Today I felt the need to share why I love raising my family in New England. This was prompted by a trip to the Pumpkin Patch on the town common near our house. Exhibit A:

I realize that I have never lived outside of New England but it’s just true that I’m essentially raising kids inside a postcard image. The natural surroundings, the Puritan downtown architecture just about everywhere you go. This is SO good for my mood many days.

I know I don’t have much to compare it to since I’ve spent 99 percent of my time here in life, but look:

Honestly, there are plenty of places that have fallen on hard times in the post-mill era in New England and I’ve lived around that. But even the old mill towns retain a lot of charm. And what can be done to quell the foliage, the crisp air that smells like pine trees, and the forest trails that are otherworldy when it snows?

Nothing!

New England may not be the most affordable place to raise a family, and the cost of housing in some parts is prohibitive. But if you’re savvy, there are plenty of places feasible for middle-class families to be found.

My husband and I considered moving down south at one point, for affordability and warmer weather, but our roots here were too deep. Since then, I’ve really grown to appreciate the climate, in spite of its extremes. But more so, I love that New England offers seemingly endless family vacation options that are within a few hours drive. This is especially helpful when you have new babies or toddlers who need to settle into bed early when you’re on the road. I also love that we don’t have to fly to have a good time, and as a family of six, that is VERY important. There are so many places in America, and the world, where you would have to drive for days to get to the ocean, if not fly. We can drive from the mountains to the ocean in three hours. I love that so much!