{Road Trip} Day Five - More Presidents & a New Baby Cousin

Another b-u-s-y day...

Martin Van Buren's Lindenwald

We headed out first thing to Kinderhook, NY and visited the home of our 8th President, Martin Van Buren...

the President's portrait over the mantle...

checking out the brick oven...

the library...

the bathroom...  yes, indoor plumbing...

and, an almost unheard of, indoor commode...

his bedroom...

sweet M...

both his birthsite and his final resting place...

  

 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Springwood

Next, we continued on to Hyde Park, NY and visited the home of our 32nd President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Springwood was his family home.  He was born here, grew up here and made his married life here as well...

the music room...

the library...

sweet L...

his boyhood bedroom...

the room where he was born...

his bedroom...

his gravesite...

hanging out with the Roosevelts...

Meeting Baby A

Finally, it was time to reunite with Hubby!  After a series of carefully planned steps, Hubby arrived by train in NYC around lunchtime.  My good friend, S, convinced me that I could do it (I was terrified) and gave me fabulous directions (on not crazy crowded roads) to drive into the city.  Yes, I really did it.  I drove right in, met up with Hubby and his brother and handed over my car to Hubby to park.

Hubby's younger brother and his wife have lived in Manhattan for about 6 years now and had a little boy the end of May.  We were thrilled to meet our brand new (and absolutely precious) nephew...

and visit with both E & B!

The little ones really loved admiring the beautiful view from their top floor apartment overlooking the Hudson...

Excited to continue on our adventure with Hubby now in tow...

More {Road Trip} 2013 Fun

Day One - Pennsylvania

Day Two - Sesame Place

Day Three - Bridges, Lighthouses & Methods of Transportation...Oh My!

Day Four - Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY

Day Six - Notable Lunch Spots

Day Seven - Cheers! to the Presidents from Boston

Day Eight - Yogurt on the Way to Kennebunkport

Day Nine - Beaches, Shops & Lobsters!

Day Ten - More Parks - State, National & International...

Day Eleven - From Maine to Montreal...

Day Twelve - Canadian Holiday

Day Thirteen - Niagara Falls & Making Our Way HOME

Day Fourteen - Home Sweet Home

{Road Trip} Day Four - Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY

After an extremely packed day yesterday, we decided to slow it down and take it a little easier today!  Though, of course, the little ones didn't sleep in, we did move a little slower this morning and headed out to Oyster Bay, Long Island late morning.

There were two main reasons why I wanted to visit Oyster Bay...

Ben's Garden

Almost 2 years ago, I fell in love with a decoupage tray featured on the blog, Brilliant Chic (which no longer seems to be current).  I loved the quotation used on this particular tray so much ~ it reminded me of our little #3, M (and her 18 month old self at the time). 

From what I remember, the link took me to a gift store, but I did a little more research and found where it was made.  This is when I discovered Ben's Garden.  When I went to the website and learned more about Ben and his story, I was really intrigued.  Sure, I could've ordered this tray online months (over a year) ago, but I really wanted to go.  I wanted to go to the original store in Oyster Bay.  So, today I did!

It turned out to be a great little store with much more than decoupage...

I, of course, came away with my (M's) tray.


Theodore Roosevelt

It's no secret to anyone that reads this little blog, that B really enjoys learning about our U.S. Presidents.  What a treat to find out that President Theodore Roosevelt not only had a home in Oyster Bay, but is buried there as well.

The home is unfortunately closed for repairs until 2015...

but the little ones were able to tour the museum (housed in the former home of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.)...

and earn their Junior Ranger badges...

thanks to good friend, S, who accompanied me on this trip. 

In case you didn't know, President Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter who went on many safaris and frequently displayed his many "trophies".  That, coupled with a weird fact about me, doesn't jive so well!

You see, I am completely terrified of dead things like the art(?) of taxidermy and those mounted "trophies".  It is a total phobia, and I am not at all joking.  I really can't wrap by head around why anyone would want to hang (or really even have!) a dead animals' skin or head or whole body or whatever in their house.  

