What a weekend a.k.a. WE GOT ENGAGED!

What a weekend!

Saturday morning Lauren's mother, Nana, came to get Sierra for an over night sleepover (first time ever!) and Lauren and I were going for a night away alone (first time ever!) to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We wanted to stay nearby so we went an hour or so North of Boston to Hampton, NH. Hampton is a small town with a long boardwalk full of restaurants, bars and arcades running along side a big beautiful beach. We had visited Hampton once before in the winter and have always wanted to see in it's summer season.

Packing

Leaving our lovely city.

We left Boston around noon and headed north for the night. We had a lovely drive listening to and singing along to the cheesiest music possible; Dashboard Confessional was in heavy rotation. Once arriving in New Hampshire we were both famished so we stopped at Good Karma Café, a delicious raw vegan gluten-free place in Exter. If you are heading through NH and have dietary restrictions (or even if you don't) I highly suggest you stop here - the food was wonderful!

Uplifting sign as you enter the restaurant. Thanks Good Karma Café!

After lunch we went to our hotel to drop off our things and take a quick dip in the pool and a nice relaxing lounge in the jacuzzi before heading up to our room to search for fun things to do (on our iPad. Thanks for the present Gramma!). Hampton is full of things to do, including tattoos and mini golf which is of course what we decided to do. We found a place that had great reviews and photos of their work just down the road from the hotel called Jim's Tattoos and decided to check it out. We both got quick little tattoos and love the way they came out! If you're ever in Hampton and in need of a tattoo i suggest Jim's HIGHLY! They do great work, it's affordable, friendly and FAST!

Our New Tattoos.

After that we went and played 16 holes of mini-golf and I kicked Lauren's ass (by two whole strokes). After my PGA quality game we rushed home, changed into fancier clothes and rushed out to dinner.

Dinner was amazing - seriously. Blue Moon Evolution is an awesome vegetarian & vegan friendly restaurant that is in situated in an old restored barn in Exeter, NH. It's dimly lit by candles and string lighting, has a great menu and the service was top notch. If you're vegan and in need of a good date spot in New Hampshire this is it - no contest. For an after dinner drink we went to 10 Water Street down the road on the river and Lauren even let me watch the 3rd period of the Hawks v. Kings game... THAT LATE GOAL RIGHT?! 

Blue Moon Evolution and 11 Water Street - both great spots!!

After our drink we headed to the Boardwalk back in Hampton and went for a lovely walk and even hit up an old school arcade to play skee ball. We grabbed one more drink nearby and headed to the beach to star gaze.

The arcade and our loot.

By this time it was nearing midnight, making it June 9th, officially our anniversary. I'll spare you the mushy details of my proposal but she said YES and thats all that matters!

We had a child first, then we moved in together and now we're getting married. Not the traditional order of events but it's worked for us. I feel incredibly lucky to be engaged to such a gorgeous, smart, caring and supportive woman who I have a beautiful daughter with and I couldn't be happier or be more lucky.

-Craig

Daddy Does Chicago (2012 Edition)

This past weekend a client of mine offered to fly me out to Chicago to help his company finish up some work for an event they are running. Being away from Sierra is tough on both of us but we combat the toughness by FaceTiming, calls and plenty of reassurance that I'm not leaving forever and will be back very soon. I also gave her a little note that told her I'd miss her and that I love her and was told she carried it around in her little pocket all weekend. I missed her terribly but I think learning that sometimes parents need to be away is a healthy and important lesson to learn.

So Friday morning I dropped Sierra off at daycare, said my goodbyes and off I went to the airport to hop on a plane and head to Chicago for the weekend. (ps. I went to Chicago last year around the same time and blogged about it here.)

Friday / Day 1: I'm a very light traveler. One backpack with a laptop, a book, a sketch pad and a few different shirts / cardigans. Here is the first (of many) obligatory plane window pictures from on the way there.

