A Trip Down Memory Lane – 2018 Edition

Happy New Year, friends!  Time to say goodbye to 2018 and hellooooo to 2019.  But before we do, it’s time for my annual trip down memory lane.  The 2018 edition.

We started the year off with Juliana turning 6!  Six is sweet, funny and chatty… so chatty.  She finished Kindergarten and is loving the first grade.  She’s killin’ it at school.  Math is by far her favorite subject.

2018 was a big year for Madalynn.  She made her first communion and turned 8!  8 is great, but it’s also moody… and 8 year olds know everything.  Moms know nothing.  She’s started the 3rd grade, and is becoming a little soccer star.  She’s playing for two soccer teams, so sports have officially taken over our lives.

We celebrated the girls birthdays with a family trip to Disney for April vacation.  We’ve taken the kids to Disney a couple times before, but this was probably my favorite trip.  Six and almost eight were the perfect ages for Disney.  They were both tall enough for all the rides… except for rockin roller coaster.  Juliana wasn’t tall enough for that one.  But that just gives us a reason to go back.

It was a big year for Ben too.  He graduated with his Masters in Educational Administration.  He also celebrated the last birthday of his thirties.  Time to celebrate the big 4-0 in just a few short weeks!

We had fun celebrating Valentine’s Day and ST Patrick’s Day

The girls had what we thought was their last dance recital, but then they changed their minds… and are now taking more dance classes then before.  Go figure!

 We had a fun summer, with a big trip to the Bahamas.  Ben and I honeymooned at the Atlantis, in the Bahamas, and always said we would take our children there one day.  We finally felt like they were old enough, so this summer we decided it was time.  We had the most amazing time… and made some pretty incredible memories.

My sister, Stephanie, got married this year!  It was such a beautiful, fun wedding.  With all the weddings I’ve been in, this was the first time I was a matron of honor.

Fall was here before we knew it and the kids were back to school.  Fall is such a nice time of year, and I love the change of seasons.  We went apple picking and trick or treating around the neighborhood as Ariel and Uma.

Winter came and we did alllll the Christmas things.  We tried so many new things this holiday season and really enjoyed ourselves.  The girls kept saying this was the best Christmas ever, and I’d have to agree.  If I ever get around to it, maybe I’ll blog about it.

2018 was a great year!  Lots of memories were made.  Looking forward to another year ahead… and another wedding.  my sister, Lea, gets married in May.  I can NOT wait!

I miss blogging and wish I had more time to do so.  I’d like to make more time for blogging in 2019.

Happy new year!

 

September

And just like that… September is over.  This month flew by.  It’s been tough getting back into the swing of things with school and homework and fall sports.  It took us a couple weeks to figure out a good schedule, but we survived and finally found our groove.

The girls started back to school after Labor Day and were soooo excited to be back to school.  We officially have a 3rd and 1st grader now.  They really love school and their teachers.. and there hasn’t been much homework yet, so it’s been good all around.

  On the first day of school, Juliana woke up at 5:50 in the morning and was ready to roll by 6:10.  She’s not a morning person at all, so I was shocked when I woke up and she was all ready to go.  However, she did tell me that she would never be getting up that early again.  And she didn’t lie… by day 2 I could barely get her out of bed.  Last week was the worst… she was still sleeping at 8:22 and the bus comes at 8:40.  Somehow she did mange to make the bus though.  I’m so not looking forward to the teenage years with this one.

Between the two girls we have soccer 5 night a week… soccer is life right now!  But we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Soccer has become Madalynn’s passion and she’s a little star on the field.  I’m definitely a proud mama.  Back in January she made a goal to score 18 goals in 2018.  She already has 2 on the season and 12 for the year.  Let’s hope she can make it to #18 by December.

This weekend felt so much like fall.  My mom came out to see Madalynn’s soccer game, and it was a great game. It was a very intense, close game. Unfortunately, they lost 2-3 but they all played great. My mom and I took the girls apple picking after. We haven’t gone apple picking in ages, pumpkin picking is usually our thing. I forgot how much fun it can be, and the girls really liked it. They are now at the perfect height to reach most of the apples on their own. They are little apple experts now. They were tasting all the different kinds and decided the yellow delicious are their favorite.

