Today I am the mother of two young boys, one a spunky 3.5 the other just 2 weeks old and hanging right now in my baby wearing sling.  My 3.5 year old is at pre-school so I am home with just my little guy listening to the sweet sounds of a newborn as he is cozy and warm and dreaming of, I assume, milk.

At times it has been absolute madness around here, with everything happening at the same time: newborn crying, dog needing to go outside, dinner burning, pre-schooler jumping off the stairs… husband downstairs “cleaning.”  In those moments I can’t help but feel overwhelmed.  Then, the moment passes and all is calm and wonderful once again.  Everyone is helping out and I once again can let myself breath and enjoy my house full of boys. Taking in the moments and enjoying the ride of this crazy wonderful life.

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

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Our Utah house.

Have you ever moved? I’m talking about a major move, one that takes you at least to a new state, if not a whole new region of the U.S. or new a country. We have twice.

Our first move came just as my husband was finishing up his masters degree. Until then we had spent our entire married life, just shy of seven years, in Utah. We both attended school there, and that’s how we met. All of our firsts were there:  first date, first kiss, first apartment, first baby, first home, first grown-up jobs. While we cherished all the memories we created there, we felt we had outgrown our college town. We were ready to move on. When a job listing came up in New Hampshire we figured, “Why not?” Neither of us had ever lived farther east than Utah and we thought it might be fun to give the east coast a try. Our kids had just turned three and 11 months. We figured it was a perfect time to make a big change.

Our New Hampshire home.

And a “big change” it was. The accent, the culture, the weather, the sun rising over the ocean. We felt incredibly blessed to find that my college roommate’s sister had moved to the same city two years earlier. She was amazing in helping us with our transition.

Our new home.

Nearly seven years later (do we see a pattern?) my husband was feeling the itch for a job change. He mostly looked locally  since we were in an underwater home. But there was one job he couldn’t help applying for, and it was in Pennsylvania. We had always gushed about the beauty of Pennsylvania while driving through on the way to visit family, but neither of us had ever imagined we’d ever live there. Our goal was to make it back west, nearer to family. Life has a funny way of taking you where it will. The job offer was amazing. We found renters for our New Hampshire home. We found a beautiful home to rent in the Philadelphia area. We were even going to be near friends who moved there a year ago.  How great is that? Everything came together….in less than a month’s time.

The hardest part about the move this time around was telling the kids. When we told them, Goosey burst into tears and sobbed for a good 15 minutes. She didn’t want to leave her friends, our home, and her beloved school. I don’t blame her. It was all she had known. The boys (yes, we added another child in New Hampshire) were similarly hesitant, but without the intensity. Our challenge, which we had anticipated, was to help the kids with the move.

So, we began talking up the positives of the move.

“We have a new city to explore!”

“You’re going to make new friends!”

“Your New Hampshire friends can be pen pals!”

“We’ll only be a short train ride away from New York City!”

“Washington D.C. is only three hours from Philly!”

“Just think….Amish country!”

Friends, it worked. Within the next 15 minutes Goosey’s eyes were alive as her mind raced through the possibilities. Was she still sad about leaving her friends and her school? Of course. But the potential advantages were outweighing the negatives. She knew it.

The post Moving with Kids appeared first on Boston Mama.

Keene town square

The Keene Pumpkin Festival is the number one, must do Halloween activity in northern New England. There’s nothing quite like it.

Keene is a sleepy little college town in southwestern New Hampshire. In 1991 Keene’s downtown merchant association decided to try to boost business by opening their doors to trick-or-treaters on a Friday night.  They also donated 400 pumpkins to local youth groups to be carved, then displayed in the town square.  In all, there were 600+ pumpkins and a new tradition had been born– the Keene Pumpkin Festival.

The 2012 Keene Pumpkin Festival will take place on October 20th from noon to 8:30pm. Festivities include a children’s costume parade, pumpkin bowling, food and craft courts, a one mile race, a 45-foot ferris wheel, and as always, pumpkin towers.

