Made in Massachusetts

Driving out to the Western part of the state, I became interested in all things made in Massachusetts. As we drove down on route 2 the paper company Erving became part of our landscape as I watched the factory out of the corner of my eye and began thinking, what can I buy in Massachusetts to help support my home state? Paper, but what else? I began brainstorming a list with my husband. Yankee Candles, Polar Beverages, Welch Jelly, Necco Waffers........ So I begin this post as a question, a list and let's find out. What is made in Massachusetts? Truly made here or developed here?

Top favorite Discoveries.
Friendly Ice Cream

The first Friendly's ice cream shop opened in Springfield in 1935.

Polar Beverages, they make the most delicious raspberry soda.

St. Pierre

Horseshoes in the backyard. A fun summertime past time. St. Pierre Manufacturing Corp. is the No. 1 maker of pitching horseshoes, or those used in the popular lawn game. The company produces 4,000 horseshoes a day.

Welch Jelly, I always passed their building as a child, so I thought it was made here, but really their headquarters are here but their factories are all over America.

To be continued.

Movies that kids love (and dad will too)

I've always loved movies, something I inherited from my father. Animated movies have always been some of my favorites. Here is a list of films for kids that I know dad can love too. There is a broad tradition of animation out there—give it shot, even if it doesn't say 'Disney' on in! Not in any particular order:

Up! (2009) The new Pixar (Disney) movie really caught me off guard when I saw it in theaters. It made me laugh out loud, which is an accomplishment. It's hard to say if this one will stand the test of time, but right now it is one of my favorite Pixar films (maybe better than Toy Story??).

My Neighbor Totoro (1988), by Hayao Miyazaki. One of his best, a VERY kid friendly movie about enchanting (and furry) creatures that live nearby when you're moving into your new house and exploring the nearby enchanted woods. This one definitely stays on the "fantastical" side of things, and doesn't get quite as weird or disturbing as some of his other films.

Disney's Lion King (1994), one of my all-time favorites. Kid-friendly (with a dark side), and how can you not love the music? As an aside, if you're into vintage gaming, I highly recommend this title for the Sega Genesis. Hakuna Matata!


The Secret of NIMH (1982) by Don Bluth. His masterpiece in the style of the greatest Disney movies. Excellent voice acting and character development all around. Your kids will lover Jeremy the crow. Some intense moments, but all worth it at the end. Amazing.


The Last Unicorn (1982). Don't be fooled by the 'Disney' treatment they gave the box art on the DVD release, this movie is dark and scary, sad and touching, laughable and lovable. Harpies, unicorns, the Great Red Bull, gypsies, wizards, this one has it all. Some great songs (in the soundtrack), and even a singing butterfly.

Please let us know if you are enjoying any of these new movies for the first time! Animation can be timeless, and I hope you will share some of these films with your children. I'm not quite a dad yet, but I know our boys will be into dinosaurs. Can you suggest any good dino movies for kids?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Since 1967 Eric Carle has been enriching children lives all around the world. I have been using his books for over 15 years to teach children to read, write, create and to learn science concepts. His art work is colorful and bright his use of tissue paper and paint to cut out shapes is very recognizable and his stories are delightful. A personal favorite of mine is Papa Will You Get the Moon For Me. His work is adored by so many children and adults and can often be found on children's bookshelves. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is celebrating 40 years since it's publication is now available in a pop up book, I recently stumbled upon it in a little independent book shop in Amherst. In Western Massachusetts you can go to the Eric Carle Museum where you can see original art work from his books and the famous illustrator, you can create your own art picture in the hands on musuem and have an organic lunch. It is on a beautiful piece of property and when I was there last there was a VW Bug painted as a Hungry Caterpillar. Be sure to get a cookie with a hole in it at the cafe! No question about it Eric Carle is an author and illustrator worth exploring.


To learn more about Eric Carle visit his website, his blog, your local library, or The Eric Carle Museum in Amherst.

