Damon....ski jump....from our porch.

Mike built this ski jump for Damon.....he's OBSESSED. it's pretty fun to watch him go down, pop out of his skis....carry them back up, climb up, put his ski's back on himself, and do it again. So fun!

snow!

so....we had our biggest snow storm to date the day Tuesday night / Wednesday day before Thanksgiving. We were all up early (at least Brixton and I....) Damon wasn't far behind....then Mike remembered about the storm and jumped right out of bed. By the way...Thank heavens for seasons passes to Killington Ski Resort! The boys packed up the car, Brixton and Damon were seriously out playing in the snow at 6:45 a.m. I'm not kidding.....Mike and Damon left, Brixton and I went in....but came back out later when we saw one of our little best friends, Olivia, outside playing.

Olivia's mom and I were dying at how cute they were in all of their snow gear!

Olivia also taught Brixton the art of eating snow! It was so funny, until he started picking the snow up off the pavement. haha!

We both look a little weird in this picture....but I love it anyways, and love all the snow around us!

yes, this was taken before 7:00 a.m.

Olivia's dad came out and built this fantastic snow man....cherry tomato eyes, asparagus nose, and peas mouth. We were laughing so hard.

Oh New York....New York....

When I was in Utah this summer, my mom mentioned that she, her best friend Judie, and two of my aunts were in the middle of planning a trip to New York. Hmmm....New Hampshire = 4 hours from New York....woo hoo! (okay, 5 hours on the bus, but whatever). I moved to New Hampshire, a month later bought my bus ticket (thank you Dartmouth Coach!), and started counting down the days until I got to go on a trip, for 3 days with no husband, no kids....just girls! My mom joked that I'd just be hanging out with a bunch of 60 year olds....I DID NOT care! We had sooooo much fun!

Macys, beautiful Macy's. What an overwhelming place to walk into! 9 stories tall!

Christmas shopping!!!!!

My Aunt Anne, Aunt Cookie, and Mom!

a bus tour! mom, Judie, my cousin Brooke, her son Landon, Anne, and Cookie

My cousin Brooke was also in New York! Her husband had business there and so she and their son came along! I hadn't seen her since her wedding! It was so fun to catch up with her a little bit. We've always joked about being twin cousins....(born on the same day, same year....just on opposite sides of the world!)

Awh! I love my mom!

My mom and her BFF Judie! So glad Judie was able to come. It was her first time to New York. It's so fun to be there for someone's first time to the Big Apple!

waiting for our tickets.

me and my Aunt Anne....shopping on Canal Street. Such a great place! (maybe slightly annoying, but still so fun! )

Judie and I. The sculpture behind us used to be inside one of the World Trade Towers.

Judie, my mom and I - big fans of Project Runway.....we were so excited to drive past this building during the bus tour!

bus tour :)

bus tour... :)

Had to take this one for Brixton.

Thanks for the most amazing trip Mom! I loved spending so much time with you and all the ladies! love you!

Half Marathon!

So...I've enjoyed running since I was a teenager...and probably when I was 19 or 20 started running in a couple of 10K's each year....then we moved to Maryland, had kids....etc...I still ran and worked out, but come on, most of us know how much harder it is to prioritize ourselves when life gets in the way. So...we move to New Hampshire....I meet some amazing friends....who are all runners....I mean, like real runners. Maren, Andrea, and Tiffany.

My good friend Maren looks up some races and in September, tells me...."There's a half marathon on October 29th, let's sign up for it". I didn't really even contemplate....I just signed up. Like a crazy person! Slight roller coaster - starting out as #44 on the wait list....figuring we'd never get in, then moving to #13 on the wait list, then actually getting in.....So Maren, Andrea and I get in....Tiffany didn't end up signing up because after hearing how far we were on the wait list we never thought we'd even get in!

little did we know! CAPE COD HALF MARATHON......here we come!

by the way....I promise my head is not really 3 times bigger theirs....they both just have really small heads! I look like a monster!

