Well, I’ll start off by saying our Boston trip was definitely no photographic journey. With gorgeous photo ops around every single corner it was SOOOOO hard for me not to morph into my behind-the-lens mode.

But, it was Max’s trip too, and well, how should I put it? Max dislikes cameras very much. Well, maybe it’s just the stop-everything-to-pull-out-the-camera-every-other-minute thing he dislikes, and I don’t blame him. He put up with a few shots, but for the most part I just walked around with my little point and shoot and snapped away as we walked along so as not to get quite as much eye-rolling from him.

And even that way I got WAY too many pictures. What is wrong with me? Anyway, here are a few.

Man we had a great time.

We went into the city a few days when Lucy and Charlie were napping.

I have to say, it was completely invigorating to take the “T” and find myself in the middle of Boston with NO stroller, NO babies, and NO big camera. Wow now that’s some serious freedom. While I’ve been to Boston many times since my Boston University days, I’ve never been back without all the above. And I loved the freedom we had in this trip. Nothing but me and my boy (and occasionally Hazel, my niece), and one amazing city.

Here are the highlights in pictures:This is my favorite spot. The John Hancock Tower in Copley Square. I had to write a paper about this building in one of my classes at B.U. and I’ve loved it ever since. I LOVE how the old Trinity Church reflects the old in the new. Love it.We walked through the Public Gardens:
…and down Newberry Street:We walked through Beacon Hill. SO gorgeous:
It gets dark at 4:30 there. Weird, but I love to see stuff all lit up.
We met up with a random tour group and listened for a while by Paul Revere’s house……and followed them over to the Old North Church.Max loved following that red line through the city. Seriously, who thought that up? I love how it changes from bricks to red paint and back again. After our Freedom Trail tour, we had to stop at Faneuil Hall for hot chocolate and some Red Sox paraphernalia.The Hallocaust Memorial.One day Saydi (my sister) drove with us into Cambridge to check out Harvard. Dave and I are thick as thieves trying to brainwash Max that this is his future college. We have a big Harvard flag up in his room and talk to him about it a lot. So far…not working. He still wants to go to BYU. But, we’re not giving up.Harvard Yard.Seriously, shouldn’t you choose a school based on how beautiful the trees are on campus? …and on the brick architecture? I wish I had a picture of the lovely yellow brick at BYU to compare it to! Don’t get me wrong, I love my alma mater, BYU, but if you have a chance to go to Harvard???We also drove past my old school, B.U. Seriously, so pretty too, right? Ha.
One day we drove out to Wellesley College. Not that it’s a school Max can aspire to (all girls), but he had to see the namesake of his sister Wellesley (Elle). Man oh man was that ever an adventure to get there. We borrowed my sister’s navigation thing in her car and I found a new found serious dislike for those things. We got SO lost and went around in circles over and over.We went over this bridge three times…and spent a bunch of time circling around to it each time.
And finally got to Wellesely at dusk. But at least we saw it. Check.

Max wouldn’t have wanted to spend a whole day there walking around the lake, soaking in the beauty like Elle did last year. He was content to get a couple measly pictures out the window and I cajoled him into taking one by “my” dorm where my sister lived when I went to B.U. I think it’s my dorm just as much as hers because I was there ALL the time (below). (…on self timer…nice angle)

It was so fun to take Max to so many of the same places I took Elle last year.

It was so interesting to see how different his reaction was to everything.
To be quite honest, Max was more interested in how many Dunkin’ Donuts we could see en route to different places, and he was even more interested in actually eating the donuts……and the hot chocolate at Starbucks. Mmmm. I have to agree with him there.
While I, on the other hand, COULD NOT get enough of how beautiful the wet leaves look on the pavement (one of my favorite things about Fall)…I know, I’m a little crazy about this but we don’t get this stuff here at home. We were a little past prime tree color…lots of bare trees, but I soaked in what we could get.
Max mastered the “T” just like he mastered the subway in Shanghai.