A jack-o-lantern tower

Every jack-o-lantern donated to the festival will find a place on the square. At the end of the festival the total will be tallied and, fingers crossed, a new record will be set for the most pumpkins in one place. It’s so much fun to locate your pumpkin and to be part of a community effort.  While you’re searching for your pumpkin, you’ll be amazed at the other jack-0-lanterns on display.  Not only are there the traditional carved faces, but you’ll see intricately carved works of art.

So, put it on your calendar, make the trip, be part of some record making while having a fabulous time.

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The post Keene Pumpkin Festival appeared first on Boston Mama.

The wading pool area is located by jumping onto Rt 1 and following the signs to Ipswich Rd and then a right on Asbury St.  As long as you can find Rt.1 then it’s not too much further off the beaten path.  Once inside the park you can follow the road and you will see the pool on your right.  The only cost is a $5 per car parking fee.  Want to pay 0, nada, nothing?  It is possible if you strap on those walking shoes and park at the entrance and walk-into the area (about a mile each way) or you can grab a MA State Park library pass.

A challenge for young kids at the park is the mushroom or waterfall, whatever you want to call it, it is both exciting and terrifying for a youngster.  Will you have what it takes to stand under the cold water and take the plunge?  If you are age 3-5 this debate and daring of your friends can provide a whole day of play.

The water area is gated and also has life guards on duty!  A super safe place to let your kids play in the water; it reaches 2 feet at it’s deepest point.  Another great thing about the water area is there are bathrooms, real bathrooms with sinks and changing tables.  An ice-cream truck makes visits during the day, but I have always brought snacks, sandwiches and drinks to sustain us for the day.  There is no snack bar.  You will also need to bring blankets or lawn chairs because there are some nice grassy areas and some shade, but no picnic tables in the gated water area.

If your kids want a change from the water they can walk over to the playground which is right next to the water area.  If you strategically place yourself in the right location you can watch them in both areas and never leave the comfort of your chair.

We have had a great time at Bradley Palmer State Park this summer and plan to go many more times in the future.  There is still time to soak up some more of summer, so head out there and take the plunge….if you dare.

Taking the Plunge

The post Bradley Palmer State Park- Wading Pool appeared first on Boston Mama.

Boston Freedom Trail

When we have company come into town we always plan to take them on the Boston Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail starts at the Bunker Hill Monument and ends in Boston Common. One of the coolest things about the Freedom Trail is that it’s an actual red brick trail that you follow through Boston. Kids love it because they know they have to follow the red!

Townhomes facing the Bunker Hill Monumnet

When walking the  Boston Freedom Trail we recommend parking near the US Naval Yard at Charlestown. We love the Nautica Garage, which offers affordable parking for the day. While parking here will require a little backtracking it’s well worth the convenience and cost. From the garage, climb Bunker Hill to the monument. Not only will you learn lots about the Battle of Bunker Hill, but the architecture of the homes surrounding the park is gorgeous.

Old Iron Sides

Then head on down to the USS Constitution, or Old Ironsides. The Constitution is our very favorite stop on the Freedom Trail! The sailors are active duty US Navy that dress in period costume.  What’s better than exploring a naval ship that’s been in commission since 1798? And, it’s a free tour!

"One if by land, two if by sea" steeple

A close second in the favorites department is Old North Church. That’s where Paul Revere watched for the lanterns telling him “one if by land, two if by sea”. After seeing those lanterns he began his ride through the countryside to let the minutemen know that the British were coming.

Paul Revere's House

After Old North Church you’ll wander past Paul Revere’s house. Sadly, it’s not a free tour, so I’ve never been inside. But, Goosey went through with her uncle, since they both qualified for the student discount, and she claims that it’s her favorite stop on the Freedom Trail. If you don’t want to drop the dough for the tour take a minute to relax on the benches nearby and marvel at the cobblestone streets.

Gorgeous, old burial ground

Along the Trail you’ll pass several burial grounds where founding fathers and their families rest.  I love the super thin, old gravestones. You’ll also see several meeting houses, churches of note, and the site of the Boston Massacre.

Massachusetts State House

You’ll finish up the Trail at Boston Common where you can enjoy some time lounging on the grass, staring at the gold covered dome of the Massachusetts State House, eating funnel cake, and pondering the fact that Boston Common was originally used for cattle grazing…and still was until 1830.

