Spring 2026 & Lewie's Junior Year of High School

I can say one thing with certainty--when you're working full time and taking college courses, time gets away from you. Lewie's junior year flew by and so did my first year of studying at KU. We did get a chance to celebrate important moments, of course, but I've been terrible about recording them. Here is my snapshot of a year that was difficult yet full of milestones.

1) Lewie kicked butt in his studies.  This kid took four AP courses--Physics, Computer Science A, Precalculus, and English Language and Composition-- passing them with As and high Bs.  This year, he was also inducted into three national honor societies - the National Honor Society, the National Fine Arts Honor Society, and the RHO KAPPA National Social Studies Honor Society. (I didn't think you could have a favorite honor society, but Lewie sure does. He LOVES the student leaders in RHO KAPPA as well as the teachers. They are his tribe.)

2) We laughed! For Christmas last year, I surprised the family with tickets to see Tom Papa at Foxwoods and Nate Bargatze at the DCU Center in Worcester.  Going to see our two favorite comedians helped break up our monotonous routine a bit and gave us something to look forward to. When I bought tickets to see Nate Bargatze in Worcester, I immediately thought we could use the opportunity to visit Worcester Poly Tech. Unfortunately, I never realized the April 4th date this year fell on the Saturday before Easter!!!  Hence, we did stay over night in Sturbridge Village, but we were in a rush to get home to be with my mother for the holiday. Visiting the campus didn't make sense with most of the students, faculty, and staff away. 

Besides enjoying Nate Bargatze, however, the trip to Massachusetts was fun for another reason. We stayed at an historic inn called the Publick House, which we are sure to visit again. Not only did they decorate the inn with beautiful flowers for Easter, but they had live little chicks in their main building. On Easter Sunday, we had a chance to enjoy some of their yummy baked treats before heading home. (PS - They have the cutest permanent tent set up for garden weddings--I may have told Lewie he is required to have his wedding there!)

Chillin at the Publick House on Easter Sunday morning.

3) We ended junior year with several hospital visits--first Lewie and then my mom-- but Lewie was able to resume tennis and participate in his end-of-the-year banquet  He also attended graduation to watch his three best friends (along with some tennis pals) receive their diplomas.

"I'm sorry this had to be such a rough year for you, Lewie," I sighed, thinking about the struggles he had with homework, his physics teacher, and the surgery he needed in late May for his blocked urethra. I expected him to agree with me, but instead he said the opposite: 

"This wasn't a bad year," he exclaimed. "This was the BEST year because I got to spend lots of time with my friends." He was right. Almost every course he had this year was with at least one of his three amigos. He also had the same lunch with them. Still, watching these boys cross the stage was bittersweet.  Their graduation truly marked the end of an era.

Currently, we are spending our days this summer taking care of Grammy (who's still recovering from three broken bones in her foot) and working on college admissions and scholarship projects.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Lewie is also taking a virtual driver safety class to get his license by mid-fall or winter.  I am getting teary just thinking about Lewie's senior year quickly approaching, but it's not here yet... 

We still have another full month of summer to enjoy before the whirlwind begins!!!

A Sleepy Hollow-een!

For the last several years, Lewie and his friends have gone on Halloween trips. First, it was the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo in RI, then it was Salem, MA, and this year it was Sleepy Hollow.

Years ago, we took Lewie to Sleepy Hollow, to see The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze (similar to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular) and tour the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, which included the Old Dutch Church.  I knew this trip might be less exciting than our trip to Salem last year, but my good friend, Sue, and I decided to give it a try. As on past trips, it would be Little Lewie and her son, Ryan, their friend Noah, and Big Lew, Sue, and me. 

Our trip started with a stop at the Captain Lawrence Brewing Company for lunch. Then, we were off to explore downtown Sleepy Hollow.  In short, the trip was okay, but it didn't keep the boys' interest. First, we quickly discovered there were not as many interesting shops as in Salem. Instead, there are more historic things to do — such as tours of the cemetery, the Old Dutch Church, and Philipsburg Manor. Unfortunately, unlike my husband and me, Sue and the boys were uninterested in the tours, explaining that they didn't believe in spending money for information they would soon forget.

