OY! KRISTEN

We spent the weekend in Boston two weeks ago for Stevie's 5-year class reunion at HBS, and man, was it wonderful being back in Beantown. Living in Cambridge was a really special session in our chapter book, with memories that we often re-visit when we are telling stories, and I honestly can't believe that it's been 5 years since we moved. Until I remember that there are two children in my life now that weren't around back in our cold-weather Boston days. #wakeupcall

It was a whirlwind weekend being back on that immaculate campus seeing friends, and we both kept remarking to each other how normal it felt to be back, and how it felt like absolutely no time had passed. We were back to our old stomping grounds, having dinner with classmates, attending lectures and talking about dreams for the future. Truthfully, it felt like NO TIME HAD PASSED. Isn't that so strange?! A few pics below of our weekend.

This view of the Charles River never gets old.

The dogwoods were in full bloom and were more perfect than I've ever seen before anywhere!

We were frolicking around without kids and it was WILD. Like, I wasn't holding 5 sippy cups and snacks in my bag. I was holding lipstick. What is this life. — We were frolicking around without kids and it was WILD. Like, I wasn't holding 5 sippy cups and snacks in my bag. I was holding *lipstick.* What is this life.

The rhododendrons were in full bloom, too! Mental note - I need to plant some of these in my yard.

I used Rent the Runway for a few of the reunion events and was pleasantly surprised! Will definitely be using that service again soon!

Our view from up high. It was 55 degrees one morning when we woke up! with it being 90+ back in Atlanta, I wasn't mad about wearing a few layers.

The block made me think for a mere moment that we were in London ;)

Some of our BFFs from our time in Boston! It was the best to catch up.

On the final morning, Stevie and I had a bit of time before our flight so we trekked from our Copley Square hotel to THE cutest little coffee shop Thinking Cup, where we grabbed some to-go breakfast sandwiches and coffee and headed to the loveliest of Boston's parks, The Boston Common.

America's oldest park featuring trees planted from all over the world (an homage to the immigrant nation that we are), this park is very dear to my heart and always the perfect place to stroll, especially in good weather. The manicuring, the flowers, and the swans - its truly the perfect romantic setting for a movie. Mental note - pitch this location for a movie.

Anyway, we strolled. Whilst chomping down some breakfast sandwiches and taking photos of ducks for the boys (because, Make Way for Ducklings). And we took way too much time doing all this slow wandering and ended up having to haul it to make our flight on time. Which we did! But it was a little close.

Since we actually had time to talk without being interrupted on this particular morning, we spent our time in the Garden dreaming about the future. I don't know if anyone else does this, but when I travel I often find myself dreaming about what life would be like to live in that particular location. I wonder about where the good schools are, what people do with their kids for fun on the weekends, where the local cool places are to eat. In cities like this I wonder how people get around (train everywhere? Walk everywhere? Or still need a car?), how they function with 8 months of winter (yikes, bowl a lot??), and how different the life must be from my Atlanta suburb. Since we actually lived here years ago, the dreaming this time around got really specific, and Stevie and I couldn't help but talk about what it would be like to move back to Boston for a few years. There is just something so characteristic about New England, it will always take up some special space in our hearts.

But before we knew it, we were buckling our seat belts while we listened to the Delta safety information, and we were SO glad to be reunited with our boys just a few short hours after this morning in the Garden.

p.s. - that time I was gigantically pregnant in the Boston Public Garden.

A Blustery Getaway at Serenbe.

We spent last Sunday evening and Monday at the wondrous Serenbe Farm. We had the privilege of staying in one of the cottages at the Inn, enjoying dinner at The Farmhouse and doing some exhilarating hiking/walking around the farm grounds. If you aren't familiar with Serenbe, it's a wonderfully chic, urban-ish farm community (yes, "commune" is perhaps another word for it), located about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta. We enjoyed spending time there in September, and with each season change we find ourselves itching to get back to the farm to bask in the still quiet. Serenbe is the kind of place where you go to dream again, which is exactly why we decided to steal away for an evening.

We got to really dive into some fun imaginings about our goals for the year and how we would like to grow ourselves. That might seem like a funny term, "grow ourselves", but I've learned that unless you attempt something with all sorts of intention, it probably won't just "happen". Like the watercolor painting that I want to do. I bought the supplies! And yet they are still sitting in their plastic Michaels bag, begging me to be played with. But hey, baby steps, right?

We meant for this little getaway to happen over the Christmas/New Years break, but I got some kind of gross bug and we had to cancel. But alas! Nothing could keep us away for too long. Yes, we brought Everett along for the fun, although my sweet mother offered to drive out and babysit for the evening so we could enjoy a dinner date, just the two of us. These are the crazy good benefits of living near family. Thank you, Mom! You're the best!

Dinner at The Farmhouse is such a wholesome, earthy experience, because most everything is grown on the property itself (or at one of the nearby farms in the area), so all the food is locally grown and most is organic. IT'S SO GOOD. If you go on Sundays, get the fried chicken. GET THE FRIED CHICKEN. And the cobbler. Whatever cobbler they're serving up, you will just kick yourself if you don't eat it all. The food is almost holy.

As for the farm yard experience itself, it was really as good as could be expected in the dead of winter. I'm not going to lie to you - it was pretty cold. And really windy. And sort of misty/foggy/wet. So we didn't do as much outdoor frolicking as we hoped, BUT - the goats had just had babies, like a day before we got there - SCORE! Those little baby goats. Seriously guys, you could just die. They are so stinkin' wobbly and CUTE. A slew of pictures to come (because you know that I can't possible edit this batch down any further :)

// Which came first, the chicken or the goat? //

// He's a total dog whisperer, but somehow all the little animals wanted to come to him. They must talk. //

// Um, YEAH. //

// New mama with her baby! This little guy was scampering around and trying to jump atop the haystack. Ah! //

// I was, um, trying to get in some animal love. Connection. Whatever. I didn't grow up on a farm guys. I don't have the animal-whispery tendencies. //