My Favorite Sound

Eagles go Apple Picking

Rita,Desie,and I attended the Boston College(Go Eagles!)School of Social Work together.

The obligatory baby with pumpkins picture

Desie and I were roommates during our BC days. She had come for a visit from Colorado,and was meeting Sophia for the first time.

Our outing started with lunch at the Noon Hill Grill in Medfield, MA. It is housed in an old train station, and has delicious food.

About ten minutes down the road is Jane and Paul's Farm in Norfolk. We love it here for picking everything. Unlike many of the other farms in the area there is no admission fee and no crowds. In fact there was even free hot apple cider.

For three dollars you could purchase the hayride/corn maze package.

We picked incredibly sweet corn that a few hours later became corn fritters.

The 1/2 bushel of apples we picked became apple crisp for dessert that night, apple dumplings the next evening, and went into baked oatmeal the following morning.

Fortunately Sophia led Rita's boyfriend Steve, and the rest of us, out of the corn maze safely. 

South End Date

It wasn't an intentional date....it could actually be considered a first date.....a first date post-baby....even though the baby was with us.

Before her birth, babysitting offers had been made. I planned to accept them all, and rotate them on a calendar of weekly date nights. We had been given a coffee shop gift certificate, which I had intended to exclusively ration for these dates.

When she arrived it wasn't fear for her safety...or exhaustion from sleepless nights....or busyness in trying to accomplish necessary non-baby tasks....it was the thought..."if we got a babysitter...we couldn't hang out with Sophia". 

When she was ten weeks old we went on a proper date, but before then there was this impromptu and memorable evening....

Walking through Boston's South End.....my favorite part of the city.....enjoying the architecture, live music in the park, and summer evening breezes.....while Sophia slept in her stroller.

Dinner at Francesca's cafe.....Joshua held the baby so that I could finish my meal....our wedding song, "Our Love is Here to Stay", came on the radio. For dessert we split a Chai Milkshake, something we have now added to our home recipe repertoire (chai tea latte concentrate + vanilla ice cream in a blender).

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads, "For Everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven". So, there is a time for dates with babies, and a time for dates without babies. 

Despite our resolve to savor her littleness....the time for Joshua and I to spend alone together has not been put on pause between Sophia's birth and after she moves from our home. In fact we believe that investing time in our marriage is one of the best gifts we can give her.

Lately our dates without Sophia have been closer to home. As in, on our living room couch, immediately after the bedtime routine, featuring bowls of ice cream and a debriefing of the day.

Fall Foliage

Sophia and Elyse have been friends since birth. Actually several weeks prior to Elyse's birth we have a picture of Sophia sitting on her head while Elyse was still in her mother's tummy.  

 On a beautiful fall day we joined our dear friends Kim and Alex to bring the girls on a foliage hike.

We went to 'World's End' in Hingham, Ma, about a fifteen minute drive from our home.

With one trail side diaper change and a few shift changes with the carriers, we were able to complete the four-mile loop.

Seeing the city beyond the tree line reminded me how fortunate we are to enjoy this beautiful setting, and Boston, so easily.

The leaves were just starting to turn and did not disappoint.