Lots of Encouragement

I'm in the need of some encouragement this morning...

I'm feeling better already : ) 

Blursdays

Ahhhhhh...the week between Christmas and New Years. It's just the best!

 

It's literally my FAVORITE time of the year! I've been working two jobs for the past two years and both are closed for 12 days!! I feel such freedom. Freedom to do whatever I want. 

Here's what I've been up to and still might do...

1. I'm watching Building the Band on Netflix. It's so good! I'm on the last episode now which means I get to move on to the next show...

2. Stranger Things. I have 3 new episodes to watch. I'm excited! Then I'll find another show to watch : ) 

3. I've been wearing my pajamas all day...after showering of course. It's the best! 

4. I wasn't planning on exercising but honestly my body has been feeling it. So I did a nice long walk on the treadmill this morning, lifted some light weights, and stretched. It felt really good to move my body again. So yes...I'll be adding back my morning exercise routine. 

5. I seriously don't even know what day it is...and I'm not paying attention to the time at all. And it's heaven!!!

6. I've been eating whatever I want for meals which is the best! I'm only eating when I feel like it. Which also includes some of the junk food we have around the house. Like Mrs. Smith's apple pie. Yum! All of it will be gone soon enough so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. 

7. I'm working on a new miniature craft house. Yay! For years I've been looking for a hobby and I finally found one. I'm going to get more creative with them from now on. I'm going to use the bones of what comes in the box but I'm going to start picking out my own fabrics for couches, pillows, etc. and I plan to add more natural looking flowers and accessories. Really make them my own. I'm excited!! I was thinking about how much I loved dollhouses when I was a little girl. It's really true that the things that you've always been interested in and loved to do in childhood are things that bring you true joy and happiness in adulthood too. 

8. And one more thing I might do...only if I have the energy and really feel like it...is clean my bedroom closet and really go minimal with what I have. I've been great about being minimal with my toiletries and make up products. I only have exactly what I use. I don't have anything extra anymore. It's so nice.

9. Finish Kimmy's book "The Dreamer".

10. Find and listen to a new audiobook on my free Libby app. I love audio books...especially autobiographies read by the author. 

11. Go to the movies with Julia. We want to see The Housemaid. The book was so good! And of course eat lots of buttered popcorn : ) 

11. And lastly...lots of short naps! Also one of my favorite things to do! 

Ahhhhh....the best! 

Christmas

It's always such an exhausting day, but in the best way possible. This year we had our traditional French toast breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and then did presents after. Now that the kids are older, they don't mind waiting. Then we had to do the food prep and clean up the house before my sisters got here. 

I love my newly painted fireplace...

Eli checking to see if any of the presents were for him...

We're having a little problem with the lights on the tree this year. It's quite frustrating when you buy a tree that's pre-lit and then it doesn't work. We had to string some lights on and then more lights went out. Well we're not fixing it now. Hopefully we can resolve it for next year. It's still a beautiful tree...

Gianna loves her sweatshirt and shorts from White Fox, perfume and Moroccan Oil products...

I got Nicholas two Lego sets which he loves. He usually entertains himself with gaming but his computer is back at school. The Legos will keep him busy this last week of vacation.

Julia loves her Hatch alarm clock, Figs and Uggs...

I love the gifts for my sisters this year! I made this green house for Kerry. I had so much fun making it. I think it came out so good! I want to do another one to keep for myself...

I also gave Kerry these little glass birth month flowers with vase...January for Kerry, March for Kimmy, August for me and November for Mama. They are so delicate and beautiful. OK I want these too : ) 

I loved Kimmy's gifts too. I got her a bird paint book with a watercolor paint set, a beautiful suncatcher of books blooming with flowers, and my favorite gift, this book (again I want one for me haha)...

I received a lot of really nice gifts this year too. My favorite has to be Julia's gift. She made a charm bracelet for me. All the charms have to do with Mama...like a butterfly, an ice cream cone, a piano and a horse. It made me cry! I love it soooooo much!

And nothing is better than the day after Christmas breakfast leftovers with fresh scrambled eggs...YUM! 

It was a very Merry Christmas! Now I have the next 10 days off. Yay!! 

Be the Peace

Brown University, Bondi Beach Australia, Rob Reiner... 

We are Forever

Missing my Mama so much...

Christmas (Stranded) by the Sea

Our annual Christmas by the Sea didn't disappoint. Each year is so unique and special. This year we called it "stranded" by the sea as we couldn't find anywhere to park. Kimmy dropped us off and she drove back to the house. Paula had gone out so Kimmy had to walk all the way back to the center of town...in the cold. As soon as she made it back, everyone wanted to go back to the house. So Paula drove down and picked them up. 

