In Which Emma And Mama Go To The Lake

Yesterday was Grace's first day of full day dance camp! And while she was a little nervous about what it would be like to be somewhere from 9:00-3:00 she was super excited too (or"nervouscited" as she says). Since she's off having a blast with her friends and dancing her heart out Emma and I decided to take this week to do all sorts of fun Emma and Mama adventures! Our first adventure was a trip to the lake. We met up with a couple of friends that we had not seen since April break, and the girls played while we mamas chatted. It was divine, and a most fabulous way to kick off Emma and Mama's Week of Adventures! 

Heading home after a fun day at the lake. 

With Grace being at camp for a full day each day a lunch and snack are needed. We picked up a fun new lunchbox for her over the weekend since the last one we bought for her (four years ago now) was definitely ready to be retired. I packed her lunch Monday morning while she was getting dressed and included a sweet little note for her to find during snack time. She was super curious about what I had packed for her, but we wouldn't let her peek before we left the house!

Her first day of camp was beyond fabulous (though she did come home super, super tired) and our first day of adventuring was wonderful, too! It is very strange to be without our Grace for so long, but Emma and I are completely treasuring this extra time we have together, too! xo

In Celebration Of America

It's our tradition to go to Old Sturbridge Village on the 4th of July. Due to less than stellar weather, and the Village not hosting their usual fireworks display this year we decided that we'd put off our annual 4th of July visit until the next day. And while we are sad that we did not get to meet up with our friends we are so very happy to have waited as the weather was much, much better the next day!

We arrived just in time for the afternoon parade, which lead right into the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Hearing the Declaration of Independence read on the 4th of July just really brings home why it is we are celebrating in the first place! From there we went to peek at the sawmill, the gristmill and the carding mill. The girls were really captivated by the potter making inkwells, and he mentioned to them that if we were to go to the Asa Knight Store we could see some of what they make in the pottery barn there in the backroom just as people in the 1830s would have. While the girls and I went to the store, Dave went over to the cannon firing demonstration to behold them firing the new cannon (and to take some pictures). Even though the girls and I knew it was being fired it still took us by surprise! The Asa Knight storekeepers shared with us that they were not using cannon balls since they can travel up to a mile and that means there would be a really good chance that one of them would have landed on one of the highways! Could you imagine?!

Before we left we each added our names to the Declaration of Independence that was hung outside of the Center Meetinghouse. Between hearing the Declaration read when we first arrived, and getting to sign it before we left, the reason we celebrate this holiday was definitely front and center yesterday. For those who celebrate the 4th of July we hope your holiday was just as lovely and as meaningful as ours was! xo

Morning, Noon And Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into our day today.

 Morning, 9:45am.

Afternoon, 2:15pm. 

Night, 7:46pm.

The above photo was taken by Michele McDonald of the Boston Globe on Summer Solstice night and appeared in the Travel Section today. Many thanks to our friend Deb for letting us know she saw it in the paper today! xo

Happy 4th Of July!

Happy 4th of July from our family (and friends) to yours! We hope that your Independence Day celebration was absolutely spectacular! xo

{This Moment} Monday Night

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. A single  photo  - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments section for all to find and see. We wish you a fun-filled 4th of July weekend! xo

Carry On, Warriors!

Oh, friends, what an incredible night last night was! My dear friend Sarah and I got dressed up, went out to dinner and then spent the rest of the night soaking in all the love and truth and hope that happens when you get to hear the fabulous Glennon Doyle Melton speak!

A couple of months ago when I was on my way home from that month's Deacons meeting I got a text from Sarah that said: "Glennon is coming to Weston!" Now, this was truly incredible because right before that moment we had *just* been talking about how much we would love to attend one of her events. Evidently, everyone in the New England area felt the same way we did and our collective love for Glennon and request for a New England speaking engagement (or two or three or four) was heard by G, and lo and behold there we were with tickets in hand for her first New England event! How fabulous was that?!

And so last night, along with 200 other women, Sarah and I sat and listened and laughed and cried and cheered. It was an incredible, empowering, life changing night. So much of what Glennon said resonated so very deeply within my soul, and there have definitely been many, many thoughts swirling around in my head ever since.

As if getting to spend almost two hours listening to her speak wasn't enough, after the event we were all invited to spend a few minutes talking with G, to have our copies of her beautiful book signed, and finally, to have a few pictures taken with her, too. It was amazing. Simply amazing.

Sarah and I were at just about the end of the line so we had a bit to wait before our turn came. During that time we chatted about some of what Glennon had talked about (and then chatted more about these topics- and our own stories that go along with them- during the car ride home). Grief, being authentic, what we can do to make the world a better place (especially with all that's going on in regard to race in our country). Oh, you know, just the usual deep conversations that you have while waiting in line. Finally, our turn came. She embraced each one of us individually and it was as if you were being embraced by a friend who you hadn't seen in years! She was so very sweet and told us she loved us, and we told her that we loved her and that we were her UCC cheerleaders (at one point during the evening she mentioned that she was a member of our beloved UCC so we had to send a cheer up for that, of course)! Oh, goodness, we could have spent so much longer talking to her but even in that brief few moments it was as if so much was said.

Thank you, Glennon, for being a truth teller and hope spreader and encouraging all of us canaries to continue being the truth tellers and hope spreaders and sensative souls that we are and always have been. Our beginner boots are definitely on the ground and we will continue to carry on and spread love, truth, hope and authenticity every where were go (but first we'll start with the mailman)! ! Love wins! xo

Yesterday And Today

Yesterday:

A gorgeous day like this demanded the day be spent at the lake (and it surely was)! 

And today:

This photo arrived in the mail today from my Grandpa Frolich. In it is my father (in the upper left hand corner), his siblings and their Aunt Sophie. My grandfather took this picture sixty years ago in the front room of their house using a camera that was 50 years old at the time. He still has the camera and from the sounds of it used it just the other day! Thank goodness for the darkroom he has in his basement! 

And finally, we wish our dear Canadian friends and readers a very happy Canada Day today! We hope your celebration was absolutely wonderful! xo