Spring. They also offer various dining options and gift shops. There's a fee to enter, that is reasonable, but I suggest getting the annual pass if you are in the position to visit regularly (it pays for itself in two visits, but be ready to have a pic taken). They are open 365 days a year.
Where we live there is so much to see and do that I'm sure I'll be making more posts in the not too distant future, especially with Autumn approaching and the weather being so nice for venturing out. In the meantime, enjoy, and feel free to leave a pleasant comment when you visit this blog! :) I love suggestions on new places to see, or to know what you think of our adventures so far (unless you think they stink, then just keep it to yourself, bud).
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