Vacation Firsts
neil’s first time using the maya warp sling
our first family photo
edie’s first toe dips in the ocean
edie’s first experience on grass
oh and our first awkward family photo (head over to Naturally Family to view)
Life
Kisses By The Sea
Yesterday we spent the morning enjoying baked goods and coffee from Wildflour Bakery and then we went grocery shopping to pick up food for the week. I can’t fully express how much I love being able to shop at Trader Joes and Whole Foods- wish we had both at home!
After grocery shopping we headed back to the house an but E down for a nap and then we enjoyed lunch out on the deck. Once E woke and ate we put her in the Ergo and headed out for a walk.
The evenoing was spent getting baby down, watching the Yankees and heading to bed early. I was lucky E only woke three times to nurse and we both got a good nights sleep.
Today Neil has to work so E and I got out for a walk around town and have otherwise been lounging around the house. We may go out tonight but we will see, I do know I am thinking Indian takeout sounds good for dinner though.
We’re On Vacation…well kinda.
Last Wednesday I was talking with my parents about their upcoming vacation, asking where they were going and what their plans were. At the time all they knew for sure is that they would be heading to Rhode Island/Massachusetts on Friday and after that they thought they might go to Maine for the week, however they weren’t sure because they couldn’t seem to find any where to stay at a reasonable price. We got to talking and I suggested they try another area maybe western New York (Ithaca area). All this vacation talk got me wishing that we could get away and then my mom said “well it’s too bad that Neil couldn’t word remotely and then we could rent a place for a week.”…that got me thinking well what if he COULD work remotely or take a few vacation days? I immediately called Neil and asked him if could work remotely. He said he couldn’t see why not but he would check with his boss and let me know.
Well Neil got the okay and that is when we started our search for a place to rent, which proved to be a challenge considering we were looking for a place to rent starting Saturday and it was oh Thursday when we started our search. Well our first thought was to head towards Ithaca but after searching for awhile we found that there really weren’t many places available to rent so we decided to expand our search to basically all of New England (VT excluded). We looked at coastal Maine, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, and parts of New Hampshire and Connecticut. We found a few places in Maine but weren’t completely sold on them because of the internet access for Neil to work remotely and because of the distance (because of the bebe). Well finally my mom received a call from a property owner in Rhode Island. We checked out the space online and decided to take it.
On Saturday we headed out first to breakfast with friends, then to visit my Grandma (her first time meeting Edie) and then finally we made the trek to Rhode Island. It wasn’t so bad either- Edie fussed for the first 10 minutes and then three more when wanted to eat. A trip that should have taken around 4 hours and 45 minutes took approximately 7 hours which included one coffee stop, one gas stop and three stops to nurse- not so bad if I do say so myself! Once we arrived I was so happy to see this:
Our bed for the week.
Today we are all feeling pretty tired out after a busy Saturday but I am hoping that after a (hopefully) good nights sleep we will all be more rested and have a great week. Now I will leave you with a tour of our accommodations for the week.
Also any suggestions for things to do, sites to see and vegan friendly places to eat?
oh and just for fun here is Edie upon our arrival to Rhode Island:
Get Your Good Going With Blue Diamond Almonds
Get Your Good Going
Since becoming a mom what gets my good going has changed a little bit since before Edie what got my good going were leisurely evenings out with Neil enjoying great beers and wonderful food, spontaneous getaways, even overnight hikes, and training for races. Now what gets my good going is:
spending time reading or basically doing anything with Edie
sharing evenings with my husband while (when) Edie (decides to) sleep
getting out for family walks
babywearing 
finding time to get in the kitchen and cook
preparing to get back to running and train for a 5k this fall
The mantra behind “Get Your Good Going” and Blue Diamond Almond’s latest sweepstakes on Facebook is:
We came together as a co-op. A co-op for good. Because when you start something good, it only gets better. Good is in every Blue Diamond Almond we grow. In every snack can and Breeze carton we sell. From Whole Natural to Smokehouse to Wasabi and Soy. From Original to Vanilla to Chocolate. It’s a catalyst. It’s contagious. It branches out into every aspect of our lives. Good is conquering a roller coaster, hanging ten with your nine-year old, hiking half-dome with your fiancée, singing your lungs out and whacking a piñata. Good is a wonderful feeling. A magical feeling. An inspirational feeling. And once it gets going, there’s no stopping what you can do. So grab a can or carton of good and Get Your Good Going.