Happy Reading!!!

Downtown Greenfield and Amherst, Massachusetts — A quick trip.

Sometimes, Family takes us out and about on quick trips. Today, we found ourselves in downtown Greenfield, Massachusetts, at one of our favorite little spots to grab a quick beverage and a snack. It's the Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters at 100 Federal St. It's a nice, homey place with a great aroma, and a tempting array of pastries. We had the gingerbread. Feeling decadent? Try the Oreo brownie! We love their assortment of coffee drinks.

Afterwards, we headed for downtown Amherst, Massachusetts. We grabbed a delicious slice of pizza at Antonio's Pizza, a favorite of family who attended UMass Amherst. Across the street at 31 South Pleasant St. is J. Austin Antiques, specializing in antiquities from the American Arts & Crafts movement of the 1910s and 20s. It's like walking into a museum, except you get to touch and admire everything up close. There are plenty of old hand-hammered copper bowls, art pottery in soft glazes, Tiffany-style lamps, furniture, and oil paintings. Lots of Art Nouveau influences. They had several cases filled with wonderful vintage Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry.

Almost next door is Scandihoovians, with a wonderful selection of Scandinavian design, including Trollbeads, Kosta Boda "Mine" tumblers and glasses, and clothing and linens. No Dala Horses, though. :)

El Conquistador in Puerto Rico

The best vacation ever was at the El Conquistador in Puerto Rico. It really was a vacation to remember. It started off as a very rocky adventure that ended up on such a sweet note. After a month of planning our trip and being so excited to go to Cancun. We began to get ready for our trip and discover a big glitch on a Friday night before we were leaving early Sunday morning. My husband the organized one discovered his passport was expired. So after the initial shock wore off and phone calls were made we came to realize that we had to cancel our trip. So we called up Expedia.com and canceled our trip to Cancun. Yes, we were frustrated and needed a vacation. We were two tired professionals who wanted to escape for a little quiet.

Late that night we booked a new trip through Cheaptickets.com to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I was so tired by this point I did not get out of bed to approve the decision. We ended up at a lovely hotel in San Juan but...... it just was not what we wanted for a vacation. So early in the morning after a good night sleep I called Cheaptickets and they helped us get out of our hotel and off to a new adventure. The El Conquistador Resort is where we spent the next 4 nights. We had a wonderful time and could not be happier about a vacation where our one intention is to relax, read and swim. Pure Joy! The best part of the resort was taking the ferry ride over to the private beach on Palomino Island. It was a 7-minute ride on the bright blue sea and landed us on a white sandy beach with lots of chairs and warm water. I will say the water was shallow and a great place for you children to swim, although a bit rough from the coral. I think we will be going back some day with kids.

Tips ~
• Currently the El Conquistador is running a special at their resort.
• Bring some snack food or breakfast bars to the resort to save a little money.
• If you are traveling with a few people consider renting a car and exploring a little bit of Puerto Rico.
• For fun get up early and look for coins in the hot tub. (My husband's favorite activity).


The Hotel Room. Beautiful and Clean! A perfect choice for us.


Imagine getting married here? We said our vows to each other in spirit of such a beautiful place. It is always good to remember to say you love each other.


The Harbor.

Our favorite Boston beer is even labeled Puerto Rico. Fun!

Dala Horses!

The first item to come to my mind, my brothers and most of my cousins minds, when we think about our families are Dala Horses handmade from Sweden. We all have them in our homes and to us they are a symbol of who we are and where we came from. It is a symbol of our family and our grandparents heritage. It reminds us that my grandfather came to our country from Goteburg, Sweden as a young boy to start a new life here in America. My husband instantly loved them and thinks we need more and more and more. They are bright and fun and make a room or mantle more inviting. I personally have always loved them, since I got my very first mini dala horse after my Grandparents returned from a trip to Sweden. Check out the link below to learn more about Dala Horses.

Notice the different paint colors, showing different time periods.

http://www.dalahorse.com/