It was that time again in our lives when we felt the need to travel back east. So, we arranged with the NIH's twin study to do testing this summer. For those of you who may not know, our family has been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of a long-term neurological study which focuses on families with twins...like ours. The government pays for the twins, a same-sex sibling, opposite-sex sibling and the parents of the twins to fly out to Bethesda every two years to be tested as they research the growth and development of a brain over time. (Each child is also paid $200 for compensation in case you didn't think the set up was awesome enough already).
We have been able to utilize this opportunity time 3 times before to visit Washington D.C., Philadelphia and various other historical landmarks on the East Coast. This time, we thought a trip to Boston was in order.
We left our lovely home on the 17th of July in the year 2013 around 8:00 in the morning. The goal was no later than 7:30...but since when do we ever get out the door on time? We did, however, make it to our plane on time and took off without a hitch, landing in Baltimore, MD around 4:30 ET.
For those of you who have never had the opportunity to be on the East Coast in the summertime, let me just say that the first step out the door after first landing on the Eastern seaboard is like walking straight into a brick wall. The second that muggy, humid air hits you, you suddenly get the sensation that you will die in this horrid place as you are not accustomed to drinking your oxygen. After all, you are a human being, not a fish. Thus was the experience we had on day one. 90+ degrees and 85% humidity=DEATH. We learned pretty quickly that jeans were not going to cut it on this trip.
We stayed overnight in Gaithersburg, MD which was a perfectly lovely place aside from the humidity. The next day, we had planned to take the rental car to New York and see Once (with Arthur Darvill from Doctor Who, of course) but after looking at prices...I decided I'd rather eat for the next few months than see the show even if it meant missing out on seeing Arthur.
So instead, we make the trek out to Boston. Because we were skipping past New York, however, my wonderful father thought it would be nice if we could make an hour detour in Philadelphia and visit Citizen's Bank Park...home of the Philadelphia Phillies. I did not protest.
The clubhouse was glorious. Normally when I go into Fanzz, or any other sports store around here, I can find MAYBE a T-Shirt with the Phillies logo and MAYBE it's in my size, but usually it's like XXXXXL. This was a 2 Story mecca of Phillies paraphernalia. I found a shirt that I really liked and a nice, real-life Louisville Slugger with the logo painted on the side. But the best part of this trip was not the souvenirs I found there...it was the amazing store associate who was guarding the doors that lead out to the concourse who, upon request, allowed us to take a peek at the stadium.
There I was, in the very place where the Philadelphia Phillies play ball. I was super nerding out about it.
But I mean, just look at that. The place was completely empty and still, and I was able to just sit there and bask in all that is Citizens Bank Park. I freaking love baseball, you guys.
Sometimes in life, there are perfect moments, and this, for me, was one of them.
Sadly, my adventure at the home of the Phillies had to end as we still had about 5 hours left on our trip to Boston. What was supposed to be an 8 hour journey in the car began to escalate quickly to 9...and then 10...until we had been traveling for almost 12 hours if you include the time eating, stopping in Philadelphia and bathroom breaks.
(Speaking of bathroom breaks, this is a picture of a Dunkin Donuts in Connecticut that we saw on our way to Boston. Everything in this area of the country is so quaint and adorable, I couldn't help but take a picture. Also there are Dunkin Donuts EVERYWHERE back east. They probably have as many Dunkin Donuts as we do churches here in Utah. Not kidding.)
Plans were once again shattered after a LONG stint in New York traffic and other diversions as we had planned on stopping at Gilette Stadium as well so Brady could see where the patriot play, but by the time we made it to the Boston area, it was dark, so pictures were out the question, and the Pro Shop would only have been open for 30 minutes or so after we arrive, so we continued on to the hotel, promising Brady we could go to Gilette the next day.
This basically sums up what is was like in the car for hours and hours on end.
So after one of the most exhausting traveling experiences I have every had (second only to maybe Australia) we made it to Boston. It was late, and it was dark, but we were there. Still hot and humid, we prepared ourselves for Day 3...Gilette Stadium and Plymouth. Does it get any better people? I mean really.
Join me next time when the twins receive a history lesson and Brady gets gonorriphilAIDS from kissing a glass case. You don't wanna miss it.
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