Maine

Despite how often we travel as a family, our trip to Portland, Maine was the first time we went away together that wasn't to visit family and friends or a work trip for Josh since 2011. We planned this Valentine's day/President's day weekend go to my favorite city in the world.

We bought a two day pass to the Children's Museum of Maine, where Sophia ran immediately into the ball room before we had even bought the tickets. She loved carrying her own bucket to gather the balls and run them down the track.

Since we were there on a Friday, Sophia got a front row spot at the 'Tidepool Touch Tank'.

She spent the remainder of our time at the Museum trying out various career options:

    Grocery Clerk    

    Fire Chief

Ship Captain

Gas Station Attendant

 Dairy Farmer
(it runs in the family)

Lumber Jack

Chef/Waitress

The majority of our dining was provided by a grocery run to the Portland Whole Foods. We did get 'Sicilian Slabs' at Micucci's Grocery for dinner one night and walked half a block to the Front Room on another evening to get out of the house for the first time that day after there had been a blizzard with a parking ban and enjoyed grilled sandwiches.

On Valentine's day the three of us shared a Chai potato donut.

The last day of  our trip we spent snowed in.

Note the top of the outdoor umbrella, compared to the height of the snow!

The Dominican Republic

Jeannie is one of my best friends from high school. She moved to the Dominican Republic six years ago, with the initial purpose of serving in the Peace Corps. Now she lives there as an English teacher with her husband Cesar, who was born and raised in this beautiful country.

When we arrived they immediately brought us on a three hour drive to Samana, a Peninsula town on the North Eastern coast of the Island. We spent several days enjoying the beach before heading back to the capitol.

The condo owned by Cesar's family.

Sophia taking an open air nap.

Sophia attempting to pry open a coconut.

An early morning walk with the beach all to ourselves.

Santo Domingo:

Jeannie and Cesar's apartment in the capitol.

Watching the preparation of our fruit salad.

Going to see live music and dancing.

Goodbye Brunch (but then Boston snow cancelled our flights for two more days!).

Excavating

The day after the first snowstorm of 2015, indoor activities included Joshua serving as Sophia's hairstylist:

Thanks Aunt Aimee for the hair clips!

When it was time to dig out, the several feet wide snow walls created the perfect barriers to keep Sophia from the cars as we shoveled:

A few days earlier Sophia was eating a poppy seed bagel, and became distressed by the seeds that had fallen all over her tray. 
She had a similar reaction to the snow all over her gloves:

When we came back in, Sophia decided to turn herself into a creature with the clothes left out to dry:

Snow Day

Sophia's cold, snow drifts taller than her, and wind gusting at blizzard speeds, resulted in us watching Storm Juno from the inside, and playing with the 'snow' her Dada helped her to make, including her first 'snowman'.

Snow found inside the door prior to opening it!