Right now I get my good going by getting to know my new baby girl, finding time to be active and to do things that I love, spending time with my husband, and setting goals (like running my first postpartum 5k).
So now it’s your turn how do you get your good going?
Share below in the comments and then head over and share a photo for the theme of the week on the Blue Diamond Almonds Facebook page for a chance to win a prize pack, oh and get yourself a coupon just for participating!
*This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. All opinions are my own.
Baby Wearing Me Out
Although Edie slept beautifully this morning I was still in need of a little pick me up so I whipped up a 5 Sparrow Snow Ghost Frappe* made with Chameleon Cold-Brew. The frappe tasted just like something you could pick up at a coffee house for an arm and a leg but it was made at a fraction of the cost at home with unsweetened almond milk. I sucked this back quick and I am looking forward to trying the other flavors that 5 Sparrow have including the chai.
After enjoying my coffee frappe I spent the remainder of the day nursing a baby who just couldn’t eat enough; today was one of those challenging nursing days. When I was finally able to take a quick break and Neil was able to have a little daddy-daughter time I whipped up two big salads for Neil and I for lunch.
Ingredients:
leftover potato-summer squash-chickpea hash
radishes
heirloom tomatoes
greens
shredded cabbage
red onion
mushrooms
Drew’s Roasted Garlic & Peppercorn Salad Dressing for me and Lemon Goddess Salad Dressing for him
After lunch I was back at my nursing station on the couch for a few more hours. In between feedings I was able to get a little bit of work done on the computer and played with Edie when she wasn’t fussing to eat or needing to be changed (we went through so many diapers today!).
As a snack I decided to try a Good ‘n Natural bar but after one bite (that I couldn’t finish) it ended up in the trash bin; the texture and flavor was awful. Neil tried the other two flavors that we had but after a small bite of each he came to the same conclusion- they were all awful. So instead I had a KIT’s ORGANIC bar instead which I already knew was tasty.
Once Neil finished up working for the day (he is working from home this week and next) we decided to head downtown to the local wine shop to pick up a few bottles of wine and use our Living Social deal. When we arrived downtown we put Edie in the Boba wrap and she fell asleep instantly so we headed to the wine shop and picked up two bottles of red and a beer for a gift. Since Edie was still sleeping peacefully we decided to stop into American Flatbread for a beer. I had a 6oz pour of Juhlia which is a sahti (for you beer geeks) and Neil had a pint of the TLA IPA (and about 1.5oz of my Juhlia because it was a high alcohol beer). It was amazing to sit outside and enjoy a beer with Neil while Edie just slept peacefully.
This evening I bathed Edie and put her to bed while Neil made dinner (veggie burgers and homemade baked potato “chips”). Now it’s time to sit back, relax and watch a few shows on Netflix before heading to bed.
Today on Naturally Family check out our post on our DIY Nursery Art.
Disclaimer: 5 Sparrow provided me with their product at no cost. I was under no obligation to review them if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.
Thankful (but not for all-nighters)
I have never been one to pull all-nighters. I like to go to bed at a reasonable hour (ie. when I am tired) and get a goodnights rest. Well last night I was shit out of luck because while I wanted to sleep Edie wanted to cry, fuss, bounce, nurse, and repeat. Around 4 AM she finally decided to fall asleep while I side nursed her in our bed and since I was too exhausted and afraid that she would wake up again she slept by my side for the next two hours. Needless to say I am running on about three hours of sleep (thankfully my amazing husband took over bounce duty for a good hour while I slept) and am exhausted today.
