This is part 1 of our 3 city trip -

Day 1: (Sun., Sept. 15) - Left Sterling Heights, MI at 7:30am for our 13 hour trek to New England. Van loaded to the brim the night before with furniture for Sarah and boxes for Amy. We took turns with driving duties every 2.5 hours, stopping briefly for a bite at Taco Bell, arriving at Sarah's about 9pm. Gave them all hugs and kisses (except Jaime who is on deployment with the Navy), chatted a tad, then off to bed in Lily's room about 11pm. Very comfy girlie room indeed!

Day 2: (Mon., Sept. 16) - Sarah, Chuck, & Isaac took Lily to school. Then Sarah made us turkey sausages, toast and coffee for breakfast while Chuck put together her jogging stroller, then off to: Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park, Monument Street & Park Avenue, Groton, CT. The historic site where on September 6, 1781 British Forces commanded by the infamous Benedict Arnold captured the Fort and massacred 88 of the 165 defenders stationed there.

Afterwards Sarah took us on a beautiful drive along the coastline where we stopped at her favorite beach with a playground. We watched tugboats go by, walked along the beach, Isaac and Chuck played on the swings, Sarah and Cheryl chatted on the swinging chair. Afterwards, stopped at Duncan's for Pumpkin Spiced Coffees and Donuts on the way to pick up Lily from school. We 5 then went for a long hike at: Bluff Point State Park, Depot Rd., Groton, CT. Bluff Point is the last remaining significant piece of undeveloped land along the Connecticut coastline. Jutting out into the Long Island Sound, this wooded peninsula measures 1-1/2 miles long by 1 mile wide and encompasses over 800 acres. We hiked to the Shell Beach, took pics, then walked back (over a mile each way). Back to Sarah's afterwards where Chuck fed the kids nuggets while Sarah and Cheryl hit the grocery store. Sarah cooked up a terrific shrimp pasta dinner and we sipped some adult beverages. Then Chuck and I gave the kiddies their baths so Sarah could visit her neighbor next door for a tad.

Day 3: (Tues., Sept. 17) - Cheryl cooked everyone breakfast then Sarah treated us to the: Mystic Seaport - The Museum of America and the Sea, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT. It's the nation's leading maritime museum. We got to climb aboard historic tall ships, stroll through a re-created 19th-century coastal village and watch a working preservation shipyard in action. We took the short boat tour as well. Perfect weather at 72 degrees! Grabbed a late lunch at the Galley Restaurant then back to Sarah's place about 5:30pm. Cheryl made everyone a spaghetti & garlic bread dinner while Sarah took a quick nap. Lily polished Meme's (Cheryl's) nails, then took her bath and off to bed for both kids. We babysat tonight. Chuck drove Sarah and a girlfriend out to the casino so they could have a girls night out on the town.

Day 4: (Wed., Sept. 18) - Sarah took Lily to school and I made Chuck and I fried egg sandwiches. Then Chuck and I unloaded Grannie Maples kitchen table and chairs for Sarah, plus her mom's music box collection. Later we all scooped Lily up from school and off to: The Historic Ship Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum, 1 Crystal Lake Rd., Groton, CT. Home of the Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered vessel and the first ship to go to the North Pole. We got to climb inside the sub and on top. Afterwards we treated everyone to dinner at Applebee's. Cheryl left her camera full of pictures at the restaurant - oops. Back to Sarah's to watch the sunset in the backyard, played with the grandkids including rolling down the hill out back, bubbles, and toy car rides. Great fun and lots of laughing.

Day 5: (Thurs., Sept. 19) - We all slept in, then Chuck, Sarah & Isaac ran to Salvation Army to drop off her old table and chairs plus some outgrown clothes. We all ate leftovers, did laundry & bedding, showers, then Chuck and Cheryl hit the road at noon for Boston (to visit Amy)! Quick stop at Dollar Tree & Beer Store. Once out of town, Cheryl discovered missing camera and called Applebee's. Asked manager to mail the camera to her home. He did!! Vacation photos safe and sound. Had to use a disposable camera for our Boston & Niagara Falls legs of the trip, pictures came out pretty nice. Please read the Boston Blog (Sept. 2013) for more of our New England Adventure!