Anyway, I knew ahead of time that any buildings on this property would probably have a lot of all of that kind of stuff and that I would most likely not be able to set foot inside them.  Thanks, again, S!!!

In the town of Oyster Bay, we visited a great statue in the center of town...

and the final resting place of our 26th President...

We're off to visit a couple more Presidential sites tomorrow...

More {Road Trip} 2013 Fun

Day One - Pennsylvania

Day Two - Sesame Place

Day Three - Bridges, Lighthouses & Methods of Transportation...Oh My!

Day Five - More Presidents & a New Baby Cousin

Day Six - Notable Lunch Spots

Day Seven - Cheers! to the Presidents from Boston

Day Eight - Yogurt on the Way to Kennebunkport

Day Nine - Beaches, Shops & Lobsters!

Day Ten - More Parks - State, National & International...

Day Eleven - From Maine to Montreal...

Day Twelve - Canadian Holiday

Day Thirteen - Niagara Falls & Making Our Way HOME

Day Fourteen - Home Sweet Home

{Road Trip} Day Three - Bridges, Lighthouses & Methods of Transportation... Oh My!

Wow...  What a day!

We got up early and headed into New York City by way of the Metro-North train from Connecticut, where we are fortunate enough to be staying with friends, S & S, to Grand Central Station...

Once in New York City, we really, REALLY made the rounds!

Staten Island

First on the itinerary ~ a trip to the lighthouse on Staten Island.  We took the ferry over to Staten Island...

where we quickly decided to ditch the idea of going to see that lighthouse and grab lunch at Bay Street Luncheonette, a cute little soda fountain with super-nice owners, that was a short bus ride away...

After lunch, we took the ferry back over to Manhattan and enjoyed a nice view of the Statue of Liberty along the way...

Little Red Lighthouse

From there, we booked it on the subway clear up to 181st Street to visit the Little Red Lighthouse...

I learned about it here, and I have wanted to visit ever since...  Thankfully, we got there just in time!

Now, I MUST find and purchase the book!

At this point in the day after making the tedious climb to the top, around the spiral staircase, up the metal ladder and through the small opening out onto the deck, the little ones had worked up quite an appetite!  I'm glad that I came prepared with their bite boxes well-stocked...

Since we were already in the vicinity, we made a quick stop in Bennett Park to visit...

before taking the subway back downtown...

Roosevelt Island

 From there, we rode a crosstown bus to catch the tram to Roosevelt Island.  Roosevelt Island is a small island situated in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, and the Queensboro Bridge happens to cross right over it!  The little ones absolutely loved "flying" over the river alongside the bridge... 

Once we arrived on the island, we took a little time to explore under the bridge...

before taking a taxi to the top tip of the island to check out the Blackwell Island Lighthouse, which was evidently undergoing some repairs, unfortunately...

The little ones enjoyed running around Lighthouse Park and letting out a good bit of energy, though I'll never understand how in the world they had any left!

After a quick pizza dinner on the island, we "flew" back over to Manhattan...

and rode the Metro-North back to Connecticut...

It was a very f-u-l-l day, but lots of fun...

According to my fitbit, we walked almost 12 miles and climbed the equivalent of 58 flights of stairs.  In addition to that, we took a grand total of SIX additional methods of transportation ~ the train, the subway, the ferry, the bus, the tram and a taxi!  I guess that technically qualifies for travel by air, land AND sea!

More {Road Trip} 2013 Fun

Day One - Pennsylvania

Day Two - Sesame Place

Day Four - Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY

Day Five - More Presidents & a New Baby Cousin

Day Six - Notable Lunch Spots

Day Seven - Cheers! to the Presidents from Boston

Day Eight - Yogurt on the Way to Kennebunkport

Day Nine - Beaches, Shops & Lobsters!

Day Ten - More Parks - State, National & International...

Day Eleven - From Maine to Montreal...

Day Twelve - Canadian Holiday

Day Thirteen - Niagara Falls & Making Our Way HOME

Day Fourteen - Home Sweet Home