Paradise, Puppy, and New Beginnings
Happy New Year! We closed out 2013 with a lot of wonderful memories, celebrations, and new additions.
I think I wrote our last post just before Halloween. Goodness, that seems like forever ago but the time sure has flown. The kids had a fun Halloween this year. Chase dressed up as a Super Hero and Emilia was Gabby Douglas, the Olympic gymnast. I took Emilia trick or treating with her friends in the neighborhood next to ours, which was really fun. It brought me back to being a kid and trick or treating with all my girl friends, running from house to house to see how many houses we could get candy from. Joe took Chase trick or treating with Owen his buddy down the road. I was lucky enough to take an impromptu trip to Asheville with my mom and sisters the day after Halloween.
As always, we had a great time, relaxing, laughing A LOT and enjoying each other's company. There's nothing like girl time with your Mom and sisters! Just as it started to get cold around here we took off to paradise, St. John. We left a couple weeks before Thanksgiving and headed down south to celebrate Matt and Corrie's wedding. It was a beautiful occasion, one that none of us will ever forget. Once wedding festivities settled down we spent the rest of the week relaxing on the beach or at the pool with Joe's parents, Aunt Gin and Uncle Jack. I have to say it was the BEST vacation we've had in a long time. The kids were amazing travelers and very adventurous. After arriving home, Joe and I dropped our bags off and the kids off in Chapel Hill and hit the road for Tryon, NC where we picked up our newest family member, Fitz. He's going to be a great dog but wow, it's sure taken some adjusting to. I think having a puppy is worse than having a child but just like a baby it gets easier with time. The kids LOVE him and enjoy playing with him, I think the feeling is mutual. Fitz got to spend his first Thanksgiving at Bebia and Babua's house. It was a GREAT day of food, family and fun! We spent the next few weeks preparing for the holidays. Emilia had a fun Christmas break spending time with Bebia and Jojo. She also got to get her ears pierced, which I swore I would not let her do until she was 9. She had begged us forever and we made her show us that she was responsible enough to have them pierced, which she did. That child loves a challenge and will welcome one with a smile. A couple weeks before Christmas Emilia had a couple of her good buddies from school over for a cookie bake and we also made some Christmas ornaments. I think they had a really great time and so did I! I hope to continue the tradition next year. We also did our annual cookie bake at my Mom's. Emilia participated but Chase and Holden being the boys that they are would rather play Babua's drums or drive Babu's remote control car. Joe and I did our annual hockey game with some friends on Christmas Eve eve. It's so fun to catch and see old friends. Matt and Corrie came to stay with us Christmas Eve and Emilia participated in the Christmas pageant and church again this year. Chase was supposed to be in it but chickened out at the last minute. We had a wonderful time with Corrie and Matt. The kids loved having them here on Christmas morning. Unfortunately Chase woke up with a fever on Christmas morning so he and I spent Christmas day together while Emilia, Joe, Matt and Corrie went to Nana's for Christmas in Winston-Salem. It was definitely a quiet Christmas but we made the best of it! I am hoping to go see Nana in February for her birthday since I missed her at Christmas. Day Day and Grandma came to visit us a couple days after Christmas, which was wonderful! We rang in 2014 with Steph, Matt, Holden and Callie. The kids had a great time and so did the adults! It's so nice that our kids are getting old enough to play together and entertain one another. Emilia loves to play with her cousin Callie and be Aunt Steph's big helper. The best news of 2014 was that Joe got a new job. He's been looking for a job for 4 or 5 months, which was VERY stressful on him. His previous employer was making changes in their company and pretty much told Joe that he was going to be laid off at the end of March. He is now working for a company called Riley Life Logistics, which is an order fulfillment provider. It has been a very strange transition for him but one that definitely needed to happen. We also moved Chase to a new daycare/preschool, which he loves and so do we. It's been so nice starting 2014 with positive changes and new beginnings. Homewatch is still growing and it keeps me very busy day in and day out!
Emilia is doing great in school and works very hard. She is still playing piano but complains about practicing each week. She loves gymnastics and we are hoping once we get thru this year of craziness that next year she can join the team. She is getting ready for First Reconciliation this weekend and then we will be getting her ready for First Communion in May. How is she already getting ready to receive first communion???
Chase is growing like a weed and is all boy! He wants to wrestle Fitz, play the drums, shoot hoops and drive his matchbox cars everywhere. He loves to make us laugh but acting like a clown and making silly faces. I think he is going to be our class clown once he is in school.
It's already almost February and we are ready for Spring! In fact, it's snowing as I type this blog. It's been a cold winter for everyone this year. We hope you all are happy and healthy and for those of you who we don't see often we miss you!
