Bang Bang!

Warning -- obnoxious!

First birthday!

Audrey's first birthday! I missed "Happy Birthday," but got her destroying the cake :).

Hot Tub

Audrey experienced swimming for the first time in Pops's hot tub over spring break.

Walking all around

Audrey is getting to be quite the walker! She can now pretty well walk all around the house, although she still falls frequently.

Oven-Roasted Salmon

Welcome to Tara's first post on the blog. With the help of Cook's Illustrated, and a theoretical knowledge of "blanching" thanks to my stepbrother Reid, I made this amazing dinner tonight! The salmon was oven-roasted, and then topped with a tomato basil relish. With some wine from Trader Joe's and bread from the previous post, it felt like a gourmet feast!

No-Knead Bread

I know I'm late to this party, but I finally came across a recipe for no-knead bread, which has evidently been delighting foodies for some time now. I actually made a revision of the classic recipe which just appeared in Cook's Illustrated. Short version -- this was the best bread I've ever made, and quite possibly, the best I've ever eaten. Crispy, crunchy crust, with a chewy, tangy interior. I'm celebrating with some Chianti as I write this.

First steps!

Here is the long-anticipated moment!

New Photo Album

We've put some new pictures up in the 6-9 month album, including some Christmas ones. We had a great time resting up at home over the Christmas holiday, and both sets of grandparents were very happy to visit Audrey.

standing and laughing

So here she is standing with the help of a chair, and having a grand time playing with the cat and with Daddy.

Nature Walk

Today was a rare day of fun. Tara had the day off, and Scott was caught up with work, so we slept in, and then went to Middlesex Fells nature reserve for some hiking. We didn't go very far, but the weather was crisp and sunny, we were warm and cozy in our coats, and we had a great time showing Audrey the fall colors as we walked through the trees. Our trail climbed a tree-covered hill and ended at an observation tower, where we had a great view of the surrounding area, including downtown Boston. We've been very busy lately, but we were extremely grateful to have such a refreshing day outside.