Bahston Beans

Union Oyster House

2011-03-07T18:20:00.000-05:00

We ventured to the Union Oyster House two weekends ago. My parents and brother were in town for the Mary Poppins musical.

I was a little (or a lot) afraid that it would be a giant tourist trap with overpriced bad food. The food was delicious. It was on the expensive side but the portions were certainly hefty.

We were even able to sit in the JFK booth.
Patrick, Shawn, Kelly (sorry for the bad photos, they're from my phone)
Mom in a Red Sox seat. I'm pretty surprised she didn't try to steal it. Then again, maybe she's just planning until next time.

Speedy Recovery

2011-03-04T18:17:00.000-05:00

Janet - Lots of love and best wishes for a quick and easy recovery!

Theme Dinner

2011-02-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

3 buck Chuck plus 5 buck cluck does not suck!

Vegas 3

2010-11-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

On our second and last night in Vegas, we hit the major tourist attractions.

Obligatory photo with Elvi (maybe the plural is Elvises?). The guy on the right is by far my favorite.

Shawn's dates for the evening.Headed to the Paris to go up the mini Eiffel tower. (Of course with a 2-for-1 coupon.)
The city lights at night.Bellagio.Beginning of Bellagio water show. It was really neat to watch it from this perspective. Looking north on the strip.Looking south.At the Mirage waiting for the volcano show.Headed to the airport in the morning!

Liberace Museum

2010-11-19T18:28:00.000-05:00

I think it was destiny that made it rain that day. Because of the bad weather, we had ample time to explore the Liberace Museum!

Going to the museum was one of my must see's in Vegas. I am not exaggerating. I was really, really excited...and I had a coupon which makes everything awesome. Sadly, the Liberace Museum closed it's doors on October 17th. But with the magic of old summer photos, I'll give you a glimpse into the sparkle filled experience.Various bedazzled Wladziu Valentino Liberace heads.
Liberace had really simple taste. Yeah right!Sweet rides.

A huge collection of rare, ornate pianos.The museum is split into two sections which are oddly located on different ends of a strip mall parking lot.I know. Liberace would probably be saddened by my outfit's lack of sparkle. At least I had some bright colors on.
Snazzy boots.Now that's one big @ss rhinestone.Shawn's fav outfit. I would pay him big bucks to go to the grocery store in that.My fav outfit. Anytime you can combine patriotism and booty shorts, I'm in.The museum had a replica robe to take photos. I almost ripped it off the guy in front of us. I was just a wee bit excited.Feeling faboosh!Looking mahvelous!Nice kicks.Slot machines.The cardboard cut out that almost came home with us.

Red Rock Canyon

2010-11-17T17:36:00.000-05:00

Shawn and I got to see something happen in Vegas that only a few tourists see...it rained! It wasn't just a passing shower which is normal. It rained for over an hour on the morning we went to Red Rock Canyon.

Red Rock is one of my brother's favorite spots outside of Vegas. It's a natural gem just a half an hour outside of the city. Even though it was rainy, it was still a welcome break from the chaotic scene of Las Vegas.
We had set aside a few hours for hikes and rock scrambling. Since that plan got washed down the tubes, we had some extra time for our next adventure.

Vegas 2

2010-11-15T18:43:00.000-05:00

Years ago, I watched a show on the construction of the Venetian. I was extremely excited to step foot inside and see if they truly made the vibe come alive.

Okay, so it's not Venice (a huge thank you for Mom and Dad for letting me go to the real thing!) but it's pretty darn impressive.
The sky and clouds were spot on. As you walked, it almost felt as though the clouds were drifting.
St Mark's Square.

Lunchtime entertainment. There are regular performances titled "Streetmosphere". We had a great view from our table at Postrio which was delicious!

Vegas 1

2010-11-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

It's Vegas baby!

These pictures are proof of my proudest trip planning moment yet. I bagged the Bellagio for $119 a night! Sure we could have stayed somewhere cheaper but this was the max for the min! It was fantastic and the location was prime. It was easy to walk to most of our destinations.

The bathroom was huge. Sadly, there was no included Tiger like The Hangover (maybe you need to stay at Caesar's for that).
Generally, I'm someone who spends 100% of my time feeling grossed out by hotel rooms. But it was extremely clean. I guess the twice-a-day maid service helps! The Bellagio has five pools that are designed like Mediterranean gardens. They are definitely not the party pool scene that other hotels show. These pictures were taken just before closing but it was really relaxing and serene.

Hoover Dam

2010-11-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

I have a really short attention span when it comes to most things. But when it comes to bridges and dams, I'm all ears.

The Hoover Dam has two tour options: the power plant tour and the Hoover Dam tour. The power plant tour is only 15-ish minutes and you never step foot in the actual dam. No thanks. We went for the Hoover Dam tour.

View of dam from the visitor center. Both tours start with a short introductory film.
Many hats have met their fate by falling down to the cliffs.
It is 726.4 feet from foundation rock to the roadway on the crest of the dam. The towers and ornaments on the parapet rise 40 feet above the crest. There are tons of spooky stairways and hallways.On the way to the power plant portion.Our first dam guide for the dam tour.A little leak or sweating. I really, really, really wanted to stick gum in it like Clark Griswold. The power plant room. It was really beautiful and elegant.For a little sense of scale.Awesome doors.Our second dam guide on the dam tour. This is when the two tours split. The power plant group was done and we kept going!Opening the super secret awesome door.Gorgeous terrazzo tile work.Heading down a passageway toward the wall of the dam. You can feel the heat increasing with every step.
Follow the light at the end of the tunnel.
A bunch of people had to duck to make it down the tunnel. Apparently, that wasn't a problem for me.
They let you stick your camera out of those grates to take picture of the dam. Shawn took these. Neither of us trusted me with the whole expensive camera hanging out the side of a huge dam thing.
Different angles as he rotates the camera.
New bridge, still under construction. Currently the major highway goes on top of the Hoover Dam. It's insane. There are tourists everywhere and it's a major highway. This causes huge backups as traffic comes to a crawl.
One last look out the grate.To get to the lookout, you need to cross a metal floor grate. The tour guide said a decent number of people freak out and won't step foot on it, blah, blah, blah, something about the grate giving way and plunging a billion feet to your demise.
Then there are people who like to stop for a photo op on it.It really is scary when you look straight down and your vision fades to nothing.Back into the thick of the dam.
The meeting point of two concrete sections of the dam. The dam sections are actually constructed to give a little bit and shift as necessary. Engineers take measurements at spots like these to see how far apart the two points are. Measurements scrawled on the wall.This metal bar shows that these two sections have shifted. One has shifted back from the other. It's amazing though. You can barely slip a credit card behind it. That's how little it has shifted since construction.
Stairway to heaven.Stairway to hell.Gorgeous elevator doors.Looking down from the top.If you expand this picture, you'll see some huge fish on the upstream side of the dam. Can you imagine how big these things must be to have us spot them from that high above? Two of the four penstock towers from the Arizona side.The overflow spillway. The water has been low for years but if it gets high enough, it spills uncontrolled through this overflow.That is not where I'd want to end up!

