Grandma and Grandpa B!!

My Mom and Dad came out to visit during the first week in October. Dad does not love traveling, so it was a real privilage and honor to have them BOTH here for week. We did our best to show them all that the upper valley has to offer. Luckily they came just as the fall colors were turning and New England really showed off for them.

The one thing my Mom wanted to do while they were here was go on a train ride. Maisy was more than happy to oblige. It was beautiful. We ate chocolate and watched the trees fly by.

We took them to a local farmer's market. They have the most amazing fruits, vegis and foods. It's almost worth going just to talk to the people selling their goods. One woman showcasing her cherry tomatoes told us that if we didn't want one of the pre-packed pints of tomatoes, we were free to go around back and chose "whichever tomatoes spoke to our souls".

Here's a shot of Maisy with her free spirited friends she met there. They were so cool...they ran around with no shoes and a 3 ft carrot in one hand and a raw onion in the other. I think they are trying to make a quick get-away here.

My Dad LOVES popcorn more than any other person I know. We had hardly gotten out of the car before my dad was in line buying some homemade kettlecorn.

Another highlight was going blueberry/raspberry/apple picking at a local orchard. We ate while we picked and left full.

Maisy proved to be a very valuable tool in snatching those hard to reach apples.

She was rewarded with an apple that was the size of her head.

We also spent many hours walking the Trails around our house.

Good Times!

Maisy and Gram

The most memorable thing that we did during Shaun's week off in September (Yes, I am STILL trying to catch up) is Shaun and I took a trip ALONE to Canada.

So, this blog post must start with the wonderful woman who made it all possible.

(Maisy and Gram Feb 2007)

Camille (Shaun's Mom) flew all the way out from Utah, skipped out on work for 5 days, and spent 3 full days entirely with Maisy. Maisy couldn't have been happier about the whole arrangement. Since this was our first extended time away from Maisy, we expected her separation from us might be a little challenging for her. When we called her after arriving in Canada, we were prepared for tears because we were sure she would miss us so much. Instead we got a quick "Hi Mom and Dad" and then she actually said, "I can't talk now because me and Gram are playing with the Playdough factory she bought me". Our ego's were a little sore, but really, we were so relieved she was having such a good time. Maisy and Gram did all kinds of fun things together: shopping, jogging, hiking, building sand castles, etc, etc.

(Maisy and Gram Jan 2009)

We were a little jealous that we didn't get to spend more time with Camille. She had to leave the next morning after we got home. But we were able to have a Lobster Dinner together and Maisy and Gram bravely cooked their own lobsters. It was SO wonderful to have her with us!

Maisy and Gram's play dough Frog Family

Can Do Canada

I asked Shaun what I should title our Canada trip post...he gave me a big thumbs up and said "Can Do Canada". I don't know what that means, but at least it's catchy.

As I mentioned before, Shaun and I took our first trip alone together since Maisy was born. We spent two nights in Montreal and one night in Quebec City. It was Glorious.

I read that Montreal is called "Paris without the Jetlag". We were surprised how foreign Montreal felt. Everyone spoke French, there were great bakeries, distinct architecture, lots of smokers, and beautiful cobblestone streets.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame.

We went to a lightshow held inside the cathedral. It was painfully cheezy at first, but breathtaking when they removed all the coverings off the ceiling to reveal the ornate architecture, painting, sculptures, and stained glass.

Old Montreal

This is a shot of us missing Maisy :)

Too good to pass up.

Canada Part II

The last day and a half we spent in Quebec City. It is the only walled city in North America and a Unesco World Heritage site. It was Incredible.

Quebecian biker gang...keep an eye on your valuables

One of my favorite parts of the trip was being able to walk at a leisurely pace down quiet old streets.

A cannonball in a tree....

Chateau le Frontenac, an old castle-like hotel built in the 1800's that is still operating.

Boston 09

In September, Shaun had a week off. We made a few mini-trips that week, one which was to Boston for a day trip.

Before leaving, Shaun had read Maisy "Make Way for Ducklings".

The Public Gardens (I can't believe she got through this shot dry!)

Following the Red Line

Maisy's first carousel ride (that she actually enjoyed).

The Boston Harbor

Boston Commons

Maisy's Inaugural visit to Fenway. She has since decided that "Big Papi" is her favorite player.

We were able to meet Scott and Rachel for the game. It was such a blast. We had perfect weather, the Red Sox won, and best of all, good company (including the ya-hoo who snuck in our picture). We are so glad they live close!