Lost in the woods

Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a big backyard and lots of nearby fields and woods to play in. I didn't exactly live like Little House on the Prairie, but being outside and walking through the quiet landscape was a normal part of my childhood. It's something I know is missing from Elisa and Carolina's lives on a regular basis and perhaps that's why these annual trips to see the fall foliage feel so special.  We get to bust out of the gray, concrete jungle and enjoy a colorful day tromping through the autumn leaves in the wilds of Connecticut. The fact that it's only an hour and a half away is a bonus and makes it relatively painless road tripping (i.e. meaning, Carolina only threw up once! :( Yeah, boo).  But really, what I love about snaking our way up Route 7 to Lovers Leap State Park, New Milford and Kent, CT is that it all feels like a well worn path by now, and yet, I look forward to each stop as if it was the first time. This year Elisa had the extra excitement of having her friend Leonardo join us. When I mentioned coming along on Saturday, Carmen was eager to get out of the confines of Sunnyside for a little while and see what all this fuss was about. I think she liked it as much as we do.  And by the end of a long day of hiking and playing, we sat back and watched as they found new energy to chase each other around the field at Kent Falls. The sunshine had given way to clouds but the temperatures were mild and driving home it felt like this season of creeping darkness was fully upon us.

And this is where I have to once again proclaim that I can feel life is smoothing out a bit for us right now, and I'm ever so grateful. Even just getting out of the house in the morning was better--not so frustrating and mood killing. The girls entertain each other in the back seat and it leaves us parents up front with some time and ability to actually talk and enjoy the ride. And our little walks in the woods were marked by their independent spirits setting out on a new adventure with very little whining.  Elisa couldn't help but get bogged down by the time we hit the waterfall outside Kent, but she hung in. And it was really pretty amazing how well Carolina fell into the mix and kept up with the group. She has such an even personality and ability to fit in with the big kids. You would hardly know we had a 2 year old with us. It was really that good. We skipped naps, but both kids passed out in the car around 7pm as we headed home. A short nap later, they finished the ride calmly chatting and snacking as we zipped back to Sunnyside in the dark. Even the traffic was light compared to other times we've hit snags returning to the city. It was great to end the day on a pleasant note after having such fun.  Both Nacho and I commented that we felt fortunate to be able to do this kind of trip and not feel like we're still burdened with dead weight. The girls are starting to pull their own and it just means there will be more trips and travel in their future. For Nacho and I, these kind of excursions are so much of what we enjoyed about living in the Northeast. And I'm glad to be at a place where our pre-kid life and post-kid existence are merging. It's all just life, after all.  And when the autumn colors are out there waiting for us, there's no where else I'd rather be than on Route 7. Til next year....