Stenciling = Done!

Today I can breathe a big fat sigh of relief because this stenciling project is over! <br /><br />I started Wednesday night, and continued to work on it daily until I applied the finishing touches yesterday (just hours before guests arrived to our labor day pool party). Thankfully I was able to get it all done in time, but it was not a fun task, let me tell you.<br /><br />The stencils arrived in good shape (although curled from the shipping tube), but not wanting to waste any time, I immediately got to work.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87h2XI7MplPwmN8EFGAkrh2DNpNWNTQuI9cUmMScLyp3IYF3465goOgu4wLz09QPr9F6LxTI3fEu0AU_MuN5pePNVuS04ZgYo4sultqpuORN2_lEa5COdTTBIg2pv13XUyjdgJk96Dsfs/s1600/IMG_8992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>Before proceeding, I made sure to read through the instructions at least 3x and watch every instructional video on their <a href="http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. The corner seemed like a nice level place to start, so I carefully taped it up and began.<br /><br />The stencil was not completely flat on the wall which worried me. I was tempted to use spray adhesive but the directions insisted that this was not necessary at all, so I cautiously proceeded as normal.<br /><br />The technique I used (as instructed) said to saturate a foam roller with paint, evenly roll it out, and then make a few light passes over a paper towel to wipe off the excess.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYQN_2h-YFaMN2RQfCZQsA0nRGPkjHJQq6C5HPP6PH9kFxfAksaLB5mQNEJhlw7fOQILZQ2wFf1ZKmyfXiGgRN0pQoxnnkk-jyvEglT5R9_ZBInG5blCw_ArQ8oLIiwcRe-0Bg1n39HPv/s1600/IMG_9004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYQN_2h-YFaMN2RQfCZQsA0nRGPkjHJQq6C5HPP6PH9kFxfAksaLB5mQNEJhlw7fOQILZQ2wFf1ZKmyfXiGgRN0pQoxnnkk-jyvEglT5R9_ZBInG5blCw_ArQ8oLIiwcRe-0Bg1n39HPv/s1600/IMG_9004.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />BTW, the color I used was the color that was previously on the walls and is also in my foyer—Valspar's Magic Spell.<br /><br />Once the roller had the appropriate paint saturation level, I used light to medium pressure to apply my first coat. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87h2XI7MplPwmN8EFGAkrh2DNpNWNTQuI9cUmMScLyp3IYF3465goOgu4wLz09QPr9F6LxTI3fEu0AU_MuN5pePNVuS04ZgYo4sultqpuORN2_lEa5COdTTBIg2pv13XUyjdgJk96Dsfs/s1600/IMG_8992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87h2XI7MplPwmN8EFGAkrh2DNpNWNTQuI9cUmMScLyp3IYF3465goOgu4wLz09QPr9F6LxTI3fEu0AU_MuN5pePNVuS04ZgYo4sultqpuORN2_lEa5COdTTBIg2pv13XUyjdgJk96Dsfs/s1600/IMG_8992.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Since one coat wasn't enough to fully cover, I had to wait ~5 minutes for it to dry, apply another coat, wait another ~5 to dry, apply a final coat, and then wait for that to dry. About a hundred times. <br /><br />After my first stencil area was complete, I nervously peeled it back to inspect the results...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi589m8KSUmqy3pfG1T4WxdtNIbvFt7i0a4faOV4SCItcKzHtRvoPb9Jo0wGskSVwRA8OeZIqnFkeuLOR_K4eMGlN2tk3B20C0ZEGSZBv3o33gdPBqVlBq78WgaixN8sG08qvwUHSNlwArP/s1600/IMG_8993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi589m8KSUmqy3pfG1T4WxdtNIbvFt7i0a4faOV4SCItcKzHtRvoPb9Jo0wGskSVwRA8OeZIqnFkeuLOR_K4eMGlN2tk3B20C0ZEGSZBv3o33gdPBqVlBq78WgaixN8sG08qvwUHSNlwArP/s1600/IMG_8993.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />I wasn't thrilled. I guess I was expecting a clean smooth line, but there was just no way that it was going to happen. With the next pass, I applied spray adhesive to the back hoping it would do the trick, but there was absolutely no difference. Then I tried a slightly different roll-on approach to prevent the line seepage, but the outcome was the same every time.<br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />The stencil manual did warn that this would be a "hand painted" look, and it was not going to look like wallpaper. About halfway through the third day I wondered if wallpaper would have been a better route to take.<br /><br />Sometimes my roller was a bit too saturated, and this happened:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCndna8t45rLFpST8-rx69cajnXg5_WRNdEsb4_QUsi-kNZxtZqa-VjyO8D9w6_xljxlRdokDtAm5TOH66Yl_jfAkOrxLgA3Fk_9BIJR9aUD3qLpH_0raFGV1ujsXx_BHWjGtPT6ILyaY6/s1600/IMG_8999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCndna8t45rLFpST8-rx69cajnXg5_WRNdEsb4_QUsi-kNZxtZqa-VjyO8D9w6_xljxlRdokDtAm5TOH66Yl_jfAkOrxLgA3Fk_9BIJR9aUD3qLpH_0raFGV1ujsXx_BHWjGtPT6ILyaY6/s1600/IMG_8999.jpg" /></a></div><br />Oh, crap.<br /><br />It ended up happening a lot more towards the end, so I started keeping wet wipes on hand to quickly fix any snafus. (take notes, those of you who are about to tackle a stenciling project!)<br /><br />The open wall areas where I could spread the full stencil out (no corners or edges in the way) were quite easy and went relatively fast. <br /><br />But there were a lot of tricky parts, too...