Princeton Day Trip

Today was just one of those days where we had a good plan for how we wanted to spend our day and all the details worked out.

I knew that this was going to be a nice weekend, not too cold, sunny, and dry, so I suggested right after church instead of heading home we just go straight to Princeton (one of my favorite places on earth) for lunch and some Fall Fun.

John thought that was an awesome idea so we packed the car for our trip with stroller and snacks so we would be ready for the 45 minute drive there!  We left church around 10:45 and got there a little after 11:30.  I love going to Princeton with the family because it was one of the places my parents would take us to walk around, talk, see the campus, window shop, and we always ended the trip with ice cream!

First we parked and walked to Panera Bread for lunch.  Salad and fresh bread always taste yummy!

Then John pushed Mark in the carriage while Julia and I walked hand in hand.  We crossed the street to the campus side and visited all our favorite spots.

Another thing I love about Princeton is that the people are always friendly.  The students always wave and say hi to the kids and all the families seem to be happy and sociable.

The trees are so old and ginormous!  Julia loved trying to hug them.

Mark was in search of a good stick to play with and happily posed for mommy.

Whenever we come to Princeton the kids love to play on the grounds and jump and dance and twirl and play.

There was lots of playing and chasing too.  Mark followed Julia like a puppy.

The whole trip we looked for the "tigers"...Julia kept telling Mark, "they won't bite you Mark, they aren't real, honey."  (I love how she talks to him as if he's soooo much younger than her.)

Climbing the tiger and playing with the tiger was the highlight until...

As I was taking photos and scoping the area...I found...

This bright yellow tree that I just had to be a part of...so we gathered the kids (a big deal since they did not want to leave the tiger...)

When we got to the Yellow tree I taught Julia the art of "scooping" up all the leaves and...

"tossing" them high into the air!

This went on for hours...scooping and tossing, scooping and tossing, until several families joined us, because who could blame them?  We were having a BALL!!!!!!!!!! You could hear our laughter all over campus I'm sure!

And this is why I love my kids, and I love my family.  Because we do stuff like this on the weekends that make up for all the time we are missing Daddy!  And just as Daddy kept taking pictures we made sure we scooped and tossed right on him!  He loved it.

We ended our Princeton Day Trip at the Bent Spoon!  Great ice cream place...so good...Mark and Julia both got Mango ice cream, I got Raspberry, and Daddy got the BEST flavor ever Roasted Pumpkin Marcicon...oh my goodness thank goodness we all shared!

We got back in the car around 1:30 and trust me when I tell you it wasn't five minutes before both beautiful kiddies were passed out asleep!  John and I enjoyed the car ride home in peace and quiet and we listened to C.S. Lewis The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe on CD. as we sipped some Dunkin Donuts coffee and tea.

When people tell me, "Cherish this time with your kids, it goes by so fast."  I tell them, "Trust me, I do!"

I can't wait to scoop and toss some more leaves next Fall!

Thanks babe, for a great weekend and for our Princeton Fall tradition...walking around campus, eating lunch, seeing the tigers, scooping and tossing, and ice cream...and us just being us...