a walking tour of newport, rhode island

I recently took a little adventure to Newport, RI for a friend's wedding.  I decided to only take Gus.  He ended up sleeping 3 of the 5 hours on the plane so I really couldn't complain.  The people around me were also the nicest they have ever been.  I was sad to leave Jimmy and Zach at home, but excited to see a bunch of friends that I hadn't seen in awhile. My friend Kristin lives in Turkey so she doesn't make it home much.  She was a darling and decided to pick me up at the Providence Airport so I wouldn't have to take a taxi.  Many thanks to her and Christian for driving us.  So after getting in late on Friday, Kristin and I set out to explore Newport on foot and with stroller.  It is obviously gorgeous and we had a great time despite getting lost while trying to find a very well hidden lighthouse that we never did find.  Here are more than enough pictures of our day:

Yellow with a front porch makes me happy.

I had to take a picture of this bar for obvious reasons.

We stopped by the church where the JFK and Jackie were married.

(I just watched the mini-series so I am on a Kennedy's kick right now)

It was lovely.

We found cars that we wished we could have been driving around town.

This is Kristin's:

This is mine:

(Seriously, could some car company make a modern version of this for me that doesn't look stupid?)

We got to view plenty of boats and I desperately wished we could go sailing.

So I turned Gus stroller into a make-shift sailboat with my nursing cover.

.... okay, the umbrella part actually broke and this was the best shade I could come up with.

We learned a little history.

I we saw more mansions than you can shake a fist at.... I don't actually know what that means, but there were a lot.  

I decided that when I move here I am going to go for the little bit more modest abode and have my bedroom in this tower:

Kristin couldn't quite decide, but she like this one:

We both decided that we really need an awesome entryway so that people will think that they are going to get murdered when they come for a dinner party.

A cool secret side entrance would be nice, too.

Gus found a cool tree to hide in.

I opted out of any mansion tours seeing as I had been on one a long time ago when I visited Newport with my best friend and her family.  I would have loved to go see more because I dig that kind of thing, but I didn't think Gus would tolerate it so well and I guessed most people wouldn't want a screaming baby on their tour.  We got to see the outsides of a lot of them though. There were so many mansions that I felt like I didn't even get very many pictures of them. But in retrospect this probably seems like plenty....

Do you play croquet?

These old men do and I desperately wanted to go join them.

Gus had scored a Tennis Ball on our long walk so we thought we should drop in the Tennis Hall of Fame so he could practice on the grass courts.

... and by practice I mean eat the ball.

There is a Cliff Walk that gives you a view of all the mansions on the waterfront.  Kristin and I did the beginning of it at the start of our trip, but thought it would be a little too long.  If we had known how long our trip would actually be then we probably would have just done it. She barely made it back for the rehearsal dinner in time.  Here is the view of the Cliff Walk from the beach across from our hotel:

On Sunday morning when everyone else was getting ready for the wedding, Gus and I went and hung out on the beach for awhile.

I took a picture of this crab for Jimmy.

(Don't tell him it is dead)

Since we were by ourselves I had to attempt pictures of both of us by myself.

 I got at least one really cute one that I was happy about.

I guess I have trained him well because he does turn on the smiles for the camera

And then there are some that are just of our feet.

That's artistic right?

And, of course, I took plenty of just Gus since it was his first trip to the Atlantic.

He has now had his feet in both the Pacific and the Atlantic, but since he was two weeks old last time he went to the ocean, the sand was a new discovery.  First he just touched it:

And then, of course, he ate it:

He didn't seem to mind it because he kept going back for more despite my best efforts to wash his mouth out with water.

He mostly thought it was hilarious when I tried to stop him.

We didn't last too long on the beach after that.

Before we left to go home we made one last visit down to the beach with some friends.

...including the Bride.

... but more on that whole getting married thing later.

For now I leave you with these crab legs shaking "hands."

golfing at palo verde

We have been on a golf kick lately.  I guess we have to get it in now before all the courses jack up their prices for the winter.  We live a close walk away from a city golf course called Palo Verde.  Zach has taken advantage of this a few times, but recently we all went for a little Saturday walk so that Jimmy could practice his swing, as well. 

 He also loved having someplace to ride his trike to.

 Of course, he only has plastic clubs for now, but he loved it.  

 He would try to cheat sometimes though, so Dad had to try to teach him how to swing and not just scoot the ball right into the whole.

Sometimes the look like clones 

(Jimmy just needed to wear his monkey shirt too).

 Gus, practiced from inside the stoller.  I think he was just trying to get his head in the game before he exerted any energy.

It was super hot so we only played for about 20 minutes, but that was the perfect time to allow before Jimmy probably would have lost interest anyway.  However, I do see more trips here in the future.

mimi's birthday

Our very dear Mimi had a big birthday this year. Of course, she didn't want a big party or anything, but Johnny wanted to do something for her.  He knew the only thing she would really want for her birthday is some special time with all her favorite kids.  We all surprised her one night at the Adobe at the Biltmore.

 Johnny had present for each of the kids to give Mimi, but of course, they were actually presents for the kids.

 Lucy was ecstatic to have her very own pink golf club and balls.

(Good work Johnny)

 

After dinner we all spent some time playing out on the putting green and the kids had tons of fun.

 

Even Gus was all about it.

 Of course, he needed a little help.

 And mostly he just did this:

 Of course, we do have an expert teacher in Johnny.

 Then at the end of the evening the sprinklers came on, but that didn't stop any of the kids (including Mimi) from playing.  They all got soaked.

 Thank you Johnny for a wonderful evening and Happy Birthday to Mimi!