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSse_F8U-WE5uOzdWGCtayIx7UaIzgvzH1HZSQ9tUy81XaBR_Qrx3gOsE6_6e7gHg4Ssm2v_POAu7QI7pz05Fbb9uVZjQOwepNOaONMFXCasvTOzv7pHP59Ifu5BYTu15m1ZO8IxLDqBO/s1600/IMG_8995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSse_F8U-WE5uOzdWGCtayIx7UaIzgvzH1HZSQ9tUy81XaBR_Qrx3gOsE6_6e7gHg4Ssm2v_POAu7QI7pz05Fbb9uVZjQOwepNOaONMFXCasvTOzv7pHP59Ifu5BYTu15m1ZO8IxLDqBO/s1600/IMG_8995.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />I just had to be extra careful and take my time. It did get messy though. And not everything lined up perfectly from one spot to the next, so sometimes I just had to fudge it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lVlbOSZkrFbGTZprSAuLjh7M2bxsrJXAwpYJf8RI_SWaYptmoEMcpNgO3yy6jHJYYmb_ch-JXAIdGKFyZ5j_127Zj6kGLmdqdWVZR7h2T7Hdw2QH0V2I8FGbXgc16Fn0CqtWmqDeuv0k/s1600/IMG_8997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lVlbOSZkrFbGTZprSAuLjh7M2bxsrJXAwpYJf8RI_SWaYptmoEMcpNgO3yy6jHJYYmb_ch-JXAIdGKFyZ5j_127Zj6kGLmdqdWVZR7h2T7Hdw2QH0V2I8FGbXgc16Fn0CqtWmqDeuv0k/s1600/IMG_8997.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />Here's another tip: I noticed the edges were becoming less sharp as time went on. Layers of paint had been building up on the stencil, and I tried my best to continuously peel it off but it was a losing battle. I'm pretty certain this was the biggest contributing factor to the fuzzyness. So you can either wash the stencil off every once in a while (it's kind of a pain if you are mid-project) or deal with the fuzzy edges.<br /><br /><br />About halfway through, I used up my quart of paint and had to open up a new gallon. Earlier that week I had gone to Lowe's and picked up a gallon of Magic Spell, asking the paint guy to make sure it matched the older quart I had purchased several months earlier.<br /><br />I started painting...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhz84A8J_G3SInbygAfPrsBs6FnAI1EnGe_Ab9y_cWTdGexEVIFpNp0qIyLRPb3wTPRzvBUFIDJy4rtxpOjjBazTM7ewjviTg3AKDs27h-yLGKRT7QeaT-B0rZY2qnUAcA9DJuOTauuH0/s1600/IMG_8998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhz84A8J_G3SInbygAfPrsBs6FnAI1EnGe_Ab9y_cWTdGexEVIFpNp0qIyLRPb3wTPRzvBUFIDJy4rtxpOjjBazTM7ewjviTg3AKDs27h-yLGKRT7QeaT-B0rZY2qnUAcA9DJuOTauuH0/s1600/IMG_8998.jpg" /></a></div><br />and then I was on my fourth stencil move, when I noticed the paint wasn't drying as dark as it should have been.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmDI3bd6uP7b7EvDG5OokHuek-pLKaodTTuZTvmqB7YJfotic5Ko88icMeFeWi6iIlo-Mj_gsv0g0UBHTX9Z5TRN3ZJA3m4Wiejy1D9OMErURrljiVV6kL_sljUeOF-stghsXRBVbUnEy/s1600/IMG_9000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmDI3bd6uP7b7EvDG5OokHuek-pLKaodTTuZTvmqB7YJfotic5Ko88icMeFeWi6iIlo-Mj_gsv0g0UBHTX9Z5TRN3ZJA3m4Wiejy1D9OMErURrljiVV6kL_sljUeOF-stghsXRBVbUnEy/s1600/IMG_9000.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />See the lighter color at the top?<br /><br />I grabbed both paint cans to compare... and the formula numbers were <em>completely </em>different. Yeah, WTF. I was not a happy camper.<br /><br />Annoyed, I drove all the way back to Lowe's and explained the issue. The lady said that Valspar had just recently changed its formula to add more primer (great...) and she would see what she could do. Before I left the store, I practically made her swear on her life that this new paint would be an exact match, and she assured me it would.<br /><br />Luckily, she came through on her word and it was like it had never even happened (minus the 2 hours out of my day). <br /><br />I spent the rest of Saturday finishing my stenciling, and Sunday morning on touch-ups.<br /><br />Touch-ups consisted of white paint, a small brush and a steady hand. It went surprisingly well, and I was able to smooth out all of the more noticable imperfections.<br /><br />Like this really bad one...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCndna8t45rLFpST8-rx69cajnXg5_WRNdEsb4_QUsi-kNZxtZqa-VjyO8D9w6_xljxlRdokDtAm5TOH66Yl_jfAkOrxLgA3Fk_9BIJR9aUD3qLpH_0raFGV1ujsXx_BHWjGtPT6ILyaY6/s1600/IMG_8999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCndna8t45rLFpST8-rx69cajnXg5_WRNdEsb4_QUsi-kNZxtZqa-VjyO8D9w6_xljxlRdokDtAm5TOH66Yl_jfAkOrxLgA3Fk_9BIJR9aUD3qLpH_0raFGV1ujsXx_BHWjGtPT6ILyaY6/s1600/IMG_8999.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />After:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kHcOZ7F19jmpt6hcUuXG9rND08_buHKynRLb-JZ0MeO1GhEIr4cdRXeW-h4jMyZV6h-6XPL7psy064qtkQYOl0UPdIS4PAAafYSWkh3jhyphenhyphenwH-PIU8816sYBP38SQLhjChinrKOeVSWqZ/s1600/IMG_9010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kHcOZ7F19jmpt6hcUuXG9rND08_buHKynRLb-JZ0MeO1GhEIr4cdRXeW-h4jMyZV6h-6XPL7psy064qtkQYOl0UPdIS4PAAafYSWkh3jhyphenhyphenwH-PIU8816sYBP38SQLhjChinrKOeVSWqZ/s1600/IMG_9010.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />But even with the fuzzy edges, it really looks quite nice if you take a few steps back.