Happy New Year 2011!!

Happy New Year everyone!

Where did 2010 go....

Samantha and I celebrated NYE in Stowe, Vermont. We hung out at the Von Trapp Family Lodge and Samantha was a huge hit with her plastic, stem color changing champagne glass -every parent was asking what drink they needed to buy to get that glass...they couldn't believe I bought it at Walgreens for $2.99....I didn't know if it was because they would never step foot in a Walgreens or that it was only $2.99 or both (wish I bought a case of them and sold them at the door for $10 like at the ice shows....) Saturday afternoon Samantha took her first ever snowboarding lesson and she absolutely loved it!!! Woo Hoo! I was afraid I was going to have to go back to skiing and we all know how good at skiing I was, not. Samantha and I also danced Happy Hour away at the Matterhorn - she just loved the Irish music and I loved her version of Irish Step Dancing - too cute! On our way home we stopped by Ben & Jerry's for a little factory tour - I know it's winter, but we are from New England and it is a known fact that ice cream is eaten all year without a thought to the temperature outside.... I hope everyone had a safe and fun NYE - looking forward to spending 2011 with you!!!! At our condo getting ready to celebrate NYE

Van Trapp Family Lodge library tree

my little boarder

very excited for her lessonlooking like a prohere we go....on the magic carpet ridegetting some tipsshe looks like a natural!!! so proud!rockin' out Ben and Jerry's tour

Christmas

Christmas Eve we continued our annual tradition of Samantha being an angel at mass. pictured David, Madison, Abigail, Samantha and Allison

very late Christmas Eve (I think 11:30) Samantha throws reindeer food so Santa can find his way....

Christmas morning came all too quickly

I guess you know who found the pickle present...

Sam and Grace at Christmas Day dinner... one of my favorites

Cookie Decorating Party

Since I went to Puerto Rico I was feeling slightly guilty for not taking Samantha so I had her invite a few friends over for a little cooking decorating party. It was so cute to see Samantha host her first girlfriend party. They decorated cookies, had hot chocolate and some healthy snacks (thought that would be helpful before they ingested all that sugar) and then we took some time to make ornaments and magnets - It was so fun! Samantha told me I was the best mommy ever (what mom doesn't love hearing that!).Decorating begins...

Samantha

Molly

Emily

Allison

some healthy snacks

the decorating table

some of the results

Puerto Rico

I took a long weekend and headed to the sunny island of Puerto Rico for a little belated 40th celebration. So fun! 88 and sunny every day! It was hard to come back. I only took these photos from my room.

Happy 90 Birthday Auntue Ruthie!

My family celebrated my Great Auntie Ruth's 90 birthday. It was fun to spend that day with her on her actually birthday and to see all the second cousins and meet their children - our family is just so big it's a rare occurrence (everyone grows up so fast - I didn't recognize some, I know sad, but I'm getting old too.....) Auntie Ruth still loves to play bingo and go to the casino with the "girls" any chance she gets.... so cute and spry - she can't possible by 90!!


Nana, Auntie Ruthie, Samantha and myself (4 generations).Auntie Ruth and her goddaughter, my Auntie Barbara

November......

November came and went in a blink of an eye........Mom turned 65 but still looks like and acts like she is in her early fifties - I would say younger but since she has two children now in their 40s and one in his mid-30s - people would think she had me when she was 10.... We had our annual raking/jumping in of the leaves (55 bags this year....love it, not) and my brother participated in the 2010 Ruckus which is a military-like obstacle course - he was a trooper and completed it in 45 minutes (not bad considering he only trained for a few days...I thought he was going to need to go to the hospital.) A sort of spur of the moment (okay, really I just had a lot of thinking to do for this one) trip to Lake Tahoe for Thanksgiving to visit John's extended family, the Ardens and Uncle B which brought November to a close... I have to say I am truly blessed to be part of a family who works towards and cares about having a positive and nurturing environment for everyone. The trip was fun and Tahoe blew in 5+ feet of snow for us to enjoy - too bad my board was back in MA!


Nana and Samantha

The Ruckus

Scott looking all happy then sparkle girl ran with him and it all went down hill...he was dying here but trying to save face...he finished......looks a little dirty from the obstacles through the mudthis was my favorite line "I'm not 25 anymore....." I thought we were heading to the hospital.Sam tried out the children's course..... NEVADA trip

The plane ride was a breeze.......

First snowfall of the year.......they expected 5+ feet in the mountains - Reno/Sparks ended up with a dusting.....On the way to Tahoe City we pulled over to go sledding...... Sarah borrowed a sled since we didn't think to bring one....climbing up the hillit was pretty steepAt the Lake it was a bit coldHanging with the Ardens - Daniel, Emily and Maggie (Tyler was suspiciously missing from the photo shoot) and cousins Anna and Kevin (who just turned 13!)

my new friend Milo....I wanted to take him home with me but I didn't think Keith and Tracy would let me...

Samantha took this photo..