Route 66

2010-11-07T14:38:00.001-05:00

I absolutely needed to get my kicks on Route 66!
After forcing Shawn to take a slight detour on our longest drive of the trip, we hit Route 66.
The longest train ever.
E-V-E-R.
Pulling into town.
There she is, Seligman AZ.

Now this is really where I got my kicks. The Roadkill Cafe. It might not mean anything to you but this was like bumping into George Clooney while grocery shopping in CT. I just didn't see it coming. Growing up, my Uncle always brought my brother and I t-shirts and goodies from his far-flung travels. One such t-shirt was from the Roadkill Cafe and featured the saying "you kill it, we grill it". Could there be anything cooler for to elementary/middle school kids?! NO!!
I was beyond excited and probably gave Shawn a heart attack when I started yelling "stop the car, stop the car, pull over, oh my gosh, stop the car!" My bad.

Grand Canyon - South Rim 2

2010-11-05T17:51:00.000-04:00

One note: apparently it's difficult to keep a blog when you don't have internet. Oh well.

Yippee! The South Rim Visitor Center. It was so much busier than the north and east areas. It actually took a bit of adjustment to get used to the Disney World type crowds.
Shawn said I made a crazy face. Maybe it's an authentic wild animal face, okay?! This one is boring! When we finally took a look over the rim, we spotted the trail that my brother hiked last year. That's right. Nutcase hiked all the way to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. You can't even see it from here it's that far down into the depths of the Grand Canyon.
Shawn and I can both honestly say that we had no urge to follow in his footsteps. Instead we had a drink on a porch swing. Aaaaaaahhh.Behold the beauty. Those matching t-shirts feature multiple wolves, some type of deer, moon, stars, etc. I was pretty impressed.For our stay at the South Rim, I splurged a bit on our accommodations. Hoo boy was it worth it! We had a Bright Angel partial view cabin and it was awesome.

We didn't know what to expect from the outside.
The inside was great. It was big, clean and had a nice renovated bathroom.
But the BEST part was the location. It was directly on the rim trail. We were about 20 feet from the canyon edge. Afternoon ranger talk right outside.
Oh, and the canyon was pretty fab too.
I guess we shouldn't make fun of other couple's shirts. Clearly we have an affinity for bright colors and wicking fabrics.
More California condors.

Sunrise at the South Rim. Taken by Shawn, duh.

Grand Canyon - South Rim 1

2010-10-06T17:39:00.000-04:00

We drove in via the east entrance and made our first stop at the Desert View Visitor Center.The Desert View Watchtower.
Grand Canyon from the South East.Shawn on the tower's stairs.

Page, AZ

2010-10-05T17:30:00.000-04:00

The distance from the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon is only 10 miles. By car, the distance jumps to 220 miles. So we made a pit stop in Page, Arizona.

The Glen Canyon Dam. It's the second largest dam on the Colorado River.
At the visitor's center. Enjoying our first look at Lake Powell.The aptly named Glen Canyon Dam bridge.Scenic view of Lake Powell.It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States. The largest is Lake Mead.Marina. Lots of house boats and party boats.Just outside of Page is Horseshoe Bend. The river makes a sharp curve and it's breathtaking. (Sadly, our photo is not. But we couldn't exactly jump across to the other side for a back lit shot.)King of the mountain.One side of the bend.Queen of the mini mountain.Fun with shadows.I know. I'm sooooo tall and lanky. I get it all the time.

Grand Canyon - North Rim

2010-10-03T08:15:00.000-04:00

Nerd alert! Of the Grand Canyon's visitors, only 10% visit the North Rim.
There she blows!
Not a bad spot for a morning coffee.The closest I got to a mule (or any animal) during the trip.Chilling canyon-side.
The Lodge at the North Rim.We stayed in a frontier cabin and it was great!A lookout. It's kind of hard to get a photo which really shows the scope because it's really friggin big.
Looking up at the Lodge.The man and the ditch.Front row seats for sunset.
Some people being fairly dumb on rocks out over the canyon. Or maybe they just had the chutzpah to finish Angel's Landing!
Pretty much Shawn's dream set up. Tortilla chips, salsa, beer with waitress service, Bananagrams and a front row view of the sunset over the canyon.
Lights from the South Rim. The North Rim sits about 1,000 feet higher than the South.

Shawn says the bright one is Venus and the dimmer one to the right is Spica. After sunset, there was a terrific park volunteer hosting an astronomy program. He brought his own (huge) telescope and was great with everyone's questions.

Bryce 3

2010-09-26T08:52:00.000-04:00

Bryce in details.

Really cool wood.
Crazy evil goat face.
Silly gnome face.Stellar's Jay
One last look over the canyon.

Bryce 2

2010-09-25T09:32:00.000-04:00

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
View from Rainbow Point.
Road along the ridge.
California condor.
Natural Bridge.
A hoodoo hoedown.
From Bryce Point.

P.S. It was actually cold during the night and early morning!

Bryce 1

2010-09-24T17:40:00.000-04:00

Required nerdy super fan picture with Bryce Canyon National Park sign.
First look into the canyon.
Shawn walking along the rim.
The canyon is full of wild rock spires known as hoodoos.The start of the "world's best 3 mile hike". That's exactly what the park newspaper said about the Queens/Navajo combination loop.

Pretending I'm a hoodoo. Duh.
Kissing hoodoos. Smooch!
I think this one is known as ET.
Going down.
Shawn headed to a small man-made arch in the stone.
Looking up.In the heart of the hoodoos.

You really should watch your footing here. (subtitled: extreme overacting in fake scenario by Kelly)Entering the Wall Street section.