We walked around the historic landmarks, but again, without a ghost tour or something to make them entertaining, they didn't spark much interest. In the end, the boys walked back to the car while Sue and I walked around the Old Dutch Church before retreating to the Extended Stay American Suites in Elmsford--a moderately priced, no thrills hotel. (In other words, the hotel was just as blah as the trip.)

The two "events" we were most looking forward to were that night and the next morning. For example, we bought 10 p.m. tickets for the Haunted Hayride. The event is so popular, those were the only tickets I could secure!  The next morning, we would head to the SUP Witches Festival at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow, NY — a craft fair and music festival with an interesting twist. Here is the newyorkcity.explore Instagram post:

Hundreds of witches are taking over the Hudson River this weekend! 🌊

Join the SUP Witches Festival as costumed paddlers glide across the river, transforming SUP boards into floating spells, and bringing legendary Halloween vibes to the waterfront. Expect:
✨ A wicked paddle parade
🎶 Live music & DJ sets
🍂 Food trucks & “witchy” treats
🛍️ Vendors, spooky goods & more
🎭 Appearances by the Headless Horseman

Before the hayride, a block party kicked off at 5 p.m. (We arrived around 7:30.) The block party featured all kinds of food, craft vendors, and two music stages--one for a heavy metal cover band and one for a "pop-music" DJ.  Lew and I enjoyed the block party — even dancing to a song or two. The boys walked through it and plopped themselves down on the sidewalk. All I could do was hope they would, at the very least, enjoy the hayride.

Around 9:30ish, we walked to the fire station to find out about our tickets. Should we stand in line now? They suggested we should, but I almost fainted when I saw the line stretch a pure mile down the road. "This is the line?" I asked, hoping I was wrong.  I wasn't. To make matters worse, there was some type of problem during the hayride. (We learned that some local teenagers were causing problems on the trail.) This backed up the event for TWO HOURS!  So, we didn't stand in line for 30 minutes to go on our 10 p.m. hayride. We stood in line for TWO AND A HALF HOURS, getting on the hayride at midnight!!!!

The Haunted Hayride's advertisement reads...

"Climb aboard the Sleepy Hollow Haunted Hayride and hold on to your head! All seems well when you board your hay wagon in the brightly lit streets of downtown Sleepy Hollow. The journey begins innocently enough. Rumbling off into the dark, you realize too late you are heading down the Albany Road past the Old Dutch Church, following exactly Ichabod Crane's flight from the Headless Horseman. Then you're through a set of iron gates, and the wagon slips into the dark woods of the hollow. Clattering across a wooden bridge, you start to hear shrieks and the sound of hoofbeats...[when the Headless Horseman makes his appearance]."

The hayride itself was cool. We rode right through the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and heard shrieks until we came to nearly a mile of ghoulish, creepy costumed characters and scenes. Before getting to the scary part of the hayride, I enjoyed the trip through the city and up through the cemetery. The sky was super clear, and I pointed out a shooting star (meteor) to Lew and Lewie. We watched for more and saw others...

Unfortunately, the two-and-a-half-hour wait on our feet ruined it for the boys. If the trip had left on time, I think they would have liked it. Instead, they were irritated by the wait and thought the ride was too expensive. They were right; each ticket cost $50! However, none of them had to pay for their own tickets — Sue and I bought them! With the ride lasting nearly an hour, we didn't arrive at the hotel until well after 1 a.m. We were exhausted!

The next morning, we ate breakfast at a diner across the street from the hotel and headed out to the SUP Witches Festival. The location, skirting the Hudson River, was absolutely beautiful, and we arrived right on time to watch 100+ witches "take flight" on their paddleboards. Off to the lighthouse, they went! Unfortunately, from our vantage point, they looked more like black dots on the water, but there are some great pictures of the witches up close online.

