Who Drove Whom?

We spent a few hours at the New England Auto Show over the weekend.  The boys are kind of car freaks…although, I have to admit, they practiced much more restraint this year than last year.  There was far less running, jumping, and skipping through the expo….and MUCH LESS button pushing (my buttons and the vehicle buttons).  They found their favorites, found my favorites, and made a mental list of what they’d like to buy later in life to write down at home in new “car show notebooks” that they asked to purchase on the way to Boston.

We were happy to bump into Wally who told us (without words) that his younger sister, Tessie, was at home sleeping, when asked.  It wasn’t much later that we bumped into (almost literally…oops) John Henry and his wife, Linda Pizzuti Henry.  While I was busy contemplating if they were on the hunt for a new family car, a new race car for Roush Fenway Racing, or some new delivery vehicles for The Boston Globe…Finn was more concerned with whether Wally drove the Henry family to the car show…or whether the Henry family drove Wally?  Because, naturally they came together.

IMG_2454

I didn’t take a single photo….but the boys took many.  Here are a few of theirs.

Tendercrop. Stands Repeating

I know that it was just about 3 months ago that I wrote about how in love I am with the new Tendercrop Farm location in Wenham, but it totally stands repeating.  Each week since, including just yesterday, I hear someone say, “Did you know that Tendercrop Farm opened a new location?”  Which tells me that all of Cape Ann is not aware yet…and they should be.

I’m lucky enough to only be about 5 minutes away when at work so I’ve been running over at lunchtime.  The other day I got a totally delicious chicken salad with walnuts and cranberries.

If you haven’t been you should really make a point to swing by!

There’s A New Rotary in My Life

Not sure if it is temporary or permanent but there’s officially another rotary in my life.  This one near the school where I teach in Beverly.

Happily (I think) it is there due to the clearing and construction of the new Whole Foods due to open later this year.

In case you were not aware that Beverly is indeed getting a Whole Foods you can read more about it by following the link below.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET PLANS BEVERLY, MASS., LOCATION

Whole Foods Market will open a location at 140 Brimbal Avenue in Beverly, Mass.

The store, which will be part of the North Shore Commons Shopping Center, will be approximately 35,000 square feet and will employ approximately 150 team members.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to open another Whole Foods Market location in the metro North area,” said Laura Derba, president of Whole Foods Market’s North Atlantic Region. “Beverly is a great community, and we are eager to open and to become partners with our new neighbors.”

The store is projected to open in 2016.

– See more at: http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/whole-foods-market-plans-beverly-mass.-location#sthash.sQk50OIZ.dpuf

http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/whole-foods-market-plans-beverly-mass.-location

Image

Nichole’s Picks 1/16 + 1/17

Pick #1:  The New England International Auto Show

JANUARY 14-18, 2016

BOSTON CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTER

Head HERE to see all important information!

 

 

Pick #2:  Rock n Romp, Boston with Freezepop

Saturday, January 16th at 11:30 a.m.  The Sinclair, Cambridge.

The Sinclair

Got kids? Love music?   Then Rock-n-Romp is for you. Started in the Washington D.C. Rock-n-Romp is a family friendly concert series showcasing fantastic local-area musicians and bands. Shows are held during the day in a relaxed, kid-safe environment. The volume might be low, but the music is designed for parents and kids both in mind. Kids enjoy the music, dance, or just enjoy the other activities available to them, and parents get the ever-so-rare opportunity to listen to great live music and enjoy a beer with other parents. Romps give parents who miss that aspect of their social life a chance to get out, enjoy some music that might be new to them, and expose their kids to great bands in a safe, friendly environment.

This show is all ages, but all children must be accompanied by an adult. Adults must also accompany a child to enter. Please ensure that no adult is responsible for accompanying more than three children. The child ticket is for ages 12 and younger. Opening acts subject to change without notice.

1916891_10153763912260535_6401003370552956772_n

Follow this link to read more!

Follow this link to order tickets!

 

 

For a more comprehensive list of family activities visit our friends at North Shore Kid

If You Say So

I spend a lot of time in many different hockey rinks.  Many are really nice…some are pretty nasty.  The yuckiest by far is made much worse by the deplorable condition of the bathroom.  Inevitably, however, one needs to use it.  I cringe while walking on the floor when I think of those same boots later walking into my home and, heaven forbid, on my carpet.

What that bathroom doesn’t have, however, is this sign.  This sign can actually be found in one of the nicer rinks.  While a seemingly obvious request, maybe they’re on to something.

Do people really need a reminder?