Lots of Love,
Les, Joe, Emilia, Chase and Fitz
https://plus.google.com/photos/100686975836685272573/albums/5974129021382858465
I think I wrote our last post just before Halloween. Goodness, that seems like forever ago but the time sure has flown. The kids had a fun Halloween this year. Chase dressed up as a Super Hero and Emilia was Gabby Douglas, the Olympic gymnast. I took Emilia trick or treating with her friends in the neighborhood next to ours, which was really fun. It brought me back to being a kid and trick or treating with all my girl friends, running from house to house to see how many houses we could get candy from. Joe took Chase trick or treating with Owen his buddy down the road. I was lucky enough to take an impromptu trip to Asheville with my mom and sisters the day after Halloween.
As always, we had a great time, relaxing, laughing A LOT and enjoying each other's company. There's nothing like girl time with your Mom and sisters! Just as it started to get cold around here we took off to paradise, St. John. We left a couple weeks before Thanksgiving and headed down south to celebrate Matt and Corrie's wedding. It was a beautiful occasion, one that none of us will ever forget. Once wedding festivities settled down we spent the rest of the week relaxing on the beach or at the pool with Joe's parents, Aunt Gin and Uncle Jack. I have to say it was the BEST vacation we've had in a long time. The kids were amazing travelers and very adventurous. After arriving home, Joe and I dropped our bags off and the kids off in Chapel Hill and hit the road for Tryon, NC where we picked up our newest family member, Fitz. He's going to be a great dog but wow, it's sure taken some adjusting to. I think having a puppy is worse than having a child but just like a baby it gets easier with time. The kids LOVE him and enjoy playing with him, I think the feeling is mutual. Fitz got to spend his first Thanksgiving at Bebia and Babua's house. It was a GREAT day of food, family and fun! We spent the next few weeks preparing for the holidays. Emilia had a fun Christmas break spending time with Bebia and Jojo. She also got to get her ears pierced, which I swore I would not let her do until she was 9. She had begged us forever and we made her show us that she was responsible enough to have them pierced, which she did. That child loves a challenge and will welcome one with a smile. A couple weeks before Christmas Emilia had a couple of her good buddies from school over for a cookie bake and we also made some Christmas ornaments. I think they had a really great time and so did I! I hope to continue the tradition next year. We also did our annual cookie bake at my Mom's. Emilia participated but Chase and Holden being the boys that they are would rather play Babua's drums or drive Babu's remote control car. Joe and I did our annual hockey game with some friends on Christmas Eve eve. It's so fun to catch and see old friends. Matt and Corrie came to stay with us Christmas Eve and Emilia participated in the Christmas pageant and church again this year. Chase was supposed to be in it but chickened out at the last minute. We had a wonderful time with Corrie and Matt. The kids loved having them here on Christmas morning. Unfortunately Chase woke up with a fever on Christmas morning so he and I spent Christmas day together while Emilia, Joe, Matt and Corrie went to Nana's for Christmas in Winston-Salem. It was definitely a quiet Christmas but we made the best of it! I am hoping to go see Nana in February for her birthday since I missed her at Christmas. Day Day and Grandma came to visit us a couple days after Christmas, which was wonderful! We rang in 2014 with Steph, Matt, Holden and Callie. The kids had a great time and so did the adults! It's so nice that our kids are getting old enough to play together and entertain one another. Emilia loves to play with her cousin Callie and be Aunt Steph's big helper. The best news of 2014 was that Joe got a new job. He's been looking for a job for 4 or 5 months, which was VERY stressful on him. His previous employer was making changes in their company and pretty much told Joe that he was going to be laid off at the end of March. He is now working for a company called Riley Life Logistics, which is an order fulfillment provider. It has been a very strange transition for him but one that definitely needed to happen. We also moved Chase to a new daycare/preschool, which he loves and so do we. It's been so nice starting 2014 with positive changes and new beginnings. Homewatch is still growing and it keeps me very busy day in and day out!
Emilia is doing great in school and works very hard. She is still playing piano but complains about practicing each week. She loves gymnastics and we are hoping once we get thru this year of craziness that next year she can join the team. She is getting ready for First Reconciliation this weekend and then we will be getting her ready for First Communion in May. How is she already getting ready to receive first communion???
Chase is growing like a weed and is all boy! He wants to wrestle Fitz, play the drums, shoot hoops and drive his matchbox cars everywhere. He loves to make us laugh but acting like a clown and making silly faces. I think he is going to be our class clown once he is in school.
It's already almost February and we are ready for Spring! In fact, it's snowing as I type this blog. It's been a cold winter for everyone this year. We hope you all are happy and healthy and for those of you who we don't see often we miss you!
Lots of Love,
Les, Joe, Emilia, Chase and Fitz
https://plus.google.com/photos/100686975836685272573/albums/5974129021382858465
posted by Joe and Les at
9:17 PM
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