20 years?

So I decided a little over a year ago that since I attended two different high schools I wanted to go to both reunions. One of which meant traveling to Rhode Island, a place I had only been back to a handful of times since I left in 1989 and not at all in the last 10 years. We hadn't been on a vacation in almost 3 years so we decided that since we were going SO far we would make it an extra long weekend and really enjoy ourselves.

I have always had mixed feelings about RI. I hated it while I was there but tried to make the best of it. Back in those days, no one moved to or away from that part of RI. Everyone I went to school with had known each other most if not all of their lives so the "clicks" were abundant!! I made quite a few friends but never REALLY felt a part of any one group. I got involved in lots of activities, flag corp, volleyball, and my junior year I was a cheerleader. But still.....so I was never too excited to go back but through Facebook I reconnected with a lot of people I went to school with up there and decided I wanted to go back for the 20th reunion!

One of my closet friends up there, who I had contact with just a couple times in the last 20 years invited us to stay with her and her family. So I started planning and saving for the trip.

The year flew by and before I knew it it was time to go. I was so nervous--or maybe anxious is a better word. Anxious about the long drive, anxious about the reunion, about what to wear, and especially about staying with Jen. Would we still get along, would our kids get along with each other and ESPECIALLY how it would work out with 13 of us under one roof. Yep, you read that right 13!!! You see Jen and her husband are the parents of SIX boys ages 14-3months!! YIKES!!! But all of that worry was for nothing. Jen and I fell into place like we had never been apart and the kids got along great!!

Jen and her family live out in the country part of Rhode Island. They have a big house on 2 acres complete with 2 dogs, a bird, a turtle and oh yeah CHICKENS!! They are what I call "crunchy". Very organic and healthy and she even homeschools the boys. And even though our families are very different we are in a lot of ways the same. We had a fabulous time!!!

We rented a van (didn't want to chance ours on that long drive) and arrived Thursday evening after 13 hours on the road. The drive up was fun actually, I had come prepared. Lots of snacks and drinks and let's not forget the road games I had printed off the computer. We played travel bingo, looking for all kinds of things along the way and the license plate game, we would mark the state off the list as we saw a license plate from that state. Logan and Abby did great in the car. We made lots of stops along the way so that no one went stir crazy and even met up for a picnic lunch along the Jersey Turnpike with Mike's parents, who were also heading up to New England for the long weekend. But we were releaved to finally arrived at Jen's house.











Friday we just hung around the house and let the kids play. And that night had a big bonfire complete with smores. After the little ones went to bed Jen, Mike and I sat around the remains of the fire and just talked for a while.











Saturday we got up and piled in the cars for a few hours by the lake. The YMCA has an area just up the road from their house that reminds me of the setting of Dirty Dancing...lol There are cabins you can rent, picnic areas, a small beach, and even sailboats you can use. It was absolutely beautiful! After a picnic lunch we headed back to the house for naps for the littlest ones and to get ready for our 20th high school reunion.






The reunion was held at a hotel in Warwick in the Rotunda. It was nice. They had a video playing that was of senior year highlights, unfortunately I wasn't there that year so I wasn't in any of it but that might not have been such a bad thing after all! LOL It was good to see everyone that was there. I was a bit self-conscience though. Everyone seemed to look exactly the same! Skinny, in shape, fashion forward and I am...well NOT!! The only thing the reunion was missing was another friend that I was hoping would come but she had something else going on that weekend and to use her words "I didn't give a damn about those people 20 years and I don't give a damn about them now" lol---that is so HER!!! I even got to see (and was offered a drink) by the heart throb football player I had such a crush on back in high school. But that night I kind of felt like I did when I was in high school up there....like I didn't quite belong. But in the end I am glad I went, saw who saw, and it was a good excuse to get me back up to New England.

Nice touch....balloons in the school colors, Black, White, and Gold!!





Sunday we woke early and headed for Providence to catch a 10 o'clock train to Boston. This was the first train ride for the kids and we had a full day ahead of us. We arrived in 45 minutes and took off on foot to see the sights. On our list was the "Tipton Hotel" from Disney Channels Suite Life with Zack and Cody, the MTV's Real World Boston house, Cheer's, Public Gardens, Fanuiell Hall, Paul Revere's house, Old North Church, the "Skinny House", the Children's Museum and the Boston Harbor. And in the 8 hours we spent in Boston we managed to see all but the last 2. Oh well!!! That just means we do those first next time! We caught the train at the end of the day and headed back to Rhode Island and Jen's.










Just thought this was a funny picture....Starbucks on ground level with a health club above.


Monday was my birthday but I didn't even think about it much. We all got up and went to Roger Williams Zoo. It was BLAZING HOT!! And as Mike said...I did really good. Didn't complain too much and stuck it out!! LOL The zoo was so nice and beautiful and we all had a great time! After we left Jen and her family headed home and we set off on a trip down memory lane.






First stop, my parents old house on Bartlett Ave, followed by a drive through my old neighborhood, my old high school and a stop for lunch at Newport Creamery!! Abby and Logan had their first Awful Awful...OMG!!! I missed those so much!! After lunch we took a ride down to the beach and picked up some doughboys from Iggy's. For those that have never had Doughboys, you don't know what you are missing. Picture a wad of dough flatted out and then deep fried and sprinkled with sugar!!! AAAHHHHH!!!! When we got back to Jen, I hit the shower and was surprised with birthday cake and ice cream after dinner! I wasn't expecting that at all!! But apparently Mike and Jen had been conspiring that morning about a cake and Jen told him it was already taken care of....she had baked me one the day before while we were gone. LOVE HER!!!

Cameron's Pharmacy....my first job in RI

It was off to bed early that night, for we were leaving early the next morning. :(

Abby says her goodbyes to Bailey....Diesel is looking SO SAD!!
Bye Jen (and Jonathon)!!!! Thanks for everything!!!

We finally made it home the next night about 8pm. Tired, missing the cool evening temps, NO MOSQUITOES, and friends in RI but glad to be home.