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDi1EnRrfILd3sAWLvVEhracIkxwVdROffh6sb4W7QovdHZjSy2myxbpbf3SZt9Bkq6a4QJfo4vCt4GSASOSQaoVjr-zJnkTOvGoSbPbiLBid6qaFOn14EjtcN7-TYPn6xxkP1VuE7EsES/s1600/IMG_9006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDi1EnRrfILd3sAWLvVEhracIkxwVdROffh6sb4W7QovdHZjSy2myxbpbf3SZt9Bkq6a4QJfo4vCt4GSASOSQaoVjr-zJnkTOvGoSbPbiLBid6qaFOn14EjtcN7-TYPn6xxkP1VuE7EsES/s1600/IMG_9006.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmeeW3j7N8GfZQtfoLRt1BS6aufK0EWbNWLeTMRzmYqvCUhYjJn6nXRqwEqSVdobmB-f0Zgk2M2dKYA4FQIIZglpFCAv25aHOlqyajVog4o3rZdZqV0uGghzp9rrSOcoNVEQfZa3jqa9R/s1600/IMG_9007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmeeW3j7N8GfZQtfoLRt1BS6aufK0EWbNWLeTMRzmYqvCUhYjJn6nXRqwEqSVdobmB-f0Zgk2M2dKYA4FQIIZglpFCAv25aHOlqyajVog4o3rZdZqV0uGghzp9rrSOcoNVEQfZa3jqa9R/s1600/IMG_9007.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPVXN1xlYqfLFOPGJv9m6_9tt0NzRA04uS3GFwZBeYibmAhIQDQZWqIwts4-h_5bdR9Z-1O_byej-hL1tU0Loq0LslHn8XPlXAVy7WEMZVR8l-aMBr0N8pFLqK3LYO8U97Kw484QdvuH4/s1600/IMG_9008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPVXN1xlYqfLFOPGJv9m6_9tt0NzRA04uS3GFwZBeYibmAhIQDQZWqIwts4-h_5bdR9Z-1O_byej-hL1tU0Loq0LslHn8XPlXAVy7WEMZVR8l-aMBr0N8pFLqK3LYO8U97Kw484QdvuH4/s1600/IMG_9008.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiZKjG3r4JM-gcjlj3Nw3GtxSFDW7TloJ-b1nNPKSOdZjFXtgVdSukdQT8qxDE6dWDihxW0tzZJnKTLaeAhHmCD1cam6xKvyPPFD3qMg30rCFjwuMbh8na3VRtABlVGwTThQMe-42D8e-/s1600/IMG_9009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiZKjG3r4JM-gcjlj3Nw3GtxSFDW7TloJ-b1nNPKSOdZjFXtgVdSukdQT8qxDE6dWDihxW0tzZJnKTLaeAhHmCD1cam6xKvyPPFD3qMg30rCFjwuMbh8na3VRtABlVGwTThQMe-42D8e-/s1600/IMG_9009.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />I had just enough time yesterday to rehang my mirror/art/sconces before the party was underway, but I still have one more project to finish. That, along with the finally completed dining room, will come next week.<br /><br />What do you think? Have I convinced anyone to take the stenciling leap, or has this made you decide that wallpaper is a better option? I definitely don't regret it now that it's done... but next time, I think I'll just try wallpaper :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hIQnbXAwDyaGAMqMsgUDN7opcFzgxEs23rJKRrAp2n0UTqu-auFdP81cjlg2vm0lfzLZ5dfCjU5RR9jzgJs0S_FFXpvNCYxS4y6dFIAqR0DsGSCnvghW0hiSZsTWa0CXbIj4J86OAh8O/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hIQnbXAwDyaGAMqMsgUDN7opcFzgxEs23rJKRrAp2n0UTqu-auFdP81cjlg2vm0lfzLZ5dfCjU5RR9jzgJs0S_FFXpvNCYxS4y6dFIAqR0DsGSCnvghW0hiSZsTWa0CXbIj4J86OAh8O/s1600/Signature.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Stenciling = Done!

Today I can breathe a big fat sigh of relief because this stenciling project is over! I started Wednesday night, and continued to work on it...

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The Journey There & Back | Our Time in New England

I'm writing this post from the air on my way to my first overnight stay away from Emma.  This is my first significant amount of time away from my baby (24 entire hours... 7 was the previous record).  Only after leaving her for 3 hours (and counting), I'm already nostalgic about our time together so far.  I have spent most of the flight watching vidoes of her grow up on the ipad.  <br />Through my video journey, I realized I hadn't properly brought our time in New England to a close for the blog - and maybe for myself.  I think I will always think of our journey to Massachusetts as our journey to get Emma.<br /><br />It all started with a little twist of fate...  almost two years ago on our honeymoon flight to Italy, I was browsing through the October Martha Stewart Living (seriously... how MUCH has this magazine influenced my life) and was reading an article about a little town in central Massachusetts - <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/trip-to-deerfield-mass-new-england-day.html">Deerfield</a>.  So charming and quaint.  Knowing Mike was thinking of exploring new job opportunities, I said, "You know, if you found an opportunity someplace else, I think I'd like to move someplace - just for a little bit.  Let's go have some fun someplace.  Look at this adorable town in the middle of Massachusetts.  We could live there!"  My comment to him was half joking and half serious.  But when we arrived in Italy, our minds really started wondering as we explored the hills of Tuscany.  Mike was convinced that we needed to just stay in Italy and by a little villa.  It was official, after our trip we had been stung by the exploration bee.<br /><br />When we arrived home from our honeymoon, Mike (who had not yet reached out to anyone regarding a job search) had an email in his inbox from a recruiter about a job... in Boston.<br /><br />After a couple of months of interviews and negotiations, we put our house on the market and went to visit New England to look for a new place to live.  