Flower Girl

There is no doubt in my mind that some day she will own many acres of land and that those many acres of land will be covered with copious amounts of flowers. If truth be known, her papa and I will be very surprised if that isn't the case. xo

Orange Juice By Emma

There is nothing like fresh squeezed orange juice to kick off a gorgeous Sunday! xo

In New York City

In addition to our early morning visit with the deer, and Emma mastering shoe tying, Sunday also brought with it Grace and Emma's first trip to New York City. Our love of the Night at the Museum movies was the inspiration for this adventure, and since were were so close to NYC it seemed like the perfect time to finally take the girls to the American Museum of Natural History.

The highlight for Grace and Emma was getting to see "Dum Dum" (and yes, the museum staff there do refer to him as such)! They were so excited to see him that they couldn't resist giving him a hug. It was very sweet! 

 The Planetarium was another favorite, and we all agreed that we really wish we had spent more time there than we did. 

"Mama, you know how we are all made of star stuff? I just love that!" -Grace

 Before we journeyed back to New Jersey it was decided that we'd swing by Donna and Peter's favorite market in New York to pick up some items for dinner. Our walk from the Museum to Citarella was just lovely. From the farmers market as we exited the museum grounds, to the playgrounds we passed on the way, it was truly a glorious day to be in the city! xo

{This Moment} Chess With Grandpa Ron

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. A single  photo Two photos - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments section for all to find and see. We wish you a wonderful weekend! xo

Another Milestone

After our lovely Sunday morning walk and a delicious breakfast we all got ready for our adventure to New York City. The day before Peter had showed Emma how to tie her shoes, and wouldn't you know there she was tying her shoes with ease the very next day! It's been quite a summer for our sweet Emma Faith. First bike riding and now this! Well done Emma (and many thanks to Peter)! We are so very proud of you! xo

Sunday. 6:30am.

Our Sunday started with a very excited Emma bursting through the door to the room we were sleeping in to announce to us that there were deer looking at her! I got out of bed, grabbing my phone on the way, and arrived to find Emma and the deer looking at each other as it munched on some of the Hosta in Donna and Peter's front yard. I quickly took a few pictures, happy to have caught this very sweet moment between Emma and the deer. "Wanna go for a walk, Em, and see if we can see more deer?" I asked knowing full well what her reply would be.

We were joined by the rest of the family and stepped out of the cozy house into the crisp morning air. The sun was not yet fully up, and, if truth be known, it felt more like late September than late August. The peace of the morning was incredibly blissful. Bird chirped, deer munched and our footsteps (and an occasional murmur from those behind us) was all that was heard. While the rest of the world was still asleep we were very much awake and just basking in the beauty all around us (that view is going to be even more incredible come autumn). The girls and I had walked ahead of the others and were treated to a flock of geese arriving for their breakfast, too. We stood there in awe of the wildlife all around us, and so very grateful to Emma for having woken us up so that we could all begin our day in such a truly beautiful way. xo

Our Adventure Begins

On Friday we left bright an early so that the crew could re-finish the floors on the first floor. We stopped by the local coffee shop in town to grab some breakfast and then hit the road. We arrived in Dave's hometown in time for lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool where he spent each summer day of his growing up years. After several fabulous hours of swimming we had a lovely dinner with his parents, a little more chess was played and then we we continued on to Donna and Peter's house for ice cream and a movie before calling it a day (and a fabulous day at that)! xo

{This Moment} Poolside

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. A single  photo  - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments section for all to find and see. We wish you a lovely weekend! xo

Saturday Evening's Balloon Glow

\Ending our Saturday watching the balloons glow was truly enchanting. My only wish is that I had been able to capture of picture of all three glowing. It was such a beautiful sight and truly the perfect way to end such a magical day! xo

A Beautiful Start To Saturday

The only way Saturday morning could have been any more spectacular would have been if we were able to take flight in one of these gorgeous balloons! We had never attended the Hudson Elks Balloon Festival before (why I don't know) but on Saturday we woke early (5:15am) to get to the field for the morning ascension. We watched in awe as each balloon was inflated and took flight, waving good-bye and wishing each crew safe travels. We stayed until the very last balloon was out of sight and then decided that we'd return that evening to see the final event of the night: Saturday Evening's Balloon Glow. Could the ending to our day be just as magical as the start? We'd have to wait and see! xo