It was freezing when we got there....we got our bibs, stayed warm inside for a while...threw our coats in the car.... then headed for the starting line. By the time we started I think it was 43 degrees....so really, not that bad....

I wanted to see how far I could run before I had to stop and walk....I made it to mile 11....which was a huge accomplishment for me. Granted...miles 9-11 were SLOW, I had majorly slowed down, "hit the wall" I suppose they'd say, so at mile 11.... I walked to 11.7, then ran the rest of the way.

Thankfully, since this was my first half marathon, I had zero expectations, besides actually finishing the race. I knew that if I finished it, that would be a miracle in and of itself. It's a good thing I didn't have any expectations, because my finishing time was awful, but I was still really proud of myself. Which honestly is a feeling that I don't get very often. On the last turn towards the finish line, this nice volunteer man looked at me and said "50 more yards to go!".....I started crying right at that moment. Word to the wise....don't start crying when you're already feeling like you're going to die! It makes it really hard to breathe!

My sweet friend Maren, who has now run 13, count them, 13 half marathons - stayed with me the entire time. Even after I repeatedly told her to go ahead. go ahead. go ahead....she'd just say "I'm fine!" Andrea ran with us until about mile 6, we could tell she was "antsy" and was itching to run a little faster...so we sent her off. She got an awesome time...and even walked back after getting her medal to meet up with us and finish the race with us.

Cape Cod was beautiful. We ran through the small town of Falmouth, and around part of the Cape. Past little farms and light houses....It was beautiful. I definitely should have taken more pictures.

me, andrea, and maren. Love you girls. Such great memories.....

Halloween 2011

This Halloween was a big deal for us, once again, because of our living situation....and actually living in a neighborhood with lots of kids....as opposed to a giant apartment complex with only a few. It was so nice to just walk around the community, and actually have trick or treaters come to our house.

A pirate and a train engineer.

Our awesome neighbor, Emily, planned a little neighborhood Halloween parade and pizza party. It was soooo much fun. The husbands even took a break from studying to join in the fun!

Pretty sure he's saying "choo choo...."

AAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkins!

Hard to believe that in 7 1/2 years of marriage, I am pretty sure that this is our first year actually carving pumpkin. That's what happens when you live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building for 6 1/2 years....This year we (Damon and I) were so excited to pick out some pumpkins, carve them, and actually have a nice big porch to display them on! We are no professionals, but we definitely had fun. The lack of pictures just makes me sad...but that's just how it goes sometimes.

I asked Mike to take some pictures for us, and this was seriously the best one that he took. Thank honey.

Such a fun night!

oh Brixton.....

Brixton....I felt like doing this post because lately your Dad and I have been constantly talking about what a hilarious little kid you are. Even though you still have a hard time saying what is on your mind....you've figured out so many ways to communicate, and we can definitely tell that you have got one funny personality.

Here are some pics from the last month or so....

someone loves cheese....just like his mom and dad :)

You've learned to ride Damon's little red bike! We were super impressed to see some decent coordination when you were figuring out how to ride it! (That might sound mean, but he just isn't coordinated).

You are excellent at eating pizza!

You love this lunge / squat position when you're in a crazy funny mood.

Our most recent issue with you is your waking up WAY too early! like 5 a.m. early. One morning I heard you yelling for mamma, You had made your way downstairs, into the fridge, and into the drawer....I walked down to find you with a gallon of milk, and a sippy cup. (yes, that's a binky in his mouth, don't judge.) And...don't mind Mike's hockey stuff spread across the living room.

We finally got bar stools, and this is your favorite way to sit at the counter.

You fell and smacked your forehead on a book shelf at my friends house. It was a BAD one. Poor kid. At least it meant I got some good cuddles.

just your happy little self, with awesome hair.

also, you LOVE your big brother! shirtless and all. :)