Part 3 Mount Greylock - Beautiful Massachussets

Just a few minutes from where we were staying in Massachusetts was Mt. Greylock. You can drive the 8 miles up to the top. We drove nearly that far, and the drive was gorgeous. 

There is so much mist/fog in MA, and there was a lot that day, so we couldn't see anything from the top.

But it was still a very serene drive.

And we stopped by the visitor's center to enjoy the view from there.

It was as if the sky was just bigger up there, and the colors more vibrant.

I just loved spending the day with my boys. Just us enjoying the peaceful morning.

What a view!

John is head over heals for anything outside, I had to get a good hold on him, or he would have dived head first into the golden rod!

This was my favorite shot from that whole day. How we love our adorable boy! Just look at those cheeks! And the twinkle in his eye!

The air up where we were was so clean and fresh, I just wanted to drink it in, and stay there for a long long time. What a beautiful Earth!

John has an innate sense of curiosity. He wants to know everything about everything and experience it with every one of his senses if he can. 

John has such focus when he is learning about something new, and he has a methodical way of experiencing new things.

John loves textures, and things found in nature. I don't know if I could've found a happier boy than at that moment.

John was sure to let us know when it was time to go back. He has his own special way to tell us.

We had such a lovely time enjoying nature together. To see the way John finds true joy in God's creations is inspiring and helps us to see the beauty and majesty of it all.

A Time and A Season

I'm trying to learn this lesson:

"We need not worry if we can’t simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time."

http://lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/for-peace-at-home.p29?lang=eng

Massachussets Sept. 2013 - Part 2 Boston

Since we were staying in the Berkshires in MA, just a few miles from the NY boarder, we were about 2.5 hours from Boston, and we decided to give it a go on Wed. for our big sight seeing day. It is a beautiful city full of history. I love to learn about history and to see well kept old architecture, and Boston is the place for that. It is certainly smaller than Chicago, but possibly even cleaner; the traffic is pretty awful, and the parking prices horrendous. We payed $35 to park for the day....sad, we know, but we tried not to dwell on it, and just get our money's worth of enjoyment of this great city. 

The day we picked, Sept. 11, turned out to be the hottest in Sept. and even in Aug. in Boston. The heat index was over 100!

We bought trolley passes for the day that included a Harbor Cruise, which was gorgeous and very informative. It was great to see Boston from the boat.

Some small Harborside condos were going for $3.5 million! Not my cup of tea. But they do come with 2 parking spaces, maybe that makes some of the cost worth it?

As you can see from our melting expressions, shiny exteriors and John's soaken wet clothes, we were very hot indeed. Poor John sweat buckets; it was all we could do to keep him hydrated.

We ate lunch at Legal Sea Foods, right by Long Warf. It is a famous sea food place, which lived up to it's name. We share a plate of grilled Haddock,  mushrooms and rice and it was delicious! I wish I could get their recipe for their vinaigrette.

We took a tour of the Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was first read in Boston, from the Balcony. It was certainly interesting, but I thought not worth $18 for two, and poor Seth had to deal with a blow out diaper in a small bathroom with no changing table. What a husband!

It was great to see the city from the trolley and learn from the driver's commentary.

John was riveted. He loved seeing all the people and cars and buildings.

It was a good way to 'see Boston in a day.' But I would like to go back sometime and spend a few more days a little more leisurely.

There has been so much work and sacrifice that has made our country what it is today, and that make our freedoms possible. I am thankful for all those who have given their lives so that I can have such a good one.

After tackling Boston, we went to Belmont, to the Boston Temple. I got to do an endowment session, while Seth and John hung out in the waiting room, it was still way too hot outside. Poor John couldn't even sleep. But Seth met a very nice temple worker and had a great conversation, and he is even willing to talk to Seth about his career and help him build his network. Maybe that's why we were meant to brave the heat that day.

It was such a blessing to be in the temple again. The temple is a special place where we make promises with God and learn more about His plan for us, a peaceful place where we seek inspiration, comfort and guidance for our lives, a place where families ties are made eternal instead of 'until death do us part.' There have been some updates made to the teaching methods in the temple, and these changes helped me feel more deeply the weight and importance of keeping my covenants, and to better understand God's plan for me and my relationship with Him and with my family. I am thankful that temples dot the earth. This was certainly the best attraction in Boston.