I had a vision for what I wanted in a new location - something in a small quaint town similar to what I had seen in the Martha Stewart Living.  Through my research came across a little town called Concord.  It was only 10 miles from Mike's future office and looked to be very cute.  I booked a room for us at the Colonial Inn at the beginning of February.  <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWEnbhESww5ilzMaoIHxV_qgkRxcmjuMqrzLksG97NG9SfoW6EondNiFi8bG2FOVs9J3Y5bS-XwPB9TLj1tlubofSNFBLiFlIukXvg7tuYQ-n-z1v5fK0yjEdfayX_CtUqyh0bRwdMdzh/s1600/IMG_5435.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWEnbhESww5ilzMaoIHxV_qgkRxcmjuMqrzLksG97NG9SfoW6EondNiFi8bG2FOVs9J3Y5bS-XwPB9TLj1tlubofSNFBLiFlIukXvg7tuYQ-n-z1v5fK0yjEdfayX_CtUqyh0bRwdMdzh/s640/IMG_5435.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Concord's Colonial Inn when we came for our first visit - 5ft of snow!</td></tr></tbody></table>You might recall that the Winter of 2010-11 was a doozie in New England.  There was 5 feet of snow on the ground when we went on our visit.  As we drove the 20 minutes outside of Boston to the country, I instantly fell for the white-covered pristine country side.  It was almost surreal as we drove around on the winding country roads, seeing all of the colonial houses tucked into the woods.  We arrived in Concord - such a charming and idyllic little town settled into the country.  <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI-sP33umQuVCwyQQG7UJ6Mg-RA1FcenYPnE9B1mD-KhgTV3UFtzPQdeOHuF9S97-oUGwMef9elPtPqIea5dsPV0-8ZpYJKjYVWTaKfpQCM_oAFD6CllDbiXNN8VJn6C0d2H6zJtPbX1e/s1600/IMG_7827.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI-sP33umQuVCwyQQG7UJ6Mg-RA1FcenYPnE9B1mD-KhgTV3UFtzPQdeOHuF9S97-oUGwMef9elPtPqIea5dsPV0-8ZpYJKjYVWTaKfpQCM_oAFD6CllDbiXNN8VJn6C0d2H6zJtPbX1e/s320/IMG_7827.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Main Street Market & Cafe in Concord, Ma.</td></tr></tbody></table>With the heavy, heavy blanket of snow, the town was so so quite and peaceful.  But, that night we had dinner at the Main Street Market & Cafe - sort of an old-time general store.  Mike and I chatted about what we thought about the town, how we envisioned our life there and if it was what we were looking for in a town.  We started talking about when we wanted to start a family and decided that we wanted to start trying - guessing it would take a little while.  <br /><br />As we were chatting about our future plans and while the snow had quieted the rest of town, there was a crowd packed into this charming glowing little restaurant.  The band started up and people were kicking off their snow boots, stripping of their stocking hats and dancing their tails off.  We loved it.  I am not sure if it was the music, or the fact that it felt like a glowing and bustling party in the middle of a snowed-in town, but whatever it was in that moment it had the "it" we were looking for.   <br /><br />A month later we had sold our house and drove ourselves and Mr. Darcy across the country.  Going into it we knew we probably didn't want to stay there forever, but we were open.  We were free to explore and experience for as long as we wanted.  <br /><br />We are pretty sure that I got pregnant sometime during the first week we were there.  Yes, one month from when we decided to start trying - Emma was with us during our entire journey... we just didn't know it yet!  Almost instantly our need for exploring turned into my natural instinct to nest.  I felt myself wanting to find a home asap and settle in.  We did just that in a house we rented in Concord, Ma.<br /><br />During my pregnancy we still kept our adventurous spirit and went exploring every chance we got (as you have seen).  We did our best at filling every spare moment with a new trip or experience.  But as Emma got closer to her arrival date, our love for exploring started to fade into a yearning for setting up a more permanent life for us.  <br /><br />In December, Emma was born at Emerson Hospital in Concord.  Our families came out for her birth and for the Holidays and when it was time for them to leave I knew it was time for us to start making our way home.  While we had loved our time on our own, growing as a newly married couple and a new family, I knew that I wanted Emma to grow up with the rest of her family<br /><br />We didn't want to leave too soon though, we still wanted a little more time out on our own and to check some things off our list.  We loved living in Concord and frequenting our new favorite places- Verrill Farm, Barefoot Bookstore story time and Mr. Darcy's favorite walking route through the historical town center.  When I would get anxious about wanting to get back home, I would (try) to remind myself that this was just our little life vacation- and that is how it felt.