When city friends ask me how I like the burbs, I say it still feels a little like we’re on vacation (though Mark did go back to work after one week of getting settled – he’s still home by 6 pm or earlier!). Almost every day Julie asks to go ‘swimming at the club’ (the fabulous New York Athletic Club). With their floaties, the kids can swim independently in the ‘big water’ as Julie calls it.
Sunglasses are a must.
There’s also a great kiddie pool, a playground, a great cafe with a poolside patio, flowers, lounge chairs to nap on, and great Long Island Sound views.
And special events like overnight camp-outs (we only stayed for the tent set-ups – very exciting for Max – and the hilarious magic show, but Mark may buy a tent and get over his camping aversion for the one in August).
There are also lots of clean, uncrowded nearby beaches, like Harbor Island in nearby Mamaroneck (where Mark’s grandparents lived). Julie liked building and trying to sit on sandboxes, while Max was very serious about his bucket duties – you can see him in the background in the water in some photos. On the way out Max insisted we stop at the Fireman’s carnival where they both did a monkey gun house maze twice, then Max went on a pretty scary dragon roller coaster twice. The second time Max wanted to ‘drive’ the dragon in front, the scariest spot. Mark had my phone so no photos, but we were pretty proud of his bravery given the neurological issues he sometimes has with too much motion
We visited Target, a giant Fairway grocery store, and Costco (first trip for the kids and Mark – ‘this store has a lot of stuff’ Max said). Kids love riding in shopping carts and we like having a car to carry stuff home.
We’ve checked out local library programming including storytimes and an animal show. Max liked the hedgehog and turtle but most of all watching (and helping) them clean up after.
At a summer solstice yoga event at the high school, Max demonstrated some pretty intense moves (we wish we had some pictures of Julie at a family yoga class at a local studio during savasana when she put on an eye pillow, lay under a blanket, and fell asleep, it was so cute).
Back home, we like playing soccer in the backyard. It took us a while to convince them not to use their hands. The kids take turns sitting on the back steps in between goals.
Julie provides her own cheering section.
While we do miss having so many options for healthy, tasty take-out and delivery, backyard bbqs are awesome!
And we get creative with what we have at home, as in this delicious antipasti platter Max created from our pantry and fridge. The bunny crackers were Julie’s idea. Max devoured the anchovies.
There’s a fun playground at the kids’ future school around the corner. But really these guys could just stay on big couch in the bonus room reading books with Daddy all day.
We’ve also had some fun visitors and many train rides into the city. More photos of suburban/city adventures coming soon!