Photo by Chris Mantz / Photos on the Fly, Courtesy of Rivertowns SUP & Yoga

We had a beautiful day for the festival, and while I enjoyed checking out the craft vendors the most, it was also cool to "people watch." There were families there for a Sunday afternoon outing and tons of people dressed up as witches. Some dogs were dressed up, too!

After 40+ minutes (maybe less), the boys were bored and wanted to go home. I suggested we take a walk to the lighthouse and back, but I was outnumbered. We walked back to our car, ready for the quick 1-hour-and-15-minute ride home.  

There was much hope for this trip, but it was not a favorite. In the end, it made me leave, wondering if the boys are just getting too old for excursions like this. I hope that's not the case, but with Lew's two friends going to college next year, this will be, more than likely, our last Halloween boys' trip. 

Rehoboth Beach with the Boys

Ever since our first trip to Rehoboth Beach, I secretly wanted to return during Lewie's teenage years. In my mind, it would be the perfect teen vacation, featuring the beach, the boardwalk, delicious food, bike rentals, a water park, miniature golf, and endless rows of shops. Then, once Lewie formed a group of friends during middle school, I knew the question of going on this trip wouldn't be "if," but "when."

After years of secretly planning it, I decided this year would be "the year." For one, Lewie is sixteen, and his friends are seventeen. Two, a few of his friends had already started working. I knew if I didn't plan it now, the following year (with college on the horizon) would be a bust!

On June 23, Daddy Lew and I entered our living room at 4 a.m. and woke up Lewie with his two friends. It was time for us to pack the large SUV and drive to Delaware. We didn't want to chance CT, NY, or NJ traffic, so we got an early start and luckily had a calm ride down. We stopped at a diner to eat and then at my aunt's house, which is located just under 40 minutes from Rehoboth. (She has a pool, which is a double plus!)

After visiting for a few hours, we hit the road again to find our condo--a cute three-bedroom rental located about two miles away from the beach. The apartment didn't have beach views, but it was conveniently located next to everything, which ended up being a lifesaver! Also, I loved the open floor plan. With the kitchen and living room being together, I could easily grab something to eat while watching the boys enjoy their time together. Between watching movies, sharing funny video clips, or simply hanging out, there was lots and lots of laughter. Of course, my husband also participated in a lot of the fun, especially watching the movies. 

Our week in Delaware was, unfortunately, a hot one--weather forecasters announced it would be the first heat wave of 2025, and they were right! The very next day (Tuesday), I woke up at 5 a.m. to take a walk through the cute neighborhood. (Rehoboth has such beautiful beach houses and lakes in addition to the shore!) However, when I stepped outside our apartment, I literally stepped into a 90-degree sauna. I took a bottle of water, but after an hour, I asked my husband to come rescue me as I sat under a pavilion trying to regain my energy. The weight of the air and the sun was exhausting! I knew then that I had to plan the next few days around the heat. 

Here are a few pictures from my morning walks.

On Tuesday, we decided to attend Rehoboth's water park, Jungle Jim's, but only in the late afternoon. On the following days, too, we'd stay inside the apartment until 4 or 5 p.m. before venturing out to go shopping, visit the boardwalk, or do any other activities. The heat was just too oppressive, and I didn't want to risk the boys getting burned, or worse, having heatstroke. They showed no interest in leaving early either. Instead, they'd sleep in until noon every day, have a late lunch, and watch movies.

We stayed until the park closed. I wanted to take a few shots of the lazy river
since it brings back such great memories.

After our day at Jungle Jim's water park, we spent the next day at Ocean City, Maryland. I, personally, had never been there, so I was more excited for this excursion than anyone. I paid for a boat ride to see the wild horses on Assateague Island and take in the coastal view of the boardwalk. Then, I planned for us to ride through Trimper's Haunted House together, where we sat in rolling coffins and were continuously spooked by Michael Myers. (I swear he'd show up behind me at every corner. I'm glad my heart is still ticking!)

After the Haunted House, I let the boys know they could use the rest of their time to explore. However, before we parted ways, Daddy Lew and Lewie's friend, Noah, decided they wanted to ride the Slingshot--a ride that catapults its victims into the air while spinning. In fact, the Jolly Roger Pier Amusements describes the ride this way: "The ultimate thrill ride will have even the biggest daredevils quaking. Strap in, hold on, and prepare to be shot high into the sky. You can hear the screams from 10 blocks away!"

