A Baby in Salem: A Navy day

During the first week of school, on a day when Avonlea Jane didn't go, we went in to Boston for the day. Our first stop was to volunteer with the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund to make care packages to send overseas. We had a military-themed day planned, so the kids were in Navy wear. Will's Navy uniform from Uncle Dillon received not only a lot of compliments, but he was asked for several photos--from event staff, other volunteers, and the press attending.

Waiting in line to fill our boxes

After filling our boxes, we went to await our ferry to Charleston.

The kids were excited to be able to ride on top of the ferry.

It's not easy to get photos of all three of us.

Coming into Charleston Harbor

In front of the USS Constitution

If Will had been popular earlier in the day, he was an absolute celebrity about the Constitution. Almost all of the staff wanted to have photos taken with him on their phones, as did many of the tourists. As his uniform is a captain's, he also received plenty of salutes.

Sailors also ran to go grab their friends to come see him to have photos taken. The kids ate it up.

Avonlea Jane also received plenty of compliments, as she was quite the ham, starting with yelling, "Permission to come aboard?" and then loudly proclaiming all of the ships directions, "That's port. Starboard. Bow. Stern." and then asking for directions to the head.

After touring the ship, we went to the USS Constitution Museum, where the kids loved trying their hands as sailors.

When we were done with the museum, we picked up some ice cream for the kids while waiting for our return ferry, as it was in the high nineties. When we got back to Boston, we walked over to the New England Aquarium.