Not sure what we are going to do with alllll these apples now!! Any suggestions?

Summer 2018

Don’t you dare tell me that summer is almost over!  I can’t even.  We’ve had such a fun summer… it’ll be sad when it’s over.  But the girls still have two weeks until school starts, so we are still summering hard over here.

It was a great summer, and we made lots of wonderful memories.   The girls did some fun camps and we spent a LOT of time at the beach.  From Cape Cod to the Bahamas, we definitely got our tan on.  The girls sure know how to be little beach bums. 

My little sister got married this summer, and it was such a fun, beautiful wedding! The girls and I were in the wedding.  It was the first time I’ve been a maid of honor, and the last time that Madalynn will be a flower girl (she’s already been promoted to Jr. bridesmaid for my other sisters wedding in May).

My sister and I surprised the girls and took them to the Taylor Swift concert at Gillette Stadium.  It was their first concert ever and something they will remember forever.  You never forget your first concert!  Mine was Tiffany 😂 when I was 8, so I figured Madalynn was the perfect age.  I was nervous that Juliana was a little too young considering she’s only 6.  But since we got the tickets for free from Girl Scouts I figured we couldn’t go wrong.  Our seats were amazing, and we were blown away by the concert.  It was such a fun night, and an amazing first concert for the girls.  I was so impressed with how many songs they knew.  My girls LOVE music so they were in their element!

The girls have been loving the Food Network lately, especially “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Guy’s Grocery Games”.  When we found out that Bobby Flay has a restaurant in the same town as friends of ours, we had to make a road trip to New Jersey.  The girls thought it was cool to taste test Bobby’s burgers, but let’s be honest… I was really there for the milkshakes.

July was such a fun month.  We fit so much into those 31 days.  So for August, we’ve just been taking it easy and enjoying the calm before the storm that is fall sports and activities.  This morning felt like fall already.  It will be here before we know it.  Madalynn started soccer practice this week, and school starts after Labor Day.  I’m not ready, but the girls are soooo excited for school to start.  I’m in denial that I have a first and third grader.

Enjoy your weekend, friends.  Go soak up the last bit of summer.

The Last Day of School 2018

Peace out school ✌️ It’s FINALLY summer vacation!  We may be THE last town to get out in June… but we’re the last town to go back to school in September. So we’ll take it.

We officially have a third and first grader. This year flew by way too fast.  They both grew like weeds and learned so much.  Madalynn learned a lot this year… she apparently knows everything now 🙄Juliana is my little math wiz.  She really loves school!

The girls loved their teachers and it was hard to say goodbye to them. Madalynn was upset because she doesn’t want the school year to be over.  She likes seeing her friends everyday.  Camp starts in a few weeks, so they’ll see lots of friends there.  Juliana had a tough time because her little bestie is moving away.  We made her friend a pen pal kit, so hopefully they will keep in touch.

They are both looking forward to the next school year.  I love how the girls already know who their teachers are and who is in their class for the upcoming year. We were certain Juliana would have the same teacher Madalynn did for first grade, since she did for kindergarten.  But she got someone new… and she’s pretty happy about that!  It’s time to shine as her own person.  Madalynn is beyond thrilled with the the teacher she got.  I’ve heard she’s a great teacher so I’m happy she got her.

We have some fun things planned for the summer… but lots of relaxing days too. I want them to have time to be kids and use their imaginations.  They like to play school, so I see lots of time spent doing that.  (They like to pretend that Ben’s the principal and I’m the janitor!  Which is pretty much like real life)  I also see a lot of chalk on the driveway and scooter rides around the neighborhood… and I’m finally going to say yes to that lemonade stand they’ve been asking to do forever now.

Happy summer!!  Bring on the sunshine and those summer nights!

