The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship...

There's not much sweeter than watching our little boys play! Gavin loves his "daw!" As difficult as Starsky has been these last few months, he's redeemed himself entirely by being so good with Gavin. He's extremely patient and takes a lot of abuse from his new pal. Now if we could just keep Gavin out of the dog's water bowl...

Enjoying the last days of summer!

Unlike our Seattle friends, we've been enjoying perfect weather in Albany.   The leaves are just beginning to change color and the humidity is dying down.  Although 88 degrees, there is a nice crisp breeze that makes it really comfortable.  We went down to the riverfront for a walk and took in a little Albany scenery.  The Hudson River isn't exactly clean but it still amazes me to see it and to think of all the history that surrounds us here in Upstate New York.  

A trip to NYC!

We made our first trip to NYC on Saturday! Something about New York just fills me with excitement! I definitely got my metropolitan fix! There is so much to do that you really need to plan out your day so you aren't overwhelmed. We decided that we would spend the day in Central Park while the weather is still warm. It all started with a train ride which Gavin pretty much hated. There were many, many tears! Makes you think "Oh sure, it'd be great fun to take a one year old to the city for the day! How stupid am I?!?" But we survived, arriving at Grand Central Terminal. We then walked down to Gramercy Park to have brunch at Mesa Grill- Bobby Flay's restaurant. The Scrambled Eggs Chilaquiles was fabulous and the margarita was a winner! After brunch, we walked through the farmers market which made me envy those living in the city.
Next, the subway adventures began- fun times with a stroller! It wasn't too bad actually! We strolled the park and watched the remote controlled sail boats on the lake. We then hit the playground but unfortunately didn't see any of the celebrity kiddos- such a misfortune as I was sure I'd meet my new BFF Katie Holmes- haha!

I'm not sure who had more fun at the zoo- Adam or Gav! They both had a great time looking at the animals. Gavin loved the polar bears and listened as daddy told him about the animals. The zoo at Central Park is a perfect size for little ones. There is also a childrens zoo where you can feed goats, sheep, etc. Gavin wasn't too excited about the sheep licking his hands!

We finished our day by having dinner at Cinema: The Brasserie in midtown. It was a great find- they play old cinema on the walls with a projector and the menu is awesome. I had Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Spinach Fettucine in a Lobster Saffron Broth while Adam had the Trio of Sliders with Pomme Frites! Gavin helped the ambiance by napping during dinner!

It was a fun day! Although- did you notice what was missing? SHOPPING!! I didn't go into any shops- which is really appalling! I definitely will be heading back to city in the fall- maybe without the boys!!

Squirrels layoff my acorn!

Carrie Bradshaw once said "squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits!" We have lots of squirrels that like to play in the trees in our yard. I am sorry but I think these "furry little friends" are just nasty. They were bad enough in Seattle but the squirrels here are bigger and have bushier tails. Adam thinks they are cute and that I have "issues." But I agree with our Sex and the City heroin- we're dealing with glorified rats here. Do I stand alone?

Gavin gettin' his hair did!

Gav got his first haircut this weekend- what a big boy! He was super squirmy so dad had to hold him!

Family Outing: Washington Park

Finally a day without rain! We took full advantage and took our "boys" to the park! Washington Park is Albany's "Central Park"- obviously much smaller but a nice place to spend an afternoon. Gavin enjoyed swinging and crawling around with the dogs.

Starbucks, Dave Matthews and Rain- am I in Seattle??

Very drizzly morning here in Albany. I picked up a latte at Starbucks and was headed home when Dave Matthews came on the radio. Nostalgia!! Funny thing about Starbucks: I have never really liked Starbucks coffee but it was everywhere and was the expected coffee/social destination. Having moved here, I love Starbucks now- simply for giving me a little Seattle in the morning! When I tell people that I moved here from Seattle, the response is always the same: "I thought everyone wanted to live in Seattle- why'd you move here?!?" Seattle really is a fantastic city! BUT, there has to be a reason why people choose to live in Albany too! And lucky me, I have 4 years to figure out why that is!! HA! In all fairness, Albany does have a lot to offer. Being so centrally located, you can get to so many cool places in a short amount of time. There are so many awesome options for day trips that you can almost waste your time trying to decide where to go- Montreal, Vermont, NYC, Boston, Adirondacks, Lake George, Saratoga... endless possibilities! So what are you waiting for?? Come on over!!

Dear Starsky and Max, Please stop shedding and while you're at it, please quit CRAPPING on my floor!

There is this rumor going around that when couples get married, they should start with a dog to get them ready for having children. I think this is completely backwards- have the kid first, then get the dog! Because let me tell ya, I spend more time online researching about my dog's mental issues than I do looking up the development of my child! We have been in our house now for nearly 2 months. Gavin has been around for nearly 1 year- it is time to let it go dogs!! Seriously, can we not find some common ground??? For all of my friends considering a dog- please think long and hard because it is no easier than a child. They even talk back and sulk around the house when they are unhappy with you. Don't get me wrong, I love my dogs dearly but today is one of the days when the dog poop has hit the fan! Sit down, chew your bone and pour mama a glass of wine!

Gavin loves his beagles!

Gavin is going to have a very strong immune system with all the dog kisses he shares! He is very close to saying "Dog"- right now it's "Daw"

How much is that doggy in the window?!?

"I wonder if I could escape out this window..." Starsky has had two successful escapes since moving here but I think we've got him trapped now! That is until he realizes he could just dig his way under the fence.

Buckingham Lake- our local park

We have a great park nearby that we like to walk to. It's fun to take Gavin and push him in the swing. I do not know why they call it a lake as it is more like a pond but oh well! There are lots of ducks which Gav likes to look at. The other day we saw a pelican which was sort of odd. After I wrote this sentence I realized just how slooooooow my life is here in Albany! Ducks and Pelicans- SWEET!

A trip to Boston, MA!

Adam had a Saturday off so we made the most of it and headed to Boston. Boston is just 3 hours away from Albany and definitely worth the drive! Boston is an amazing city! We started the day off down at Boston Harbor and then walked the Freedom Trail making stops at Paul Revere's House, Samuel Adam's Grave, and Boston Commons. We ended our day in the shopping district and had dinner on Newbury Street. It was a great day!

Settling into our New Home- Welcome!

So it took me longer than I had planned to get our new blog established but with many subtle hints from our friends- I finally decided to take action! Let me give you the tour!!

Kitchen
Living Room
Our bedroom- new bed- missing bedskirt, duvet cover etc... will get to it!!
Gavin's room- nearly identical to his old room in Seattle.  
Dining Room