Cape Cod Highlights

After two fabulous days in Boston we hopped in the car and made our way to Cape Cod. We came to photograph a wedding, but arrived a few days early to see friends and explore a bit. We could not get over the charm of the shake-covered homes everywhere we looked! Every neighborhood we passed looked as if it were smack dab in the middle of a storybook. We already cannot wait to go back!

We stayed at a hotel in West Yarmouth for the first two nights. Both evenings we found ourselves at the Portside Tavern, attempting to eat our weight in their lobster mac and cheese– it was truly one of the most delicious dishes we have ever enjoyed in our lives! We spent a wonderful morning with our dear friend, Kristen, who I worked with for 4 years in Dubai. Our sweet friends, Annick and Emma, also from our Dubai days, joined us as well- such a sweet little reunion! We were so caught up in talking that we forgot to take any photos!

Our hotel was just a few minute walk from the Cape Cod Inflatable Park and so we spent a few hours playing there one afternoon. Highlights included family floats down the lazy river, water slides, and the giant bucket that filled up and dumped over the play area every few minutes (Cole was obsessed with it!). We’d definitely recommend coming earlier in the day than we did so that you have more time to enjoy all the features of the park.

Next we moved on to a new hotel in Eastham so that we could be close to the wedding festivities. We were super excited to reconnect with our talented photographer friend, Brian, and his lovely family for some play time on the beach– only, just days after our nightmare arrival to Boston, another string of (now hilarious) mishaps stood in our way…

The mishaps began when Cole had another bout of carsickness and threw up just as we pulled into the hotel parking lot and seconds before I could reach him with a bag. WHY?!?! We were scheduled to meet Brian and his family within minutes, but instead we were cleaning vomit off of Cole and his car seat (thankfully none of it hit the rental car!). It was too early to check into our hotel to clean up properly, so Cole got a baby wipe bath, we used a utility hose to clean the car seat, Brian’s sister took us to a store to buy detergent and white vinegar (the best product for getting stinky smells out of fabric), and I got all the vomit clothes and car seat covers into the coin operated washing machine at the hotel next door. Phew! We decided then and there that carrying an emergency vomit kit was a must and put one together as soon as we got home to Oregon!

Anyhow, moving on to pleasantness of Marconi Beach… we found ourselves arriving right at low tide, with all of these gorgeous agates glistening on the shoreline. Had we arrived earlier in the day as planned we might not have discovered these beauties! What a sweet little reminder that everything happens for a reason– even vomit.

“I got it!” Cole yelled enthusiastically after picking up each and every rock. Inspired by his sister, he wanted to make his own collection.

“Mom! This is better than Oceanside! Everywhere you look are glistening agates!”

“I’m in Isla heaven!”

A few (and I stress “few”) of Isla’s favorite agates from Marconi Beach (left) and Nauset Beach (right).

Day two of hanging with the Millers, we opted to just meet up at the pool hotel. Thankfully there were no mishaps this morning.

Celebrating with Jake and Courtney, the sweet couple who brought us to Cape Cod! We first met Jake’s mom in Shanghai 6 years ago, and photographed his sister’s wedding in Hilton Head 3 years ago, so his beautiful wedding felt like the most wonderful reunion! We are so, so grateful for the wonderful people we have connected with around the world!

Our family was invited to join in on all the pre-wedding festivities, including a day on Nauset Beach. It should come as no surprise that Isla spent the entire time hunting for agates.

As if taking part in Jake and Courtney’s wedding wasn’t sentimental enough for us, Isaac’s former student from Dubai, Amelia, spends her summers on the cape and she babysat the kiddos for us while we worked! They shared the most amazing day together, making strawberry milkshakes, exploring the shoreline near her home, and going to a baseball game!

Our family left Massachusetts with very full hearts… and very full bags thanks to the 20 pounds of agates Isla collected on the beach! We were completely enchanted by the charm of the cape and the energy of Boston– we’re already dreaming up a return trip to explore some more!