The Grand Finale

The girls had their dance recital over the weekend. This was quite possibly their last year of dance so it was bittersweet. Dance has been such a big part of their lives, and they’ve made some wonderful friendships over the years.  But they are both ready to try other things and are debating whether or not to return to dance in the fall.

Madalynn’s been dancing for five years and Juliana for four.  Over the years I’ve made a rule that they can only do two sports per season… I can only do so much.  With dance being a year round commitment it limits what other activities they can do.  Madalynn has always done dance and soccer.  She loves soccer (which has become a year round sport for her) and she will continue with that, but she also wants to play basketball and maybe even go back to gymnastics.  In addition to dance, Juliana plays fall soccer and wants to play in the spring.  She also wants to continue on with gymnastics.  If they choose to stop dance, it will be their decision. I’ve asked them a million times if they’re sure they want to stop. For weeks they’ve been saying yes… but after this weekend they are both on the fence. So they’ve got some big decisions to make this fall.

So in honor of their potential final dance recital let’s look back on their recitals over the years.

Dance was such a big part of my childhood, so I’ll be sad to see them choose a different path.  But I’ll support them no matter what… and I know they will be fierce in whatever they do.

Disney 2018

Ben and the girls had a week off in April for school vacation, and with tax season being over that same week, I did too! We took advantage of the time off and headed to Disney World.  We desperately needed a family vacation, and we had the most amazing time!  It was exactly what we all needed… sunshine and lots of family time.

Once tax season is over it’s a strange feeling.  You’re so used to these long, crazy busy days, and once its over you get bored really easy… it’s hard to relax, and you feel like you should constantly be doing something.  It’s hard to explain, but a relaxing beach vacation wasn’t what I needed.  Disney is the kind of vacation where you’re always doing something, you’re always on the go, so it was exactly what I needed.

I think that 6 & 7 years old (almost 8) are the perfect ages for Disney.  We’ve taken the girls to Disney before (the first time they were 2 & 3, and the second time they were 4 & 5), and while we had a great time on both those trip, 6 & 7 was perfect!.  They were both tall enough to ride all the rides (except for the Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, which Juju wasn’t tall enough to ride), and they were able to walk the parks all day without needing a stroller.  Can you say FREEDOM!  Although they did get a little tired by the end of the day… it beat lugging that stroller around.  We did plan lots of down time at the pool, but we didn’t have to worry about the kids getting a nap in (although one afternoon we all killed a three hour nap).  So I would say 6 & 7 are the perfect ages for Disney.

We stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort and it was incredible.  I’ve always wanted to stay there, so it was a dream for me.   The resort is super convenient to Magic Kingdom and I loved the tropical theme.  Let me tell you… Disney knows how to do a theme.  The landscaping was gorgeous, and everything down to the Hawaiian leis made it feel like we were on a tropical island.

We visited all four parks, and it was Ben’s first time at Animal Kingdom.  It was probably our favorite park.  We all loved Mt Everest (the parks biggest roller coaster) and since the crowds were so low, we were able to ride it 4 times.  We probably could have rode it more, but we wanted to check out the new Pandora – World of Avatar.  It was beautiful… like I said before, no one does a theme like Disney!  We loved the avatar flight of passage ride, which is now our favorite ride in all of Disney.  The girls are still talking about it.

The girls were all about riding the big kid rides this year.  Ben has them trained to ride the coasters with their hands up… while I hang on for dear life.  Space Mt was another favorite.  Madalynn was brave enough to ride the Rollin’ Roller Coaster… twice!  Juliana was disappointed she wasn’t tall enough, but it gives us a reason to come back 😉

Madalynn remembered so much from our last trip, but Juliana didn’t remember as much.  So it was like her first time which added to the excitement.  They both remembered the Pirates of the Caribbean ride from the last visit, and we watched a pirate stage show with Captain Jack Sparrow himself.  The girls were much more into the pirates than meeting princesses this time.  But we still met a few.  I mean you’ve got to!!!