To be continued…

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16 Comments

  1. Oh I loved reading your adventures with Max. How fun that you had this opportunity. I would love, love, love to take Carson there. I keep telling Jamie, “Don’t we want to go back to school and go somewhere in Boston?” I love that place a lot. Did you know that Jess and Mary Alice live there? Luckies. I love reading your blog. Wish I had more time to comment but you know how that can be — read and then some child needs me and that’s it. I love seeing your awesome pictures (even with a point and shoot). When are you having your photography seminar weekend so I can drive out and attend????:) It’s fun to see all you do — how do you have the energy? When do you do the wash? etc. etc. You’re inspiring! Thanks for sharing your life with me and the rest of the blogging world. Hugs to all.

  2. Just seeing my life through your eyes is nice. Sometimes I forget how great a place I live. The east coast is pretty cool. And very beautiful. If it wasn’t for the blasted cold…

    So, thank you for this post. Kind of invigorated me. Helped me remember how much I love wet leaves, too. And how pretty the old churches are and the many, many trees,

    Thanks, Shawni! Glad you had fun with your darling, grown up boy.

  3. I never take the time to comment on blogs because it takes so long but I had to on this one. All I have to say is we must be kindred spirits because the look of Boston is heaven on earth to me. I would honestly move there in a heart beat it is gorgeous. I love to see all your pictures it just takes me there!

  4. Great pictures Shawni. I love that you love Boston and surrounding memories! I can’t believe that you weren’t wearing big heavy coats! The day you left, we experienced the bitter winter of Boston and it lasted the whole week. It’s finally letting up a little today so we’re going to venture out!
    Love, Mom

  5. Those sites look simply amazing! Now I want to go there for a vaca someday. I love the idea of taking each of your kids on their own trip with Mom – Hmmmm… I may need to adopt that idea!

  6. What a beautiful trip! Looks like you and the kids had a great time. I have never been to Boston, but man those pictures make me want to jump on a plane and go. Thanks for sharing!

  7. Shawni….oh these pictures make me miss the east coast! I love love love Boston and miss it. Seeing all your pictures bring back memories. I just love all the brownstones.
    Dunkin’ Donuts!!!!!! Oh I grew up on those and we don’t have them around here (probably a good thing!)
    Girl you make a point and shoot look like a professional camera!!!!!!

    What a great time spent with Max. He will remember that trip forever!

  8. you are hereby named THE best mom on the planet.
    i am the biggest fan of boston EVER- and if my mom took me on a trip there… we would be best friends for life!
    and i am TOTALLY on the same page as you… you SHOULD pick a school based on the gorgeous trees. and thus, harvard wins.
    well, guess i better start packin’ my bags! 🙂
    *ps… you mentioned once that Boston was your old stompin’ grounds… and i was just curious if that means you lived there and when? (i know you probably shared that at one point) cuz, i served my mission there- and thats when i fell in love with it 🙂

  9. Man, no one would have ever guessed those photos were from a point and shoot. It proves that it is not the camera that takes great photographs but the person behind it.

    I went to Boston a few years ago and fell in love with it. Rich’s sister’s husband was at Harvard Buisness School and I left wishing we were the ones living there. Now I am trying convince Rich to find fellowship program up there. We will see. Even if it does get dark at 4:30 and is bitter cold, the history and scenery make up for it.

    I am so glad you were able to take a trip with Max (and Lucy) and spend some great alone time with him. It can be hard when you have a large family. I find my best one on one time with my kids are Wal-mart runs. It is just nice for them to fee special and heck, you can find just about anything at Wal-mart right?!

    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

  10. Awww, c’mon, there are a few pretty places on BU campus…Kenmore Square just happens to NOT be one of them. Brownstones on Bay State Rd., Marsh Chapel, and even the BU Beach has an OK view of the Charles River if you forget the 4 lane highway below. But, Harvard has it beat in that department!

  11. P.S. Oh yeah, and I hope someday I can have gorgeous weather when I take my family there. When I took my husband, a nor’easter came through and we walked the Trail in a mist, and when I took my boys the remnants of a hurricane came through…rain again!

  12. How great to share such a beautiful historic city with Max. I love that city and all its history, especially after reading John Adams. I am itching to go back. We are also itching to get together with you guys.

  13. Oh Shawni you are so dang good with that camera. I seriously covet your talent every time I read your blog. And I must say that Max is pretty dang adorable in all the pictures for hating the camera so much! Very impressive. I’m glad you had a fun trip and Emmeline is beautiful!

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