Happy New Year 2014!

Last year, we started a new tradition to take family pictures on New Year's Eve. I like ending the year with these pictures but in truth I have another reason I take them.  I use them for our opening page in the next Project Life album.  Yes, I know I should technically take them on the 1st and maybe not in front of the Christmas tree but maybe I'll plan it better next year. (I said that last year too--shhh!!!)

We went out to dinner at Outback, then came home and I set things up. I start out with individual shots of us all then a family shot. Tripods and self timers are a wonderful thing. 

After making sure I had the pictures I was looking for, we all got comfy and hung out. I ended up having some computer issues and spent some time messing around with that. Not how I planned on spending the last night of 2013 exactly, but I got things "close enough" so we could all watch the ball drop together. 

It gets real exciting around here. 

Hoping for a great new year! 

Welcome 2014!! 

My Wish For 2013

H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R!!

Twenty-twelve was an OK year. For the most part it was great actually.

We celebrated Birthdays, Anniversaries, Gianna's Communion, Marissa moving up to Middle School, enjoyed a wonderful Disney vacation, had fun in the sand Down the Jersey Shore, visited the Bronx Zoo, it was all good!

The latter part of 2012 was pretty crappy with Hurricane Sandy leaving thousands without homes and power. Living in the dark for 9 days bothered me a lot (ETA- Thankfully our house is fine and didn't have any damage, since we are in the North Jersey area and not near the shore.  Though plenty of houses in our area had tree damage.). The tragedy for Sandy Hook was gut wrenching. Other people that are greedy beyond words that are only looking out for themselves despite calling themselves "friends".

So my wish for TWENTY-THIRTEEN is peace. Peace and happiness. Freedom. Fun. LOVE always. Good Health.

Lets make 2013 a kick-ass year! What's your wish?

New Years Eve 2012

I was determined to end the year with a nice family pic so I threatened gathered everyone together after we came home from a nice dinner out.

I first took single pics of each of us for my opening page for Project Life 2013, then got us together for the money shot.

I managed to do this without tears & got this in the second shot.  YAY!

Now we'll gather together to watch the ball drop & hit the sack.  We party hard around here. ;)

Wishing everyone (that still reads this) a HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!!  2013, BRING IT!!

Ringing In 2012

No pun intended.
Really.

A few days before Christmas Eve, Joe was at the jewelers to buy the girls some earrings for Christmas. The jeweler mentioned to Joe that he still had the ring I had fallen in love with a few years back. So Joe texted me a pic of two rings. I being a women picked out the ring instantly without hesitation. He asks me if I want it & of course I said yes, BUT I also said that he didn't have to get it for me. Of course, if he wanted to who am I to say no?? LOL!

He comes home & hands me a gift bag. I told him to put it under the tree for Christmas & he said "No. This is NOT a Christmas present." We went back & forth a bit but then the woman in me gave in & opened it. It was as beautiful as I remembered it, but it didn't fit. It fit on my pinky.

Today we finally got some time to run down to the jewelers & he sized it for me.

I love it!! I consider it an Anniversary band, even though it's not our anniversary. Since there are 3 stones, I like to think that they represent Joe & the girls.

While we were waiting for the jeweler to size the ring I had plenty of time to look in the cases. I mentioned to Joe that I could give him a "shopping list" & pointed to a few things. He gets the jeweler to pull them out for me to try them on which I couldn't pass up.

What woman would pass up the chance to play??

However, Joe wasn't playing & had the jeweler polish my favorite piece for me to wear home.

I know how lucky I am to have such a generous & wonderful husband. He knows how much I appreciate the jewelry & he knows that I don't expect it either. He's just the type of guy that likes to treat me with something special for no reason.

So our New Year's Eve is off to a great start. We don't go out to celebrate, we stay home, let the girls stay up late, watch the ball drop & go to bed. Might sound boring to some people but to us it's nice & relaxing.

It's been a crazy hectic year. Some bad, some good, some fantastic. I'm ready to move into the new year. I'm ready to get back on the treadmill (I slacked off around June). I'm ready to shake loose of the fog that's been floating around me (a different post). Let's hope 2012 is wonderful for us all!

Wishing everyone a safe & healthy Happy New Year! Enjoy it!

1-1-11

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Today is 1-1-11...cool right?

This year there will also be...
1-11-11
11-1-11
11-11-11 (my eyes hurt looking at it all in one line & had to break it up! HA!)

Mark your calendars. ;)

Last night the girls & I watched the ball drop on Dick Clark's Rockin New Years. Where was Joe? Sleeping on the couch. He's sick...AGAIN. Poor guy has been working LONG long hours lately & it's all taking a toll on him.


I think Gianna really "got it" this year. She had lots to say....

• Is it New Year's yet?
• When's midnight?
• Where is that place? (Times Square)
• What's in the ball?
• Are there people in there?
• I don't understand what he's saying. (Dick Clark)
• Why do people have strokes? (after hearing about Dick Clark)
• Can people die from strokes?
• Whose on the phone? (people calling to wish us HNY)

Yes, it was an informative evening. ;)

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2011!!

New Years Eve

Around here we don't do anything really exciting. We went to Outback for dinner (yay! didn't cook!) Usually we just hang out & watch movies. Then tune in to watch the ball drop & we go to bed. Yeah it's boring but that's how it's been since we had the girls. Now that they're older things haven't changed much...maybe next year. ;)

Good Luck with your resolutions....I can't commit though there are lots of things I'd like to try...

