Better Late Than Never

(Note- I'm finally home and on a real computer instead of a phone, so hopefully the format is a little cleaner. Yay!)

I had fully intended on writing our final blog post yesterday during our layover in Baltimore, since by then our adventures would presumably be over. Read on to find out why that didn't happen...

But first- lighthouses! On Friday, we drove to Portland, Maine, where we got to see a lighthouse and adjoining museum. This lighthouse is the oldest in Maine!

We asked Mom if we could save trauma by letting this be the 2015 Christmas picture. She said we weren't getting off that easy.

 We walked along a trail that brought us around to a beautiful view of the lighthouse, and a great spot for the kids to run around. Yes, the youngest "kid" is 18 and this is still necessary. (Or as Dad would say, "nessa". Don't ask.)

 Nathan trying to "Simba" Caitlin. It does kinda look like Pride Rock...

Isn't she cute :) 

Aren't they cute :)

Aren't we cute :)

Ok, I promise I'm done with the cute.

From the recommendation of the lady working at the lighthouse museum, we went to eat at the Lobster Shack. The food was great, but the view was even better! A theme on this trip has been getting blueberry pie wherever we could, so we couldn't pass it up here. Sorry Lobster Shack, your pie was good, but that one truck stop in Bangors, Maine was the winner. :)

Nathan seemed to have enjoyed the blueberry pie

After lunch, we went to the Minute Man Historical Park (our GPS kept pronouncing it "mine-oot" man, which kept us giggling). They had a pretty cool multi-media presentation on some battles, and there was a nice trail to walk around. 

Saturday = airport time! THIS was supposed to be the part where I started drafting the post. However... upon arrival at Baltimore, there was bad weather so we had to turn around and head to Richmond, VA to refuel before going back and landing. The turbulence was BAD- I managed to make it through without throwing up, but Ellen joined the Erin club (people who have barfed on planes. It's pretty prestigious). When the turbulence was particularly bumpy, Nathan turned to Mom and apologized for all his wrongdoings and told her how much he really loved museums... I think he took it all back when we landed. :)

On a better note- James found pretzels in his seat pocket! Best day ever!

Better weather- we were lucky enough to see a double rainbow from our window! What a stunning display of God's promise to man. :)

Against all odds, the Perkins family made it to the Austin airport around 10:30 and were snug in bed just after midnight. I don't think any of us stirred all night long! We laugh when outsiders refer to our adventures as "vacations"- ask newcomers Lindsay and Caitlin if they will ever make that mistake again. :)

Thanks to all who have been following our adventures for the past 11 days. Until next time! May the Lord bless you and keep you.

-Erin

Happy Birthday to Caitlin!

Yesterday was Caitlin's birthday, so to celebrate we took her to the USS Constitution. I know that's what she was really wishing for. :)

But first- the science museum! This place was engineer heaven for our nerdy bunch. Everyone's favorite part was something we saw 15 years ago when we came- the electricity demonstration!

Ellen wants to reenact this with her gerbils

After we were scienced out, we headed to the USS Constitution ship and museum. Below is everyone's favorite part:

Natural-born Perkinses can be identified from behind 

To add some much-needed context, this is near the Constitition, where we looked in the water and discovered a horde of jellyfish! Naturally, this required a full stop. 

Look at those guys! Kind of peaceful to watch, really. 

Back on track, we headed to the ship and museum. When we came to Boston 15 years ago, we got a picture of Nathan doing push-ups aboard the ship, so that reenactment had to take place. 

 Nathan needs to go back to push-up school.

I don't think school will help with this one. 

Ok, so now we're finally getting to the Caitlin's birthday part. To celebrate, we walked to Al Dente, a restaurant on the Italian northern end of Boston. The food was great, accents were thick, and we could be as loud and annoying as we wanted, because the whole place was also loud and annoying. #cityprobs

Today, we're loading up the Perkinsmobile to drive to Maine to do some Mainey things such as: eat lobster, see lighthouses, and wear nautical stripes. Okay, maybe that's just me doing the last one...

