Days 11 & 12: "My Biggest Regret is When I Laid Down in a Grave and Scurrd My Children"

After a wonderfully relaxing day on the Cape, we piled into the car and headed to our first westward destination: Syracuse, NY. "Why, oh why, would you stop in that forsaken locale," you might ask. My mom happens to live there during the four days a year she isn't traveling.








My grandmother, my mom and me. I know, I know, I look like a giant in this picture.

After an uneventful drive, we pulled up to the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Syracuse, and met up with Mama House. We had light hors d'oeuvres in the lounge and then got changed quickly to meet my grandmother for dinner in Fayetteville (also known as the stomping grounds of my high school years). I got some amazing vegetable pasta dish that I totally intend to recreate and Madie got spinach stuffed ravioli.

And thus began tour de eating 2011.

Seriously, guys, we ate so much food while visiting my mom. So. Much. Food.

The next day, the three of us went to see Harry Potter 2 and we all loved it. Reactions:

Neville turned out real nice. (Madie dibbs'd him before I could.). Ron spoke surprisingly little and was a little too convincing at being a pot bellied old man. And mystery of mysteries: is Snape Harry's father?!? It seems the world will never know. Dun dun dunnnnnn.

Before and after that, there was lots of eating: eggplant, basil and feta pizza; "fancy shmancy" cornmeal crusted salmon (for Mad); Belgian waffles; the list goes on. I can't wait to get back to the gym, I tell you what.

Seriously, though, I have to share how much I totally love my mom. She is just so charming and hospitable. She exudes love and pulls all - family, friends and strangers - into the intimacy of her joy for life. I actually teared up when I was saying goodbye, which I don't really do for anyone. I love you, mama! (Even if you don't like it when I call you that.)