We decided that the girls wouldn’t have birthday parties this year.  Instead, we would celebrate in Disney.  They each picked a day for their celebration.  Juliana chose to celebrate at Animal Kingdom, where we had breakfast at Tusker House. We love Tusker House and the African vibe. Mickey and his pals are also all dressed up in their safari outfits which is adorable. Madalynn chose to celebrate the day we went to Epcot. We also had breakfast at Ohana with Lilo and Stitch that morning. The girls wore pins those days that said they were celebrating a birthday. They we’re loving all the birthday wishes they were getting from the Disney cast.

The weather was unbelievable… perfect for getting my tan on. Sunny and hot everyday! We spent our afternoons at the pool, which was gorgeous. Complete with a volcano water slide, which the girls loved.

We had the most amazing time. I can’t believe it’s been almost 6 weeks since we got back. We’re already talking about next time… maybe when they’re 8 & 9? My tans already faded so I need some sunshine in my life. Our next trip will have to be a relaxing beach vacation.

Madalynn’s 1st Communion

Yesterday was such a special day for Madalynn.  My sweet girl made her 1st communion!  I can’t believe how we got here so fast… it feels like just yesterday she was being baptized.  She couldn’t have been more excited for her big day!  She looked so beautiful and grown up.

I still remember my 1st communion, and how special I felt.  I wanted that for Madalynn too.  She walked in that church with the biggest smile on her face.  She felt sooo special.  It made my heart happy.

Her dress was simple, yet beautiful (it’s the same dress she’s going to wear in my sister’s wedding).  I woke up the day before the communion and realized she didn’t have shoes!!  #momfail So we ran out on a hunt for shoes… we ended up finding the perfect pair on clearance at Payless.  She’s in LOVE with them, and literally won’t take them off.  She would have slept with them on if I let her.

Madalynn had visions of curls in her hair… but with the weather there is no way they would have held.  I could tell Madalynn was a little disappointed she couldn’t have the curls she dreamed of, but my sister-in-law does amazing updo’s so I knew her hair would come out great.  When Madalynn saw the finished product she was so so happy with it.

We celebrated with a small family party back at our house.  The weather wasn’t the best, but it was still a good time.  I kept the party simple, yet classic.  Madalynn has happy, and that’s all that mattered to me.

We went with a white, pink and gold color scheme… the same as her christening. White is the obvious choice, it represents purity.  But pink represents unconditional love, caring, and compassion.  I thought it was perfect for her big day.

I was on the hunt for some pictures of Ben and I making our first communion and was surpirsed with how many I was able to dig up.  I set them out on the tables, and it was so crazy to see how much Madalynn and I look alike.  Twinsies (except my hair was darker than hers).   I made the centerpieces myself… I think I found a new favorite thing.  I am no gardener, but really enjoyed making the floral arrangements.

Juliana looks up to her big sister so much.  Last night as she was falling asleep she was dreaming of her 1st communion.  She’s already dreaming of a very fancy dress.

It was such a special day.  Were are so blessed to have an amazing family.  We are so thankful to everyone that came out to celebrate with us and those who sent their love.  We love you all.  God Bless!

Leprechaun Houses

We love the holidays around here.  We actually just love a good excuse to celebrate… and  St Patrick’s Day is the perfect excuse.  St Patrick’s Day is pretty low key but the kids and I like to do a little something whimsical… usually a themed craft or experiment.

This year we decided to make leprechaun houses.  We love making gingerbread houses at Christmas time, so I knew this would be right up our alley.  We used the same basic footprint for the house, and used green and rainbow colored candy to decorate the houses.

 This little leprechaun village was such a fun idea and the girls are now hoping to use the houses to trap Lucky the leprechaun when he comes to leave gold in our shoes on St. Patrick’s Day .

Have you heard of the Skittles experiment? If you haven’t, you can check it out here.  Last year we did the Skittles experiment and it’s still a favorite.  The kids wanted to do it again this year, and like always they were amazed.  If you’re looking for something quick to do this St Patrick’s Day this is a fun one!

Jan/Feb Highlight Reel

This year is flying by and it’s hard to believe that it’s March!  The last two months have been fun with lots happening around here.  Here’s the “highlight reel” of what we’ve been up to so far this year.