<br /><br />Though short lived, I will never forget or regret our time in New England or the spirit we enriched from having gone out to explore on our own.  While I don't know that our experience was exactly what I thought it would be in some ways, it was so much more in others.  I can't wait to go back to some of our favorite spots someday with Emma and the rest of our family to show them that life is exactly what you make of it.  I hope that we can teach her that life is about getting out there and living and never being afraid to come home... especially now that we're the parents.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdVdzHgUK7C4VRZc-tdcAgjCFfjTz6Q2j9NHeIPR45pGAnU_Tv6_uZAfYfy_xUoYG83vLMcR5j32GLMDi2UVi1yCJNZEXvt3b3kADnmtK80GMJkpgbFmgIVUYZST0xkeBv59eF-uRgHIp/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdVdzHgUK7C4VRZc-tdcAgjCFfjTz6Q2j9NHeIPR45pGAnU_Tv6_uZAfYfy_xUoYG83vLMcR5j32GLMDi2UVi1yCJNZEXvt3b3kADnmtK80GMJkpgbFmgIVUYZST0xkeBv59eF-uRgHIp/s640/IMG_0167.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/05/vermont-weekend-getaway-hiking-smores.html">Hiking in Stowe Vermont</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">  </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuslXg02HLPM45h9XRDKS72zSbFXVqdJQH1cQD55fFvD97TyUq45dMC4IO8mRIT6Qv6HHQyvISFf8y84iqPkmMWDBzuCrQ86eK6sVjUhjrgCCcbgnH4xmu_Hqd_VFcsm5jpzAyAkmRIbuj/s1600/IMG_0217.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuslXg02HLPM45h9XRDKS72zSbFXVqdJQH1cQD55fFvD97TyUq45dMC4IO8mRIT6Qv6HHQyvISFf8y84iqPkmMWDBzuCrQ86eK6sVjUhjrgCCcbgnH4xmu_Hqd_VFcsm5jpzAyAkmRIbuj/s640/IMG_0217.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/05/vermont-weekend-getaway-hiking-smores.html">Hiking in Stowe Vermont</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYvOqPj1d0j3_jXAEd18bmt_9tsCKBaL8xLJOMKxXUVEKJoeuTphgCXk6qUCcbbqwKwT3WX1ktPDo1VT1JOk0Pt5FN7bFZnF1blzTFBxy7sHWt_moW2JOBQYhwbrh8S_KHEbElTWnxoXy/s1600/IMG_6972.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYvOqPj1d0j3_jXAEd18bmt_9tsCKBaL8xLJOMKxXUVEKJoeuTphgCXk6qUCcbbqwKwT3WX1ktPDo1VT1JOk0Pt5FN7bFZnF1blzTFBxy7sHWt_moW2JOBQYhwbrh8S_KHEbElTWnxoXy/s640/IMG_6972.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/03/east-hampton-beach-early-morning-walk.html">Sunrise Walk on the Main Beach in East Hampton</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEcV5xpVM1O42NPXalhjI2PdiLk27HBCyOug9nee4bfCSIJaQGMEhrXhcL0XhrgIQ8l-4eoNbmksXBTstJFJDXAblSMaflF0RT94Q5kyXpWXrcebu1xj_SqE5SyGHIJ67A9v1ncit4y5K/s1600/IMG_0775.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEcV5xpVM1O42NPXalhjI2PdiLk27HBCyOug9nee4bfCSIJaQGMEhrXhcL0XhrgIQ8l-4eoNbmksXBTstJFJDXAblSMaflF0RT94Q5kyXpWXrcebu1xj_SqE5SyGHIJ67A9v1ncit4y5K/s640/IMG_0775.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike's dream car in Sandwich, Cape Cod.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANn7J_TDiwSvkkB5O2SnWVbHA5a88BrB0aELPZYCS2XjAKcwiEjPtcv7PH7DEQm3l_pTfGdOr4RkP3LpNjMSc0IJgaqr5H9VzPGZEisQeykdRv0rwRSqLuQNAS3JIaebC2aZETbOnx_Rd/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANn7J_TDiwSvkkB5O2SnWVbHA5a88BrB0aELPZYCS2XjAKcwiEjPtcv7PH7DEQm3l_pTfGdOr4RkP3LpNjMSc0IJgaqr5H9VzPGZEisQeykdRv0rwRSqLuQNAS3JIaebC2aZETbOnx_Rd/s640/IMG_4796.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the top of the hill in <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/04/everyday-living-well-everyday-mr-darcy.html">Concord's Town Center</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03OyfELGWp-Gm3reDjb7ZQCYI5yk9-SmHDwNrPPtbAR5DP002XYdNxMU6t62o_Or_RY6M2BUAkk0weLqttpBQssg_SXeUoqsK7A9G-ZqHV74qMoKYgg6kwXUBZdf_SVF0FOUUn38OOlIx/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03OyfELGWp-Gm3reDjb7ZQCYI5yk9-SmHDwNrPPtbAR5DP002XYdNxMU6t62o_Or_RY6M2BUAkk0weLqttpBQssg_SXeUoqsK7A9G-ZqHV74qMoKYgg6kwXUBZdf_SVF0FOUUn38OOlIx/s640/IMG_0893.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad admiring the Minutemen monument at Concord's North Bridge.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZTFBTyx_h2zS2QorPJvdK1cziqmS6iXAXC2fcTZHLzml9jIBzCb3PK8sYSFv5eNgVf_2odJDmvPzc_NiRRtNNbCJEQi9eUAWsjQSjlr0E6JAxyVD0o-rX5Q0sRIWRYBicOTaaIbN8xAY/s1600/IMG_1128.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZTFBTyx_h2zS2QorPJvdK1cziqmS6iXAXC2fcTZHLzml9jIBzCb3PK8sYSFv5eNgVf_2odJDmvPzc_NiRRtNNbCJEQi9eUAWsjQSjlr0E6JAxyVD0o-rX5Q0sRIWRYBicOTaaIbN8xAY/s640/IMG_1128.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/06/marthas-vineyard-vacation-with-my.html">Mike biking through Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibes5mFHVQfrdg1OZHunAV5CzPylmfm9Ujnpo9aqY50LaNOqO9Xmiltpwr9SGQf1okBp_CbFKUgyNixH_i6ZCotAwBLrb4BlyTR8L0JWm_VU0vwg8JBzJd1wdEQmcLS-Sy_tNvt1gSNkEc/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibes5mFHVQfrdg1OZHunAV5CzPylmfm9Ujnpo9aqY50LaNOqO9Xmiltpwr9SGQf1okBp_CbFKUgyNixH_i6ZCotAwBLrb4BlyTR8L0JWm_VU0vwg8JBzJd1wdEQmcLS-Sy_tNvt1gSNkEc/s640/IMG_1022.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/06/marthas-vineyard-vacation-with-my.html">Martha's Vineyard with my entire family!