Here I am in my new clothes from Target. My bag curse has hit again and my bag was in Boston when I was in Albany, I think this is about the fifth time my bag and I have found ourselves at different locations in the last five years.

Our tour guide at the site of the Battle of Saratoga

Old North Bridge where the British and Americans fought.

site of the Battle of Lexington

Boston

More pictures for Jacks. I am exhausted, we walked from 9-6. Tomorrow we go to Lexington and Concord!

Paul Revere House and basketball dancers outside Quincy Market

Site of the Boston Massacre and Samuel Adams grave

Paul Revere's grave

On the U.S.S. Constitution aka "Old Ironsides"

This is where the Boston Tea Party happened. Now it is a park, no water in sight.

The last bell Paul Revere ever made, no cracks. We had to go up some creaky stairs to get there, I was the first in my class to go up and I thought the stairs were going to collapse thanks to a squeaky water bottle hitting the wall. Scared me to death.

salem

Bewitched

Outside Rebecca Nurse's home. We did a walking tour of Danvers, MA first where the Salem witch trials actually happened and then we went to Salem where there was a witch or pirate museum on every corner. Most were awesomely bad.

like this one...

for Jackson

Dinner at a Senegalese restuarant

A Wampanoags winter dwelling

The re-created Plimouth village

And my compliance with Jackson's strict order to get some pictures with me in them. Do you love the high waisted sweatshirt? Typical tourist, all I need is a fanny pack.

A lovely self portrait on the Mayflower, miss me yet Jacks?

Between Plymouth rock and the Mayflower

coming up next- Salem and the Freedom trail

foiled

The rain and I got in a fight, guess who won?

Jackson was laughing and waiting on the porch when I ran up.

some highlights

Here are some highlights from the cards everyone sent back. The top right is Jackson on a date with our sister-in-law Camilla. Jackson made me edit the rest of the card and omit Dave's entirely on account of the stories not being "blog appropriate." All the cards were awesome it was so fun to get them all and read everything written. There were many referrals to Jackson's chest hair, the PAC-10, Max Hall and even Austin Collie.

Stories surfaced like the time when Elliot and Jackson went on a double date with foreign exchange students but didn't know who was supposed to go with who. When they picked the girls up they decided it would be better to honk and see which girl sat next to who.

monster post

This belongs at the end of the post but that is too hard to do. The knitwear man was back this year but in knit shorts. He is our favorite part of summer.

Be fore warned this post is huge.

We had a weekend of celebrations for Jackson's birthday. We ended it tonight with a delicious flourless chocolate cake, friends and viking kubb.

Drew

Pam and Jordan

Most of the Nelson's

Jess

Audrey

The cake. Jackson requested a chocolate cake and when we were buying the chocolate to make the cake Jackson was shocked. He asked me why we were spending all that money on chocolate to which I replied, "for your chocolate cake." Jackson then said, "don't you know they sell $3 cake mixes?" This cake was way better.

On Jackson's actual birthday we took advantage of all A2's birthday deals. We got buy one get one free ice cream and ate it while listening to the smoking (literally) hippies have a jam session on the diag.

We also went to Good Time Charley's for buy one get one free dinner. Jackson loves a good deal.

Jackson also played in a tennis tournament this weekend. He made it to the quarterfinals.

The puzzle pieces. It was so much fun to see what everyone wrote. We loved checking the mail everyday. I may scan in some of the favorites...

The first day of puzzle pieces

Hobbes enjoyed the box Barbara sent almost as much as Jackson

We also went to lunch on Jackson's birthday.

Now to the older pictures. Carrying the table back to the dining area.

Fourth of July fireworks with the Nelson's

Jackson lighting the last of our Roman candles that have traveled from Wyoming to Utah to Michigan to Canada back to Michigan.

Fourth of July picnic and games at the lake

At top of the park listening to music and watching the hippies dance.