Even though I am exhausted it’s hard not to smile at our beautiful baby and be thankful for a number of things today including:
A husband who makes dinner when you are exhausted (and makes enough for leftovers). Last night Neil took over in the kitchen and made us Alicia Silverstone’s Rustic Pasta from The Kind Diet. It was so delicious and he made the full recipe so today we have leftovers for lunch, which is a life saver considering he is back to working (from home–>another thing I am thankful for) and we are both running on no sleep.
I am thankful for water with electrolytes. I don’t know if it really makes a difference but Neil and I both had a bottle of resource® natural spring water* last night and if nothing else we were hydrated during our all-nighter. I like to think that the electrolytes in the water were beneficial for both of us especially after all the bouncing and breastfeeding that was being done.
Lastly, today (and everyday) I am thankful for a beautiful little girl who may have her fussy nights but is otherwise a happy baby.
If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family. This week we have been discussing our diapering plans, Neil reviewed The Other F-Word and our Doula Sarah wrote about her perspective on Edith’s birth. We have also been featuring a photo of the day for our 365 days of photo project that you can check out here.
Interested in sponsoring on Naturally Family? Check out the details here.
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My Favorite Summer Getaways
This summer we are sticking close to home since we now have a baby and Neil took a large chunk of vacation as paternity leave. This is new for us as most summers we fill our time with various short getaways. Since we won’t be getting away this summer I thought I’d take a moment to reminisce about my favorite summer getaways.
Portland, ME
Head out and visit the lighthouses in the evening and watch the sunset and then stop into Silly’s to enjoy some tasty buffalo fries with spicy vegan dip or try one of these vegan friendly restaurants.
Pick up breakfast and lunch at Whole Foods and then take a day trip up to Freeport to do a little shopping at L.L. Bean and the outlets.
Call Allagash Brewery and make a reservation to do one of their tours and sample their tasty brews.
Run the Old Pork 5k or Half Marathon and then celebrate at Novare Res Beir Cafe where they have an extensive beer menu. Not a beer fan? Then stop into Local 188 and try one of their amazing cocktails (okay so I haven’t had an alcoholic one but the virgin versions were amazing).
Head down to the Fore River Sanctuary Trail and go for a walk or a run through the beautiful, well groomed trails.
Oh and my number one must do in Portland, ME is to schedule a foot soak at Soakology <– favorite thing ever.
New Haven, CT
My first to-do in New Haven is to make a reservation at Miya’s Sushi – trust me you need a reservation this place is always packed when we go there.
Stroll around the Yale Campus and stop into Blue State Coffee for a tasty beverage or snack.
Head to Claire’s Cornercopia for vegan pancakes (service here is lacking but the pancakes are tasty).
We always make a stop into Ikea because it’s the closest one to us.
Stop into Edge of The Woods Market and pick up a vegan baked good (I recommend the cupcakes and danishes) and while you’re there pick yourself up a jar of Biscoff Spread <–speaking of Biscoff anyone want to send me a jar?
If you are a beer lover head to Brü Rm. at BAR for a beer and if you’re hungry pizza.
Backpacking on The Long Trail
Pick a part of the trail to hike and either leave one car at each end or arrange a pickup.
Make sure to leave early in the day so you can get to camp at a nice hour so you can make dinner, do a little yoga and enjoy the view.
Make sure you pack a good amount of food but nothing too heavy; my favorites are crackers, oatmeal, Backpackers Pantry pouches and of course a few cans of beer.
Don’t forget to pack extra socks, something warm to wear at night and all the other essentials (see here).
Camping in Vermont and New Hampshire
Head to Franconia Notch in New Hampshire and camp at Lafayette Campground. While you’re there hike the Notch, bike or walk the trails or take the tram to the top of the mountain (and if you dare hike down).
Camp in a lean-to at Underhill State Park a small Vermont state park (one of my favorites) and then take a morning hike on Mount Mansfield.
Camp at Little River State Park in Waterbury, VT. This is one of Neil and my favorite state parks because it has great hiking and nature paths, kayaking and canoeing and a beach area for relaxing and swimming. Tip: the best site (in my opinion) is site number 21 so make sure you reserve it ahead of time!
Where are your favorite summer getaways? I can’t wait for camping and summer getaways with Edith next year.