</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpPZ7_fBUK8l8EEXuHDCwSb454rVjLl_WKrgstn9RTiUWOWi9RNKWcguL4gVGCbRk1aiVLkpK4E2UsMzDiTJ2f6YDcsbSDQVl4_DZ7MIPEO2rLyzFGwvaD692zpU7cBQC9D8qUzpId59p/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpPZ7_fBUK8l8EEXuHDCwSb454rVjLl_WKrgstn9RTiUWOWi9RNKWcguL4gVGCbRk1aiVLkpK4E2UsMzDiTJ2f6YDcsbSDQVl4_DZ7MIPEO2rLyzFGwvaD692zpU7cBQC9D8qUzpId59p/s640/IMG_1257.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/06/marthas-vineyard-vacation-with-my.html">Martha's Vineyard Family Vacation</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblvUdYVMzFpd_5wkz5z7mtnMPaA2qEpYsOb36NzrG5BtlTZl9doexeLuTmkdWkvyvGCesaDL7RruMDvVVWXduVAaKFwARVpmCjE693Az74QWlefDKj8AaAVjJ3ueUjAVmOSupkbMoiEud/s1600/IMG_1276.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblvUdYVMzFpd_5wkz5z7mtnMPaA2qEpYsOb36NzrG5BtlTZl9doexeLuTmkdWkvyvGCesaDL7RruMDvVVWXduVAaKFwARVpmCjE693Az74QWlefDKj8AaAVjJ3ueUjAVmOSupkbMoiEud/s640/IMG_1276.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/06/marthas-vineyard-vacation-with-my.html">Lobsters on Martha's Vineyard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ae07gPmA9owRLK0PXLla4NTYIW0NFES56xNdje_C7NXQ2TqUdfnJN652EQnuY0XCD8l5gJrd2gwGWJWfYhfEKBN_-84TXTRB8YPVQCE8Jqcau3UZRw-AWwRytj9zgZOOVEX8KTrADIpA/s1600/IMG_7825.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ae07gPmA9owRLK0PXLla4NTYIW0NFES56xNdje_C7NXQ2TqUdfnJN652EQnuY0XCD8l5gJrd2gwGWJWfYhfEKBN_-84TXTRB8YPVQCE8Jqcau3UZRw-AWwRytj9zgZOOVEX8KTrADIpA/s640/IMG_7825.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-foliage-in-concord-mass-new.html">Concord's Town Center in Autumn</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SiPPsEOy63ENH8HQk2l1s45OXINbiMPCaSUX5EY5C_TdQC6HVnkcQoQ5UagbIRNdPLDFz3IqNBRktABHbiLkRgiYtOKHRpUZbOap_mfBsK8p2v5HdrZrQzg8iNqC6VEge0wFV0hq3_tb/s1600/IMG_8064.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SiPPsEOy63ENH8HQk2l1s45OXINbiMPCaSUX5EY5C_TdQC6HVnkcQoQ5UagbIRNdPLDFz3IqNBRktABHbiLkRgiYtOKHRpUZbOap_mfBsK8p2v5HdrZrQzg8iNqC6VEge0wFV0hq3_tb/s640/IMG_8064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way out to Our trip to <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/trip-to-deerfield-mass-new-england-day.html">Deerfield</a> - the place that inspired everything!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuy0c3RhthSW_7spilzSWzQbP6oIQN5rrmLzaMzA1rSfiRH658JVuY3m4ynVVGWVID313Uhyeq8-6br_wwbqdBbXRu8utWWMeVJorwTvhb2NUaRsbaQqM2ceBmrb27eHquUF6MktqXUgf/s1600/IMG_8123.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuy0c3RhthSW_7spilzSWzQbP6oIQN5rrmLzaMzA1rSfiRH658JVuY3m4ynVVGWVID313Uhyeq8-6br_wwbqdBbXRu8utWWMeVJorwTvhb2NUaRsbaQqM2ceBmrb27eHquUF6MktqXUgf/s640/IMG_8123.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me looking as big as a giant pumpkin in Our trip to <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/trip-to-deerfield-mass-new-england-day.html">Deerfield</a>, MA (read about our trip <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/trip-to-deerfield-mass-new-england-day.html">here</a>!)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYK_6wtWJGDPZg374__3G2RtwyH4qVodmSNHvKF9qzPAOz_vxOaXoeafHNgdMlZjwa2LYwWbUHN9t2vezgpPMUDrOMxjinQ68fftQg1kuVWLOGJI1ujUvb03_hMCjsbfpaEFvx11Xwzt3/s1600/IMG_8079.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYK_6wtWJGDPZg374__3G2RtwyH4qVodmSNHvKF9qzPAOz_vxOaXoeafHNgdMlZjwa2LYwWbUHN9t2vezgpPMUDrOMxjinQ68fftQg1kuVWLOGJI1ujUvb03_hMCjsbfpaEFvx11Xwzt3/s640/IMG_8079.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Pumpkins in <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/trip-to-deerfield-mass-new-england-day.html">Deerfield</a>, MA</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74wzWzR_ERlqIMYQD2Wq9SC8hellBXzVBY-geGsHwHhFNfmA0eJaOFHygdilM2toEupfRk12V0d0FZbQ0HNDYaZVXMwITRMjF_t2tuQEG8UyBjiFUCS3XLS-KvODnlHMk8lExT-pvG_dK/s1600/IMG_8559.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74wzWzR_ERlqIMYQD2Wq9SC8hellBXzVBY-geGsHwHhFNfmA0eJaOFHygdilM2toEupfRk12V0d0FZbQ0HNDYaZVXMwITRMjF_t2tuQEG8UyBjiFUCS3XLS-KvODnlHMk8lExT-pvG_dK/s640/IMG_8559.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Mr. Darcy settled into our house in Concord.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl_FJIwYY2n15G06Fhg8uKG5_hUrDFRVu5KT6MB7ce9kdIzhBg5STGF6B7uxNQi00NAwBfXgXotabhpH7R1Xy3iU8-q9ApGWoTOjGYbGT7-_VsZJoFzoO4oyI4YKb9yspBHDgzc1Y12Ce/s640/IMG_0046.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hunt for a <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/12/vermont-trip-for-chriastmas-tree-my.html">Christmas Tree in Vermont</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiwLleIU97WES7u2EHhhwd81qXY6DjuKrejXNgzbGiKb0YJHkWgfO40pkGfQGnOnE67SOzWl25h1ViOlb23In5Is0fX2Uxy47j_0vNMIWll7wuJCXv3jTlxyXpMZk8OGQ4Mqa4pIufX70/s1600/IMG_9604.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiwLleIU97WES7u2EHhhwd81qXY6DjuKrejXNgzbGiKb0YJHkWgfO40pkGfQGnOnE67SOzWl25h1ViOlb23In5Is0fX2Uxy47j_0vNMIWll7wuJCXv3jTlxyXpMZk8OGQ4Mqa4pIufX70/s640/IMG_9604.