The One With Apple Picking

 

Earlier today, we celebrated the first day of autumn (it arrived at 8:43 AM today), by going apple picking. Of course, we visited our traditional spot - Russell Orchard in Ipswich.

Emmie was worried that we might get there too late (we left at 10 AM). Indeed, it was packed when we arrived at that time, but they were definitely moving people through fast. We were able to get our standard apple cider donuts within 5 minutes of arrival.  Emmie also made sure to take a picture of Bri and Kiff on the tires.

Then, we bought bags and a hayride and went out to the fields. The man getting us lined up was a big Bruins fan (I had worn by Bruins hat) and had a cool Hawaiian shirt with his dog printed on it.

When we arrived at the fields, we were allowed into the back section of the orchard, which we had never been to before. It turns out they had just opened that part for pickers today, so we had the run of the apples. It was amazing and the view in the distance was incredible. We found out that gala apples were not available at the orchard this year - the bees did not pollinate them. However, we found a whole row of honeycrisp and it was amazing!!! We were able to get some of the best apples we ever got.

We took the hayride back to the beginning and picked up a few items in the store. Then, Bri drove us home. Overall, it was an awesome way to start fall.

The One With Open House Night

 

 

Tonight, Emmie and I came back from DHS Open House. It was the fourth Open House we had at DHS, which is always a fun night. As we have done in the past, we had to do a little divide and conquer - particularly where we had both kiddoes up there.

 Emmie took on Kiff's schedule while I went to Bri's...though we did overlap in band. Because Bri had a study, we were able to both go to Kiff's chemistry class - which had some cool experiments. And, Emmie came to Bri's "Hero" English class.

All and all it was fun. What was neat was - like years in the past - the National Honor Society seniors were there to help navigate.  This year, Bri got to be one of them and it was super cool. They were all wearing their blue class of 2025 shirts! Pretty keen.

It was a fun night and we saw lots of families, which makes it extra fun. However, it was slightly bittersweet, too. It marked the 13th - and final - open house we will be going to for Bri. It is so hard to believe!!!

The One Where Bri is a Senior

 

 

 

It happened today much to our surprise.

It happened slowly, but in front of our eyes.

Our little girl has come a long, long way.

She officially became a senior today!

 

It is hard to believe, but Bri's first day of her last year in the Danvers schools started today. As I am typing this, she just came in and is eating after a tiring first day where she spent a ton of time with friends. It is hard to believe that 13 years are starting to come to an end.

 It is amazing and scary at the same time. I can't wait to see what our amazing daughter becomes, though!

The One With the Wallows

 

 

This evening, we went to Fenway MGM for the first time ever to see a group Kiff was interested in seeing called the Wallows. The group was fronted by the guy who played the older brother in Alexander and the No Good, Horrible Day! (a fact I learned after the show).

 While we were not too sure what to expect, the venue was amazing. Very quaint for a musical concert. Bebee was the warm up act. She is a New Zealand singer. She was definitely indie, but she did fine. However, the Wallows were the main show. Although I knew little about them, they were amazing. They use a lot of lights and affects in their show, which took some getting used to. But it was well worth it. 

I would see them again.

The One With the Harbor Cruise

 

 

We had the opportunity to take a Hyannis Harbor Cruise today. It was quite a memorable opportunity. Although the skies were gray, and the weather was a little windy, the cruise did not disappoint. The host was highly knowledgeable of the area.

It took off from where several of the cruises take off from...down by the waterfront. What made this one special is that we took a tour of the harbor and went further than we have in a long time.

We went passed Great Island, which we know is closed off for the most part - owned as private property. We also went out toward where the Kennedy Compound is, which is amazing to see so up close from the water. We were even able to see some of there boats. We went by the free beach in Hyannis as well - which is actually on the Hyannis-Yarmouth line. We learned that it is a great place to go to the beach because it has parking and you don't have to pay for it.

Overall, it was an incredible experience and one we'd like to do again.

 

 

The One With the New Kids on the Block Concert

 

 

Every two years, or so, the New Kids on the Block go on tour. And, one thing is almost always clear - when they are on tour, Emmie is going to see them.

 And, of course, when it was announced that they were touring this year, I knew we were going to be going. I also knew, somehow, I'd be the one getting the tickets - which I was.

This year, we were seeing the Summer Magic Tour, which was a reboot of a tour that they did back in the early 1990s. We had prime seating at the Xfinity Center (where we had seen them in the past) and also a VIP pack, which included some free goodies, which were always fun. Fans were also encouraged to dress in their 90s best, which I did, rocking a dashing shirt that actually got compliments from several people. Booyeah!

The concert itself was great. One of the people that I had always wanted to see in concert - and we almost had the chance years ago - was Paula Abdul. So, knowing she was going to be in it was a highlight for me. And, she was still amazing!!! Her songs - and her dance moves - were as crisp as ever.

Then, DJ Jazzy Jeff had a turn on stage. He's always been a favorite, so it was great to see him in person.

Then, it was time for the New Kids to take the stage. And they put on quite a show, complete with their standard homage to their hometown of Boston. They did an amazing job working through the crowd as well, which was fun to see. The concert was awesome. We even had some highly expensive "Liquid Death" water, too. But, it was another phenomenal take at an NKOTB concert.!

The One With Prince Edward Island

 

 

Last year, we attempted to go to PEI, a place that Emmie had longed to share with us. Unfortunately, Bri caught a nasty cold in Canada and we ended up going home early instead.

This year, we got to make up for it. And, I will say, it was quite an experience. PEI was such an amazing island and more beautiful than I ever imagined.

A few highlights of our trip.

 

1. Emmie had THE BEST caramel latte she ever had in a restaurant in PEI. In fact, we tried to go back and get another one there, but it was closed.

2. We had the chance to visit the Anne of Green Gables house and walk the grounds. It was, simply put, enchanting.

3. We saw the musical Anne and Gilbert.  It was incredible. A great take.

 

We definitely would visit the island again.