Shawn didn't want to take this picture...something about being uncomfortable. I just don't understand.Switchbacks to take you back up canyon. This is when Shawn and I became very happy that we read and followed the newspaper's recommendation to follow the trail in a clockwise direction. This portion was nice and shady while climbing while the other side is completely exposed to the sun.
Back on top of the canyon at Sunset Point!

Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway

2010-09-22T20:08:00.000-04:00

The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway is a 10 mile scenic drive connects the South and East Entrances of Zion National Park. The road features beautiful scenery, switchbacks and the historic
Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel.

Heading east.
It's difficult to see because of the back-lit pic but there's a massive natural arch in the stone face. The highway was under construction while we were there. All of the warnings made us laugh because the total delay added up to about 20 minutes.
View down to one of the highway's switchback. Following the escort car.
Into the tunnel.The tunnel was finished in 1930 and has several viewing windows carved through the rock.Out on the other end of the tunnel. The landscape had changed dramatically.
Big horn sheep.
Another quick tunnel.The drivah. Doing just fine.My attention span is just about maxed out.Oh yup, there it is, now it's maxed out.Sandstone. The texture really shows how it used to be a sand dune.
Finally, a little pit stop at Checkerboard Mesa.
Back to the rental car.

Zion 5

2010-09-18T13:42:00.000-04:00

Here are a few extra pictures from Zion.

Looking down canyon with the Virgin River.
Looking up canyon.
This rock formation is said to look like a pipe organ.
Natural arch in the stone.

Shawn at Big Bend.

Weeping Rock. An easy 0.5 mile trail takes you to Weeping Rock. The water seeps out of the rock here and hanging gardens appear.
The water seeping out of the rocks is 800-1200 years old. That's how long it takes to percolate through the different rock layers. I had to ask Shawn for the details because all I remembered was the water is "old". Then I got lost in an internal debate about whether old water is gross or not, if there could be dino pee/poo in it, etc.

Zion 4

2010-09-15T19:45:00.000-04:00

The day's destination: Scout's Lookout and Angel's Landing.
The Park's description of the trail reads "Strenuous with steep drop-offs and narrow trail. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Ends at summit high above Zion Canyon. Last 0.5 mi (0.8 km) follows a steep, narrow ridge; chains have been added." The round trip hike is 5 miles, takes 4 hours and provides a 1488 foot elevation gain.

Zoom of Angel's Landing.
Looking down from Scouts Lookout.
Beginning of trail to Angel's Landing from Scout's Lookout.
This is the first section. You have plenty of room but there's a drop off of over 1000 feet to the right. This is where a good portion of the hikers decide not to push forward.From there, the trail really ups the ante. The path 3-4 feet wide. That sounds plenty wide until it's paired with 1000+ foot drop offs on either side. There are chains in places and nothing in other areas. It's rocky terrain which causes you to scramble on your hands and knees to get up/down 1-3 foot lifts and drops. Oh, and it's sandstone, so everything is covered with a nice layer of slippery sand.

I was doing fine...until I wasn't. We were halfway through the crazy section when my gut said "no mas, nu-uh, not gonna do it". This picture really doesn't capture how crazy the trial was where I quit. But I said Shawn "take my damn picture and get me off this damn rock".
Shawn, on the other hand, thought the trail was the bees knees. After he got me off the damn rock, we sat for a bite to eat at Scouts Landing. We were treated to a little show from a California Condor.
California Condor in the distance.

On the way up and down, hikers face Walter's Wiggles. The Wiggles are 21 switchbacks that climb the stone face.

Shawn making his way down.
Wiggling my way down.
Someone pretending she's a plane on Walter's Wiggles.
A balancing rock.
Looking down at some more the switchbacks.
Just a bit of a slope on this trail.
At the end of the hike. We're both intact and smiling.

Zion 3

2010-09-14T19:03:00.001-04:00

Here's Shawn enjoying a low alcohol Utah Coors Light on our balcony at the Lodge. The low alcohol beer didn't bother him as much as the caffeine free Barqs root beer. That almost brought him to tears.
Approaching sunset.
As I mentioned, the Zion Lodge is in the heart of the park. This means that wildlife just strolls along beside you. The pictures look pretty now but I promise it makes your heart skip a beat. When the light is fading and you just read through the pamphlet about cougars and bobcats coming out at night, it's only natural -- especially if you're an ex-city now burb dweller who jumped when every teeny weeny lizard crossed her path (who would be such a weenie?). Anyway, it turns out that the most dangerous animal in these parts is the chipmunk.

For us, it was a gigantic mule deer a few feet away. She was just out cruising for a a little sunset snack.

Zion 2

2010-09-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

For our first day in Zion, Shawn and I combined three trails (Middle Emerald Pools Trail, Kayenta Trail and the Grotto Trail) to make a loop. The trail first climbs up the side of the canyon. From there, you follow a ridge that's partway up the canyon wall.

From the ridge, looking down canyon.
Shawn, looking up canyon
There's the ridge that we're following around. If you enlarge the image, you can see little itsy bitsy hikers.At the Emerald Pools.
The pools.
Back down on flat ground along the Grotto trail. The loop we hiked followed a ridge in and out of this nook.

Zion 1

2010-09-11T12:02:00.000-04:00

Our first glimpses of Zion National Park.
National Park super fan at the visitor center.
Look Shawn, there are so many canyon features and destinations!
Following the park shuttle up to the Zion Lodge.
Zion Lodge is in the heart of the park and is surrounded by fantastic scenery. It is the only in-park lodging and lets you get up and out into the park immediately.
Looking across the lawn at our motel building. The Lodge also offers historic cabins.

Death March of Fun 2010

2010-09-09T21:17:00.003-04:00

I can't take credit for the term. My brother coined it on a family trip growing up. It has stuck. So has the idea behind it - when on vacation, you must be having fun all day, every day.

For a moment, I just may have tricked Shawn. Here he is relaxing with some music and a pool view.
Sure Shawn, we are only going to do awesome things at a relaxed pace like enjoy our first taste from the famous In-N-Out Burger.
Then I was all "DRIVE MISTER". "Haven't you studied the printed copy of our fun agenda which is jam packed with fun things in fun places, all day, every day?!?!"

The Big Day

2010-08-27T16:29:00.000-04:00

Without any further ado, here's the big day! Fantastic, beautiful, fun, creative and fabulous!

