Lake Placid and the Adirondacks

On Saturday morning we packed up the car and headed north to Lake Placid. We had an incredible afternoon with temperatures in the low 90s! Lake Placid had snow on Thursday! Because the snow is still melting, we were advised that hiking wouldn't be very enjoyable because of all the mud. So, we enjoyed the views from our car as we made our way through the Adirondacks.
The snow is melting quickly and there were tons of little water falls gliding down the rocks.
I can't remember where we were when we took this picture. I guess that can happen when you're up in the mountains. It was all gorgeous but it also all started to look the same!
We got to Lake Placid and had lunch at a little restaurant with outdoor seating. It seemed crazy to be lathering up the sunscreen when just a few weeks ago we were wearing winter coats!
Gavin is in a phase where he enjoys feeding us. He got a kick out of shoving french fries in Adam's mouth.
"What, so I have ketchup on my face- who cares?!?"
Gavin thought the lake was pretty cool. I personally enjoy how chunky Gav's tummy and legs look in these pics.
Side view- what a funny little guy!
Yes, he really is this sweet.
After walking around the village of Lake Placid, we headed a little further north to Ausible Chasm. It doesn't officially open for tours until the end of May but we got some good views from the bridge. I guess we'll have to repeat this outing later in the summer when everything is open and ready for hiking. It was still a really nice afternoon and we're so happy to be warm again.

Defrosting: Planning a Spring Day Trip- Endless Possibilities

This weekend's forecast calls for weather in the low 80s. Amazing!! I am feeling confident enough to announce that we survived our first Albany winter. It's funny around here because it's literally like coming out of hibernation. We really didn't see many of our neighbors for months! Now, day by day, people are coming out of their homes and waving hello as they walk by. I have been out in the yard a lot lately and see a lot of my neighbors raking up their own leaves and patching up their lawns. We exchange smiles that have similar meaning, "Yes! We made it!" The trees are slowly beginning to bloom and it's like watching a watercolor artist paint a landscape, one bright green smudge at a time. I'm actually a little obsessed with watching the trees bloom- I point them out to Adam almost every day and I'm sure he's thinking, "Yeah, Jen... I get it. The trees are turning green, shocking!!" Whatever! It has just been brown for so long! 

Anyhow, getting back to our promising forecast- it's time to break out my book about New York State. Adam has the weekend off so we are planning a day trip. We are not going to a museum either! We are going to enjoy the great outdoors and I am trying to decide where to go. I think we're going to head north- where we could go to Lake George, Lake Luzerne, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, or even Lake Champlain. I wonder what separates each lake from the next. Maybe we'll go to Fort Ticonderoga which is a little north of Lake George. We could go up to Ausable Chasm, otherwise known as the Grand Canyon of the East. The photo above is of Pixley Falls State Park- maybe we should go find that place! It is so difficult to decide! Whichever we go with, we will be combining a hike, scenic lake views, a picnic and sunshine. I am really looking forward to the weekend and will post all about it next week. I hope you enjoy your weekends as well- it's definitely tough to beat a sunny Seattle day but we'll give it our best effort.

I'll Take My Thursday with a Side of Nature

I'm having an "I am woman, hear me roar" sort of moment as I look upon my garden space. I am tooting my own horn because I have accomplished this- by myself! I dug up all the grass and tilled it with a pitch fork and shovel. I picked out all the weeds and added bags of garden soil. I went to Home Depot and bought 12 inch pavers to create pathways. I had to carry them one paver at a time with my scrawny muscles but it was all worth it- my garden is ready for planting.
Oh, there were many "I Love Lucy" moments along the way. Gardening, it turns out, is not for the faint of heart. It is not all Gerber daisies and radishes. I came across many "eeeoooh, gross, sick" types of creatures: worms, beetles, grubs and other types of larvae (barf). It has been an education well past googling- "how to grow cucumbers in NY". I have spent hours researching dirt, organic material, insects and pests. Each time I dig up something new, I run inside to google it. Today, I was digging and turning the soil when I thought I had dug up an eyeball! I chucked it across the grass before I realized that it was actually just a marble! I guess after you've been sorting through worms and other creatures, your mind quickly wanders to the dark side. Let me put it this way- I think a good pair of gardening gloves may be the most important tool in gardening. Anyhow- here are a few shots of the completed space- tomorrow I am starting the lettuce, snap peas and carrots. I was going to start those today but I need to watch the sunlight once more before committing. As you can tell, planting a garden is much more than just putting seeds into the ground.

Here is a shot from Friday, after I planted snap peas, lettuce, and carrots...
I constructed little teepees for the snap peas to climb. At this point, just need to cross my fingers, water, and hope for the best!

Puppy Love

Last Saturday we puppy-sat our friends' new dog, Tuck. Tuck is a Golden Lab and is just over 9 weeks old. He is adorable! I was a little unsure about this adventure because Adam was on a 24 hour shift at the hospital- so that left me with Gavin, Starsky, Max, and Tuck! Oh boy! Fortunately the weather was nice so we all ran around in the backyard.
Animal instincts are very interesting. Starsky quickly assumed the alpha-dog role and Tuck knew to not push his patience too much. Max, on the other hand, must give off a wimp vibe because Tuck pretty much wouldn't leave him alone!
Gavin chased the dogs around and threw sticks for them to fetch. He is such a little boy!
Max and his new shadow...
Gavin- reassuring Max that he is his doggy!