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Mr. at the <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/12/concord-christmas-tree-lighting-my-life.html">Christmas Parade in Concord</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJOlawt9x5Oavg6E8WShVkzCIznS9R1tDU0XfHJcNp1ac8KA4h932Sky0HDhrYdoqNJVEEO2H80JCDuqw4FXP3oH5yAWVYvccwGCQcBR0ysBoPpXJU_EBvAqRNecsCkbuMpW57XyGc3-G/s1600/IMG_9850.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJOlawt9x5Oavg6E8WShVkzCIznS9R1tDU0XfHJcNp1ac8KA4h932Sky0HDhrYdoqNJVEEO2H80JCDuqw4FXP3oH5yAWVYvccwGCQcBR0ysBoPpXJU_EBvAqRNecsCkbuMpW57XyGc3-G/s640/IMG_9850.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma at 9 months... pre-birth</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OPWxjJ8Yi_eE-YRMTsHFLwFBV9Y7SYf8UqUccE6Pneb3PWOJ3uHuzzADNWSwCIpgU0E5tNFP0kIcAsjAOoK2T5Goa40msy4_uOMx2v6jhMVRZpnsykjxp0vVIU1CxbKUWRkepBSzwHKx/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OPWxjJ8Yi_eE-YRMTsHFLwFBV9Y7SYf8UqUccE6Pneb3PWOJ3uHuzzADNWSwCIpgU0E5tNFP0kIcAsjAOoK2T5Goa40msy4_uOMx2v6jhMVRZpnsykjxp0vVIU1CxbKUWRkepBSzwHKx/s640/IMG_0181.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma, Day 1</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiOdrAUWcLvk-Erbg9c_5q7gAR0u5Bv-pi0HmBJe2aWmezK_aYV_woKm31okdm6WuVQFKg4a9qUd1WxXD0-xOzd1ryewnJgUGWx30WDvVMZOrHD0auUqBZ-HE3xrcry7gPxJX9qPMVEY0/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiOdrAUWcLvk-Erbg9c_5q7gAR0u5Bv-pi0HmBJe2aWmezK_aYV_woKm31okdm6WuVQFKg4a9qUd1WxXD0-xOzd1ryewnJgUGWx30WDvVMZOrHD0auUqBZ-HE3xrcry7gPxJX9qPMVEY0/s640/IMG_0220.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma, Day 2</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxU1fn9lkfOz3fY9xI6LX-y6D_Dnk48vS1BcSmYqceDiAb29ZYTaQT9j119sm-1mmXB1P3FuzbaHfZhtxcD2Db47jpvTGtsfJwu1XGxGZARkIxHDgH1u-PEqmrMleYR8r2uFvuX4e3aP9/s1600/IMG_0405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxU1fn9lkfOz3fY9xI6LX-y6D_Dnk48vS1BcSmYqceDiAb29ZYTaQT9j119sm-1mmXB1P3FuzbaHfZhtxcD2Db47jpvTGtsfJwu1XGxGZARkIxHDgH1u-PEqmrMleYR8r2uFvuX4e3aP9/s640/IMG_0405.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-at-our-house-brunch-my-life.html">Our First Christmas</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFS22j2tfpXe096-af2mG9edmz4JuCtQBDbYqB4fD45G9uyfWmcborJp2RkzGONeRa6yoEfnDKBOxWxPTqMVZ4eKr8VEbQ_ySRlQaDzeOyxBoIMfypLntUyHAzBhvWK47WI2qHT_RokyE/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFS22j2tfpXe096-af2mG9edmz4JuCtQBDbYqB4fD45G9uyfWmcborJp2RkzGONeRa6yoEfnDKBOxWxPTqMVZ4eKr8VEbQ_ySRlQaDzeOyxBoIMfypLntUyHAzBhvWK47WI2qHT_RokyE/s640/IMG_0665.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma and her Dad at <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-at-our-house-brunch-my-life.html">Christmas</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2g55_S0Q7jmuGoWa5edFydaPjFiM8HDvwpYOa_RjTbOQ-N2qHX6uN1xAr5hyba_ZT292Nr14KuiyYytMX89pwdt3XPtC1orckad3U3Z08HS57-EPbT-6z-ZjcVRQG4s4Ds4abIo7e2op/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2g55_S0Q7jmuGoWa5edFydaPjFiM8HDvwpYOa_RjTbOQ-N2qHX6uN1xAr5hyba_ZT292Nr14KuiyYytMX89pwdt3XPtC1orckad3U3Z08HS57-EPbT-6z-ZjcVRQG4s4Ds4abIo7e2op/s640/IMG_0837.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/01/view-from-where-i-sit-my-home-is-where.html">Emma at 3 weeks</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7L0yVtFzqzdb9TqWKbKE0ZXENgE6qaH_pTjPWYPBDf3P5DudMfyCxBGyv_E5Roa1yb2e1k37BYB6LPsJw41-ymLyHJXZGA7Vm7gpjhpKp_Qm1BHkxwRrcdoWmTf_1wiYgD4gyzdKwS6-X/s1600/IMG_2821.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7L0yVtFzqzdb9TqWKbKE0ZXENgE6qaH_pTjPWYPBDf3P5DudMfyCxBGyv_E5Roa1yb2e1k37BYB6LPsJw41-ymLyHJXZGA7Vm7gpjhpKp_Qm1BHkxwRrcdoWmTf_1wiYgD4gyzdKwS6-X/s640/IMG_2821.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/03/vermont-skiing-weekend-woodstock-inn.html">Ski trip to Woodstock Vermont</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2Ll_7DGb-xpCU6abU0hb85i3tjMBViWlHOI2GxSkgbeRvDvXitqw_38XK_uEgdC_mObWkKBU9X2HvJLv2AzlW41PiFWAp1dy8koKi1dOWKyWpnQ68n8nG8aeZkooZi00vYS66YIICEHx/s1600/IMG_2871.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2Ll_7DGb-xpCU6abU0hb85i3tjMBViWlHOI2GxSkgbeRvDvXitqw_38XK_uEgdC_mObWkKBU9X2HvJLv2AzlW41PiFWAp1dy8koKi1dOWKyWpnQ68n8nG8aeZkooZi00vYS66YIICEHx/s640/IMG_2871.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/03/vermont-skiing-weekend-woodstock-inn.html">Ski trip to Woodstock Vermont</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4pklU4IoteoERi-d0ERpMPWP0mM07GRxUipsAzk0A-Es2guWr_4FSGhWkkI2RZzwt_zW_JCIjRZAIBY-Xqoo04kyfA9gwgDVM83RqieLFY5Ky-ThboGSl5UJH8Q_3lbBypJg-TOyLrjj/s1600/IMG_1831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4pklU4IoteoERi-d0ERpMPWP0mM07GRxUipsAzk0A-Es2guWr_4FSGhWkkI2RZzwt_zW_JCIjRZAIBY-Xqoo04kyfA9gwgDVM83RqieLFY5Ky-ThboGSl5UJH8Q_3lbBypJg-TOyLrjj/s640/IMG_1831.