These images are stolen (perhaps borrowed without permission) from Chris Rutsch. As you can see, he is a fantastic photographer.

Daddy's Little Girl

2010-08-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

Ta-da! (this whole series was taken by Meg)
Serious pose.Ooooh Daddy, get ready!
Here comes the bride!
There are some things that never change. You can grow up, get your license, go to college, fall in love and move to Canada but you will always be your Daddy's little girl.

Wedding Prep

2010-08-16T19:20:00.000-04:00

For the reception, Nolan and Lindsey had the cutest bags of caramel corn for the guests and pinwheels and fairy wands for the kids. Here we are bagging and tagging the popcorn.
We love crafting!
The wedding was full of personal details. It was amazing and made the day so special. Here are the butterfly place cards.
Vishal, the bridesman, earning his keep. I can't express how much I love this picture!
Just a glimpse of some of the details as we were setting up.
After just a few craft projects :) , it was time to begin the wedding prep.

No biggie. Just a bride having a little asthma attack on the way to the hair salon. It's her big day, she can do what she wants!
Tres chicas in the back. After this picture, I think it's clear that Meg and Liz need to give me a lesson on how to avoid a double chin.
The bride getting fab.
My shirt matches the stylist's hair. Melis texting her hubbie about their baby. Linds still getting fab.
Makeup time. (pics by Meg)
Meg's attention span at work.
The father of the bride says he's ready.
Bridesmaid dresses ready to go. (all dress pics by Meg)
Beautiful details on Lindsey's dress.
BA-BAM! THE D-R-E-S-S!!!

Puppy Party

2010-08-13T17:14:00.000-04:00

Lindsey and Nolan went above and beyond as the bride and groom. Before their wedding, they hosted 7 guests: 5 people and 2 dogs (in addition to their own 2 dogs)!

Moose and Kobe made the drive up from Florida. Here's Moose relaxing on vacation.
Kobe wasn't in the mood for a photo shoot but Moose was ready to show his supermodel stuff.
One pup host: Snoop
The other pup host: Guster

Lake Louise

2010-08-11T17:54:00.000-04:00

About an hour from Banff is Lake Louise.
According to a few sources and the all-knowing wikipedia, the striking color of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake.
The group with the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in the backgroundMeg and Mrs. Rutsch
Me, Lindsey, Meg
The lake is fed by glaciers so the water is very cold. I talked myself into submerging one (very pale) foot.
Meg and Lindsey were brave enough to put two in.We were all very proud of ourselves until this happened...Yes, two people walked up, stripped down and jumped in. They must have been visiting from the North Pole.

Banff 3

2010-08-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

While in town, we headed to the Banff Springs Hotel for a quick look. It is a former railway hotel built by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 18887 and 1888. It is styled as a Scottish Baronial Castle.
The lobbyA grand staircase
The bride and groom practice a regal pose

Banff 2

2010-08-06T15:35:00.000-04:00

We headed from the gondola's upper terminal down the Banff Skywalk. This was a breathtaking 1km walk.
A peek through the trees
Meg soaking it inNolan, Lindsey and Meg. Doesn't it look like someone rolled in a Hollywood backdrop?On the way to Sanson's Peak
Looking at the town of Banff. For reference, the small "hill" in the center (nearest to the river has an elevation of over 1600 meters or 5,250 feet).Looking south from the SkywalkThe upper terminal from Sanson's Peak. It has a restaurant, gift shop and great observation decks.Nolan, me, Meg and LindseyAccording to the gondola's website...Norman Sanson first climbed the mountain on snowshoes in 1896 in order to record weather observations for the Banff area. In the summer of 1903, a trail was built from the Banff Upper Hot Springs and a stone observatory was constructed on the summit ridge (still standing today on the peak to the northwest). During the next thirty years of his life, Sanson hiked to the top of the mountain over one thousand times and made one of his last hikes up the steep, three-mile trail in the summer of 1945, at the age of 84!
The view from 2,281 meters (7,486 feet) above sea level Returning to the upper terminalThe 4 person gondolasLindsey prepping for the ride downThe gondola trip takes 8 minutes. It has a total elevation gain of 698 m (2,292 feet) with an average incline of 51%

Banff

2010-08-04T18:27:00.001-04:00

After landing in Calgary, we were picked up by Mr. Rutsch, Mrs. Rutsch, Nolan and Lindsey. Then we headed 1.5 hours west to Banff. The town is a cute ski village with great shops and restaurants. It's also home to the Banff Gondola.

Parking lot view, not too shabby
Mr. Rutsch's next vehicle
Lindsey and Nolan enjoying the gondolaStarting to understand why the area is a UNESCO World Heritage SiteMeg taking it inLindsey not enjoying the gondola anymoreView from the top, the warning seemed a little obvious to meenjoying 360 degree views from the decks

Looking down at the town of BanffThe Canadian RockiesNolan and Lindsey (with a telescope that totally looks like a robot friend)
Don't feed the bighorn sheepMeg at the beginning of the scenic trail
Can you see the little tower on top? That's where we're headed next.

Canada

2010-08-03T20:00:00.002-04:00

If you ever get a chance to go to Alberta, DO IT!
The landscape is beautiful from the towering Canadian Rockies in Banff to the rolling yellow fields of canola in Sylvan Lake. But Alberta was full of something even more gorgeous than that. It was filled with some of the most friendly, generous, sincere and welcoming people I have ever met.

Pictures to come!

ALBERTA OR BUST!

2010-07-26T14:58:00.002-04:00

I'm leaving on a jet plane for Alberta, Canada to celebrate the wedding of Lindsey and Nolan!

Here's a pic of the bridesmaid outfits. Just kidding...or am I?
I know it's not advised to post that you're leaving the country. But if anyone breaks in, they'll find Shawn knee deep in Fruity Pebbles and beef jerky. Frankly, I'd enjoy a picture of that.

Martha's Vineyard

2010-07-09T16:09:00.000-04:00

How about a spontaneous day trip to Martha's Vineyard? Sounds great!

Transportation provided by the Island Queen.
Fresh off the boat and ready to ride.
Lunch on the water.
Bike ride around town.
Pit stop at East Chop Light.

