Wonder

5th graders at the movie Wonder - truly a treasured experience.

Nick saved me a seat even though I told him I would cry big fat tears

Loved being surrounded by the kids and the teachers that devote their career to bringing knowledge and kindness to our kids each day. 

Thanksgiving - Full house full bellies

Thanksgiving here we come.  My favorite holiday as its all about just being together and being thankful for it.  Wednesday night I got to hit downtown hartford and have a beer with some grateful dead fans while awaiting Darion and his roommate Charles to arrive from Boston.  Beer me!

Next up, Turkey day Body Pump (Charles came too - even though he forgot his shoes I love that he rocked the class!)  Chris did the local turkey trot and we came home to my sisters family!  Love it

My sister has a little (or lotta) my dad in her and tends to make just a bit too much.  We assigned Pies to her - good luck keeping the diet today!

How many our in charge of that bird?!?!

adore photos like these ALL DAY LONG

After Dinner we asked Charles and Darion to be our entertainment and they obliged - their talent amazed me!

While they showed their talent Thursday, you may not see them on the football field.  Here's to our annual Friday afternoon Football game

Jackson got to be the star of several plays - for both teams =)!

Some how that weekend we even managed to get a tree shopping day in.

Our new favorite tree farm in New Hartford!

Happy Tree Shopping everyone.

That my friends is a winner

Time to bring her home, hot coco and all!

remember this

Overtime I pick up this book I am truly thankful I did

The people - not the stuff.

Friends Group

Thank you to my besets friend Farrah who really does an amazing job and letting folks know how truly loved they are.  Well she encouraged me to create a friend group - 

So for 6 weeks 9 ladies gathered in my home on Wednesday morning.  We all grabbed a blanket, got cozy, had tea and asked each other questions to get to know each other just a little better.

Loved and looked forward to each week.

Thank you Mary, Kim, Rebecca, Julie, Dorie, Ali, Jen, Elena for really making it wonderful.

Thank you Stephanie May for the guide book!

  

The world really is a better place with friends in it.

Because Sh#T Happens

And sometimes you want to remember it - 

Remember that time when the casserole dish jumped out of the microwave and landed on the glass stove top.  Drew's comment saying, I think that broke - in his sweet words, the only thing softening the blow.

Snow on November 13?!?

Had to get the heater out for the girls!  Hope this is the start of a beautiful winter!

Saturday IS Veteran's day and there is no better way to spend it than at an Army Football game AT West Point as Nick's Birthday party!

The boys - Tate (love that he saw each Tate one week apart), Ryan and Danny, all slept over.  My favorite part was playing Parents Not approved (a game recommended by Farrah and LOVED by the boys) that night.  Love this group of boys - 

They watched Remembering the Titans on the way up to get pumped for the game.

The day was going to be FREEZING.  Chris knew exactly the jacket I should be wearing, he just had to find it.  And he finally did.  I felt like I was wearing my boyfriends varsity jacket - only better!

Walking around enjoying the campus in the sunshine before game time.

We managed to park on soldier field - lets take a moment to remember my folks at they hotel - hysterical!  Surprising we ended up parked pretty close to each other

Here we are bundled up and everyone with hand warmers everywhere!  The boys

Still Warm?!?!

Rather close to the field for a bit

This is the only photo I got all together as the Briggs were able to join us too - their first Amry Football and Tailgating exposure - I am pretty sure Ryan at ALL the cheese dip =)!

This is the stuff we love.

Love this photo with my mom and makes me giggle as she came back from the shuttle bus solo.  Turns out my dad needed another round -!)  hehehehe

Something about days like this that I truly treasure.  

Cold football days,

Throwing the football,

having a tailgate,

being with friends and family,

making memories.

GO ARMY!

Veteran's Day and CIS and Cherry Brook

One of my favorite days - Veteran's day at both schools for the first time.  We all truly enjoyed our time in the military its a joy being able to share that with the next generation of soldiers!

Cheryl Brooke does a great job of thanking the Veterans.  CIS was a great ceremony and time for questions and answers from the kids.

Thank you to all who have served as well.  I hope to share how brutiful time in the military can be!

Why yes we should get together!

When I get to connect with Farrah on whats going on in life and she asks, what are you up to this weekend and you realize you don't really have any plans - the wheels start turning.  Just about as the words were out of my mouth, we both realized what our weekend would look like.  Nick's birthday was right around the corner and as luck would have it - there was a day off of school in there too - granted Tate would initially be at boy scout camp - there really in one girl in this world that would welcome 3 crazy boys to her house - LOVE YOU MACY! 

Lets ROAD TRIP!
Rainy yucky day when we actually got to surprise Tate coming home from Boy scouts - 

Love how these smiles have changed over the years.  Yet still kind a the same.

These 2 pair up quite well too!  YOU GUYS have come a long way

Love all the little touches Farrah puts on a birthday - 

Balloons and a birthday boy - Brian was able to come home recently for his birthday and we could still use them - well purposed =)!

Always a favorite - 

Love seeing this kiddo line up.

Another set up buddies that go way back!

Festive fun table!

As always, love our time together

Goodies - 

We are so lucky to get to visit each other on a fairly regular basis that we often find ourselves searching for something different to explore.  This time it was the marine Corps Museum.  You know I am NOT a Museum girl - yet this one literally amazed me!  Well done Marine Corps!

Well staged everyone

The McCulloughs close friend Jose currently a Marine joined us for a more realistic aspect of the tour.

The grounds were quite expansive and it was a beautiful fall day in VA to explore them.

Some many things about this photo to love.

reflection or meditation - whichever you choose

Everyday thankful for the day God brought us together!  Thank you for welcoming us and always making us feel truly part of your family.  Love you all more than you know!

What a trip to VA with out a stop at Ikea to make some returns??

Thankful that you are ONLY 7 hours away - it make it all so possible.  Love you all tons and thankful to be part of your lives!