-Erin

Plum Tired

On the Perkins' day off, we decided we would take a bike ride to Plum Island, an island a few miles away with a nature park and pretty beaches.

Don't selfie and ride

Once at the beach, we tested the waters and found them to be quite chilly! So those of us who are sane sat on the shore and watched the boys freeze.

Some of us did manly push-ups

Ellen and Caitlin <3

Mostly by accident, Luke and James wore matching outfits yesterday. And no, their shorts are not actually that short. Thank goodness.

Somebody had to chaperone that nonsense

Once we had had enough of the beach, we got back on our bikes and headed to the nature park. This was the boys' chance to show off and do stupid tricks on their bikes (see Mom's Facebook for video evidence).

Stopping for a cheese/water break. Note Ellen's shoelessness. 

 When we got back, the kids went home to die take a nap, and the parents and Ellen went to the Maritime Museum. Ellen said how nice it was that they had pet lobsters and how sad it would be if someone were to eat them...

I've got bad news for you, sister. 

Today, the Perkinses will be celebrating Caitlin's birthday by embarking back to Boston to go to the Museum of Science, Bunker Hill Memorial, a picnic lunch, USS Constitution, and ending the day with a pasta dinner at Al Dente. Happy birthday, Caitlin!!

-Erin 

The Freedom Trail

Until yesterday, Lindsay and Caitlin thought they were getting off easy on a Perkins family adventure. He he he...

According to my iPhone health app, we walked a total of over 6 miles yesterday, almost the whole Freedom Trail. We saw lots of cool places, including a cemetery where some of the signers of the Constitution were buried, and Paul Revere's house. Most notably (to the kids, anyway) we stopped to take a picture with the Make Way for Ducklings statue. Look at that proud Mama Duck :)

 Luke needs to go back to duck school

We stopped for lunch in the Quincy Market, where we enjoyed lobster mac and cheese, clam chowda, fish and chips...mmmm.

Mom enjoys her fry too much

After our feet were about to fall off, we went to enjoy cannolis at Mike's Pastry from many recommendations. So good!!

 After all that walking, we were on the polar opposite part of town from our car. Thus, the Perkinses packed onto the subway! Here, their subway cards are called CharlieCards... again, if you've been paying close attention to the Perkins family, you know Charlie is the endearing term we use for Dad when he does something dumb.

We plan on handing him the card when he deserves it. 

And as for today? Well, Mom decided that we earned an unstructured day after yesterday, so some of us are planning on taking a bike ride around Newburyport (small town outside Boston where our house is), while some of us plan on sleeping the day away. I won't name names, but it rhymes with Fathan. 

-Erin

Burn the Witch!

Yesterday's adventure was the first full day with all 9 of us together! We started out the morning in Salem with our standard formula- visitor center, visitor center short film, walk around town and point out all the things featured in the short film. We went to a graveyard (no surprises there) where Judge Hathorne was buried (one of the main judges in the witch trials), and walked all through Salem. At lunchtime, we had a nice picnic in a park.

 James and Luke need to swallow their food before pictures. 

After lunch, there was more walking! We were able to convince the parents to stop for ice cream- I attribute this to the increasing number of cute girls in the group with a knack for sweet talking Dad into stuff.

 Caitlin is happy. Lindsay is really happy. Nathan is weird. Ellen photobomb. 

Once our bellies were full, we headed over to watch an interactive play of a witch trial, in which we were able to make comments and ask questions. The Perkins family was uncharacteristically quiet and did not say anything to bring the family dishonor. At the end, we voted on the witch's guilt, and the group found her innocent. Really...

 They did a great job! The girl in the middle is auditioning to be a Disney princess tomorrow! Yay!

On the walk back to the car, we couldn't help but stop and take a picture of Dad with this whale. If you have been around the Perkinses long, you'll know why. ;)

 We made a few stops in familiar territory in Danvers on the way back home so the half who arrived later could see them quickly. One of which was the Rebecca Nurse Homestead, which we visited last week. The only thing that seemed to interest the Perkins family, however, was the massive turtle that was chillin' in a nearby field. Look at that tail! We have since been warned that he's a snapping turtle. :O

Today, the Perkinses will embark on the Freedom Trail. Check the blog tomorrow morning for updates!