Excuse me while I snoop at your extremely fancy pants house and waterfront wedding. Don't mind if I do. I was in those bushes a minute later to get a closer look. Yes, for real.
View in front of lighthouse.
Absolutely essential trip to the carousel where I learned my motor skills aren't as sharp as they used to be or they made it much harder to get rings since my last visit. Yes, yes, definitely the second option.
Unnecessary self-portrait on ferry ride home.
Leaving Oak Bluffs.
Hint of sunset.
East Chop Light from ferry.
Thank you Shawn for this lovely photo. Apparently I nap in the emergency landing position.

Dress Brag

2010-07-08T17:32:00.000-04:00

Oh, did you see that purple dress in yesterday's post? It's one of my favorite dresses ever. It had back slit, boning, hook and eye elastic support strap and full lining. It was super comfortable and held up to my dance maniac moves (hypothetically, a Wayne's World "we're not worthy" inspired dance to the bride accompanied by a Lady Gaga song, hypothetically of course). It was fabulous and do you know how much it was?

$14

I'll say it again. It was $14. I spotted this beauty on target.com a month before the wedding and took a chance. At worst, I was out $14. Fortunately, the online discount shopping gods were smiling that day and I became the proud owner of the best $14 dress ever.

Alison and Mike's Wedding

2010-07-07T17:56:00.000-04:00

Our friends, Alison and Mike had a beautiful wedding over Memorial Day Weekend. (Yes, I know that July 4th just passed.)

The crew getting ready for the ceremony.
Sacred Heart Church in the North End of Boston.
Hunky groom and his Mom.
Bride's bro and maid of honor.
The bride's grand entrance, complete with bagpiper.
Yippee! It's official!Reception at the Hampshire House. Apparently I was hungry because I seem to be the first one seated.
I really like candid pictures that you discover later. I'm not sure what I was doing here.
The happy couple, Mike and Alison
Fantastic. I like every part of this picture.
This dude says "that cake looks good". It was.
Another great candid. Did that man just finish mooning Kevin? Did that man let out a nasty fart? Why does Kevin look so offended and shocked?
Me and Shawn.
Alison's gorgeous dress while dancing with her Dad.
Mike and his Mom.
Congrats to the happy couple!!!

3 years

2010-06-30T19:00:00.002-04:00

Three years ago, I married this stud. I still love him and his morning hair.

Roasterphobic

2010-06-24T18:05:00.000-04:00

Hello. My name is Kelly and I am roasterphobic - severely roasterphobic in fact.

That's right. It's official. Jim Perdue diagnosed me via his online roasterphobia test. The diagnosis was made a few months ago so I've had some time to accept it. Ever since that day I've been on a hunt for a Perdue Oven Ready Roaster. Last weekend, my dream came true and I spotted this beauty in the meat section.
Why was I so interested in this bad boy? It comes in a cooking bag. There's no need to ever make contact with the chicken until it is cooked. Jim Perdue is my hero.

The directions seemed easy enough but I was nervous.
Step 1 : Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut open outer blue bag and remove Oven Ready Roaster Bone-In Breast, sealed in cooked bag, place in a shallow roasting pan, seasoned side up.
Kelly step 1a - Google "roasting pan". Determine that you don't have a roasting pan. Pick between a pan and a glass dish. I selected the pan.

Step 2: Cut one small 1 inch slit in cooking bag over the breast to vent during cooking. Note: Cooking bag will expand during cooking; allow enough room for the bag to expand without touching oven rack or walls.
Step 3: (From fresh, from frozen takes longer) Place pan with Roaster Breast (still in cooking bag) on lower shelf of oven and roast for approximately 80 to 90 minutes until internal temperature of the breast reaches 170 deg F.
Kelly step 3a - Put pan in hot oven, realize your top rack is definitely in the way, wish you were better at paying attention while reading, move piping hot top rack.
Kelly step 3b - Wonder who the heck has or needs a meat thermometer anyways?

Making Shawn earn his keep.
Ta-Da! It's finished.
But how does it taste?
The verdict is in...YUMMY!
Corn, chicken and caramelized onions. Mmm Mmm good.
I'm still roasterphobic but I think this counts as a teeny tiny baby step in the right direction.

Dude, You Just Got Iced

2010-06-23T20:38:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I iced Shawn in the comfort of his own home. It seems like there should be some kind of rule against icing your own husband on your property. Unfortunately for Shawn, there is not. Sometimes I am just not a nice person.
What's icing? Please see the ABC Nightline clip HERE.

Monster

2010-06-14T18:18:00.000-04:00

Monster standing room! Woot woot! We were lucky enough to have a chance at getting Monster tickets. We were only able to score standing room. But at $30 each, it's a great way to get on the Monster.

View from the Bleacher Bar before the game.
Shawn during batting practice.
Me looking very, very naturally athletic. Can you tell that I didn't play any hand-eye coordination sports?
View of the field.
Shawn and the newlyweds. The newlyweds, Mike and Alison, were just back from their honeymoon. It's a tough life.
During the game.
Me and a lobstah.
Me and a Papa Gino's slice. I immediately felt the need to confess to my lactose intolerance. Maybe that's why it looks like the slice is trying to strangle me a little.
We managed to work our way to the seats. First, we made it to the 2nd row and eventually to the 1st! Thank you to the people who paid big $$$ for these seats and didn't stick around!
Shawn's pics of Lansdowne St. I think these are titled "Ha ha, we're up here and you're not".

Zippy Shoes

2010-06-09T17:58:00.000-04:00

Did you see these shoes on last night's episode?
Me neither. But Mom and Dad dvr'ed (how do you spell that?) the episode, so I can't wait to watch the race footage in super, duper slow-mo! Maybe our moment of fame is somewhere in there!

Congrats to Deb on finishing her 5k and making me cry my eyes out last night!

Watch Tonight

2010-06-08T12:12:00.000-04:00

Watch Losing It with Jillian tonight and you might see a familiar face in the crowd or a familiar funny run with arms positioned for take off.

In our area, it airs on NBC at 10 pm tonight. Goooooooooooooooo Deb!

Karma is a Funny Thing

2010-06-06T20:41:00.000-04:00

I've believed in karma for a long time -- not necessarily in the cosmic, come back as a jellyfish kind. But in the simple, what goes around comes around kind. But I recently learned that karma has a great sense of humor. Case in point: if you sign up for a 5k with a fake name (that's right, a fake name), karma will have a super star celebrity show up and race with you. Then you sound like an absolute weirdo when you try to brag to people.