While Hubby and Noah were quaking in their boots, my pocketbook was quaking in my arms. At $35 each, the Slingshot costs about the same as buying two tickets to enter our hometown amusement park for the day... In fact, after they were shot into the sky the first time, the person in charge of the ride asked if they wanted to go again for an additional $10 each. This time, he would show them what they needed to do to make the Slingshot spin... Did they say, yes? Absolutely, they did. Cha-ching! 

This is the picture from the Jolly Roger Pier Amusements website.

After the wild ride, the boys left us to explore the boardwalk, but not for long. After 40 minutes, they called to let us know they were already waiting by our car to go back to the apartment. Say what? Why? Their answer--it's too crowded and too expensive!

I'll admit I was a little bummed about our Ocean City visit. For one, the boat ride was advertised differently. The description made it sound like we would be going on a mini-ecotour where we could see the wild horses up close and learn about the island. Instead, our boat driver, probably only a few years older than the boys, pointed to a few dots in the background. "There they are... See, one of the horses is rolling on its back!" I could see it, but in less than 20 seconds, they were out of sight. The rest of the trip was a ride back and forth to the pier with country music blaring in the background. I finally intervened and asked if he could play some songs we liked — after all, I was paying for a private boat trip just for us! I was also bummed that the boys were so eager to leave. For me, I could have stayed at the boardwalk all night--visiting shops, people watching, buying ice cream, etc. My husband sided with the boys. "After you see the first 1/4 of the boardwalk, you've seen it all," he shrugged, "the boardwalk just repeats itself with the same corny shops." What could I do? I was outnumbered. I didn't think they were corny shops. I wanted to relive my youth. In fact, I chuckled to myself as I saw that some vendors still continue to sell hermit crabs. When I was thirteen, I bought one in Wildwood, NJ, to give to a friend.

On our last day before leaving to go home, we spent time at the outlets and then the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. I wanted us to rent bikes during our stay (like I really, really, really wanted this to be part of our Rehoboth Beach experience), but the days were just too hot! I did have a chance to go to a few shops, and Hubby and I were able to sneak away to have a quick bite to eat, but admittedly, the time went by fast. In a flash, the trip was over, and it was time to drive home (which was more complicated than the ride to get there).

Noah got a henna tattoo. I didn't expect him to get a spider!

I left with mixed feelings about the trip. There were moments of pure joy, of course. For example, I LOVED going to Jungle Jim's, spending hours upon hours riding their lazy river and going on a waterslide with Hubby. I could tell the boys really loved Jungle Jim's, too. Seeing the boys in the living room laughing and spending quality time together was another highlight. Now that they are starting to work, and two of them will be seniors next year (not Lewie), I wondered how much time they will get like this again. 

Truly, my disappointment with the trip comes from my own perfectionist views. For more than ten years, I had built up this trip as a kind of fantasy — one where the boys spent every day riding bikes, frolicking on the beach, goofing off in the arcade, and just being teenagers on the boardwalk. I guess I was planning the type of nostalgic vacation I would have wanted back in the day... Don't get me wrong; the boys had a good time, but I don't think the boardwalk provided the same type of excitement for them as it had for me when I was a kid. 

On my last day at Rehoboth, I dragged my husband to the Zoltar machine. "Lew, we have to check it out! It's the same Zoltar machine from the movie Big (which is my favorite movie of all time)!"

I fed the Zoltar machine the only dollar I had and prepared to make a wish. Rain and wind started to pelt down on our heads. "Really?" I thought. It's been 100 all week, and now we have wind and rain!

Zoltar is more advanced now. Instead of producing a card, he speaks. His eyes turned red, his mouth started moving, and he said these lasting words: "Zoltar says, get your hands ready, and now move them to your pockets. Good. Now feed me another dollar." 

My wish, just like my fantasy for this trip, disappeared into the ether.