Max just didn't know what to make of this dog...
More reassurance for Max as Gavin cuddled him and said, "good doggy!" (or some sort of baby babble that sounded close to it)

Fishies go to Beantown!

On Friday, we drove to Boston. Unfortunately, we did not have the best weather while we were there. We drove through some of the heaviest fog- couldn't even make out the car in front of us. Once we arrived in Boston, we parked and headed over to our hotel. It was absolutely pouring!
Lunch was the first thing on our itinerary- and we knew exactly what we wanted- LOBSTER ROLLS! Gavin enjoyed the french fries and Sarah's lobster bisque. I don't think I have seen him eat so much in one sitting! "Mmm..." "Mmmm..."
We walked over to the Quincy Market and through Fanueil Hall. Julie loved Boston and was trying to figure out which college she wants to attend. Harvard, perhaps? Keep getting a 4.0 and that just might become your reality, little bug.
It's nice that you can depend on Julie to pose for silly pictures.
The North End is gorgeous- we felt like we were walking through our Department 56 snow villages. Boston has such beautiful architecture- a mix of old and new.
Ok, I'll live here - if you insist!
Wondering where Sarah was? This isn't the best picture, but it's Lulu's Bakery! Aren't you shocked?!? Sarah picked up some cupcakes and canolis.

We walked the Freedom Trail from Boston Common to the North End- passing Sam Adam's grave, City Hall, Fanueil Hall, and Paul Revere's House.
Due to the bad weather and an exhausted child- we decided to hang out in our hotel that night so Gavin could run free. Sarah and Julie ordered their dessert via room service- Boston Cream Pies!
Gavin thought his aunts were the coolest as he begged for little bites of pie! Little did we know, we'd soon regret that decision. Gavin spent the next few hours screaming and resisting bed-time.
We went shopping on Newbury St the next morning- it's a beautiful street full of shops located in brownstones. That made it very difficult with a stroller, just too many stairs.
Gavin didn't seem to mind- he crashed out while we took turns wandering in and out of shops. Actually, this is how we all felt by the end of our day. We decided to buy some fresh veggies at the farmer's market, some pasta at an Italian grocery store and head home to make dinner.

All in all, I'd say that my family enjoyed their spring break touring the east coast. We're going to miss the company! There is a lot more to see- come back!

Kathy, Sarah, and Julie take Manhattan!

My mom, Sarah and Julie came for a visit last week and with such an action packed itinerary- I will divide it in two posts. One for NYC and one for Boston- chapters, if you will. These are amazing cities and worthy of their own focus! So let's begin with our two day whirl-wind tour of NYC!
Times Square at night- it really does energize you! We got out of the taxi and were in awe of all the action. I find this part of the city a little too touristy but it's a must-see for anyone visiting- especially at night! We did a quick walk through on our way back to our hotel- not to mention, it's a good place to pick up all that I (heart) NY paraphernalia.
After a successful afternoon of shopping we decided to grab a bite at Cinema: Brasserie. I had been here previously with Adam over the summer. Happily, this place came through again.

We all had a great time here. We ordered dim sum, edamame, and some delicious pizza. We had an awesome waitress who also tended the bar- she served up some of the best cosmos I have ever had. Sarah and Julie had Shirley Temples and a raspberry napoleon to complete their meal. This restaurant delivered everything you want in dining out- fun atmosphere, excellent food and drink, and a waitress that took everything to the next level.
The next morning, we started out by walking over to Rockefeller Center to scope out the Today Show. As luck would have it- Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Natalie Morales were outside. It was actually really fun to see them in person.

Say Cheese! We all shook hands with Al and Julie asked for a pic- cool, right?
We then made our way over to the subway and walked past Bryant Park. For all those Project Runway fans- this is the mecca of fashion week!
We had breakfast at Clinton St Baking Co in the East Village- this was after walking for miles and miles through Greenwich Village and SoHo. This restaurant has been voted one of the best places for brunch in all of Manhattan. Julie ordered their award winning pancakes.
Here is Sarah posing in front of what she considers the best form of art. It was an incredible bakery located in the West Village. She had a very hard time figuring out what to order! Or should I say, what NOT to order!
Central Park- we were so lucky to be in New York on a 60 degree day. It was beautiful to see the trees beginning to bloom. Yet, there were still ice skaters on the Wollman rink. I think Central Park is my favorite part of NYC- without question.
Finally, before we hopped back on the Amtrak- we went to Serendipity 3 for sundaes. These sundaes are enormous! Having just finished that sentence, I realized that it appears that our whole trip was centered around food! I must clarify- this girls trip was centered around shopping AND food! Now isn't that the perfect diet/cardio solution?!?! It was a great time!