Merry Christmas

I have to say there is something really nice about this next phase of life we are in with two teens and a twenty year old at Christmas time.  They like to sleep in!  Gone are the days of staying up until the wee hours of the morning preparing for Christmas.  Now we just do everything bright and early in the morning after a good night's rest while they sleep in!  I even got to prep the breakfast so it was all ready to go once we finished opening the gifts.  

Gianna really loved all her gifts this year which made me so happy.  She got a new pair of Converse high top sneakers, a Revlon hairdryer/brush, Lululemon aligns and sweatpants, several sweatshirts, and I spoiled her with a Tiffany heart necklace...

Julia also loved her gifts.  She prepared a list for me ahead of time which was so helpful.  That way there's less chance of spending money on things she may not want.  She got a new North Face backpack, a few things from Lululemon, the same Revlon hairdryer/brush that Gianna got, a pair of Converse platform sneakers, gel nail polish with UV lamp, some clothes and her big present that I surprised her with was a record player with speakers (a nice one this time...last year the one I got was a piece of junk). I also surprised her with Taylor Swift's new record...

She loves it!  It sounds so nice!!  

Nicholas was very happy too.  He got lots of clothes, AirPod pros and his big gift was a new iPhone...

A big pile of boxes and wrapping paper equals a happy Christmas morning...

This year we had a very small gathering with just my sister Kim and Paula.  Kerry and Dena just moved over two hours away and they had snow and ice this morning.  Driving would have been too risky.  My brother has moved back to Florida and of course my Mom is no longer here.  CeCe celebrates with her kids now. But like I've said before...our family will grow again as our kids begin relationships and start families of their own.  We still had a big Italian feast and finished up with lots of yummy desserts. 

Merry Christmas!!! 

Merry Christmas Eve

We woke up to a magical dusting of Christmas Eve snow this morning! 

Then Julia and I went to the Nutcracker.  We had 2nd row seats but no one sat in front of us so it was like we were in the front row!   

They didn't have the heat on in the theatre so it was c-c-c-cooooooold. We used my winter coat as a blanket to keep warm...

While we were gone Danny was making homemade sauce, meatballs, biscotti and fudge...

 

Topping our tree...

Then we went to Watertown to see this amazing man, Danny's Uncle Connie, who is 95 years young.  He is truly the sweetest and  happiest man I have ever met.  Family is everything to him.  He is always sharing words of love, encouragement and incredible wisdom...

My girls...

The Boy...

and my Daniel...

Our night ended with watching this movie as we do every year...

My heart is always the fullest when I'm with my little family of five. 

Countdown to Nationals

Countdown to Nationals Prep Week:

Freshman Julia is ready to share what she is excited about!

“I am most excited to hit the mat with my amazing team after all the hard work we’ve put in this season. I want everyone to know that you have all made me a better dancer and teammate because of your constant support and motivation. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come and I’m beyond excited to compete at natty’s for the first time with everyone! Go Gulls!!”

Player of the Week

So proud of The Boy!  He earned Player of the Week for USPHL Hockey! 

Staying cozy at home

The Boy in Net

 Video of all shots on him while in net at his last game. The Boy did great!!!

The basement floor

This morning I went down to my basement to exercise and on the floor next to my treadmill I saw this...

You know what that is???  One of the three Wise Men that used to be in the dollhouse that I got for Christmas when I was 10 years old. How the heck did it wind up on my basement floor right in front of where I was standing?  Back in 1993, my sister was renovating our childhood home and found it on the floor where my bedroom closet used to be.  She put it in a small zip lock bag and gave it to me.  Now that was back when Danny and I were living in our old house in Braintree.  Somehow it must have made it's way to this house.  And here we are...literally 46 years later...and that teeny tiny plastic Wise Man is still in existence???  

So...backing up a bit...quite a few years ago, my Mom and I were in her basement at 486 just poking around.  Right in the middle of the floor I almost stepped on this...

It was my Mom's birth announcement! We had no clue how that got there right smack in the middle of the floor in her basement after all those years.  Yes, maybe it had fallen out of an old photo album or something but still...it was so random.  So my Mom saved it and put it in an envelope and wrote "My birth announcement...was on the cellar floor and Dini rescued it".  Last year after she passed, I was cleaning out her bedroom drawers and found that envelope with her birth announcement in it. Of course I kept it and I put it in my "Mom memory box". 

Fast forward to last year when we were cleaning out her basement at 486 getting ready to sell...I looked down and at my feet I saw this...

It was a tiny beat up purple heart eraser...the kind a kid would get at a school fair or something.  I took it as a sign from my Mom...just like when we found her birth announcement from her Mom in that same basement in almost the exact same spot on the floor.  I picked up the eraser and put it in my pocketbook where I still keep it today.  I love to think it's a little gift from my Mom.  

Now fast forward to today when I found that Wise Men from my childhood dollhouse on my basement floor.  I will take this as a sign from my Mom again.  Maybe I'm reaching but...I personally don't believe in coincidences.  

Plus given that it is only five days until Christmas and I find one of the three Wise Men in my basement??? Haha!! What are the odds?  

Home

 "There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort" - Jane Austen

Christmas (no Kimmy) by the Sea

 

This year was somewhat back to normal as far as the crowds, stores being open and the parade back in business.  But sadly they canceled the restaurant food tasting which is by far my favorite event of the Christmas weekend.  So other than that it was a fun weekend.  We started the morning off with yummy donuts...

Then Kimmy had to leave for the afternoon so she was unable to join us this year.  It was a rainy morning but it let up by noon which was perfect timing.  CeCe, Carolyn, Julia and I went to Perkins Cove for some lunch at Jackie's Too.  It was a chilly day but the ocean air felt so good...

The beautiful view from our table...

CeCe and her double glasses crack me up...

A yummy lunch of lobster bisque and a grilled cheese sandwich hit the spot...

Then we did some shopping at my favorite little Christmas shop by the sea...

I found this book and had to buy it because I'm obsessed with owls...

AND I'm in the book!! Haha!! Oh we had a good laugh over that!! Julia and I had to buy it...

Then we watched the parade...

We went back to the house where Kerry and Dena joined us for a homecooked meal prepared by Chef Dena. She made chicken noodle soup, mashed potatoes and bread.  So delicious!!  After dinner we headed to the movies and took up a whole row! We saw the new West Side Story.  It was entertaining...

We got up early this morning for a wonderful breakfast at the The Gorges Grant Hotel...

and then Julia and I had to head back to Endicott to drop her off for dance practice.  It was a quick getaway but it's always a great time that gets me into the Christmas spirit!  

Justice

Justice was served today with the guilty verdict of Josh Duggar.  My heart goes out to his four sisters that he abused for years as well as the babysitter and all the children who were and continue to be victimized by the evil and heartless men and women like him.  No one is above the law.  

Angels watching

Weekending

Love hanging out with these two...

Rise and Shine

 Julia woke up very early today to get ready for Prep Clinic Day and sent me this picture of the sunrise from her dorm room window...

It makes my heart so happy that she has that glorious view every single day...and that she has these amazing teammates to spend her days with...

Getting ready

Julia's college dance team is getting ready for two big competitions in January.  I'm so excited to be going in person!!  She'll be competing three routines. This is an excerpt from her jazz routine where she has a solo part! So proud of my girl!

My view

Julia's beach

How beautiful is this?  Julia was so sweet and facetimed me yesterday while she was at this beach. I love that she wanted to share that moment with me.  This is directly across the street from her dorm.  How lucky is she?  And how lucky am I to have such a wonderful and thoughtful daughter.