• Be more focused


• Lose weight


• Spend time more wisely


• Scrap more, without obsessing with making it "perfect"


• Finding balance

Happy New Year's Eve!!

May you all have a wonderful 2011!

Bring on 2010!!

It's been a great year. I feel like I've been on a whirlwind of sorts & can't get a handle on keeping my head from spinning off.

I'm happy to report that I've kept up with my Project 365 (in pics anyway, still behind on the journaling cards, but working on it!). Yeah I know I haven't shared the pics in awhile but it seemed too stressful to keep up with on the blog since there would be days & days where I didn't take pics & needed to catch up so I let it go. Just know that the album is full & I'm happy I did it. Yes in case you're wondering I did order Becky's new kit Project Life, just not doing it in the new year. Strange I know!

One of the best parts for me was not hosting Easter & being away for it. I usually host Easter, Thanksgiving & Christmas Eve so it was nice to take one off.
Marissa received her 1st Holy Communion. Seeing her dressed in her gown made me realize how fast time flies.

Joe & I celebrated our 10 year Anniversary. Hard to believe 10 years went that fast! Gianna graduated pre-school which was great. It'll be so nice to have the girls in one school.

We've gone on some great trips too. We visited Hershey Park which was cool. I mean c'mon you're surrounded by chocolate!! Then we went on a fantastic trip to Disney (yes again). Joe booked a really great trip & I like to consider it our Anniversary trip. Since school started in Sept., my days are broken up where I'm racing to school dropping off or picking up a kid every 2 1/2-3 hours. Kindergarten is just 2 1/2 hours so I don't get as much done as I'd like. Patiently waiting for 1st grade & full days.....

I'm also helping Joe out at work so that's been interesting. I go there (with Gianna) after we drop Marissa off at school, then we come home, feed G lunch & take her to school. That's when I do stuff around the house. It would be much nicer if Joe's shop was closer to home instead of 20 mins away (which he's working on moving closer to home). Don't get me wrong I'm complaining but I'm NOT. I really LOVE the extra time with Joe, but his office isn't big enough for both of us plus Gianna.

I think the end of the year has been the most hectic it's ever been. Which is why this happened to me. There was a lot to do that involved being at the school with the girls....

Building Gingerbread houses with Marissa's 3rd grade class.

Baking Gingerbread cookies with Gianna's Kindergarten class....
As well as being at both their class parties closer to Christmas. Are you tired? I was that day!! I played games with 24 3rd graders then ran to the opposite end of school to bring the Kindergarteners their treats (brownies) & play games with them. But the girls were both thrilled that I was there so it was worth it.

This year was the 1st time that I started Christmas shopping so late (Nov.) but once I started I really power shopped. The late start really threw me off but amazingly it all went off without too much craziness & I actually was in bed on Christmas Eve by 12:00 which is amazing for me!

So with that all said (and some not said) I'm ready for what 2010 brings.

Wishing everyone a safe & healthy

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

January 1st

Here we are New Year's Eve. 5

4

3

2

1

HAPPY

NEW

YEAR!!!

New Year's Eve

Wishing everyone has a..........

Happy New Year!!!

What I've been up to today

It's New Year's Eve. Another year is over. Today it's been snowing throughout the day. It's been cold & windy---not my kind of weather at all! I've spent today messing around on the computer still in my pj's (the girls are too).

Just slacking when I should be working on my Christmas Journal. To be honest I was working on it a bit last night--so there! I've had so many thoughts go through my mind today but haven't gotten very far.

I've been trying to sign onto the CK website to make sure I can order my CK KOTM tomorrow but it's not accepting my log in attempts. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Now it's time for me to shower & get dressed for the day---I mean night!! LOL!!

Celebrate

Wish I was there..........

Happy New Year!

The start of a new year...don't you just love it when something is brand spanking new? I hope to have lots more fun with my family this year. I would like to finish more scrapbooks.
Wishing everyone a wonderful & healthy

Happy New Year!

Last night wasn't a crazy party filled night for us. We have kids. Joe worked all day so I made a nice end-of-the-year dinner of London Broil with potatoes & it was great (the meal was great too). After dinner we did our own thing for a little while then we settled in to watch "Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix". I figured since I finished that book we could now watch the movie I gave Joe for Christmas--well planned no??

The girls were doing their own thing for awhile. Marissa got a "Webkins" dog for Christmas (finally) & she likes to go online & take care of her dog. Gianna just likes playing on Nick Jr so she was occupied for awhile too. Joe fell asleep early on in the movie so I sat peacefully watching the movie until the girls got bored & snuggled with us on the couch. Marissa was still wide eyed & bushy tailed & was excited to be able to stay up & celebrate New Year's but I could tell Gianna would crash soon. I was right too--she finally settled down in my arms & went right out. She amazes me with her ability to fall asleep so fast, she's just like Joe when it comes to that. It's like turning out the lights.

About 10 minutes before the ball dropped Marissa woke Joe up & we paused Harry Potter. I explained to her about the ball dropping down & people counting down the last 10 seconds & she couldn't wait! Wish I had her energy! So with Gianna sleeping peacefully in my arms we rang in the new year, watched the last 5 minutes of Harry Potter....and went to bed. Exciting life we have huh??