USA Vacay Throwback | Candlepin Bowling

photo circa 2011, at our first Red Sox game

Little known fact: though New York State and Massachusetts are neighbors, they have a surprising amount of quirky differences.

You would think that growing up 7 hours apart would mean J and I would pretty much get each other.

But my husband says things like "Oh crap there's a Statey" or "I need to find a bubbler" or "is it big ball bowling or little ball bowling?"

Say what? 

Early in our marriage I thought he was nuts. Or that he was just making up words to mess with me. I mean, for the love! He doesn't even have a Boston accent!

Come to find out, even though our states are right next to each other... we grew up a little different. And most earth-shatteringly of all, we were used to different kinds of bowling when we got married. In fact, he was used to a kind of bowling I'd never even heard of before!

And it wasn't until this past trip to the Cape that he finally took me to prove that he is not, in fact, making this up.

BEHOLD, I give you...

"Little Ball Bowling"... aka Candlepin Bowling. #photographicevidence

Apparently it really is a thing. I think I can rest in peace now knowing that we cleared this up. Thanks wikipedia.

We had such a great time. I think I might even like it even better than "Normal Bowling" (<-- my not so subtle way of reminding everyone that NY is better than Mass) 

It was especially cool that the girls could hold the balls so much easier. And I was able to rest in the fact that if they dropped one on their foot, it probably wouldn't lead to an ER visit. Unlike Normal Bowling, where I have mini-mom-heart-attacks every time it's their turn. 

So the moral of the story is Candlepin Bowling is not made up and it's really fun!

If you're in New England and you want to try something different, search for a lane near you!

Definitely a fun family adventure.

Also, for the record: I beat My Love at his own game. Just sayin ;-) 

Kids Say the Darndest Things, Vacation Edition

 

 

One thing I love about Stateside vacations is that our extended family gets to hear the girls' silliness firsthand... 

Mom: "I think my cough is getting worse."

Lily: "It's worser, not worse."

Lily: (runs our into the living room with a light-up wand) "Is anybody in danger?"

Sam: "The kitty is a *little bit* afraid of me." (Understatement of the year!)

When Aunt MaryAnne put the candles on the cake Lily said "Oh Daddy! You're turning the same age as ME?" (5 candles)

Sammy: "Hey has anyone seen the pink earrings? I can't find them!"

Me: "You mean the ones on your ears?"

 

Sam: "Look Mom, they put cinnamon on the road!" (on our walk around the icy streets of the neighborhood here on the Cape... the discovery that sand on the road is NOT cinnamon.)

 

 

Let It Snow | Poor Cape Cod

 

I have so many snow pics from this trip, but unfortunately my "Real" photos are going to be stuck on my camera till we get home, since my computer decided it also needed an [indefinite] vacation. May it rest in peace.

So here's a brief snow update and random smattering of photos from my iPad. 

1. I did not pack enough snow cloths and definitely packed too many girly boots and not enough practical ones ;-)

2. It's hard to take artistic snow photos when you are too much of a pansy to really go any further into the snow than the front porch.

3. Being snowed in and eating comfort food is not helping my battle against the vacation muffin top ;-)

4. I haven't seen this much snow since I was a kid. Some of the banks are halfway up people's houses!

5. The kids are in heaven.

6. I did go out and play with them a few times, and I definitely counted "helping dig a snow fort in a snow bank" as exercise on more than one occassion.

7. The pellet stove and Sam Adams are extra comforting after playing in the snow.

8. I remember Cape Cod being much sunnier than this. But it's also been super fun to be snowed in with three generations of our family, including five kids under the age of 6, enjoying the warmth of the new living room addition.

 

These pictures are all a week or so old... Cass & Mike and the kids are home and Grandma and Grandpa flew back earlier this week. But as we hunker down for some more snow-ice-rain-junk tonight and tomorrow, here are some shot of last week's Aiduk/Logue/Williams reunion! 

 

 

 

Stay warm everyone!

 

 

Land of the Free, Home of the Family

It doesn't really matter how much you love your host nation (hallo, Germany!) or how far away you live from the USA... it's always good to come "home."

Aside from the relief of just NOT being on an airplane anymore, it was such a great feeling to get back just in time for our nephew's 5th birthday!

Besides being jet-lagged, we're also all suffering from pretty epic colds. So bear with us as we take deliciously long naps and drink tea and catch up with family.

It's good to be home.