Boston Pumpkin Festival

Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 - Boston has an annual Pumpkin Lighting Festival that we were able to see. There were rows and rows, thousands and thousands of carved pumpkins. Many were very basic... just happy to be carved. But many were elaborate and worth taking a picture of to remember. Our pictures don't show how many pumpkins were carved, but gives maybe a small glimpse.

Concord

Monday, Oct 8, 2007 (Columbus Day)- We actually left our apartment that morning, not knowing where we were going to spend the day. Both Brandon and Lauren had the day off from work and school. We ended up driving to Concord and Lexington, MA for a lesson in US History! It was overcast, but a nice fall day in New England.

First, we visited Concord, Mass. This is the home of the first battles of the Revolutionary War and of famous literary authors Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry D. Thoreau, and Lousia May Alcott. At the Concord Museum, Lauren & Elle were able to go on a picture scavenger hunt provided by the museum. During our visit, we found Paul Revere's lantern that hung in the Old North Church in Boston to warn of the British advance (how do they KNOW it is authentic?!).

We then went to see the Old North Bridge where the so-called "shot heard round the world," (from Emerson's Concord Hymn) happened. This sight was amazingly beautiful. I told Brandon that I could feel the reverence or the history there, and he agreed saying it had the feeling of a cemetery in a way. The Minute Man Statue represents the local community members who fought against the British during these battles. The countryside had old trees that were ancient enough to have witnessed the battles... and now Brandon, Lauren, and Elle have left there marks on one of the old trees.

After seeing these amazing sights we visited the famous Sleepy Hollow Cemetery which houses the remains of Emerson, Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Alcott. There graves aren't elaborate due to their "naturalist" beliefs and are kept on Author's Ridge within the cemetery.

On our way home we took in the changing fall colors and stopped at a local farm for apple doughnuts and a free haunted hayride. It was the perfect way to end the day.

Sight-seeing in Rockport

Thursday, Sept 13, 2007- Lauren didn't have to go to school because of the Jewish Holiday, Rosh Hashana. On the school calendar it was referred to as a "Day of Low Attendance," due to the many Jewish people in the Brookline community that would not be attending school that day. Luckily, Brandon has easy Thursdays during this rotation. He only had to work ONE hour in the morning.

So we took the day to drive up to Rockport, Mass. It is on Cape Ann (the other Cape of MA). We drove through Gloucester (ryhmes with roster, foster, etc... don't ask me why) which is the fishing town patterned after in the movie, "The Perfect Storm." Of course it is right on the beach and has a large fishing port. It isn't too touristy but has a beautiful coast line. The area and towns we visited made me think of "Pete's Dragon," and the town of Passamaquoddy (which is an actual city on the coast of Maine). I need to watch that movie again!

After Gloucester we drove up to Rockport. It is a beatiful town with little shops lining "Bearskin Neck." We ate a delicious lunch of fish and chips, clam chowder, and crab cakes. I wish I had some of that to eat right now.... I'll go back just to have lunch again! We also saw the famous Motif No. 1, which is the most painted building in America. In actuality it is a faded fishing shed that isn't that incredible to see, but due to it's popularity, we took a few pictures of our own.

We headed up to Halibut Point State Park which was once a center for granite excavation and has a rocky coastline with large boulders.

We had a nice day, even though Lauren was hugely disappointed that we weren't able to play in the sand. Brandon and I will have to make it a priority the next time we go.

Exploring in Brookline

Today (August 14, 2007) the girls and I went exploring in Brookline. First we went to Lauren's school that she will be attending this fall. We met the guidance counselor who gave us a tour... it is so nice! Brookline is known for its excellent school system. We specifically moved into the Brookline borders so that Lauren would be able to go to a great school. We then drove over near the Brookline reservoir to watch the geese. I then decided to drive home a new way and found a beautiful park that we explored for awhile.