Boston from the Ferry

Now, here’s our secret when we do the Freedom Trail:  we don’t go back the way we came. Instead, we walk a few blocks to Central Wharf where we take the Ferry to the Charlestown Naval Yard…..right by the Nautica parking garage. We love to finish off the Freedom Trail this way because it’s so cool to take the Ferry around the city and see, from the water, all the places we just walked!

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The post Boston Freedom Trail appeared first on Boston Mama.

Nubble Headlight, Cape Neddick, Maine

Friends, it turns out we’re leaving New England. My husband got a great job offer that will require us to relocate. We have to be in our new city in a month. A MONTH!  So much to do….including some last ditch New England experiences.

We have done and seen lots in our six and a half years in New England, so I’m not rushing to do everything. Phew. Here are some things we’ve already done:

Newport Mansions

Boston Freedom Trail

New Hampshire Seacoast

Boston Museum of Science

Keen Pumpkin Festival

Robert Frost Farm

Storyland

Boston Opera House

Cape Cod

Lighthouses

Mike’s Pastry

Plimoth Plantation

Canterbury Shaker Village

There are a few things I’m thinking we should still do:

Martha’s Vineyard

Nantucket

Minute Man Park

Ben and Jerry’s Tour

Red Sox game

 Climb Mt. Washington

Castle in the Clouds

Old Man of the Mountain

What am I missing? If you only had a month left in New England, or if you were visiting for a few weeks, what would you do? I’m pretty sure we don’t have enough time for all of that, so what would you choose?

Thank goodness it’s summer so we have some flexibility to get out and go!

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The post Experiencing New England appeared first on Boston Mama.

If you have tons of zucchini in your garden right now too- or if you want to go out and buy some at the local Farmer’s Market or store, this is the recipe for you.  Really easy, quick, and heck a tasty.

Follow the link and enjoy!  After you make it let me know what you think or if you did anything differently when cooking.

Garden Zucchini Lasagna

The post Zucchini A Plenty? Garden Zucchini Lasagna appeared first on Boston Mama.

My son, on the other hand, adjusted just fine, taking his traditional three days to adapt and move on.  Moving to pre-school meant leaving behind the small class where the teachers had the time to welcome you each day and brag to you about how wonderful your child was that day.  I have to admit I liked that, I liked that A LOT.  At pre-school, kids are here, there and everywhere.  At some point they all come together and have a structured day, but it’s busier and less warm and cozy, which again was a hard transition, for me.

In an effort to help you with the transition, here are some tips that I have learned at Pre-School:

1)      You are going to have to learn the rules.  Oh yes there are rules at pre-school that you just might not have at home.  Good rules like no running, screaming, or throwing toys.  We had to learn a lot of rules and grow up a bit.  No running in the house, yep now Tommy tells us we need to use our walking feet- he seems to like rules.

2)      You have to play nice and ask questions.  You can’t grab, or push to get your way.  You have to ask your friend if you can give them a hug.  Now at home he might say, “mama can I give you a hug.” UM YES.  I’ve learned that not everyone likes to be hugged spontaneously.

3)      You have to speak up to get attention.  With 23 other kids and 23+ other parents wanting your attention the teacher’s time is limited.  If something is really important you have to speak up and figure out a way to make them listen.  Maybe that means waking up early and going in a few minutes earlier, before the drop off rush, or asking for a time to talk or phone them or using some kind of journal.

4)      You have to Let go and let things be.  One of the hardest lessons to learn in life.  Yes, your son might stay in his swimsuit all day (ugh) or he might come home with a pull-up on (double ugh) but in the big scheme of things is it worth the argument?  You have to decide this for yourself, I am still learning.

5)      You have to label everything.  Everything!  In a classroom of 8 you assume — and you’re probably right — that everyone knows the blue knit blanket with swirls is your sons, well in a classroom of 24 if it’s not labeled you can bet it will get lost. Once again Label Everything! Here’s a link to my giveaway for Loveable Labels.

6)      You should send more food.  Even if your child eats a sandwich and an apple everyday at home she/he might eat more at pre-school.  All the running around and watching of other kids eat might make them extra hungry.  Throw in a cheese stick and granola bar and you won’t be told your kid is hungry and you’re not bringing in enough food.

