Snow.

"Snow
It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow
Snow
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow

Snow
I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow

Where it's snowing
All winter through
That's where I want to be
Snowball throwing
That's what I'll do
How I'm longing to ski
Through the snow-oh-oh-oh-oh

Those glist'ning houses that seem to be built of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a mountain covered with a quilt of snow

What is Christmas with no snow
No white Christmas with no snow
Snow

I'll soon be there with snow
I'll wash my hair with snow
And with a spade of snow
I'll build a man that's made of snow
I'd love to stay up with you but I recommend a little shuteye
Go to sleep
And dream
Of snow"

Snow from Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

 The pictures above are all from yesterday, with just about two/three inches of snow on the ground.

The pictures above are from this morning.

Stay warm and cozy.

I know we are!

xoxo

Tim

Afternoon light.

Just a little lovely afternoon sunlight on a sliver tray on my kitchen table.

Please ignore the dust. ;)

 I've been a little under the weather, so I've been graciously offered today and tomorrow off of work to recuperate. It's a good thing, seeing as a great nor'easter is heading our way!

We're hunkering down, staying warm, and are ready for the beautiful snow to fall.

xoxo

Tim

Just a little fun.

Hey, I moved here for that reason, right?

I think we all deserve to treat ourselves to the things we love. This is our life, so why not live it?! My stress level these days has been through the roof, with course work, lesson plans for work, managing a household, being sick, feeling better, getting sick again...the story goes on and on and we all go through the same things. That's why this weekend we decided we deserved a little treat for ourselves, just to get away. 

It was really only a hop, skip, and a jump away, but it is a sweet little place that we love to visit. Concord, Massachusetts (you probably recognize the name from history class) is a sweet little town, that's not so little, but has a wonderful and historic feel. There are about a dozen little shops, cafés, a few antique shops, and lovely scenery. 

I love history, and seeing as Concord is the setting for several things involving history, I thought it would be nice for a little day visit, lunch, some light shopping, and just relaxing and enjoying ourselves. 

***Please excuse my iPhone quality pictures. I left the camera at home :(***

 I love going in small bookshops. With Amazon and online sources, we can forgot how important these wonderful little shops are. This reminds me of You've Got Mail.

 A beautiful old home in the oldest part of Concord, very close to "the shot heard 'round the world".

 I was attempting to get a shot of this gorgeous brick home, but to no avail. You can still somewhat see it's lovely features and landscaping.

Isn't it just charming?

We took the time to see the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne (they lived in the same house, but obviously at different times). This is where Emerson said "the shot heard 'round the world" in his poem "Concord Hymn".

The Old Manse

It was from this house, The Old Manse, that the battle at Concord could be seen. I cannot imagine witnessing a battle with hundreds of minutemen and redcoats going on basically in my backyard. This home was wonderful to see, and tour! It was owned by the same family since it was built, then turned over to a board of trustees in the 1930's. There are still mostly original furniture pieces inside, including an 1800's Steinway piano that was original bought by the family. You can see where Emerson wrote, you can see where Hawthorne wrote (Hawthorne, as well as others, actually carved into the windows with diamond rings, and the writing is still there today). It's a wonderful little piece of history, and if you're in the area, I highly recommend a visit.

In Concord, though we missed our chance this time, is Louisa May Alcott's Orchard house. I would have loved to see the inside, but we missed the early closing time since it was Sunday.

 Another beautiful home, and blurry gate. Sorry!

Blurry again! It's hard to take good photos while the car is moving.

So that was just a little recap of our quiet, enjoyable Sunday. Away from the stress, away from the commitments, just a little time for us.

My purchase this weekend.

I found this book at a small antique shop in Concord. I love history and these stories that have been passed around, so I thought this may be a great read! I was only able to find two dates inside. The original publishing year of 1883, then another year 1884. So I'm assuming it should be from 1884, but the cover is something I've never seen on a book that old. The pages are edged in beautiful gold leaf, and I plan to read every page of this sweet book!

I hope you enjoyed our little visit to Concord, Massachusetts!

xoxo
Tim

A New Year...

...Make it yours!

***Disclaimer***: I apologize for the randomness of this post, but my absence has reminded me of SO many things to tell you. : ) Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

A happy new year to everyone!

I hope that while you are reading this I am finding you well and starting off the New Year in a wonderful way!

These first two weeks of January, I have found myself reminiscing of the last year. It is true what they say: What a difference a year can make!

This time last year, I would have told you that I wanted to move to New England, but I never would have said that I would be living in New Hampshire! It has been a dream come true and has already paid off with dividends that I couldn’t even begin to describe.

2013 has already started off wonderfully by our continued house hunting (we have a couple of potentials and are seeing more this weekend), as well as a new (animal) family member! I know what you’re thinking, “It must be a zoo there!” and you would be correct, but we are finished with fur-babies for quite a while (unless we buy a farm ;)!
We welcomed sweet Amy (a 5 year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) as a new family member. With us spending our days working away from home, we felt that it was important for Finnegan to have a playmate/companion, especially since the cats continually refuse attention to him L. Amy has made for a wonderful companion! Finnegan is large for the breed, and she is tiny for the breed, but they are both FULL OF LOVE, so what more could you ask for? She is truly a joy, and we are so happy that we were able to give her a new, loving home.

 Finnegan and Amy cuddling in bed.

Finnegan and Amy on the car ride back from Ohio.

Amy.

We had an absolutely lovely holiday with our families, and we are hoping that you enjoyed your holiday, wherever it may have been spent. I wanted to share some pictures of our holiday décor with you. What I do may not be the most stylish, trendy or designer choice, but I think the holidays should be suited to what makes each of our families and us happy.

 Our first real tree!

 Decorated in blue, white, and gold to match the living room.

Our fun family room tree!

Christmas is a holiday that I cherish with my whole heart. I love the joy that the season brings. The beautiful charity that people show to their friends and families, as well as to people they have never met. The beauty of all the decorations, the beautiful trees in front of the windows, the stocking hung by the fireplace...It is truly a magical time of year! I always hope that my décor expresses my love for the season to every person that sees it.

Of course, I had to share some snow with you! The last seven photos are from our most recent snow (January 16th). We had a couple of days last week that I thought were going to get rid of our 12 inches of snow from the storm after Christmas, but it didn't go away. The new snow added a nice clean layer over the top, and according to the forecast, we have two more days of snow this weekend! I absolutely love the snow, and Shaun, Finnegan and Amy feel the same way!
There is just something so special to us about seeing the snow fall ever so gently and peacefully. It's almost like magic.

To each and every one of you, I thank you for taking the time to stop by and see how we are doing, as well as going on the exciting journey with us! I'm having the time of my life, and I hope to share that with you!

Here's to a wonderful 2013 for all of us!

xoxo
Tim