But Kimmy and I decided to stay and watch the parade...

Then we walked down to Maine Beach for the bonfire...

and then decided to walk the beach all the way back to the bridge. It was cold but it felt so good being out in the fresh ocean air...

We watched the fireworks from Footbridge and then walked back to her house. It was really fun! Cold but fun! Kimmy and I always have a great time together. I love our adventures!!

We went to breakfast Sunday morning to finish out a fun weekend. 

Saturday night, Kerry and Dena joined us for a delicious dinner. It was fun having Justin there as well! You never know from year to year who will be joining our Christmas in Ogunquit weekend : ) 

December

I will always remember you

The best of the best. It's unbelievable that it's been 36 years. 

Trooper Gearty was born in 1961 in Norwood, Massachusetts. He graduated from Blue Hills Regional High School in Canton, Massachusetts in 1980. After high school, he served his country in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer.

Trooper Gearty was a five-year veteran of the New Hampshire State Police assigned to Troop F in Twin Mountain. He died in the line of duty along with Trooper Gary Parker transporting a prisoner to the Grafton County Jail. While traveling on Route 25 near the Wentworth-Warren town line, their cruiser was crushed by a load of lumber that broke loose from a tractor trailer. Trooper Gearty was 28 years old.

Trooper Gearty was survived by his wife, Debbie, and their six-month old son, Matthew.

Thanksgiving

Vinny is so cute. He had us laughing all day...

She's a Coach

Julia has been working as an assistant coach for a JV high school dance team. They have a great dance program. The varsity team is in fact State Champions in jazz and pom...and her JV team just placed 1st in Jazz and 1st in Pom too at the State Championship yesterday! Julia has put in so much work. She showed me a video of the team a few months ago...and I was like...oh dear...but the team I saw then and the team I saw yesterday...lightyears better!! Julia is an amazing coach and has so much to teach these dancers...

Julia introduced me to one of the mothers of a girl on the team, and the first thing she said to me was, "You have raised an amazing daughter. The girls love her!" That is the highest compliment I could ever receive. 

"Time in a Bottle" is their jazz routine. I love that song so much. It brings back so many memories of my childhood. 

I was so teary and just beaming with pride watching her stand with the other coaches. What a full circle moment...

I could really see all the hard work she has put in especially with pom...

Is there anything Julia can't do?!?! 

Mama's Day

For Mom's birthday this year, I thought it would be fun to spend the whole day celebrating her. So Kimmy and I created a list of all the fun things Mom loved to do...and we did them all!

We hopped in the car to start our adventure playing John Denver, Led Zeppelin and Robert Plant music...Mom's favorites! First stop...a candy store to get Mom's favorite candy...and wouldn't you know it...there they were right when we walked in the door! Both Skybars and Necco Wafers! 

Then we got fried clam strips for lunch. Mom's favorite! I have to admit, these weren't the best but we didn't have many places to chose from as most places in Ogunquit are closed for the winter...

Then it was off to get some ice cream. Any day out with Mom always included ice cream...

Her favorite was chocolate so that's what we got...

Yummmm....

We saw this sign in the ice cream shop so Kimmy added Mom's (and Nana's) favorite side dish...Waldorf Salad. How I miss that. Kimmy still makes it every year for Thanksgiving...

Then we went to the beach. Nothing like a cold November day at the beach. So beautiful...

Shirl was there...

On any walk, Mom would collect all kinds of treasures like rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. So we found some little treasures we knew she would have picked up along the way...

Then...of course...our next adventure was to find horses!! And wouldn't you know it...this was so random...but this lady came riding down the street on a horse!! How crazy was that!! Kimmy told her what we were doing and she was happy to let us take her picture. It was like Mom sent her to us!! 

We drove a few more miles down the road and found a property with lots horses...

I could feel Mama right there with us...

Last but not least...we went to a tacky gift store to find "some silly little thing" that made us smile. Mom had all kinds of things in her house that made her smile. Kimmy found these little birds. I love them!

When we got back to the house, we finished up doing some scribble art and going through my "Mama memory box". We laughed and even cried a little reading all her funny notes, cards and letters. She was a hoot! 

As I was walking around Kimmy's yard enjoying the cold crisp November air, I saw all these bright red leaves that looked like hundreds of rose petals...

So beautiful...just like my Mama. 

Mama, I hope you enjoyed the day right along with us. It was all for you! I love and miss you so much it hurts...but I know in my heart that you're always close by...