Cape Cod Weekend | A Classic New England Clambake & Emma on the Beach

**I'm re-sharing this post from our trip last Memorial Day Weekend to Cape Cod.  This year in our Cape Cod-style house we've hosted two parties and will have attended two others by the weekend's end of both new and old friends.  While I miss our vacation lifestyle with weekend excursions to fabulous New England locations, I love being settled into our new house in our "home" city.

Emma's on Summer break this week, so my blogging might be sparse... but I'll be sure to take a lot of photos of our projects.  I hope you're having a great weekend! 

Jenny
.....

Last year when we first moved to the Boston area, we drove out the Cape to see what it was all about.  We came across the beautiful Chatham Bars Inn on our driving tour- it was picture perfect Cape Cod.  It went right to my list of 'musts' during our stay in New England.

On Thursday last week I got the itch to get out of town.  I needed that feeling of freedom.  That mind clearing, its the weekend, free from the computer, free from laundry, give me a cocktail feeling that only a vacation can give you.

After a two hour drive we were transported to the grand and stately Chatham Bars Inn.

The moment we entered, I was taking design notes the entire time, noting fixtures, upholstery choices, drapes, the subdued color palate and the refined, yet comfortable feeling the rooms had.  I was thinking, "I would love for our future home to feel like this..." Then the inevitable day dreaming of our future 'perfect' home/life begins.  My mind starts racing- how I long for a stately home to fill with unique finds, comfortable furnishings and pieces full of character... budget?  What budget?  Ah, what a lovely life that would be.


 
Then we step out onto the beach.  Restored.  My crazy head stops its babbling and I breathe.  Fresh. Ocean.  Air.

I watch Emma smile at the wind in her face.   All of those thoughts about needing, wanting, waiting for more seem distant, almost insane to think that they would make us...

Happier.

I think God for vacations...



...that remind us to breath.  And smile. 

Maybe that is what vacations are for.  To get rid of the if, when, if only, then, then our lives will be perfect state of mind.  They wake us up- you're already there.

Enjoy the ride.  And so we did...

At our first official clambake.  Clambakes hold a special place in our hearts.  You might remember that Mike and I have hosted a clambake at our house for the last 3 years... in our old backyard, back in the Midwest.

It was our tradition.   Actually, it was my tradition... Mike was a only guest at my first clambake. 

Clambakes throughout the years...

The Clambake of 2012.



It was almost surreal as we sat there feasting in the sand during sunset with living music playing, a bonfire roaring and lanterns lit.  We missed our friends that made those backyard clambakes so great, but loved celebrating our first clambake with Emma.



Surreal.



Snuggled, getting ready to drift off...



Enter: Daddy 



And time for s'mores.

The view as we walked back to our cottage.



 A great weekend.