With and For

kisses

Moby Wrap

oh fun!

Moby on the go

lovin' it

not too long after...

In our neighborhood there is a quaint little cafe called the May Day. It is near the park where we had our wedding reception-one of our favorites-and continue to visit for one reason or another. The May Day is by definition a local, independent coffee shop. It is small space with mis-matched chairs and tables, posts local art-including greeting cards, a small stash of children’s books and games, a small bakery case with delightfully simple choices and the local paper is always found on any random table(s) and never still in one piece. Tom and I know most of the baristas by name and they recognize us and our son. All of these characteristics (and more) are reasons why we love this place. Most of all,we love all the  friendly, smiling faces we see when we walk in. These pictures(above) are taken on one of our many walks there.

Cup of Joe

The McCartys

Rock on Asher

moment before dozing off.

Downtown Cedar Falls proves itself a changed place with the many little boutiques and cute store fronts that continue to pop up. I am not from there, but have visited many times and can honestly say that it has changed my previous perception of Iowa cities. Anytime we go to visit family and friends, Cup of Joe, located just at the end of downtown CF, is always in our plans. It is also visited by many locals (many of whom know Tom and always stop by to say hello) Most times, that is where we meet up with our dear friend Rachel, who is always up for great conversation and a good (expensive) cup of coffee. This trip was our  first with Asher so we made sure to meet up with Bryan and Ashley. They posed as Asher’s parents for folks who walked in. It was a grand time, Full of laughter and catching up on life. If we lived in CF, I am sure that Cup of Joe would be a favorite local spot.

tummy time with grandma

reading with grandpa

(Here are some pictures for you Ron and Denise). Some of the more tender moments of our visit were at Tom’s parents house. It is quite something to see our parents become grandparents. It makes them seem older to me, but somehow younger at the same time.

These two coffee shops add a lot to our neighborhood(s). I hope that throughout my life, I always make time for sitting in coffee shops. Whether alone, with a friend or with my little family.