-Erin

All Back Together

Sunday was a slow day in the world of Kristi Perkins family adventures. We started the day by worshipping with the Christians at Tyngsborough, outside of Boston. There we got to see the Ledfords- my Mom was friends with Janet many years ago, and Steve is the brother of our very own Debbie Holladay at Bulverde!

After worship, we went to a diner for our Father's Day lunch. Our server was really fun, but wouldn't tell us his name... so we nicknamed him Scooter. Great job, Scooter!

And since my mom can't handle a day without a little bit of learning, we had to hit up the National Historic Park in Lowell, MA, which focused on the industrial movement in the area.

Once we came home, the parents turned right around to go pick up Luke and Lindsay from the airport, leaving the kids to play hide-and-seek in the whole house. I mean...do really educational things. :)

Today will be our very first day with all of the family here!! Wahoo! We'll be heading back to Salem today to do some witchy things, including watching an interactive play of a witch trial. We decided that as the jury, we're going to ask very pointed Monty Python questions, like if she weighs the same as a duck. Or if she went to Hogwarts. Stay tuned for updates!

-Erin

Stephen King is Ellen's king

I hope you'll forgive me for posting a little late... I know you were all just waiting on the edge of your seats for our next blog post. ;)

As promised, yesterday was an Ellen-centered day with a Stephen King tour around his hometown of Bangors, Maine. We learned lots of Stephen King trivia, including the fact that he owns a local radio station because it was going off the air and he didn't want the town's only rock station to be cancelled.

We were so thrilled that there was a clown on the side of the van...

One of our stops was Stephen King's actual house! Ellen was really hoping he'd be home so she could ask him what kind of tree he would be. Notice the spiders and bats in the wrought-iron fence.

                                                

Apparently this was a scene in "It" that she's re-enacting?

After the tour, we asked our guide what he recommended for lunch. He told us to go to a truck stop, which is known for its blueberry pie. Oh goodness- we are our weight in pie! Only Mom and I were in the "ate the whole piece" club. We must be the only ones with working dessert stomachs.

This morning, we'll be worshipping with the church in Boston we visited when we travelled here 15 years ago. Mom said she's sneaking in an itty bitty museum...

-Erin

Another Day, Another Cemetery

If you've been following our adventure, you've probably noticed that this is a heavily Ellen-inspired trip, chock full of creepy! Today was no exception. This morning, we went to visit the homestead of Rebecca Nurse, the 73 year old grandmother who was accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem Village was renamed Danvers to shake the stigma of the trials, and most of the people here seem to not want to draw attention to the town's dark past. EXCEPT Dan, our tour guide at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead (we asked if his last name was Vers... har har). This guy was more than happy to dish for us, even boasting that he was one of the few people who has been in the private, hidden Endicott cemetery. To which we replied by showing him this picture (from yesterday):

We've always known Mom is a rebel

Oops, I almost forgot to mention that before the Rebecca Nurse Homestead, we went to yet another cemetery! This is the Danvers State Hospital Cemetery, where the inmates from the mental hospital were buried. While entering was not quite as illegal discouraged as the other cemetery, this one was not on any maps, nor were there any signs. You really have to be a hipster like us to find this kind of cool stuff. ;)

Since we really just had not had enough cemeteries, Dan at the Nurse Homestead referred us to yet another cemetery in Danvers- the Putnam family cemetery (if you watched/read The Crucible, it's those Putnams!). Again, no signs, no maps. Mom really just likes sneaking into places...

She was indignant that we were taking pictures. I told her not to do anything she wouldn't want on Facebook. #digitalcitizenship

Once we had really had enough weird, we drove over to Salem, which confusingly enough was not the site of all of the weirdo stuff- the whole area was known as Salem and was split into two parts: Salem Village (which, as previously mentioned, was renamed Danvers) and Salem Town, which kept its name and is where the accused were brought to trial. In Salem, we got to go on a tour and learn about the non-witchy history of the town, including the USS Friendship (yes, many puns were made).

