A long weekend away

Hi friends. Sorry for my silence the past few days. I had a few vacation days I had to burn, so I took it as an opportunity to get outta dodge and take a quick hiatus from blogging. Sometimes unplugging is good for the soul, and I needed some good unplugging.

My mom does medical contracting work, and is currently assigned to a project based out of Connecticut. When her schedule allows, we get to see her in the Boston area on the weekends. But she just started renting a house in CT for the remainder of the project - and it just so happens to be right on the water overlooking Long Island Sound. I figured it was a good excuse to steal the munchkin for a few days and head down for a visit.

Although the place is technically a "beach house" it's a far cry from the beach house I imagined. This place is more "industrial chic" than "cottage casual". I found I liked the decor a lot more than I initially thought. The minimalism (something we are not great at around our place), suited me well for a weekend away. "Stuff" didn't distract me from relaxing and taking advantage of the view.

Take a look...



I loved this fireplace surround!

And they had a few found objects, which gave the place a light, but "lived in" feel.

The whole kitchen was from Ikea. It was great to see the cabinets in a real house, away from the abuse of the showroom floor. They are really nice in person!

I loved how the pots and pans hung suspended from a metal bar.

The vintage stove was such a nice touch.

The walls were covered in plywood, simply stained a cement gray tone.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you saw a sneak peak of where I've been staying. I love this photo of Caroline, it might be one of my most favorites, ever.

The upstairs was loft-like and had a great day bed, overlooking the water.

Regardless of your preferences for cottage decor, the view can't be beat.

The cottage was built on stilts, right over the water, and during high tide, the water crashes right under the house. It's the best sleep machine I've ever had.

Each day, I would wake up and Caroline and Nana would go for a walk, while I sipped my morning tea out on the deck. That seagull was sitting on the post each morning, waiting to greet me.

I was able to catch a couple good sunsets...

And even a sunrise!

We had a great time escaping the every day, just Caroline and I. She was so good in the car on the ride down (and back!). And she had a great time exploring Nana's new place and getting into everything. But I think she needed the shake up in her routine as much as I did.

Caroline has really turned a corner lately. I've found that her toddler personality goes through ebbs and flows. Right now we are on the "good side" of the ebbs. She's just happy and easily entertained. We have fewer tantrums. She just wants to hang out and be around her mommy and daddy, which makes my heart smile. When we got back, Hubby said that Caroline definitely looked older! After just five days! But I think he might be right - she's just getting so big.

p.s. for more instagram fun, follow me at projectshannon!