I haven't participated in a road race for almost 10 years. For some reason, I recently felt compelled to run a 5k. I had two levels of goals. My base goal was to finish the 5k. My super goal was to finish in under 30 minutes. I was really nervous about the whole thing. I honestly didn't know if I could do it. I picked a dinky race with a wide range of finishing times for 2009. It was close to home so if I bailed, we didn't lose the day. I didn't register ahead. Instead, I showed up on the race day and signed up under a fake name.

While Shawn and I were waiting, we noticed that the race set-up seemed a bit more involved than usual. There was a professional boom w/ camera, lots of production people, a food services table, make-up artist, etc. That's odd. We thought that maybe they were covering it for the local news but that should be one reporter and a camera guy tops. Oh well, I had more pressing issues to attend to like using the bathroom 501 times and trying not to shart my shorts.

Finally, they lined us up in the starting area. Shawn wishes me luck and leaves. Then suddenly, he comes running back saying "Jillian Michaels is here, Jillian Michaels is here". Okay, yeah, we're regular viewers of the Biggest Loser but did I think he could spot her, no. Plus, why would she be at a dinky road race? Then over the loudspeakers, who's voice do I hear? Jillian Michaels. She was there to shoot for her new show "Losing it with Jillian".

Here she is pumping everyone up for the race.
Oh my gosh. I'm running my race with Jillian. I have visions of Jillian and Deb (the mother she worked with for this episode) passing me and it being displayed on national television. I had a new goal...don't embarrass yourself! If you see Jillian coming, run into the woods and hide until the camera crew passes you. No one needs to know. It will be our secret.

Team Deb at the starting line.
Team Deb at the finish line. Congrats Deb!

Things I learned:
1. Shawn is a risk taker. While I ran, he ate a plain bagel with cream cheese and sipped an ice coffee in the presence of Jillian. I would not want to make that lady angry with a nutritional black hole breakfast!
2. Jillian is tiny. Not in a gross way. She's petite. But whoa those guns are impressive.
3. Running Moms are amazing. I ran the last mile with a Mom who pushed her four year old in a stroller the whole time. Amy and Katy - you'll be happy to know that I told her she was awesome and that she was my hero (yeah I did). As we came in, she had enough gas to sprint to the finish while I tried not to trip over my tired feet.
4. I can finish a 5k. I finished a bit ahead of 30 minutes.
5. Technically, I beat Jillian in a road race (results). Oh yeah, except I didn't because I registered under a fake name. Nice one.

The One and Only Cure-All

2010-06-01T18:10:00.000-04:00

There are lots of promises and wacko medicines available. But there's only one cure-all that truly delivers - ICE CREAM!
After having a sore throat for a week, nothing helped as much as this giant cone of sorbet. After playing frisbee golf, Shawn and I stopped by the Crescent Ridge Dairy for the first time. I just wanted a little something so I ordered the kiddie size. It's almost the size of my head!

Home Improvement Stages 4 and 5

2010-05-24T20:11:00.000-04:00

Luckily, the next two stages came quickly. Stage 4 = Depression and Stage 5 = Acceptance

I'd say it went something like this...
"Oh poop. This is taking a while. It's going to be okay. I can't fight it, I may as well just deal with it."

How did the acceptance manifest itself? Through "staging". With the flowers, you hardly notice the wall, right? Right? Totally.

Home Improvement Stage 3

2010-05-21T23:15:00.000-04:00

Stage 3 = Bargaining

A lot of promises get made in this stage. It was pretty easy for us to decide on what we were bargaining for...cupcakes (yup, this is pretty much how the Kick*ss cupcakes came about). It went something like "Dear Big Dude in the Sky, just let me enjoy some cupcakes and I will keep working on this project". It's not exactly how the bargaining stage is supposed to go - pretty sure we just wanted a break and some cupcakes.

Home Improvement Stage 2

2010-05-20T20:40:00.000-04:00

Stage # 2 = Anger

"Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"

Do you notice a small difference between these two pictures? In the first one, there's an eye level phone jack in the gosh darn center of the wall. Clearly this phone jack was the one to blame!

So clearly the only choice was to put a patch over the jack. Clearly. We took our frustration out on it by erasing its existence. Bwah ha ha.

Really, who needs one anyway? Just don't mention it to future potential buyers. :)

Home Improvement Stage 1

2010-05-19T20:44:00.000-04:00

Here's my theory: home improvement = the Kübler-Ross stages of grief. I honestly believe that home improvement moves along these stages.

Stage # 1 = Denial
This photo shows my Dad right as we entered the depths of denial. "I feel fine. This can't be happening, not to me." That's right. The previous owner put on wall paper without prepping or sizing the all. They also decided to use some type of space alien from the future rubber cement super glue.

Normally, you have the choice of scoring, spraying with chemicals or steaming. We had to do all of them, more than once each, plus some vinegar for good measure.

It may look like we have removed the wall paper here. But that's not accurate. Wall paper has two layers: the decorative layer and the backing. We had only made it past the first layer and we were hours into the project!
Fun, fun, fun! Thanks for the good times Dad!

Home Improvement

2010-05-17T21:34:00.001-04:00

We recently started a little home improvement project. It always starts with plenty of optimism.

"Oh gee. It's a small wall. Removing that wall paper should move along pretty quickly."

You're probably laughing to yourself thinking "Ha! The silly words of a first time home owner".

It turns out that you're right. I'm will post pictures of our progress. That progress has currently stalled and I'm hoping the public shame will force me to finish...or maybe by then, it will be announced that I'm the winner of the 2010 HGTV Green Home (hey, a girl can always dream).

Best...Ever

2010-05-14T15:03:00.002-04:00

Best Bumper Sticker Ever

We saw this on a car at BJ's this week. I assume the owner was inside buying bulk quantities of fiber.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T09:29:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Yummy

2010-04-29T18:41:00.000-04:00

I still think a Funfetti cupcake takes the cake. But these sure were yummy!

Ooops

2010-04-25T20:44:00.000-04:00

Actually, it's a double ooops. I've broken a plate and glass this week. How did it happen? Well, I was holding the plate one minute and then...I wasn't. As for the glass, apparently they don't appreciate being "delicately" tossed into the sink.Did we have distant Greek relatives? OOPAH!!!

Marathon Monday

2010-04-22T21:26:00.005-04:00

On Monday, the Boston Marathon passed by our front door.
Please check out Skeletor on the far right.
This runner held an American flag...while sporting patriotic booty shorts.
The crowd at mile marker 8.
It's really amazing what a production the marathon is. The volunteers are amazing. Without them, the marathon couldn't take place. That said, please check out the lower half of the outfit on volunteer #2. Wow. Those are some party pants.

