Vermont...to find snow and New Year's Eve

After the holidays, with no snow gracing our lawns by late December, we went on a search for the fluffy white stuff.  Our search took us to Killington, Vermont and we were in a wintry wonderland.  With our recent move to the Northeast, we have so many places to explore and now we can include Vermont in our travels. 

We warmed up in a resort hotel near the mountain.

Zach was the only brave one to ski while we were at the ski lodge.  Olivia decided she wanted to "play in the snow like a wolf".  We've rented skis and boots for the kids and Dave for the season, so we can visit any of the mountains we like.  

Zach had to enroll in ski school since Dave did not ski that afternoon.  Zach wanted to go skiing all on his  own!  Yes, he is our daredevil.  He loves the sport and we love it that he wants to do it.  He finished the day and claimed, "I hit a rock and fell, but it was only once!"  Yikes, big guy, be careful.  Were you jumping moguls too?

Olivia looks as if she is a sherpa on an expedition!  She was busy playing and digging in the snow.  I was busy staying warm in the lodge, reading my book and enjoying a warm drink.  Tearing an ACL will do that to you.  

Kobe went on this short trip with us and barked every hour during the night at....we are not sure....maybe people walking past our room, maybe ghosts.  All we know is, the following night, we brought his crate in and positioned it far, far away from the door:-)  Other than that, he did a great job of quietly riding to and from Vermont and played like a pup in the snow.  It is now proven that this little dog loves snow.

We finished in Killington and drove over the mountain, witnessing gorgeous scenery and treacheous roads along the way, to Ben and Jerry's headquarters in Waterbury, VT.  Unfortunately, the assembly lines were not operating during the holidays, but we were given a tour of the facilities and a nice, huge sample of their mint chocolate chip ice cream (a favorite to all).  Mmmm.  Even though our holiday was a short week, we still made the most of it.  

New Year's Eve arrived and the Goss' came over for a quiet celebration.  Dinner, playing, and a little dancing. It wouldn't be a party without Just Dance (3).  I have to admit it was my very first time playing this game. It wasn't good.  Don't worry, I will not let them beat me for long!  Just Dance......

Tom after a round of Just Dance

The twins and all of the kids are great dancers.  

Happy New Year....Welcome 2012!

Welcoming the holidays

What an exciting year for us!  As we looked to celebrate the 2011 Holiday season, our first in Wyckoff, NJ, we also had a lot to learn about our new hometown.  Santa pictures are a tradition in our family, and I had a difficult time with the school schedule and getting the kids to see Santa.  We made it in the 'Nick' of time and it's always my favorite, albeit funny, photo of the kids each year.  You've gotta love it!

Of course, I had to bribe them with a movie.  It looks like we saw Alvin and the Chipmunks, but we actually saw Arthur Christmas.  I loved this movie!  I was completely in the holiday spirit, warm, fuzzy heart included after viewing this movie.  Great choice, kiddos!

Frisbee has also been a staple at our house for 4 years now.  He arrived December 1 and left us Christmas Eve to report back to Santa (except for his nightly trips back to Santa, coming to rest in a new place each and every....almost.....night, leaving a treat each morning for the kids to enjoy).  He must be exhausted!  I know I am...One morning, Frisbee took a tumble off of his perch, right in front of Olivia!  Krikey!  I rushed downstairs, snatched him up saying "he needs to take a rest".  She was heart broken, but I didn't know what else to do.  You aren't supposed to touch him, but he was in the middle of the floor!  He ended up coming back with a bandaid and Olivia wrote him a sweet note..."I hope you feel 'd'etter sone.  Love, Olivia".  

Christmas card photo session with dad....and lots of goose poop on our shoes:-)

Shorter ceilings equal a normal sized tree (no more double story great room...which we like!)

The kids were in school up until 1:15 pm Friday, Dec. 23.  We celebrated with a little bon fire, s'mores and friends.  Lily and Ben helped us roast a few as we enjoyed our unseasonable holiday weather.  Where is the snow, Dave wants to know?!

Christmas Eve at the Fierro's

Gina and John invited us to celebrate our first Christmas Eve in Wyckoff at their house with loads of friends and family.  Great food, amazing people....we had so much fun!  The kids were playing Just Dance and we thought they would never leave!

John & Dave

Gina and Jennifer:-)

Christmas morning at the Pryor's

Zach woke around 5 am, but let us sleep until 5:20 am.  He said, "I've played two PS3 games already, please get up."  Needless to say, we needed coffee.

Household mess, but it's all good.  LEGOs, Hotwheels, Horses, stables, books, clothes, art easels, Barbie RV, science experiments, ice skates and dog toys...we are all happy (oh, and a new MacBook Air - woo woo!)

Playing with her new Nemo Air Swimmer, wearing her new Uggs.  She's all set!  We are all so thankful for our wonderful friends and family.  Merry Christmas to you all!  

We are off to Vermont to find snow!!

December Birthdays galore

Birthdays, no matter what year, are meant to be celebrated and/or spent with friends far and wide.  I feel very fortunate to have friends all over.  I love my wine glass Kaci sent me from Alabama, my chocolates and fancy tea Jill mailed, flowers from a new friend, all the great clothes from my sisters and my introduction to London finery from Barbara:-)

As we know, it's not about the gifts, it's also about time spent with friends.  Michelle was fortunate enough to hop a flight with her husband (via the company private jet) and surprise me.  We spent a day in NYC skating at Rockefeller Center, shopping, avoiding puddles (it rained all day) and eating our way through the city.  Oh, the Indian food was delicious!  She even ventured back out to NJ to see our new digs, spend the night and see Wyckoff first hand.