Wagner Family Vacation - Just Us - Seth, Emily and John - in Massachussets Sept. 2013 - Part 1 A Relaxing Get-Away

We went on our first family vacation, just me, Seth and John, and it was divine. Absolutely lovely. We usually always use all of our time off every year to visit family and pack in as much as possible every day. We certainly love to visit our family, but it is great to just get away.

We did our best to 'unplug' and turn off our electronics and just enjoy each other, and we did just that. John was overjoyed at spending a whole week with Dada, and so was I. It was such a strengthening time for our family and our marriage, which are so important. After John went to bed every night, Seth and I had such a nice time reading this wonderful book that I would highly recommend to all married couples. We really improved in our communication and understanding of each other, and got so much closer during that week. It was great!

We did do a bit of sight seeing on a couple of the days (posts forthcoming), but most of the days, we slept in (or took naps), played with John, cooked and ate together (our condo had a full kitchen, living room and dining room, which was so helpful), enjoyed nature (the Berkshires in MA is a beautiful place for sure, I can only imagine how breath taking it will be when all the leaves change colors in the fall) went swimming at the resort pool, and enjoyed a lot of luxurious bath time.

As you can see from the photos, there was a hugh jacuzzi tub in our condo, and we all loved it, especially John; he loved the mirrors all around it. He would crouch down so he couldn't see himself, and then spring up to surprise himself. Watching him play peekaboo with himself was positively a riot! I wish I'd gotten it on camera, but it distracted him too much. He also loved pointing and waving at himself, and I did get that for your viewing pleasure:

Emily's 27th Birthday - September 16th 2013

Yes, it's true. I turned 27 on Monday. 27...isn't that the age that women who are older than that say they are. It must be a very desirable age. An age that says that you are a mature adult, but that you are still young, I suppose. Well. I'm glad I'm 27 for more reasons than that. Check out this little guy on my lap. Irresistible, this one. Such a cutie, and the joy of our lives. I'm thankful to be 27 because I am his mother, and he's my son, and I get to spend every day with him, and he's wonderful.

On John's birthday I contemplated all the effort and struggle that it took to make his actual 'birthday' possible. And looking back on this past year, I see that I've learned so much, mostly that I have so much more to learn. So far, motherhood has been a shrewd teacher for me. I am thankful for my mother who gave life to me 27 years ago, and for both of my parents for keeping me safe all these years, for providing for me and teaching me, and most importantly, for loving me.

This is how John cuddles, and I love it. Although he's a very fitful cuddler, he cuddles for a minute, and then suddenly pushes away deciding he wants to look all around and see if there's anything going on, and then he'll come back. I have to be alert so that I don't get too much of the brunt of those pushes. But I'm always glad to take them back.

Yes it was a great birthday. I cuddled with John a lot, did an hour of yoga, took the night off from cooking, and had a lovely evening with Seth and John, and we enjoyed amazing chocolate pudding to celebrate. I've had some very nice phone calls with some family members, and we skyped with my family. We have a Wagner tradition that we all go around and say what we like about the birthday girl or boy, and they all made me feel very special, loved and admired. I am truly thrilled about the avocado pitter and slicer and salad spinner which are new additions to my kitchen and will be used every day, and I am planning a good trip to Target and the thrift store to find some 'new' clothes. I could use a new wardrobe now that my maternity clothes are long out of the question. Thank you to all for your cards, gifts and kind words. I am thankful to have such a supportive family and friends.

We are a happy family, yes sirree. I am thankful to be 27 because I have been this wonderful man's wife for 6 and a half amazing years. I couldn't ask for a better husband. He is so good to me. And he is an excellent father. John has a fantastic example to look up to. Seth took us on a lovely vacation, just us 3, to Massachusetts for a relaxing week alone together (posts coming soon). That was a superb birthday gift, and he followed up with an hour and a half massage on my birthday. Oh, massages are the best! It really was a nice birthday. Here's to a year of counting my many blessings and finding the joys in life.