Category Archives: Occasions

Christmas Joys: Cards

As soon as all the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone I start stalking the mailbox for Christmas cards! Photo cards, homemade, letters, postcards…it doesn’t matter. I love them all. It’s great to hear from friends and family and to have something other than Chinese menus and Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons in the mailbox!

I’ve been hanging up each card we’ve received on the door in the kitchen and they’ve made the room so festive!

I know that sending out Christmas cards is a huge project, but I hope everyone knows that I truly love receiving them and looking at them day after day! They are physical reminders of all who we love (and who love us). Thank you!

20 Years Of Perl

Christmas Joys: Stockings

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A family of Christmas Stockings

Last Christmas there was a little smudge on my festive holiday mood. Due to lack of inspiration, time and supplies I didn’t get around to making Catherine a Christmas stocking. Fortunately she had no idea, but I felt awful about it. I love my stocking and our family’s stockings were my favorite decorations to hang when I was small.

This year I was struck with inspiration, had the supplies and eked out some time to sew. Having a homemade Christmas stocking is very important to me. My Mom made mine (and Corey’s and my Dad’s) and every year I look at it and think of the time she spent making it and love knowing that it was made especially for me. I wanted to pass that same feeling along to my own little family. I sewed up Peter’s stocking for the first Christmas we spent together (2001) and now Catherine’s joins the group.

As a kid my stocking always had a box of Cracker Jax in it on Christmas morning. We don’t have a tradition like that yet- what do YOU get in your stockings?

Headin’ out Ohio-way!

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

View Larger Map

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!

Halloween 2007

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Happy Halloween!

This is the first year in, well almost ever, that I’ve lived in a place where there’s a chance of having trick or treaters. We’ve got a bowl of candy and a jack o lantern to welcome the little ghouls, goblins, fire fighters, princesses and whatever kind of kiddo that might grace our steps tonight.

live blogging Halloween
(updated periodically)

5:35- one bloody surgeon
6:23- paintballer, “cereal killer”, ‘the Scream’, vampire, ghost
6:26- punk rocker and ghost punk rocker
6:29- grim reaper (with dad to collect the candy because his creepy gloves inhibit his candy grabbing)
6:32- Pumpkin seeds start to toast
6:53- an onslaught- pirates, ghost pirates, edward scissorhands, a NE Patriot, 2 gals in pajamas, a vampire and many more!
6:59- two boys in black robes
7:00- Pumpkin seeds are out for the snacking!
7:06- Hannah Montana, geisha, “fearsome, gruesome, skull headed wizard”, grim reaper
7:19- Police officer, gypsy
7:23- two skeletons, a scarecrow, a soccer player
7:35- Piglet and an angel
8:00- That’s all folks!

Five Years

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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!

Birthday

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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](http://www.goodmagazine.com/), a magazine we had heard about in [Heifer](http://www.heifer.org/)’s [World Ark](http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.201480/) magazine. I’m looking forward to reading it! Here are [some more photos from breakfast](http://prwdot.org/gallery2/v/events/2007/birthday_breakfast/).

After breakfast, we headed out for a hike to [Agassiz Rock](http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/4_agassiz_rock.cfm) 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](http://prwdot.org/gallery2/v/travels/2007/agassiz_rock/). Our hike was, of course, part of [Hiketober](http://prwdot.org/2007/10/07/hiketober/).

It was a hit

My birthday and the hike were definitely a hit!

Independence Day!

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We had a very nice, very low key Independence Day. Peter, Catherine and I were joined by Bethany in celebrating with a picnic at the park. We ate lunch, played at the playground, had some ice cream, tossed a frisbee, bounced a ball and waded in the water.

There were no concerts, no parades, no fireworks (well, just the illegal ones that the neighbors keep setting off!) and no crowds. It was just the kind of day we were hoping for. I hope you had the kind of day you were hoping for!

Here are the rest of the pictures from today!