Despite it not being a pirate ship, Dad prompted us to make our best pirate faces. Caitlin is a really scary pirate. 

Also, Caitlin and I decided that the houses are so pretty here that we're staying forever. Nathan and James, bring the rest of our shoes ASAP!

Our day was long and action packed, and Ellen was tuckered out! She is always sneaking pictures of my mom in this same pose, so I delighted in the chance to get this. :) We made a 3 hour drive to Bangors, Maine to spend the night because...

Tomorrow, we fulfill Ellen's life dream of going on a Stephen King tour! This town was the inspiration for the town of Derry in his book It. We really like Ellen a lot...

-Erin

The Creepiest Town in America

Hello, all! We've survived another day of a Perkins family adventure, with more pictures and stories to share. :)

The girls started out the morning by eating breakfast at the Keltic Kitchen, an Irish restaurant close to our hotel. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I'm fairly certain we are all going to gain at least 10 pounds on this trip.

 Just call me chipmunk cheeks

After breakfast, we got in the car to head to Quincy, Massachusetts to visit the Adams National Historic Park. We visited the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the John Adams Presidential Library (the oldest, smallest- and most beautiful- presidential library), and John Quincy Adams' home, where lots of historical stuffs went down.

 John Quincy Adams' house. They made me wait to eat my cheese crackers till I was outside...

After that, it was time to head to the airport in Boston to pick up Dad! Regardless of how nice and quiet this trip has been with just girls so far, we have missed our constant source of puns. :) Once we picked up Dad, it was time to head to Danvers, MA. When you Google "creepiest town in America" (go ahead and try it- I'll wait), Danvers comes up. This town is ripe with creepy history, from witch trials (THE NAME OF THE TOWN USED TO BE SALEM RED ALERT) to a mental hospital turned apartment complex (WHOSE IDEA WAS THAT THIS IS A HORROR MOVIE IN THE MAKING). After unpacking at our creeptastic motel, picked by Mom for its low price and proximity to the mental hospital (hmmm... wonder why it's so cheap?), we embarked on a driving tour of Danvers. Starting at the Danvers State Hospital, we worked our way around to see memorials from the witch trials. Our last stop, a graveyard, brought us to a dead end with a barricade blocking our path. Unperturbed, we continued on to our destination. If this was a horror film, this would be the part where we would all yell, "YOU IDIOTS DON'T GO IN THERE!!!"

I'll let the pictorial evidence speak for itself. 

The grave of Margaret Endicott, said to be one of the three ghosts haunting this graveyard. Oooooo!

Seeing so many creepy things made us hungry! We ate dinner at Friendly's, a local chain, and had ice cream for dessert. Again, we will all undoubtedly return home a little heavier! ;)

Tomorrow we will take a tour of the home one of the "witches", Rebecca Nurse. Tune in!

-Erin

Cape Cod is Drier than Texas

Happy Wednesday! We hope all of our friends back home are staying dry- the weather here is absolutely perfect. ;) We had a jam-packed day of fun, starting with the JFK Presidential Library in Boston. Lots of cool history! Caitlin and I found the part about Jackie's outfits and stayed there most of the time...

After the museum, we headed to Cape Cod for a picnic lunch! It seemed fitting to eat Cape Cod potato chips. We had the hardest time finding a picnic spot so we ate outside a courthouse, and when we went inside to try to use the restroom they made us go through security. Ah, well. And the security guard said we had accents! What!? Dude, you the one with an accent.

 After lunch, we drove a bit more until we got to Cape Cod National Seashore. The Trip Nazi Mom read us lots of history on each house/monument/lighthouse before we saw it, so we knew what we were getting ourselves into. Below is the Highland Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on Cape Cod. We got to go inside and see the view from the top!

Tune in tomorrow to hear about our adventures at Adams National Historic Park! Arriving tomorrow will be Dad- he'll be so happy to join this chick fest. We'll keep you posted on if he survives!

-Erin