A day later, Amy and Liz arrived from Atlanta.  Watch out Wyckoff, they are invading!  This WAS a planned trip, so we had lots and lots and lots to do.  Friends new and old (who are you calling old, ya say?!) met and we all toasted Dave on his birthday and for being so nice not complain as we ran off to NYC for the weekend.  Amy, Liz, the kids and I took him to our favorite Italian/pizza restuarant for his birthday dinner. 

Cheers to Jen and Dave on their early December birthdays!  Celebrating at Amano...with a cannoli to top it off.

Top of the Rock

Highly recommended if you are visiting the city.

Jen and Amy - silly girls with the toy soldier at FAO Schwartz

Pleasantly surprised with our upgraded 'suite' at The Eventi hotel.  Artwork, library, bar, dining room, two bathrooms, and huge corner (entertaining) patios.  This room, er suite, rocked!  We didn't want to leave, but Harry Connick Jr. was waiting....On a  Clear Day, You Can See Forever.  The play was....interesting, but dinner, wine, the room and our rickshaw ride was much more memorable:-)

Jen sitting on a pig waiting for the elevator...silly

Our view as I woke Sunday morning....The Empire State Building.  

The girls' visits gave me something to look forward to, helped celebrate birthdays as well as usher in the holidays in one of the greatest places ever...NYC.  Our next trip will be to a 'warm location'.  Let's start planning!

The following Thursday.....Barbara invites me to NYC to the season premier to meet actors of Downton Abby, a highly anticipated British show that has made it across the pond.  One show and I was hooked.  My plans for New Year's Day....a marathon to catch up on Season 1.  PBS is the station to watch here in the U.S. and I'm on that train:-)  

Another credit goes to Barbara for helping me realize I need a fire to get through these incredibly dark days in the Northeast.  She, being British, knows that a fire helps you settle in for the evening.  I've taken her advice and have a fire in one of the fireplaces nightly.  I say 'nightly', but that means I start it at dark, i.e. 4:30 pm....why does it have to get dark so early??  Oh well, we are embracing it.

Giving thanks for this year....

We have weathered, pun intended, many storms this year.  As Dave puts it, "it can only get better from here."  Looking back over the year, I have endured a torn ACL and subsequent surgery to repair it.  I have a cadaver replacement ACL in my body to prove it!  We, along with tons of help from our friends, family and neighbors, raised a puppy to the stage of a well behaved dog....we love you Kobe.  We have lived through a tornado hitting our beloved lake house and survived, the sometimes tedious and unforeseen, problems of repairing our house.  We've traveled extensively this year and lugged two children along.  The tooth fairy can attest to our travels.  I think she wants us to stay put.  Dave commuted from New Jersey to Atlanta to Alabama to the Pacific Northwest for three months to work and see his family.  I'm glad you have a reliable suitcase, dear.  Lest I forget our move, a BIG move, to New Jersey. As the song goes, "we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly...", Bergen that is.....

It's been a wild year, and we are looking forward to a calmer 2012.  Our recent Thanksgiving break was a bit hectic, but then as we settled in, we realized that we all needed time to relax and be together as a family.  

Looking back to recent events, I am thankful for my children's school.  I am learning as they are, the nuances of the school, and I love it.  Recently, the school had the children's book author, Rob Scotton, visit and discuss his books and about being an author.  The kids came home with autographed books and wonderfully creative drawings of Splat The Cat.  Impressive...  O & Z are also impressed with their catered lunches from Simply Gourmet.  It's a bit of a change from the typical school lunch.....

I am also thankful to have new friends in the Northeast and for old friends that visit.  Recently, Eeva, from my Atlanta neighborhood, who currently lives in Connecticut, came for a day.  We had so much fun together and she was even able to visit on a day where we went into the kids' classrooms to observe.  Olivia and Zach were all smiles to have a visitor, well....and mom too.  Of course, Eeva being Eeva, she brought presents.  Olivia and I have gorgeous new scarves that she knitted and Zach loved his game.  You'll see me wearing my scarf often:-)

I'm thankful for our family to have attended our first NYC Rockette's Christmas Spectacular.  I'm thankful to have spent part of the holiday in NYC with our friends, Amy and Dave and to have attended the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.  It was a holiday of firsts.

Radio City Music Hall 

Outside Apple Store in Manhattan 

Christmas window displays 

NYC dinner with Amy & Dave 

Olivia, Avery & Zach 

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 

Amy & Jennifer - Thanksgiving dinner 

Olivia with curls...the girls were playing

I am thankful to have our holiday decorations and tree up.  I love enjoying them all month long.  The kids had all day (in pajamas, no less) to go through most of the ornaments and remember making some of them or remember who gave them a certain one.  It starts the holiday season off right.

I am thankful for being close to wonderful hiking trails and scenery and for having a husband that gets us out of the house to enjoy it.  We have hiked Ramapo twice over the last two weeks and we have many more trails to explore.  I am also thankful for the warm weather over the holiday to allow me to ride with the convertible top down.  Southern girls love their warm weather.  I'm soaking it in before the true NJ winter starts.