Our Boston weekend continued, as the twins and I woke for an early breakfast from Cafe Madeleine before the harbor cruise. We picked up some chocolate and almond croissants, then sat on a bench in a nearby park to enjoy the sweet treats. A growing group of little birds joined us, expanding into a frenzy of feathered friends as each flake of croissant fell to the floor. We watched them with entertainment and enjoyment – this little ritual was an unexpectedly bit of casual fun, unplanned and all the more miraculous because of it. They said we should do breakfast like this the next morning. 

The sea, which played such an integral part of our adventures earlier this summer as in this weekend with Kira and our annual BroSox Adventure with Skip, was the new backdrop for this weekend with the twins. Boston Harbor carries its own magic, and the surprise I had planned for the twins had me eagerly awaiting our departure hour. 

Being that the twins are 12 years old, I looked up Boston adventures for kids about to be teenagers, and the first one that popped up was this high-speed Codzilla boat trip. It looked fun, and more exciting than the slow Boston cruises that would hit on history, something I figured they’d had their fill of on the Freedom Trail the day before. 

I told them we were just going on a regular boat ride, but as we approached the boarding area, they saw the signs of warning (for those with heart conditions or motion sickness or who didn’t want to get wet) and they suddenly got a little apprehensive. Had I miscalculated their capacity for  excitement? It was too late to do anything about that now, as I scanned our tickets and we buckled into the vessel. 

“Would your Uncle Al do anything that would scare or harm you?” I asked, foolishly realizing the answer before I even finished the question.

“Yes!!” they screamed in unison. 

Ok, that’s fair. 

The ride was just as it was billed, and we did get soaked, but I think underneath these poses they had fun. They’re just about to become snarky teens, and this was good practice to be annoyed by everything in the world. The day was warm and sunny, and we dried off as we ambled our way through Quincy Market for lunch and shopping. After that, it was time to head home for a change of clothes. 

Returning to the condo, we simply hung out for the rest of the afternoon. We’ve reached the point where they can be mostly self-sufficient, perusing their iPads or phones, while their Uncle Al does an afternoon meditation. Noah had helped me design the backdrop of fall-hued curtains, perfect for a fun weekend-ending photo shoot, so we took a few shots to commemorate the last summer weekend in Boston, and to set the stage for the fall to come. 

The next morning, as requested, we had breakfast with the birds again. Maybe it will be a new tradition, maybe it was a twice-in-a-lifetime experience. Whatever the case, we can add it to our story, as we add the entire weekend to our magnificent summer together. 

Boston is a city steeped in history and tradition. It’s there in every cobblestone, every worn sculpture, every turn along the Freedom Trail. It’s also a great place to explore to get a feel for this country’s origin story, and the various events that brought us to such freedom. This was the background for a weekend with the twins in Boston, where we began on a sunny Friday afternoon with a walk along the Freedom Trail, and it would become a weekend that we added to our own family history.

It was the last unofficial weekend in summer – a long one thanks to Labor Day – and we arrived to celebrate the final sunny days of a summer that has treated us exceptionally well. This would be our farewell to a Boston summer, and I was joined by Noah and Emi, who were game enough to do the entire Freedom Trail. As we began the first leg, I eyed the golden-domed State house ahead of us and warned them that the hill was steeper than it looked. They balked at my warning, as though I was an old man barely able to get around, so I was confident they would tackle the trail without a problem. 

We wound our way through downtown Boston, pausing at each historical stop along the way, making vague plans for dinner in Quincy Market or the North End, and the beauty of the day kept us inspired. 

The twins and I have had a number of adventures over this past summer, so we looked back over a few of those on our journey. They’ve also been in Boston with me during the holidays, and we talked of maybe doing that again this holiday season. Adding to our family history while recalling it was a warm moment for us, and as we wound our way through the streets of Boston, I felt us writing a new chapter in the exact moment it was happening. 

We decided to have our dinner in the North End, and we enjoyed some pasta on the second floor of Bacco, situated by a window and looking down into the streets just starting to swell with people. 

The day’s light was winding down as we were nearing the end of the trail. The twins were already tired out, and complaining that their feet hurt. Their 47-year-old Uncle Al was ready to walk another five miles, and in my head I recalled their initial dismissal of my warning of the hill to the State House, but we slowed our pace and rested before heading back home. 

We pushed through and made it back, and I told them we would all sleep well after such a workout. Back in the condo, we settled in, had some dessert, and were out almost as soon as we hit the pillows. The next day we were scheduled for a Boston Harbor cruise, and we needed the rest…