We don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, but this year we all did… and they’re still going strong!  Madalynn’s resolution was more of a goal… literally.  Her goal for 2018 is to score 19 goals.  She has been playing indoor soccer this winter, and already has 7 goals this year!  She loves playing soccer and is so fast, so so fast!  We signed her up for skills training and I think once she learns to control the ball a little more, she’ll be unstoppable!

Juliana’s resolution is “gymnastics”.  Not exactly sure what that means… but we signed her up for gymnastics early in January, so I’d say she succeeded at that resolution.  Her little bestie is in the same class and it’s the highlight of her week.

I made a resolution to drink less soda this year.  Last year, I was drinking 3 sodas a DAY 😳🤦🏼‍♀️ So crazy! I’ve slowly cut down and I’m now down to 3 a WEEK!!  I’m pretty proud of that.  Ben made a resolution to finish up his Masters and he’ll graduate this spring. He’s been working so hard and we are so proud of him!  Only a few more things to finish up and he’s DONE!  Time to celebrate.

Madalynn will be making her 1st communion this spring, so she’s been preparing for the big day.  One of the things that you have to do leading up to your 1st communion is to make your 1st confession.  Madalynn was really nervous to confess to the priest.  I still remember my first confession… I was just as scared.

But she did great and felt so much better after it was over.  When she came out of the confessional she told me that the priest said “tell your mother to say an Our Father”.  Not sure what the heck she said to the priest, but sounds like she either confessed my sins or after confessing her own sins the priest was praying for me.

My baby turned six at the end of January.  Six!!!! Six is sweet, funny, and chatty… so chatty. She tells me talking is her favorite thing to do. She doesn’t ask for much, so she was happy with just having the family over to celebrate.

Last year she wished for the Patriots to win their 5th super bowl for her 5th birthday. This year we thought she’d wish for them to win their 6th for her 6th birthday. But looks like she wished for something else.  Oh well!  We still had fun rooting our team on.  Madalynn was our halftime entertainment and had a dance off with my mom.  By complete luck, I won $400 based on the final score.  So that helped ease the pain a little.

Ben celebrated a birthday last month.  This is the last year of his thirties… and next year’s the big 4-0!  So much life has happened in his thirties, and I’m hoping it’s a great year for him.  Let’s finish his thirties with a bang!

It’s been a great start to 2018, but it hasn’t all been all rainbows and unicorns… we’ve been battling sickness after sickness. Three weekends in a row we were down and out with one of us being sick. Juliana’s asthma flared up and she started seeing a pediatric pulmonolgist. He is amazing!!!! She’s on a much stronger medication now, and her health has improved dramatically. I’m so happy for her.

Were all looking forward to spring being here but looks like we’ve got to wait a little longer. March always feels like the longest month ever, but we’re looking forward to a visit from lucky the leprechaun 🍀, my annual St Patrick’s Day race, and Easter.

I hope you’re all having a great week!

Valentine’s Day 2018

Well hello there, friends.  It’s been a while!!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

My little valentines were so excited this morning… they woke up looking like the heart eyes emoji 😍 These little girly girls love that an entire day is devoted to hearts and the color pink.

I saw this really cute idea on Pinterest called “heart” attack.  Each day leading up to Valentine’s Day you put a heart on their bedroom door with words of affirmation.  I thought this was the cutest thing.  So starting February 1st I left a heart on their door each morning with little words of encouragement.   The girls have loved waking up to see what their heart said.

Last night, the girl’s and I got our first Valentine’s treat.  Chocolate covered strawberries from my stepdad!!  Madalynn has a really loose tooth and was practically in tears because so she couldn’t bite into hers.  So we’re hoping to have a visit from the tooth fairy tonight. (If not, more strawberries for me 🍓 😋)

I hope you are all having a great day, and I promise to find some time real soon to catch up on blog posts.  I just haven’t had much time to blog lately, but there is still so much that I want to share with you.  I promise I to share our video from Christmas morning. Someday.