Headin’ out Ohio-way!

In only two weeks and two days, we’ll be packin’ up the wagon and headin’ out to Ohio!

As you can see, we’re dividing the drive up into two manageable pieces with a strategic hotel stay in Syracuse, NY.

We’ll be spending the week of Christmas with my family in Mount Vernon. We’re looking forward to spending some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, Mark and Kirsten, and the rest of the Mount Vernon crew.

We’d love to visit with any of our readers who are in the greater Mount Vernon area. Drop us a line and let us know if you’re going to be around at any point December 23 through 27!

By Peter | 12.05.2007 | 09:34 PM | Permalink | Categories: Family, Occasions, Travel | 2 Comments

Five Years

Five Years Ago

Three Weeks Ago

Five years ago, I had no idea what adventures were in store for us. I didn’t know we’d travel all over the United States, let alone take a trip to Russia. I didn’t know that we’d start living greener, more simpler lives. I didn’t know that we’d have a wonderful girl named Catherine, or that my job would provide for all three of us with extra to spare. I didn’t know that we’d buy a condo in Danvers, or that my ideas of fun would change to include stacking up blocks in a nursery.

All I knew is that I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Here’s to many more years of discovering what that life will bring!

By Peter | 10.26.2007 | 08:15 AM | Permalink | Categories: Married Life, Occasions | 7 Comments

Birthday

On Saturday, I celebrated my twenty-ninth birthday.

Dad and Daughter

Becky made pumpkin pancakes for breakfast. She also got me a gift subscription to GOOD Magazine, a magazine we had heard about in Heifer’s World Ark magazine. I’m looking forward to reading it! Here are some more photos from breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed out for a hike to Agassiz Rock in Manchester. The park features a short trail which loops around to some awesome glacial rocks, Big and Little Agassiz. Little Aggasiz is balanced on its side on a much smaller rock. Very cool. Here are some more pictures from the hike. Our hike was, of course, part of Hiketober.

It was a hit

My birthday and the hike were definitely a hit!

By Peter | 10.08.2007 | 07:46 PM | Permalink | Categories: Family, Occasions | 5 Comments

To the stars!

When Google popped up on my web browser this morning, I learned that it was the 46th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic trip into space. In celebration, here’s a photo of Becky posing in front of Yuri’s likeness at the Space Obelisk in Moscow, on our trip two years ago:

To the stars!

By Peter | 04.12.2007 | 08:24 AM | Permalink | Categories: Occasions | No Comments

Christmas

Our Christmas this year spanned an entire week… from Friday, December 22 to Saturday, December 30!

December 22

After I got out of work on Friday, we drove up to Townsend, MA to spend the weekend with Becky’s folks.

December 23

On Saturday, the Lowe side of Becky’s family came up to visit. Tom and Gabi and their boys came, as well as Sue, Pete, and Greg. We had a nice dinner of ham and turkey, squash, decadent mashed potatoes, green beans sauteed in garlic and butter, rolls… yum. We exchanged gifts and had a nice time chatting with everyone and playing with the young’n’s. (Pics here for those with family access.)

December 24

On Sunday morning, we went to the Christmas Eve morning church service in Townsend. We then headed out to Shrewsbury, MA. Our first stop was at my Aunt Joan and Uncle Errol’s house, where Scott, Kim, and Mark were visiting. They all had a chance to see Catherine, as well as catch up with Becky and I.

After that, we headed just a few streets over to the Quitadamo Christmas Eve party at Richie and Julie’s house. The whole clan was there, and we actually managed to get a nice group photo! We had the gift grab, and also showered the kids with gifts. Our dinner was Italian… eggplant parm, antipasto, lasagna, Italian wedding soup, stuffed mushrooms. The works. (Pics here for those with family access.)

For Sunday evening, we headed back to Townsend, and went to the midnight church service. I always enjoy the singing of soft carols on the night before Christmas, and the candle-lit mood at the end.

December 25

Christmas Day was spent at the Lowe household in Townsend. We opened stockings, had Belgian waffles for breakfast, opened presents, and then spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing with our new stuff. We had a lot of fun playing our new Karaoke Revolution game…

After eating a dinner of some very delicious leftovers from earlier in the weekend, we packed up the Corolla to bursting (really, we couldn’t have possibly fit more in the car…) and headed back to Beverly.

December 26

I went to work.

December 27

I went to work.

In the evening, my parents arrived in Beverly. They had flown from Ohio to Pennsylvania to visit my mom’s side of the family, and then drove in a rental car up to Massachusetts. We hung out and played Karaoke Revolution.

December 28

I took the day off of work!

My parents came over in the morning for “Christmas” breakfast and a gift exchange. Becky made a breakfast casserole. Mmmm. We had subs and pizza for lunch, hung out for the afternoon, and then Mom and Dad babysat Catherine while Becky and I went out to dinner and a movie. We saw Night at the Musem, which I highly recommend! It was a lot better than we had expected… very funny. A great movie for kids and adults alike. After we got back, we had a mini birthday party for Mom.

December 29

I took this day off of work, too!

My parents came over again, and we all piled into the car for a little trip. Our first stop was at the new LL Bean store in Burlington, MA. It was packed with shoppers returning or exchanging their Christmas gifts, as well as people taking advantage of after-Christmas sales. After the Bean, we headed out to Framingham to meet Joan and Erroll for lunch at Chef Orient. We ate in the Japanese half of the restaurant, and we all had teppanyaki entrees, cooked in the usual entertaining style. We also had a another little birthday celebration for Mom (and Joan). Joan and Erroll had brought out a delicious cake and some gifts for mom.

After we got back to Beverly, we relaxed at home, and played some more Karaoke Revolution as well as Dance Dance Revolution.

December 30

Mom and Dad came over with breakfast from Bagel World. We checked out some of the photos from our last few days together, and said our goodbyes, as they had to head back out. We’ll miss them, and I know that they’ll miss us (especially Catherine!)

We’ve spent much of today cleaning up the apartment, sorting out and putting away the gifts, and getting ready for 2007. We don’t have any big plans for the New Year’s weekend… mostly just to rest and relax!

We hope that everyone else has had a great Christmas!

By Peter | 12.30.2006 | 09:20 PM | Permalink | Categories: Family, Occasions | 5 Comments