This Weekend

Grace and the dance team girls at Adrianna's party yesterday. xo

A Timely Request

May it be so. xo

(This Moment) Now And Then

{This Moment} An end of the week 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 below. We wish you a lovely last weekend of January! xo

Then: January 2014

Now:January 2017

A Fun (And Delicious) Math Block Ending

To wrap up Emma's measurement math block, this week it was all about wet and dry measurement. Cookies and banana bread were baked, water (by cups, pints, quarts and gallons) was measured and, to cap it all off, butter was made! One cup of whipping cream produced  half a cup of buttermilk and a ball of butter weighing 12.7 ounces! It was a perfect (and delicious) way to end a fun filled block on measurement! xo

At The Boston Women's March For America

Oh friends, the Boston Women's March was the best thing that ever could have happened yesterday! After weeks of tears and heartbreak, sadness and confusion, gathering on Boston Common with roughly 200,000 other people was just what my heart and soul needed. It was the first time since election night that I'd felt hopeful. It was the first time since election night that I felt like I could breathe again.

As soon as we arrived at the Common you could just feel the positive energy all around! Boston was full of love and kindness that day (and a whole lot of pink pussyhats)! After a few quick pictures we made our way onto the Common. The sea of people stretchered for as far as the eye could see. People were all around, some were even perched in the trees, others on some nearby bleachers. Last we knew 90,000 had registered to go, yet this felt like far more than 90,000!

The speeches began, the cheering began and the sky began to clear. It had been a somewhat overcast day when we arrived (though not nearly as cold and gloomy grey as the day before) and yet as Mayor Walsh introduced Elizabeth Warren I couldn't help but notice how the sky brightened to a lovely shade of blue, and how the white puffy clouds moved in to replace the grey ones. It's as if Mother Nature was right there with us making her feelings known, too!


Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General, summed the day and the crowd up best, "this is what love trumping hate looks like!" she proclaimed. The crowd went wild! 


After the People's Oath we began to move off the Common and on to the street to begin the March. Everyone was so kind and considerate of each other. In a group that size you expect to be pushed and shoved, and yet none of that occurred. People were so polite and caring and mindful. It was absolutely incredible!

We didn't march the entire route, but we did walk a good portion of it, before cutting through the Public Garden to make our way back to the bus. We had decided to leave a little on the early side so that we could be ahead of the crowds who would be trying to get out of the city after this amazing day. We had made it in to Boston in record time, and were hoping the trip back to Framingham would be just as quick and easy (it was).

As we all boarded the bus you could feel how everyone's spirits had been lifted. This march was indeed good for the soul! We returned to Plymouth Church refreshed,  rejuvenated and ready to take whatever next steps need to be taken to keep the momentum going! It was an incredible day. It was a historic day. And I am so very glad not only to have been a part of it but also to have shared it with such an amazing group of women from our incredible faith community (and our wonderful senior pastor, Greg, too). It was an experience I will carry with me always. xo

{This Moment} Cookies For Miss Nicole

{This Moment} A weekly 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 below for all to find and see! Wishing you a wonderful weekend! xo

A Little Night Skiing

The first time skiing under the lights! It's safe to say, it won't be their last! xo

This Evening

A little needle felting before leaving for dance class! xo

In Honor Of Dr. King

Thank you, Dr. King, for your wisdom, your guidance and your fierce belief in love and equality. xo

{This Moment} Lesson Snack

{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. xo

Thank You, Gramma Terri and Grandpa Gene!

This past Christmas my parents gave us a lovely set of luggage for our cruise later this year, and they gave each girl a gift card.  One was a Disney gift card (to use while we are away) and the other was a gift card to Michaels (that they could use now). Along with the gift card they were given they were also given one instruction- they'd need to share them. 

Grace and Emma absolutely love gift cards! They love having their own card and getting to choose what they'd like to use it for. We are always impressed at how they take their time deciding what to use their gift card for rather than rushing out to spend it. Often times, it takes them close to a year to decide what to spend their gift card on. However, when it comes to the Michaels card this year it only took sixteen days for them to decide what they'd spend it on! 

On Monday, after Emma and I dropped Grace off at dance class we decided that we'd go to Michaels to pass some time. We walked in and were instantly in awe of what we saw- a whole new fairy house section! Emma and I spent a good amount of time "oohing and aahhing" over each thing we saw, and it didn't take long before she said: "We have to bring Grace back here! We should use the gift card Gramma and Grandpa gave us for these things!"

And so, on Tuesday, we went back. Grace's reaction was just like ours (as we knew it would be). She was absolutely enchanted by each thing she saw!

They spent about thirty minutes taking it all in and choosing what they would spend their portion of the gift card on. Some things were chosen and decided against. Other things were chosen and kept. Emma ended up choosing a red table and chair and a little set of white dishes. "These will be perfect for my mouse and the house I just made her, mama!"

Grace chose a fairy house, a lamppost (that lights up) and a deer. 

And even better: I had a 50% off  email coupon to use too! 

Inside view of the aforementioned house for Emma's mouse. 

The mouse was given to her by Grandma Joan and Grandpa Ron this past Christmas.

There really couldn't have been anything more perfect for them to choose to spend this gift card on! It's as if my mom knew that this line would be there, waiting, for her fairy and fairy house loving granddaughters! Thanks, mom and dad! It was an absolutely perfect choice of gift for them!

And, it goes without saying, that a few more of these items will be appearing in their Easter baskets this spring! xo

Yesterday

And just like that another wonderful holiday charity show is in the books! xo

A Snowy Saturday

First snowstorm of 2017!
And now it truly feels like winter! xo

On The Twelfth Night Of Christmas....

we finally built the gingerbread house!

Happy Twelfth Night, friends! xo