'A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in'

I went overboard with this post :) My family and I spent last week visiting my sister and brother-in-law in the Boston area. We made an adventure out of everyday, and since I brought my camera EVERYWHERE I wanted to share! We've traveled to New England a bunch since my sister has lived there, so each trip we try to do something new. Below are some of my favorites from the week.


SAMUEL ADAMS BREWERY TOUR
Can you name the 4 ingredients in beer???










Hiking at BLUE HILLS RESERVATION
This Reservation is known for its rocky hilltops, forest trails, meadows and ponds. It's beautiful. We opted for the red dot "moderate" trail which led us to the Observation Tower that overlooks the city.













PROVINCETOWN, MA in CAPE COD
Each town in Cape Cod is distinctive and has its own character. Provincetown has to be the most unique. The town "welcomes everyone with an open heart." It's at the tip of the Cape, and if you journey up the Pilgrim Monument, you'll get a spectacular view overlooking the town.










WHALE WATCHING - Provincetown
They also offer whale watches.. which I went on the summer I spent in Beantown.. I snuck in a few from that trip :) This had to be the most memorable experience.








NEWPORT, RI
This town is known for so much -- architecture, history, beaches, scenic coast.. and my favorite.. its mansions, which are breathtaking. We went along the coast for the "cliff walk" to get a better view..









Family photo! haha Got to love self-timer..



HOMEMADE LASAGNA
Best way to end the trip with a home-cooked Italian dinner :)




Thanks Sarah and Doug for hosting us! I love you and miss you both!

PATRIOTS VS BENGALS

Well, it has been a busy week and I'm not surprised I haven't had a chance to sit at the computer. One of the things I love most about New England is there is SO much to do! You can never be bored. And Sarah and Doug kept us plenty entertained. Which leads me to this post.. Patriots vs Bengals. The first official game of the season. Was it fate? A Cincinnati fan gets a ticket to the away game.. 5 rows behind the endzone.. sharing seats with the rival. Let's just say (depending on who I ran into), I got a few high fives, a few taunts, and after the game a few sympathy remarks.. But it was a blast. Thanks Sarah and Doug for the ticket!




It's like Where's Waldo... Can you find the lone Bengal fan??? There wasn't many of us..

BEANTOWN, I'm back.

I'm in Boston visiting my sister Sarah and brother-in-law Doug. It's the first time I've been here since they've moved into their new (first) house! I can't tell you how excited I am. Ever since I spent a summer in this town, (Summer in Beantown; Back to Boston) I've had a piece of my heart missing. I fell in LOVE with this city and glad to be back.. even if it is only for a week :) We have a lot planned so I hope to keep the blog updated! We drove here, so it made for a long roadtrip - a good 14 hours! Here's a few from the drive..

'A garden of love grows in a grandmother's heart'

Meet my Nana. She'll be 96 this December. And I love her to pieces. She reminds me age is simply a state-of-mind. Her energy is invigorating. Her words are kind. She's beautiful.



As early as I can remember I could find my Nana in her garden. To this day her yard is still full of flowers, and her kitchen filled with plants.



She started telling me a story about my Dad growing up and was almost in tears laughing! I love this.. so genuine.




My favorite thing about my Nana is that she didn't get her driver's license until she was 60-years-old. 60-YEARS-OLD! She loved walking EVERYWHERE. I could use a few exercising tips from her ;)


She's kept her sense-of-humor. Her laugh is infectious. After every picture she asked, "Have I broke your camera yet?!" Of course I know that's her way of saying, "Are you done taking my picture yet???" :)



Almost every afghan I own was crocheted by her, and she hasn't stopped! She has a gift and it amazes me.


She was a crossing guard for her town for 25 years; she retired at the age of 87.


I absolutely adore her.

176 ACRES

This past weekend I went on a camping adventure with old college friends. Our friend's uncle owns 176 acres of land in Ohio, so we headed there for a mini reunion. The weekend was full of activities.. volleyball, kickball, campfires, grilling, bonfires, hiking (still sore!!), and to top it off--the camping favorite and must have--smores. It was an all-around great weekend and I'm so glad we got together. Here's a few..





Ultimate playing field for kickball


Barely survived this part of the trip..


Yum yum yum..


Ryan, your uncle has such a beautiful piece of land! Thanks again for getting this trip together :)