Sunday, September 22, 2024

First football game of '24

Yesterday was the first football game of the season. It was Julia's last first home game and Gianna's very first home game. The weather wasn't great but we all made the best of it. We did a breakfast tailgate in the pouring rain, but thankfully we had tents. The rain stopped just as the game began! Gianna fits in so perfectly with the team! It made my heart so happy seeing the girls dancing together again...

Pregaming in the pouring rain...


Just sprinkling for the beginning of the game...


New Captains...


New Seniors...


New First Years...





Julia and her roommate Holly...



So happy Gianna loves her new teammates. These girls got me laughing so hard just listening to their stories...


Gianna's roommate Maddie...so grateful for their friendship...


Gianna and Julia's boyfriend Joey...



My girls...





Captains Julia & Ava make a great team!


I'm really looking forward to next week's Homecoming game. First a breakfast tailgate and then the banner ceremony where they get to pull their National Championship Game Day and Regional Title Banners!! Whoo-hoo!! Then their National Championship ring ceremony!! Finally Julia gets a ring! The game should be fun and then more tailgating with the best people!





Thursday, September 19, 2024

Day Trip

CeCe and I took a ride up to Endicott to visit the girls today. They got to show her their dorms and their rooms. We went out for a yummy brunch and then back to campus to walk around a bit and go to the campus store. It was a fun day! I love having the girls at the same school! 


What I Know for Sure

I read this and it was a What I Know for Sure moment for me.  My Mom and Dad are always close and right there when I need them. I always talk to them and see their faces everyday with the pictures I have of them all around our home. Each night I see them on my nightstand before going to bed and again first thing in the morning when I wake up. So reading this post by Carson Daly hit home for me. I am at peace with where they are (although of course I miss their physical presence in my life) and knowing that I will see them again. Oh...and if this doesn't solidify it...I sent the post to my sisters last night, and had to resend a few times to Kerry because at first she couldn't open it. But when she did and responded back to me through messenger about a half hour later to say how much she loved it...the time stamp of her message was "11:11".  Those numbers are one of the "signs" from my Mom to me! : )  Mom knows. She's there. 

Instagram post by Carson Daly:

My mom died 7 yrs ago today. I’ve been working on the road a lot lately & woke up in a hotel room immediately with a heavy heart. My 1st thought was to swing by church & say a few prayers or just dedicate some time today to reflect on her greatness & my gratitude that she was my mom. But then I realized that I didn’t need to. Truth is I think about her every single day. Like hundreds of times a day. I talk to her. Out loud sometimes. I ask her questions or offer thanks when something goes right directly related to how she raised me. I wink at photos of her in my house as I walk by & say thanks mom. I cheers her when drinking a bloody mary or a glass of red. In fact, she’s sorta everywhere. This was all reassured to me in a poem I was given while deep in the grip of crippling grief shortly after her sudden death. (I will post that here too because it really saved me. It still does.) I’ve found great peace & comfort in pretty much just pretending like she’s still alive. We just don’t see each other or text anymore. But how often was that really? Why would all the other thoughts & feelings just stop? They don’t have to. It’s a choice I have. And I choose to honor her still just as much as I ever have. As if she’s still alive. When my kids are in school plays I accept the feeling of pride I know she has. Not would have had. She is there. For all of it. I talk to my kids about her often, so they’ll never forget the love she had for them. I speak about her as if she’s across the country.

It’s a really powerful thing to ignore death’s stereotypes & focus on the power of life. I draw a lot of this from my Christian faith. We’re called to still believe in the absence of flesh. It’s actually not that hard when you believe so wholeheartedly. Anyway, I didn’t mean to get too deep. I just wanted to share my thoughts on my mom. I love you today, I’ll love you tomorrow & if I know anything in this life it’s that I’ll see you in the next. ❤️🍷




Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Words of Wisdom

"You have to take full responsibility for how you're going to show up and move through this and face it head on. Because just like nobody can spread your wings and fly for you, nobody can face these challenges for you either. So don't be surprised that if the kids have left and the issues that you've been avoiding or ignoring are now kind of adding to this sense of emptiness or fear that you have, this is very common. Because the emptiness may not just be the house, it can be the sense that along the way, you lost a little bit of yourself. I mean it is so easy to get caught up in the role of being a parent, and caring for everyone else, that you forget that you're also a person who has very real needs. This new chapter of your life is an opportunity for you to truly understand what your needs are. To learn how to put yourself first while still being supportive of the people you love, and do the work to create one of the most exciting and fulfilling chapters of your life yet."

- Mel Robbins



Thursday, September 12, 2024

Dance Team Media Day

Here are some pictures from Media Day. Such gorgeous girls...









Gianna's buddy group...


Julia's buddy group...



new team members...5 freshman and 2 transfers...


Captains...




Sophomores...


Seniors...



New headshots...



Stay tuned for the action shots...

Sunday, September 08, 2024

The Boy

Here are a few pictures of The Boy at college. We'll be seeing him soon! 

I took these candid pictures of his hockey Media Day off Instagram. I'm hoping to see all the actual pictures soon...


The MA boys on the team...crazy how many are from here!



He took Haley to a hockey formal they had last night...

Monday, September 02, 2024

Nantasket

We attempted to have a surprise wedding congratulations party for Christine yesterday. We carefully planned the decorations and food to only have her show up and not her husband : /  Oh well. We had a great day with great friends anyway...and it turned out to be the most beautiful beach day when clouds and rain were in the forecast.

One half of the happy couple...



Sunday, September 01, 2024

Colt State Park

We just discovered this beautiful state park in Bristol, RI. We packed some beach chairs, lunch and drinks and spent a gorgeous warm Saturday afternoon on the ocean...



So peaceful and relaxing.