Happy Birthday Janet!

2010-04-17T07:36:00.000-04:00

Happy, happy, happy birthday! Soon enough, you'll be relaxing at the Cape!

Insult or Compliment?

2010-04-15T19:31:00.002-04:00

Should I take this as an insult or a compliment?

Compliment! Mom - Do you still have my prom dress at home?

Dream Truck for Dad

2010-04-05T18:20:00.000-04:00

I think I stumbled upon Dad's new dream vehicle...

2011 Ford Super Duty DeWALT Contractor Concept Truck

All of the specs aren't available yet but it has it's own crane. What more could you wish for?!

Oink

2010-03-25T20:23:00.000-04:00

Once in a great while I actually cook real food. Once in a great, great while it turns out well and doesn't involve me melting a cutting board, shattering a plate, etc.

Here's chicken, spinach, artichokes, peppers, onions and tomatoes. I made a big batch so we had a few different ways: plain, over whole wheat pasta and over brown rice. Yummy!
Piggy tested.
Piggy approved.

Noanet Woodlands

2010-03-23T19:56:00.001-04:00

The description said "moderate hiking, strenuous in places". There wasn't anything strenuous about it -- or even really moderate -- but there was a nice view of the Boston skyline from Noanet Peak.
Shawn at the top.
Me at the top.
Lower Mill Pond.
Making a new doggy friend.
Sitting by Upper Mill Pond.
Shawn and pond.The sign says "tree in memory of..." but there's no tree. I made Shawn stand behind it and pretend to be a tree. This is his interpretation after significant coaching. He was mad at me for making him pose like a tree. I was mad at his lame attempt. Thus, I am posting the picture. Score one for Kelly.
Doggy-razzi! This dog was awesome. But I think he was the only one who found the trails strenuous.

Top o the Mornin to Ya!

2010-03-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!

Also, happy St. Elizabeth's Day for those who celebrate or to a Mom who must make up an equal rights holiday for her demanding daughter.

Wachusett

2010-03-15T18:02:00.000-04:00

Wachusett offered a great special this weekend called "Singing (& Skiing) in the rain. Since the forecast called for buckets of rain, night passes were only $10 each. The best part was that the deal was valid whether or not the forecast was right. Lucky for us, the rain held off on Friday!

Riding the magic carpet. Don't be fooled. This is one of the longest carpet lifts. That's gold medal training right there.
At the top of the Easy Rider. Wow, I am extreme.
My favorite part of Wachusett -- enjoying a Polar beverage while Shawn gets in his runs.
Shawn after he's done with the big kid trails.

Winthrop

2010-03-12T13:46:00.001-05:00

After Nahant, we headed to Winthrop.

This picture doesn't quite do it justice but the airport is extremely close to Winthrop. It's only separated by a tiny bit of water which is only a few hundred feet wide at some points.

This means the planes zoom right over your head. The entertainment is A+.
Here's a taste of the action (video).

Nahant

2010-03-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

Last weekend featured the first nice weather in a loooong time. It was time for a little adventure to Nahant. I've never been there so why not?

Small beach at the end of Nahant Road.
Shawn likes rocks #1.
Shawn likes rocks #2.
Our future waterfront but not far away house. Please note the view of the Boston skyline in the distance.
This is where we'll keep one of the boats in our fleet.
View from the Dory Club.
An uncommon view of Boston.
Shawn likes rocks #3.

Beautiful self-portrait.Rocking it out.
Shawn likes rocks #4. Action shot of jump.
Shawn likes rocks #5. Sitting proudly after jump.
A sure sign of spring (yup, it did get caught in that tree).

Spring Has Sprung

2010-03-08T18:07:00.001-05:00

Spring has sprung...on my feet at least.

Pizza-Palooza

2010-02-26T19:40:00.006-05:00

Tonight we went to "A Slice of Natick". The Natick Service Council held a pizza fundraiser and it was awesome. There were pizzas from about 10 local shops. Everyone could cast a vote for their favorite cheese pizza and their favorite specialty pizza.

It was only $10 and included sodas, salad and desserts. There was also musical entertainment, face painting, silent auctions and raffles.
Yes, that's a slice of pepperoni the size of my head. Just remember, it was for a good cause.

Yummy

2010-02-16T20:30:00.002-05:00

Yummy yummy in my tummy.

Special K Chocolately Pretzel Cereal Bars

Chocolately. Pretzeley. Yummy.

Happy Birthdays!

2010-02-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO DAD AND SHAWN!

Dad - Have a super happy 60th birthday!

Shawn - Happy birthday too!

Let's hope both of your birthday wishes are for warmer weather!

Who's that Stud Muffin?

2010-02-02T20:30:00.005-05:00

Christmas is well over and all the decorations are put away. But one question remains, who's that blond bowl-cut sporting stud featured on that stunning ornament of gold macaroni art?

IT'S SHAWN! Not only is he a remarkable artist but he's also a stud muffin!

Happy Birthday Dave!

2010-01-29T14:08:00.001-05:00

Have a wonderful birthday! Hope you're enjoying the warm temps in Florida!

Honeybells

2010-01-21T18:42:00.001-05:00

Caution tape. Bibs. Warning signs. That's how you know you're about to experience something awesome. Honeybells do not disappoint!

Special Election

2010-01-19T18:29:00.002-05:00

Some do it for show, some do it help shape the future. Me? I do it for the STICKERS!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-01-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Mom! Have a happy, happy day!

George asked that I passed the following message to you.

Boot Camp

2010-01-14T12:12:00.000-05:00

I am Hans. And I am Franz. And we just want to PUMP (clap) you up!
I can only wish that I saw these faces this morning. That's right, I went to Boot Camp class this morning. A friend at work has been going and she's diesel, so I figured I'd give it a try. Her ears must have been ringing around 6:10 this morning because I may have inserted her name into a few colorful phrases as I woke up early, got out of my warm bed, hopped in the freezing car and went to the gym.

It wasn't horrific but it's only been a few hours since the class. I'll let you know when my legs turn to jelly. The instructor had us jump rope for 3 minutes straight and then 2 minutes later on. Have you tried that lately? I don't think I could even do that when I was little. Maybe I'll bring my SkipIt to the next class. I'm really much better at that.