7)      You might meet Bullies.   I hate to even think about this but yes even at 3-5 years old there are bullies.  I learned this the hard way- my husband saw my son get pushed by a bully kid.  It’s already time to start helping your kids deal with this not so fun part of life.

8)      You’re not suppose to yell at the Bully kids.  After he saw our son get pushed my husband yelled at the bully kid and made him cry.  We learned that is not allowed and you are suppose to tell the teacher because that’s what the kids are told to do (can’t help but being proud of my husband though).

9)      You will be amazed at how much they learn!

10)   You will be amazed at how much they grow!  

Pre-School is an amazing place.  Your little one becomes a kid who is learning and growing up right before your eyes.  I was shocked when I realized my son could count to 10 in Japanese and that he knew all his nursery rhymes.  He also knows how to play well with other kids, share and clean-up (when we sing the clean-up song).

I hope these tips help in your transition to the pre-school room from home or day care.  It might take you a little bit longer, but I am sure your kids will do just fine.

Apple for my Teacher

The post What I’ve Learned at Pre-School appeared first on Boston Mama.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about names, namely because I am about to name someone in a few short months.   It is a lot of responsibility and a very personal decision that each parent has to make.

I remember when we were contemplating a name for our son Tommy I had the same thought- how will we ever decide.  Then like it was meant to be one day it just clicked and we both said at the same time, his name is Tommy.  Ok I’m just kidding it wasn’t that easy at all.

First we looked up names, asked our parents, crossed off names that rhymed with bad words, and then created a list of possibilities.  It is true that one day we did both agree that we liked Tommy and decided that it must be meant to be, we did walk down the aisle to Living on a Prayer.  Tommy use to work on the dock…. Thanks Bon Jovi.

Now our other child, Skyfox, was already named when he came into our lives.  When I signed the adoption papers I thought that Skyfox was a ridiculous name and planned on changing it right away. We never changed his name, after spending time with him the name grew on us and we realized that his name fit his spunky fox man personality perfectly.

Skyfox is my name

Some religions and family traditions make it a little bit easier by narrowing down the search a bit for the parents.   I am told that some folks choose to name their children using a letter from a deceased relative.  Others add on a II or III or IV to the end of a family name and call it a day.  Still others might move a maiden name to the middle or first name of the child.  All interesting ideas, but that’s not going to work for our family.

Another thing adding to the difficulty of naming our child is the fact that we have met quite a few people at this point in our lives.  Even if you love your ex-boyfriends name you certainly are not going to name your child after him, that’s just weird.   And what about that guy who you suspect took your lunch out of the fridge last week at work, yep that name’s off the list.  Another contention is friends and family beating you to the punch…  I want to make sure our son has something that is all his own, but a lot of the good ones are taken already.

The countdown begins just three more months to contemplate and think about your name baby Grant.  I hope you like it, it fits you, and you don’t change it to a symbol someday.

The post What’s My Name Fool? appeared first on Boston Mama.

Dogger recording his love for NHPR.

When my husband got a job offer in New Hampshire I had to look at a map to see which state was New Hampshire and which was Vermont. Being a Pacific Northwesterner, my east coast geography wasn’t so good (and I’ve found that easterners’ west coast geography isn’t so hot either). Not only did my geographic knowledge lack, but I didn’t know anything about the culture or political climate in New England. We might be one united nation, but each region has distinct traditions and methods for doing things.

How was I to learn these things? I struggled for a few months to grasp things like aldermen, old home days, and the pronunciation of place names. Then one day, almost by accident, I stumbled upon New Hampshire Public Radio. The state and region suddenly became accessible to me.

I learned about the economic struggles of the North Country, the founding of Old Home days, how to pronounce Coos County (far different from the Coos County in my home state of Oregon), and who was currently serving as governor. I soaked it up. I made my #1 preset radio station NHPR.

I often interact with people who grew up in New Hampshire and they are always surprised by knowledge of state history and current events. They ask me how, when I’ve only lived here for a few years, do I know so much about the Granite State? My answer:  NHPR makes me smart.

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The post Public Radio, My Source of Knowledge appeared first on Boston Mama.