Friday, January 27, 2012

All White


When the holidays 
are over..
I usually need a break 
from color.
An all white 
mantel usually does the trick.


Although,
I can't get too comfortable here
because..


...my kitchen table
has been an explosion
of pink and red for the past 
few days.





Monday, January 23, 2012

Coming Home


Well, we got our snow!



And today Steve comes home.
He left for Dubai last Monday
and is flying home today.
All week long Griffy has been saying,
"Daddy up in air in air-pee"
We're so happy he's coming home.


Griffin loves drinking his "app-ee juice"
in little tea cups.
And then does his little dishes
while I do mine.

Friday night Stephen went to the movies.
I'm still not used to him getting into
his car and driving away.
And as much as I love the snow,
it's just one more thing for me to worry about
while he's out driving.
Hannah went to a class play Saturday night
and then had a friend over to watch scary movies.
Sunday we played in the snow
and watched the Patriots win!
 A good weekend I'd say.







Friday, January 20, 2012

What I do all day


We awoke this morning to a few inches of snow.
Freshly fallen snow makes everything looks so pretty.
We are expecting 4-7 more tomorrow!


By mid morning the sun melted most of the driveway.
But Griffin still loves to shovel.
Wish my 16 year old 
who needs gas money
loved it just as much.


Griffin is growing so much.
I wish he'd stay little.




I love our days together
while the big kids are off at school.
Unplanned and unorganized.
I love not having anywhere to go.


Stephen has had mid-terms this week.
So he's been home every day by noon.
Some days he'll come home
and Griffy and I are still in our pajamas.
He'll say, "is this what you do all day?"
Yup.








Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Do You Ever..


save your jars?
I have quite a collection let me tell you.
Everything from pickle jars, artichoke jars, cherry jars, jam jars...
I save them.
I try and find interesting ways to repurpose them.
I have been wanting to make these cupcakes in a jar
that I've been seeing all over the internet.
These are red velvet with cream cheese frosting.
Could not be easier or cuter I think.
Lunch box treats for sure.



Won't this jar be cute for sipping milk?




Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Je veux vivre a Paris


I'm starting to get restless.
I guess it's because generally we move about 
every 3 years.
Well, now we've been here for almost 3 1/2
and I'm ready to move.
To Paris.

Steve called on his way home from work
a few weeks ago asking what I thought about 
the idea of moving our family to Paris for 3 years.
The kids overheard me talking 
and now they're all pumped up about the 
possibility of moving there.

We won't know for a few months
but it's all I can think about.
We lived in Germany for 3 years
and loved being able
to travel throughout  Europe.
I keep thinking about what an awesome
experience it would be for my children
to do the same.

This picture was taken in April of '97.
(there were 951 days until the year 2000)
Stephen was Griffin's age now.
And I...was a lot younger.
28 to be exact.

Crossing my fingers.




Thursday, January 12, 2012

Simple Days


we've had some sunny but cold days.
griffy sleeps so well out in the fresh air.
listening to the sounds of the ocean.
today we listen to the rain pouring down
as we snuggled in bed reading.
dinner simmering in the crockpot
teapot whistling on the stove
i love being home.


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Year of Blog Headers and a New Book

I can't find January '10! 









 












It's physically impossible for me to walk 
into a bookstore and not buy a book.
So, while on the Vineyard Monday
we went into the bookstore and of course 
I bought a new book..
even though I've got many books
sitting on my nightstand
waiting to be read.
But, I had just read about this book
in the Sunday paper 
and had to have it.


Now, I'm not a young, new mother
but this book looks interesting.
I am fascinated by 
 other cultures and how they raise their children.
Now I just need to find time in 
my day to read all of these books
and watch the last three episodes of 
Mad Men.
Oh that Don Draper.
I love him 
and I hate him.
Can't wait for Season 5!








Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Beautiful Snow


It was so wonderful to wake up to this today!
I must admit,
I'm a bit obsessed with my weather app(s)
on my phone.
Snow was not expected.
It got me thinking.
There aren't many surprises in life anymore are there?
We can predict so much these days.
I'm not sure if that's good or bad.


Yesterday was my mom's birthday.
After the older kids got off to school,
Griffin and I jumped on the ferry to the Vineyard.
We spent the day with my mom
and sister and her kids.


I had only planned on staying for lunch.
But we were having such a great time,
we stayed for dinner too.
Happy Birthday Mom!


We also celebrated Steve's birthday on the 5th.
FORTY FIVE.
Wow.
I love that he's older than me.
I always feel so young on his birthday.
:)

Happy Birthday Steve!







Friday, January 6, 2012

Lately...


....I'm loving instagram..




..... and these books on my nightstand.


.... we visited the museum of Science in Boston.




Always a fun day.


....the kids have been creating and 


playing games and 



getting dizzy on the Spooner .













Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!


We've had a wonderful Christmas vacation.
Lots of relaxing
sleeping in
reading
movie watching
(Little Women, a tradition..
Crazy, Stupid, Love
The Help
Midnight in Paris
and many
many episodes of 
Mad Men. :)
  
Today we continued our tradition
of throwing our stones in the ocean 
for the New Year.
After Mass,
 we went to the beach,
found our rocks, 
wrote what we'd like for the New Year
and threw them in.
I should add that it was sunny and in the 50's.
The beach parking lot looked like it does in August.
Not right.


Last night,
New Years Eve,
we kept with tradition
and each wrote on paper
what we'd like to 
lose
or forget
about 2011.
We fold them up,
and throw them in the fire.


AND
 traditionally,
on New Years Eve
we allow the kids to 
pick out junk food.
Lots of it.
Seriously,
they eat it until they 
can't anymore.
And then we do it again next year.

I'm so glad there are
364 more days
until we have to eat like that again.