Congrats!

2010-01-12T17:54:00.001-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO LINDSEY AND NOLAN!!!

Christmas Gift to Myself

2010-01-03T15:29:00.003-05:00

I know. That's not how the whole thing works. But I don't regret it at all. Behold, the gift I bought myself.
Mmmmm. 40 delicious Fiber One bars. Mmmmmm.

Keith & Michelle's Wedding

2009-12-16T18:00:00.002-05:00

Happy one month and two day anniversary to Keith and Michelle! (In other words, a late congratulations!)

In the room at Water's Edge.
Welcome bag filled with goodies.Keith and Michelle's ceremony was lit mainly by candlelight. Here's Jas right before he spills hot wax on his suit pants.Blurry boys.
Beautiful table.Nate's grand entrance.Dance time.
I'm so jealous.
Keith's Dad and Michelle's Mom.First dance.Michelle and her Dad.Keith and his Mommy.
At the table.
So much manliness.With Maysh and Tish.Hubba hubba.
A proper farewell from the groom.

Hace Mucho Frio

2009-12-12T12:25:00.004-05:00

Dear Mother Nature,

Can you turn it up a few degrees? Even my Dad keeps it warmer than this.

Love, Kelly

If I Had a Time Machine

2009-12-08T18:00:00.002-05:00

If I had a time machine, I would travel back to nursery, elementary and middle school to find the kid version of myself who just met Meg, Lindsey, Melissa and Liz. I'd give mini-me a high five and say "nice choice, you will be best friends over 2o years later". (I might also buy her a pizza and tell her to enjoy it because her lactose tolerance is going...fast.)

Seriously, mini-me was a genius. There is something special about this group of girls. From Canada, to MA, to NH, to Maine, to New Jersey - the distance doesn't matter. When we're together, there's magic in the air. We're unstoppable. Everything and anything is possible.

A Wednesday night dinner in Maine - sure! A Sunday dinner in Jersey, why not? A trip to Canada, coming this summer! I would go to the moon and back with a smile on my face.
I have a lot to be thankful for every Thanksgiving...loving family, roof above my head, floor below my feet, food in my belly and so on. But I'm especially thankful for these four girls!

PS. I would then transport myself back to Thanksgiving and publish this post so it wouldn't be two weeks late. Following that, I'd put a big red bow on the time machine (like the holiday car commercials) and give it to Shawn for Christmas. I think he'd like it...a lot.

Monadnock

2009-11-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

View of Mt. Mondadnock from down the road. (All these pics are with the small camera, sorry for the low quality.)
When we arrived at Mt. Monadnock on Columbus Day, the ranger said it was 20 degrees with 30 mph sustained winds at the top. Gee, that just made me want to climb up a mountain to enjoy that!
First glance at the mountain from the trail.The caboose for the day.First overlook.On bald rock with peak in distance.
Almost at the top.
Caboose with 9 million layers on.
Pat climbing off the trail.
Did I mention it was cold?
View from the tippy top. It was the busiest weekend of the year.
Back at the bottom and happy to be warm!

Beehive

2009-10-20T18:17:00.000-04:00

Shawn's Dad recommended that we hike the Beehive while at Acadia. The trail description read "Beehive Trail: Iron rungs on ledges of exposed cliffs, very steep". If it wasn't so awesome and fun, I'd wonder if he was trying to send us a message. :)

Looking up at the Beehive.
If you expand these pics you should be able to see hikers on the cliffs around the middle of the picture.
...near the top.Starting the climb.
First available pit stop.
My thought bubble..."Wait, who recommended this?"

Glory moment.
Shawn being more normal than me.
At the top.

The view.
Sand Beach in the distance.

Sunrise

2009-10-19T18:07:00.000-04:00

It's not often (translation: never) that we wake up for sunrise. Frankly, it's a lot like sunset but a whole bunch earlier. But "someone" was determined to see the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain.
"Someone else" was not as excited.

Sure it was pretty but it was chilly!
First light on downtown Bar Harbor.Mr. Happy Camper.
Excited that we can go somewhere warm now.

Oh no!

2009-10-18T13:37:00.000-04:00

Everything was going fine and I was enjoying the view....until...I took one wrong step.
Trying to lift myself up.
We tried to take one with both of us but apparently Shawn thinks that he would smile while fake falling off a cliff...then again, he probably would.

Park Loop Road

2009-10-16T18:46:00.000-04:00

The start of Park Loop Road.
Sand Beach.
Pretty overlook.
Making our way up Cadillac Mountain.

Here we are.
View from the top.

Blueberries.
Crazy seagull.

Thurston's

2009-10-15T17:57:00.000-04:00

We made the required stop for lobster at Thurston's in Bernard. It's in an unbelievably gorgeous location right on the water.
Mmmmmm lobster. Shawn had quite the appetite but was put to shame by the Grandpa (to the left of Shawn in pic) at the next table who ate 3 full size lobsters with all the fixings.
Snapshots from Thurston's and Bass Harbor.

Pretty

2009-10-13T18:03:00.000-04:00

Another pretty scene in Maine.

Some people think worms are pretty.

Thunder Hole

2009-10-12T12:09:00.000-04:00

Thunder Hole in good weather.
Thunder Hole during a weakening tropical storm.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

2009-10-12T12:07:00.000-04:00

Jordan Pond House

2009-10-09T12:46:00.000-04:00

In Acadia, Jordan Pond House is a must. The view is beautiful from the lawn.
Looking at Jordan Pond.If you're a fan of popovers, this is the place for you. Shawn happens to be a popover fan. He had popovers to start, popovers on the side and popover a la mode to finish.

Here is Shawn in popover induced nirvana.

That's a warm popover filled with blueberry ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce. It comes with a two thumbs up recommendation from Shawn.

Carriage Roads

2009-09-30T22:38:00.001-04:00

We took a few rides on the carriage roads in the park. We highly recommend this!

They are beautiful and car free!If a man uses a map in the woods and there is no one there to see it...?
Eagle Lake.

Bar Harbor KOA

2009-09-26T11:30:00.001-04:00

We stayed at the Bar Harbor KOA. Here's a look inside the 1 room cabin.

We've stayed at a KOA before and we've always had a good experience. Bar Harbor KOA lived up to that. It was much larger than the other KOA we went to so it had a different atmosphere. But thumbs up all around!