IMG_0797

Nichole’s Picks 1/9 + 1/10

Pick #1:  

Snowy Owl Prowl at the Crane Estate

snowy-owl_268
Photo courtesy of http://www.the trustees.org

Wide-open coastal sites are the location of choice for wintering Snowy Owls; common perches are dunes and salt hay staddles. In winters past, the owls have been frequent visitors to the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Join us as we hike the dunes in search of these magnificent birds. Unlike most owls, snowy owls are diurnal – they hunt and are active both day and night – so we have a good chance of sighting one even in the daylight hours! We’ll warm up with hot cider at the end of our hike.

Please note: We will be hiking up and down dunes, through soft sand, for approximately 2.5 miles. Dress for the weather to maximize comfort and minimize misery! Water is always good to have along. A spotting scope and/or binoculars are helpful when searching for snowy owls. Suggested ages 13 and older. Pre-registration required.

Click HERE to preregister and to read more!

Pick #2:  

2nd Saturday Free at the Cape Ann Museum

FAMILY FUN FREE DAY

The second Saturday of every month is free for families with school-aged children. Families are invited to the Activity Center to participate in art, history, and cultural activities, and explore the museum using a Seek and Find. Each month has a different theme, from exhibitions, to special celebrations, to treasures from the Archives. It’s all about FUN!

http://www.capeannmuseum.org/programs/youth-family-programs/

morning_at_the_museum_2008_009
Photo courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum

Pick #3: Open Skate at Talbot Rink

Most Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-4:00 anyone can take to the ice for a very small fee!  Skate rentals are available as well.

Find the rink schedule HERE

images

For a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid.

 

Well, Hello Tessie

As it turns out, Wally the Green Monster, our beloved Red Sox Mascot, and son of Wanda and Walter, also has a younger sister….Tessie.

It seems that Tessie has been too young to live away from her parents up north in Boston for the past several years, but she is now older and has decided to make the move to join big brother, Wally.

Meet Tessie HERE!

And Watch Her Welcome Video HERE!

tessie-isolated

 

Winter Classic

If you’ve read any of what I’ve written since joining GMG, you probably know that my boys play a lot of hockey and it is a big part of their childhoods as well as our lives.

School vacation week was certainly no different.  Thatcher’s team was entered into a four-day tournament sponsored by the Boston Bruins.  While they ultimately did not win the tournament, they were one of the finalists, and for that they were handsomely rewarded.  Medals, hats, backpacks, team photos, etc….and then, the awesome icing on the cake, tickets for the entire team, coaches, and one parent per child to the coveted Winter Classic.

Not only did they score tickets, but they were given front row seats. Granted, being only 8-years old and a bit vertically challenged, they had a difficult time seeing the action take place way out in the center of the Pat’s playing field….but awesome seats nonetheless.

Kudos to the Boston Bruins for once again rewarding these young, budding athletes and helping to create memories to last a lifetime.

The Dredging of Mill Pond, Rockport

If you are like many residents of Rockport and have such fond memories of growing up on… or watching your own children skate on…Mill Pond, please pay attention!

The Mill Pond is in dire need of being dredged before it all but disappears.  Please attend a very important meeting to hear more on Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00 pm in the Brenner Friends’ Room at the Rockport Public Library.

Follow this link to read more!

www.millbrookmeadow.org

Image

2016.

I watched the final sunset of 2015 from way up high last night. I took a moment to reflect on the year newly behind us and about what this year may bring.  Some things are certain….many things are still unknown.  That is both incredibly exciting and scary.

I hope that this very 1st day of 2016 starts your year off right.

IMG_2081

Nichole’s Picks 1/2 + 1/3

So, I’ve got nothing.  I apologize.  I’ve been away all week (and still am) and while I looked for special events for the actual weekend, I didn’t find anything new.  As you all know, my go to outdoor weekend activity (when you can’t go sledding, showshoeing, or skiing, is to go ice skating.  Go find a great rink!

Pick #1:  Rockport’s New Year Eve!

New Year’s Eve is obviously tonight, however, and if you’re looking for a FANTASTIC way to spend the evening with children (or without) head to Rockport.

Rockport’s New Year’s Eve celebration has more music packed into a nice walking proximity than one can even imagine.

Check out the full schedule HERE!

813959_4049d147bdf34bf598db8a92840a21f9

Pick #2:  

The Harvard Museum of Natural History

This place remains one of my all time favorite for a quick education trip into Cambridge along with a great lunch.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History

blaschkaoctopusinglass_inmollusks_01391_cameo_0

For a much more comprehensive list of family activities, head to our friends at North Shore Kid!

 

If You Couldn’t Go Another Second Without a Coffee, Which Line Would You Get Into?

