We just got back from the most refreshing & much needed family New Hampshire getaway. This Summer was beautiful but busy. Then we jumped into a busy Fall full of transitions & obligations. Our home was starting to feel tense & stressed. We were all struggling to find patience and grace with each other.
Our little family New Hampshire getaway couldn't have come at a better time. To me, it was the refresh & reset our family so desperately needed. It would be a time to unplug & just enjoy each other. There would be hiking & exploring & reading & family game nights. I decided to really get into the unplugging this year & deleted facebook & instagram from my phone. I wanted to truly be present with our family & planned to pull out my phone as little as possible.
It was about a four hour drive to New Hampshire. You spent some of it napping & some of it watching a movie on your DVD player. Daddy & I chatted in the front seats & marveled at the gorgeous foliage filled mountain views. Route 93 in New Hampshire has some of the best highway views I've ever seen.
We drove straight to the Basin. We were all ready to get out of the car, & a hike at the Basin was just what we needed.
The Basin has been the perfect hiking spot for us as you've grown through the years. It's a fairly easy trail with foliage & the Pemigewasset River to explore. The first time we took you to the Basin was four years ago, & you were 1 1/2. You had a double ear infection & the antibiotics were doing a number on your stomach. We mostly held you through the Basin hike. To calm your sick little toddler whimpers, I remember saying to you in a deep voice "the Basin." Then you would call out in an equally deep voice "the baby Basin."
What a difference four years makes. You did all of the hiking on your own this year, this time knowing how to look for trail markers. You smiled as you led us through the trail.
Our short hike reminded me of why we keep returning to the Basin year after year. The smell of pine & fresh air surrounded us as we took in the beauty of the trail. We hiked & we talked & we laughed. It was the perfect start to our fantastic weekend.
I'm so glad that these are traditions we get to share together. I'm so glad that when patience & grace is hard to come by, we find a way to come back to each other. I'll be sharing more about our family refresh & reset in the next few posts.
I love you so,
Mommy
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