2024 in review

Reflecting back on 2024...

Starting out very strong in January, Julia's dance team won the GOLD medal in Game Day...

and the SILVER medal in Pom at the UDA College National Dance Championships!! 

Then Nicholas won MVP at the year end banquet for the UofL hockey team...so very proud!!

Gianna turned 19...my last year having a teenager : (

We said Good Riddance to SHU which turned out to be a disaster of a freshman year for Gianna...

but GREATER things were in store!! Gianna transferred to Endicott and made the dance team!!!

Then Julia was chosen Captain of the dance team!!

We had a beautiful vacation in Cancun...and all the kids could join us this time...

Julia moved into her cozy on-campus apartment to begin her senior year of college...

and Gianna moved into her cozy dorm room for her sophomore year to began a fresh new start at college...what a difference a year makes!!!

Nicholas started his junior year at UofL and his third year playing college hockey...

Julia received her hard earned National Championship ring...

Gianna was truly happy again...

Nicholas had his first collegiate shut-out...

and earned himself the coveted game belt again...

and Julia had her very last football game : ( 

That was about it for what my Dad would call the "landmark" events. I'm so glad the year is over as it was quite rocky there for a few months, but we made it through as a family and Gianna is shining brightly again! 

As for me, I got a side hustle working for a neighbor and that has now turned into a full time job starting this month. I'll be keeping my other job as an hourly gig on the side. We'll see how it goes. Having three dependent college kids is a lot. 

I'm looking forward to 2025!! Exciting things are in store!! 

Happy New Year

Christmas Wrap-Up

We actually had a white Christmas this year! What used to be a normal occurrence as a child is actually quite unusual these days. We had some snow the Friday before that accumulated a bit, and then it got very cold so it just stuck around...

I decided to put bows on all the presents this year and it looked so pretty...

Gianna has been asking for stockings for the kitty cats. Julia picked them out and we put a fancy initial sticker on each one. They look so cute! Gianna picked out the toys for them...

I love that the kids sleep in a bit now so we can set up everything early in the morning instead of the night before. I absolutely love this Christmas scene I found on YouTube. I wish I could just jump right into that room. I imagine it's in the mountains of Colorado somewhere...

I got the table all set up for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of my Mom's French Toast with maple syrup and powdered sugar and bacon and sausages cooked outside on the flattop grill...it was so delicious!!!

Then it was time for presents. I love that the kids give me a list of their most wanted things. It makes it so easy for Santa to shop. Julia asked for clothes, platform Uggs, a black puffer jacket, a Kate Spade handbag, cute jammies, slippers, nail stuff, inexpensive jewelry from Amazon (phew), and her favorite gift...a Nespresso machine...

Nicholas asked for clothes, another pair of L.L.Bean slippers (he just wears them out), Black Ops computer game, cologne, iPhone stuff, gift cards and headphones...

Gianna asked for a new sweatshirt, several different perfumes, a Kendra Scott necklace, nail stuff, Nike sneakers, lots  of makeup and I surprised her with the cutest custom Mikey pillow for her dorm room. That was her favorite for sure! 

KoKo joining us...

Matching Endicott sweatshirts...

Another look at the white Christmas. I hope we get a little more snow...but just not on the important January dates on my calendar...

I didn't get any pictures from Christmas afternoon but Kerry, Dena, Kimmy and Paula came over. We had a fabulous Italian feast with lots of yummy desserts including my favorite Mrs. Smith's apple pie. We played my new favorite game, Codenames. It's so fun! Gianna had us all laughing with her funny stories. 

Danny and I went to dinner last night at the beautiful Blackington Inn with CeCe and Carolyn to celebrate Christmas together as we didn't get to see them on Christmas Day. They decorate it so beautifully...

And that's a wrap for Christmas '24. I plan to keep the decorations up until the end of January. I love how cozy everything looks...

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

Trying to find the JOY this Christmas.

