beach love

This was the third beach that we made it to on the Cape behind the Natural History Museum in Brewster.  It was about a mile walk (good workout for my foot!) and had a full view of the south side of the Cape.  Even though it was pretty cloudy you could see all the way over to Provincetown. If this first photo had a sound effect, you'd hear Aiden going beeeeaaaccchh with his excited voice! 

natural history

The Cape Cod Natural History Museum in Brewster boasted an aquarium, aviary, and plenty of natural Cape schtuff to peruse.  It was a pretty low key place, with beautiful grounds including a wild flower garden, salt march, and beach.  Aiden liked poking around inside and looking at the animals and old bones.  He was amazed by the wholly mammoth tusk and the whale teeth.  We took their trails way out to see the osprey nest, where they have babies chirping right now.  

sunset

The best part of staying for the night on the Cape was getting a chance to see sunset at the beach.  We arrived when our shadows were long and the wind was kicking up.  I gave Aiden my sweatshirt which I think was his favorite part.  He dug through the shells to find rocks.  He begged to go out on the rocks and Dad took him out about half way on both sides.  There was a fisherman that was having trouble getting fish because the crabs kept munching up his worms.  Aiden was still talking about those silly crabs the next day.  He also got to visit with an 10 week old puppy.  Aiden thought it was funny that the silly puppy was trying to eat the sand.  The sky looked like a rainbow when we left for bed.

chatham

We headed down to our first beach visit right near the Chatham light.  The water was blue and cooold, but that didn't prevent Aiden from wanting to jump in after the seals we spotted. The closest popped up about 100 yards from the shoreline and Aiden was definitely able to spot them looking around and diving back under.

The boys cruised the shoreline examining shells and looking at the seals and boats, while Stephanie and I hung out on our towel gabbing.  It was really the perfect bright sunny day with a nice cooling breeze.  Refreshing.

Left: A good photo of the fabulous necklace Stephanie found antiquing, which was perfect for the Cape and for Aiden to count the loops as a good distraction.

The lobster mac and cheese with béchamel that Aiden and I shared at the Impudent Oyster right off the main drag in Chatham.  Delicious and chock full of lobster pieces!  Aiden was happy to report the he "tried something new" a couple times when munching on the lobster chunks and asparagus from daddy's dish ;)  Daddy had some blackened cajun halibut with gazpacho shrimp sauce on top of a potato and scallion cake.

We ate very well the entire time Stephanie visited.  The next morning when Aiden and I went on an early morning mommy/son date for breakfast, we picked up a well known Bonatt's Meltaway in Harwich Port Center.  Think buttery airy cake with a sweet sauce drizzled all over it... yum.  Aiden kept asking me what it was so he could remember it and ask for it later ;)

On the way out of town, we also stopped for ice cream at the Sundae School and it topped to other chocolate peanut butter ice cream favorite I had a couple weeks ago.  Poor Aiden was already napping in the car and missed the ice cream, but asked for it right as he woke up.  I think he was satisfied with his treat from the Boston Baked Beans canister we got him at the Chatham Candy Manor earlier.  I also got a 1/4 pound of Inside out Reese fudge (more peanut butter than chocolate!) and shared some Fluffenutter fudge with Stephanie.

cape cod lavender

mini trip

We had such a nice mini trip to Cape Cod with my friend Stephanie from Tucson.  Aiden remembered Stephanie and her doggies and is always happy to have guests (more people to watch him be a goofball).  She came to town to have fun in Providence and then we cruised to the Cape. Before we left for the Cape, Stephanie and I squeezed in some antiquing (where she found this fabulous necklace that I think the SexintheCity fashion designer would swipe from her if she could - and it was also perfect for the Cape) and lotsa yummy eating at the Grist Mill, Kabob and Curry, and Pastiche.

We stayed overnight in Port Harwich and got a chance to explore Chatham and Brewster.  Our first bit of fun was a visit to the very well hidden Cape Cod Lavender Farm.   You drive down a little dirt road to get to it, and I think we all doubted that we were actually headed the right direction.  We did get there and have the lavendar lemon lip balm and shower gel to prove it... Yum, loved bringing some of that delicious smell home.

I'll tell more of our fun once I can get some photos edited, but in the meantime, here is some video footage from my flip (which only worked occasionally I think because of low battery but I hope because it's dying to be replaced with an iphone 4!?)


Cape Cod from LB on Vimeo.

good list

Above and Left: Aiden's masterpiece over the mantel was created because my new frame didn't fit any of the photos I'd printed in print class the past few semesters.  He was very excited to be the show off artist with two markers at a time.   I have to say it is just a temporary placer, but I've grown to love it.  It's sort of an abstract beach with a big sun in the top left.
Below: Aiden's new floating book rack - a ribba shelf from Ikea - he just loves seeing the books and picking out a batch for bedtime.

Aiden's a sucker for sciency books that teach him "ideas" he can explain to us later... "Mommy, listen to this idea..." I pretty much ignore all age suggestions given on books or games.

Our windy little patio area is notorious for breaking even the best umbrella.  We are lucky if they just plop over and lay there cowering from the wind.  But this umbrella in particular had a habit of letting the wind blow it open, so it was gone before we'd even used it a few times.  Good thing we got it on clearance at the end of last season.  In my scroungy mind, I had the idea to cut it off at the top and use the broken umbrella cloth as a fort tent.  A huge piece of fabric for future time consuming projects too... ;)

Aiden made some cookies with Gran and she has the great idea to trace his handprint on a cookie.  He liked it so much that he never wanted anyone (including himself) to eat it ;)

I figured out the reason the new Macbook has such sharp edges.  It's for ripping paper very easily along the side ;)  Aiden asked how I was going to "pay for" some playdoh toy, so I created some play money made out of magazine scraps.  He was hooked on this idea for a little while. At first, he wanted to exchange money, but eventually he wanted to hoard it all... so I had more magazine and I created more ;)  How's that for an economics lesson?!  J is silently horrified with my rudimentary misunderstandings of economics ;)

My very thoughtful mommu sent along a very nice addition to our front door for our anniversary.  Our new door knocker (which says est. 2004 on the knocker part) makes our door look more complete.  Now if we could just prune back the bush that is encroaching on that the doorway so that people can actually approach the door a little easier ;)

Aiden seemed to really like playing carnival games at these little school fairs we've visited recently.  So, I created some of the little games at home. Ball toss is a weekend morning favorite.  You'll notice that the crutch barrier is convenient.  The horsey cheering squad in the top right looks pretty worn out don't they?!

Dollies for the twinies - J was joking with me about how many I might end up making of this particular dollie.  I did get some more felt and some all wool sweaters to make into my own felt soon too!