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/01/valentines-day-sugar-cookies-heart.html">Emma's Valentine's Day</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-A2ZtQ6onYviiCN8CpLv8F8yMb0Eln9rJWHlN4tM2EQUFZsKdT5BPg2U8h48oktiXVGvd6WnnWtZzH9DfPXRJFQRmjojwmVtJdrNhwFMWyk8jMseyHA3sq-UBHZdT57nfmkQg9fPWRql/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-A2ZtQ6onYviiCN8CpLv8F8yMb0Eln9rJWHlN4tM2EQUFZsKdT5BPg2U8h48oktiXVGvd6WnnWtZzH9DfPXRJFQRmjojwmVtJdrNhwFMWyk8jMseyHA3sq-UBHZdT57nfmkQg9fPWRql/s640/IMG_3053.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-birthday-day-trip-to-east-hampton.html">My Birthday Trip in East Hampton</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBwyfBy-krn0VUZEMPI1gG__I2FDoddfXdPvyBSG9V3R3WbFZ7JYzCnpUccCBlACVudt5-TvTTxlnyygANZ7TYnQOrZlvzojrP_d0KArtW-sdEDTr0W7ZihBQbkCODSYhfZzETZCeXwYH/s1600/IMG_3070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBwyfBy-krn0VUZEMPI1gG__I2FDoddfXdPvyBSG9V3R3WbFZ7JYzCnpUccCBlACVudt5-TvTTxlnyygANZ7TYnQOrZlvzojrP_d0KArtW-sdEDTr0W7ZihBQbkCODSYhfZzETZCeXwYH/s640/IMG_3070.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-birthday-day-trip-to-east-hampton.html">Emma's First Trip to the Beach, East Hampton</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J910Q4-ncGDM0qH_x0njQLl8LpYkNjVLFCNKEUhIY3K_ktejxdtCwkxA5Y6-2FhkTAXMkG7eZjZCxhQoH121xkae637WORTY9D2m_E45OAtyjajvwrZlP7PdJBd_orGWqy2C_LoFiIHH/s1600/IMG_4453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J910Q4-ncGDM0qH_x0njQLl8LpYkNjVLFCNKEUhIY3K_ktejxdtCwkxA5Y6-2FhkTAXMkG7eZjZCxhQoH121xkae637WORTY9D2m_E45OAtyjajvwrZlP7PdJBd_orGWqy2C_LoFiIHH/s640/IMG_4453.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/04/walk-thru-boston-public-garden.html">Strolling thru the Boston Public Garden</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenaBdcdGitBmtqf_pOhI7ddehM7olZm2FAolyycCWBjh33gFNsMkolda3d94zmDVQxkfircfFxh1kHWaUqL8EDeg3mkLJj_xoXlVvMvWkdw7StdifLlJukKlK2uzofYK_k8vdU4-pTHZH/s1600/IMG_4459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenaBdcdGitBmtqf_pOhI7ddehM7olZm2FAolyycCWBjh33gFNsMkolda3d94zmDVQxkfircfFxh1kHWaUqL8EDeg3mkLJj_xoXlVvMvWkdw7StdifLlJukKlK2uzofYK_k8vdU4-pTHZH/s640/IMG_4459.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/04/walk-thru-boston-public-garden.html">Emma by the Swan Boats</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw21iX5T6IiOCO0SP4-IIK7HAHDXIJYpkQJmHBMKLq_TU0b5zOnjUTFZusspcCQ2lK3XDQ55DkZkQpnPxE8nQq2p2EcKPxVjG_C_NpapRN9Gx1Ywe3OJIw8N3ZLvnvGJ8y-mq3jVr6MKA/s1600/IMG_6504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw21iX5T6IiOCO0SP4-IIK7HAHDXIJYpkQJmHBMKLq_TU0b5zOnjUTFZusspcCQ2lK3XDQ55DkZkQpnPxE8nQq2p2EcKPxVjG_C_NpapRN9Gx1Ywe3OJIw8N3ZLvnvGJ8y-mq3jVr6MKA/s640/IMG_6504.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/05/brimfield-antique-show-in-massachusetts.html">Mother's Day Beach Picnic</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyNrcMBpKJpsY6jly35M65IDCk9U73qrR8d-P7ZJp-h25kFCK2YBURFlSgT3JfUTT2FzB0uDXzosGw5SnStQA4AM3L6DfIB7SlsGh6zBuDpjcJF-Sb-FIcTGXXjLUWPXZnRNHVZVPn0zr/s1600/IMG_6522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyNrcMBpKJpsY6jly35M65IDCk9U73qrR8d-P7ZJp-h25kFCK2YBURFlSgT3JfUTT2FzB0uDXzosGw5SnStQA4AM3L6DfIB7SlsGh6zBuDpjcJF-Sb-FIcTGXXjLUWPXZnRNHVZVPn0zr/s640/IMG_6522.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/05/brimfield-antique-show-in-massachusetts.html">Sunset, Mother's Day, Duxbury, Ma.</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIYDMuFIYv5LOeyb_WAdxgs5FLobd_ehUqTMpHJXXGhLloaPpSFN6pfm_6GEQmwrLEdXX9f3GcnyngWiMLlB24_6HalLciJ_NrcBthKp-tnFdKLyTyEHp72WF8io6uMhD4jzWCOJZwDJZ/s1600/IMG_6929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIYDMuFIYv5LOeyb_WAdxgs5FLobd_ehUqTMpHJXXGhLloaPpSFN6pfm_6GEQmwrLEdXX9f3GcnyngWiMLlB24_6HalLciJ_NrcBthKp-tnFdKLyTyEHp72WF8io6uMhD4jzWCOJZwDJZ/s640/IMG_6929.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/05/cape-cod-weekend-classic-new-england.html">Memorial Day at Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAaiDXycbEwG5KaJepTPraKjWYaVi0KZKKAmshpoJa5-PtLBid2Iifkbf2JNxbCCPlSZn1ERwMpwH1wku1uE6x-xN4J3AmyycmxyALoRaFaHdFRKXR1IgJ547Pw8LtOol_x_CbRBgkxz-/s1600/IMG_8215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAaiDXycbEwG5KaJepTPraKjWYaVi0KZKKAmshpoJa5-PtLBid2Iifkbf2JNxbCCPlSZn1ERwMpwH1wku1uE6x-xN4J3AmyycmxyALoRaFaHdFRKXR1IgJ547Pw8LtOol_x_CbRBgkxz-/s640/IMG_8215.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz-i8OiKpbD6ZJ87Rg1qzzdvsbjVOR4TGHo4i-xMKU6jD2MzjM5Dtl2tcZ6v-zYTzEByUmAuy6j3Jgpk5X-d7-zKnBQXkYdYCQE16dN6EuuI5GIrgC5CJulOAIL0KMQgd0HITEEbN8ET3/s1600/IMG_8211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz-i8OiKpbD6ZJ87Rg1qzzdvsbjVOR4TGHo4i-xMKU6jD2MzjM5Dtl2tcZ6v-zYTzEByUmAuy6j3Jgpk5X-d7-zKnBQXkYdYCQE16dN6EuuI5GIrgC5CJulOAIL0KMQgd0HITEEbN8ET3/s640/IMG_8211.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See you at home!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>

The Journey There & Back | Our Time in New England

I'm writing this post from the air on my way to my first overnight stay away from Emma.  This is my first significant amount of time awa...

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