Northport and Centerport

As much fun as it is adventuring to fun and far away places while we are in New York, our very best memories stem from home--at least our homes away from home in Northport and Centerport.  Doesn't the Wells house look amazing with its new driveway and addition?

The finished bulkhead and landscaping make the backyard such a fun place to hang out too.  And yes, those would be my children playing sword fight with big sticks.  They may have gotten a few scratches, but no one lost an eye so we will consider it a win.


The master bedroom is positively stunning.  I think I would go up to my room and never come out.

Even the closet is fantastic, thanks to Alesia's interior decorating magic.

And the master bath?  Wowzers.  We could fit our whole family in the shower at once.  Greg looks ready to move in.

It's fun to see some of Jeanette's incredible artwork adorning the walls.

Of course, Janet helped Annika make some pretty special artwork as well.  Annie saved the hair from brushing Addy and Rondack to make this masterpiece.  Too cute, even if it is slightly gross.


A trip highlight was meeting Katie's three rats, Poppy, Ginger, and Clove.

Katelyn is the best rat mama around.  Her four-footed children get pampered with love and attention.

Believe it or not, her rats are super cute, not to mention intelligent.  Naturally inquisitive, they have been trained to be quite friendly as well.  Were it not for the tails, I'd say they make the perfect pet.

Eila got a chance to meet them the next morning.

It was love at first sight.

Thanks for sharing your furry family with us, Kate!

And thanks to the whole Wells family for opening up your Northport home to us.  You guys were so generous in sharing your bedrooms, your pantry, your time...

...and even your giant stuffed animals.


We always feel safe at home in your beautiful harbor.

As for Centerport, while we may not have stayed there during this trip, we sure enjoyed visiting everyone who did.  Here's Grandpa Grandpa with Anders.

I will forever picture Grandpa with his pipe full of Sail.  

For me, the scent is very nostalgic.  I wonder if Anders will remember it likewise.


Such a chill little dude.


The best part about Centerport is getting to play in Alison's pool.  This would be where I learned how to swim.

Eila may have been timid at first, but she was a water pro in no time, floating all on her own.

Aunt Alison is the Fourth of July party guru.  Alesia helped us get ready to celebrate with these patriotic hair-dos.

Nearly ready for the party.  Looks so festive!

We had a little bit of time to kill before the guests arrived so we headed to Centerport beach to try out Alison's kayaks.  You can tell Brooklyn and Eila loved it (as did everyone else.)

Playing in the north shore waves.

We also headed over to Uncle Ed and Aunt Doris's house in Fort Salonga for a brief visit.  From left to right, we have my mom Cathy, Doris, Ed, and Janet.  Ed is my grandpa John Wells's brother.  We got to chat with their daughter Suzanne as well, catching up on news from their family.  Fifteen years ago, Jason and I stayed in Ed and Doris's basement as our very first newlywed abode.  We will always be grateful for their generosity at the start of our marriage.

At last, back to the party.  (We may have been more than fashionably tardy...yikes and sorry.)

While Papa Kay may have forgotten his flag shirt, he carried the real deal as a suitable replacement.

The essence of a carefree summer.

Hanging out on the pool deck with some of our favorite folks.  From left to right, there's Katelyn, Alesia, Eli, Annika, Jeanette, and Sebastian (Jeanette's boyfriend.)

All in all, it was a great party.  Happy Fourth of July, and thanks to everyone who made our New York vacation so special.

We love you!