I was traveling from Boston to Las Vegas the other day and passed on a coffee at 6:30 a.m. when leaving “the island” because I wanted to savor a large hot coffee while sitting at the airport.

This is what I found waiting for me when we finally checked in, checked our bags, cleared security, and found our gate.

Such a bummer.

Which line would you get in if you were about to depart for a cross-county flight and hadn’t had a coffee yet?

IMG_1898IMG_1899

 

Look Who I Found!

Undoubtedly one of the very best bartenders ever!

I spy with my little eye, the one and only, Jack Muniz!

Jack is now tending bar at the pretty fantastic Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall in Salem.

I had a yummy lunch up there the other day…made that much better by being able to chat with Jack.

Great food, great location, great ambience, a great raw bar, and Jack. Win, win, win, win, win.

Check out their menu and more HERE!  Turner’s Seafood.

IMG_1764IMG_1763IMG_1765IMG_1762IMG_1761

“I Made These For You”

Last week I did a post about our “Great Holiday Cookie Giveaway”.  If you didn’t see it, check it out here.  It is pretty sweet, if I do say so myself.

Better to Give Than Receive

My students decided that it would be better to give than receive. They opted to skip the annual gingerbread house making for themselves and instead baked like crazy in class and at home. We then made a list of recipients and delivered holiday treats from Beverly to Ipswich to people whom our school is thankful for. We wish we could have made 100 more stops.

So, the other day, Finn finished his job.  In addition to delivering cookies as a class on a school day, each child also brought a box of cookies home to deliver to someone special.  Finn chose to deliver his to the Gloucester Coast Guard Station at Harbor Loop.  You may remember that my boys have both loved and respected members of the Coast Guard for quite some time.

Here’s another post in case you want to read up on that….

Thank you, Grand Isle

So, here is Finn’s letter…and a photo of him delivering his treats to a Petty Officer.

IMG_1360IMG_1796

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire (Also Known as Merry Christmas)

A good friend asked me to repost this….. as it is timely.  I was more than happy to do so…especially since, with all the shopping, wrapping, and deceiving, I haven’t had time to come up with anything else for this morning’s post.

I almost forgot to do it at all….but then I went to the front yard and side deck to shred some carrots to look as though those messy reindeer ate the ones we left out with Santa’s cookies….and I remembered “the lies.”   Next, I’ll go eat 1/2 of one of Santa’s cookies and put the rest back into the ziplock bag that they were in earlier this evening.

My boys are now 8 1/2 and 6 1/2 and both still totally BELIEVE.   I must admit, however, that I’ve become more sloppy.  Just a few minutes ago I shoved things in their stockings with price tags still on them because I am W.I.P.E.D.  Not sure if the boys will notice or not….and not sure how I’ll explain that stuff in their stocking came from Dick’s Sporting Goods.  Bygones.

So, my friends, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas….and some good luck 😉

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/oh-what-a-tangled-web-we-weave/#comments

IMG_0783

Nichole’s Picks 12/26 + 12/27

Well, Christmas will be behind us and most of us will be ready to sit and relax for a bit.

Honestly, my “Picks” for the weekend immediately after Christmas would ideally involve doing nothing at all.  Watch the children play with their new things, grab a good book, curl up and hunker down for a while.   Or…even better….with the weather being so unseasonably balmy….get outside.  Go for a walk, a hike, or a bike ride…or a skate.

To be honest, I’m not sure what the status of the outdoor skating rinks is when it is almost 70 degrees in September, but it is worth checking out.

So,

Pick #1:   Get Outside and Walk Off Christmas Dinner

Find a place to hike and explore.  Follow the link below to find your ideal Mass Audubon location.

http://www.massaudubon.org/

wildlife-sightings_gallerymedium
Photo Courtesy of Mass. Audubon website

Pick #2:  Take to the Ice in Lynnfield or Boston 

Remember to call and see if they are a rink or a pool due to warm weather before going!

Market Street Rink

Rink-2014-2015-3-For-Website

The Frog Pond, Boston

images

 

Pick #3:  The Polar Express in 4D at The Museum of Science  (or any of their other IMAX Movies

4d_polar-express_0.jpg

I think that this is fairly short…so don’t expect a full-length movie!

The Polar Express 4-D Experience

Go on an extraordinary 4-D adventure this holiday season on THE POLAR EXPRESS! When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ 4-D Experience is based on the inspiring and beloved Caldecott Medal children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.

Featured in digital 3-D and brought to life with 4-D multisensory effects, this is an immersive experience for the whole family to enjoy!

See the rest of the IMAX schedule right HERE

For a more comprehensive list of family activities please visit our friends at North Shore Kid