Chaos by the Sea

Last weekend was "Christmas by the Sea" weekend in Ogunquit. I've lost count as to how many we've gone to at this point. Let's just say a lot. The weather was clear, crisp and quite chilly. It always feels so good to be by the ocean in the cold winter air...

It's very disappointing that they've done away with the local restaurant food tasting event. Ever since Covid in 2020, they never brought it back. That really was the highlight of the weekend for sure. 

Every year we name the weekend changing it from "Christmas by the Sea" to whatever the theme seems to be. This year it had to be the most crowded I've ever seen it...thus "Chaos by the Sea". Kerry, Dena, Kimmy, Julia and I spent the afternoon shopping in our favorite stores. We had lunch at the old Bessie's in the center of town and watched the parade from the warmth of the restaurant...

Then we bought some sweets at the candy store. I thought the window decorations were so pretty...

Julia loves to photobomb my pictures. I was trying to take a picture of the window...

We played games by the fire and had lots of laughs. This year we played "Go To the Head of the Class" which was hysterical. Kimmy was quite proud of winning...

We also played a new game called "Codenames".  That was super fun!  

The next day we went to the old Pallian store in Wells. It's now called Kindred & Company. I found this beautiful Christmas decoration...

It looks so pretty in my front hall...

That store is just fabulous. I love everything in it...

Then we had a quick lunch while watching a Hallmark movie and we headed home. Julia had to stop by her campus apartment to pick up her pet fish and clothes for Christmas break. The girls will be heading back to campus on January 3rd this year for "hell week". Nationals is coming up soon! Very excited for that! 

On a very sad note, there was a terrible fire last night in Perkins Cove and it destroyed our favorite Christmas store and Oarweeds restaurant. Just awful! We were just shopping in there last weekend. The store literally burned to the ground...

and Oarweeds will need to be torn down...

Let's hope they can rebuild. 

Snowport

Kimmy and I spent the afternoon at Snowport yesterday. These are not my pictures by the way. It really didn't look this festive during the day when we went...

After the fiasco of trying to find a parking garage or lot that wasn't full...and being quite cold and the skies spitting rain...we still had a fun day. It was pretty empty due to the weather so no lines and no crowds. That was a great thing for us. I bought a few nice Christmas gifts. 

This was us after parking the car and trying to find Snowport...

Things got better after buying mittens and getting some delicious hot chocolate...

After we were chilled to the bone we headed home and stopped for pancakes for lunch. It was another fun day with Kimmy!

Day at EC

I spent my day yesterday at one of my favorite places, Endicott College. If I could do my college days over again, I would pick EC in a heartbeat. It literally feels like home being there and just so pretty. Of course my first stop was the ocean. Then I made my way over to the basketball game where the girls were dancing. They have new game day tops. I don't think the girls love them but I think they're cute...

I left after this awesome halftime performance. I have to say Gianna is quite the hip hop dancer (she's in the back row on the far right). I bet she'll get moved up closer to front and center next year. They usually put the newbies in the back...

I went over to the theater to watch the Dance Composition show. I loved it so much last year, I just had to go again this year. It did not disappoint! These three were my favorite performances. 

Kaylee (she's also on the dance team)...

Ben (he's Gully the mascot too)...

and this girl (forget her name)...

Then I went back over to watch the end of their practice. They were working on the jazz routine. Let me tell you...it is going to be amazing! I had literal chills watching and my eyes filled with tears. Just knowing this is Julia's last year is hard enough but the music...oh that music just kills me. The choreography is simply beautiful. The difficulty is much much higher than last year's routine that literally fell flat half way through. I'm so glad Julia gets to end with three awesome routines!  Each year I either love the jazz or I love the pom...but this year I love both! And gameday is just as good as last years but the music is even better!! I'm so excited for nationals! 

One of my views while I waited for the girls. We went for a delicious dinner at Hale House after. Maddie, Gianna's roommate, tagged along too. It was fun! 

Also, Nicholas was in net for the Univ of Michigan game. Unfortunately they lost in a shoot out. 

It was such a great day watching all three kids do what they love!! I'm a proud Mama!!