Here is the awesome sunset I got to watch from my pal Huff's roof in the Old Town part of Chicago once I arrived. Huff is BALLIN by the way, check out his rooftop pool. Man I really love this city...

For dinner that evening I went out to a little slice of vegan heaven called "Native Foods", which have a few locations around the country (sadly not in Boston!) and a bunch in Chicago. If you're in the area of any of them I  recommend getting out there and trying it ASAP. Organic/Vegan foods and beers galore! Here is some of cool chalkboard murals they have on the walls:

Saturday / Day 2:

On Saturday Huff headed out to see his little cousin play a football game and I ventured out into the (rainy) city by myself in search of good food, cool stores and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

I ate at "Delicious Cafe" (which was delicious!) and checked out a few cool / small galleries and shops. Check out the store "Transistor" if you get a chance!

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is AMAZING. If you live in Chicago or within driving distance you need to get there immediately. They have some really great pieces on view right now and it's well worth the trip.

PS the picture right above this is a still from my favorite piece I saw at the museum period. Here is a one minute clip from it: http://new.daazo.com/film/1dec36cc-3c43-11e0-8e6f-0050fc84de33 -- The fulI film is about 11 minutes long.

Eventually I had to do what I had come there for and settled into Huff's balcony to get some work done. After finally finishing work (around midnight). Huff and I jumped in his BMW (BALLIN!) and went to the famous jazz club "Green Mill" and it was well worth the $5 cover. Unlike bars in Boston which close at 2AM, Chicago parties until 5! Huff and I having just worked for 6 hours straight and been all over the city all day were exhausted and only stayed until around 3 or 3:30 though. We saw an amazing jazz quartet and really enjoyed ourselves. You NEED to go here if you can:

Sunday / Day 3:

My flight was at 1:25 the next day so I pretty much only had time to pack up, eat some breakfast and get to the airport. I was sad to see Chicago go because I had such a great time and love that city but was so excited to get home to my family and get some much needed hugs and kisses from a certain 3 year old.

Once I was home we ate dinner, I gave Sierra a bath with her new color bath fizzes that I bought her at the Museum shop and then celebrated being back home in Boston with a New England pumpkin adult beverage.

Overall it was a lovely weekend and I was glad for the opportunity to be able to see Chicago again. Thanks for the free trip Huff and can't wait to come back again! -Craig

Happy 4th of July Post!

Happy (belated) 4th of July everyone! Ours was AWESOME! If you don't know already Don Naylor (Adeline's Daddy) and his adorable family moved to Massachusetts! They moved from Troy, NY to Marblehead, MA and invited us to spend a couple of days with them enjoying the holiday at their new home. Their home is beautiful and so is their new town. It's a classic american beach / vacation town and it was great way to spend the 4th.


p.s. Writing this post reminded me that we've been blogging for over a year at this point -- Check out 2011's "Happy 4th of July Post!" -- A whole year... thats crazy to me. Anyway enough nastolgia check out 35 or so adorable photos from our 2 day trip. -Craig

Don & Rachel practicing for if they ever have a second child. 

Addy cheesing for the camera.

Addy is a huge fan of fans.

BFFs in the making hanging down by the dock.

(vegan) Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

family portrait.

Me teaching the girls the wonders of rolling down hills.

Sierra was quickly a fan.

Hey! Why you take picture of me?

Mama and Sierra rolling down the hill.

Sierras face is the best in this picture.

HIGHER DADDY HIGHER!!!

Yeah man..... nature.

Wait what do you mean theres no more chips???

FACEPLANT.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm crackers.

The beautiful harbor where we watched the fireworks.

Waiting for the show to start.

family portrait.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

oooooooooooooooh aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

AMERICA!!!

Here we are the next day hanging in the shade at a nearby park.

Mmmmmm cream cheese.

PEEKA BOO!

Lauren and her cameo.

Tattooed Daddy club.

Organic Kids.

Waiting for Addy to come down the slide.

Facebook checking break.

AHHHH TOAST MONSTER!

GRUMPY.