Our Family & Our Life

Dear Diary,

Dear Diary, Today my dad has been blessed with another year. Wiser too? We wish we could come over and wish you a "Happy 73rd Birthday" in person but we are thinking of you on your special day. May God grant you many more happy years. This is my Dad in 2006 when the crowd came over to N. Ireland for our wedding. It's actually taken in the lobby of the (haunted) hotel where we had our wedding reception. Good memories!

Dear Diary, It seems like Christmas was yesterday but it's April already. In my immediate family, April is birthday month: 1. My parents 2. My brother 3. My nephew and 4. My youngest neice are all celebrating birthdays in the next 2.5 weeks. It's this time of year that I wish I was home. It seems like forever since I was at a family birthday party. Maybe next year. I'm sure there are aunts and uncles and cousins also celebrating this month but there are too many for me to track so if you are celebrating this month, Happy Birthday! The fun starts tomorrow, stay tuned!

Dear Diary, We came home last night at midnight. What a week! Where do I start? First off, no photos in this post because the camera is in Connecticut (more on that later) so I hope Isla doesn't start walking this week because I won't be able to take a photo of her first steps! I'll recap our trip. We left for NYC on March 21 driving our van. We couldn't have asked for better driving conditions for which we are VERY thankful since last week was a severe weather week throughout the mid-west States. It was a bit windy, OK very windy, and I was concerned about the ugly roof box blowing off but Colin assured me it wasn't going anywhere. Still, I made him tighten it up as I had visions of my pillow and his suit blowing down I-80! Nebraska and Iowa are the longest states, they just don't end. Pennsylvania we LOVED and if I could've stayed there I would. It has loads of trees, green grass, just beautiful, I felt right at home. We arrived in NYC on Wednesday

Dear Diary, We've arrived! The sirens are blaring, the people are busy rushing down the streets, hotdog vendors on every street corner so yeah, it must be New York...... and it only took us four days to get here!!! We arrived yesterday afternoon and Colin quickly got stuck into work but Isla and I have dandered around and did a little shopping. We're on our own until Saturday when Colin, Nancy and Bob will join us so I'll get some pics then, if not tomorrow. The forecasters are predicting good weather tomorrow and I plan on taking Isla to the Central Park zoo. I'll post more a bit later on but just wanted to let you all know we arrived safe and sound.

Dear Diary, WHY do cats have to sleep on countertops? Do they know no boundaries?

Dear Diary, Our happy girl is 13 months today AND she started standing on her own today. YAY Isla! She has stood in the past but today she started doing it on her own without assistance from Colin or I. If it's like when she started crawling, she'll be standing all the time this week and hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) she'll be walking before too long. When she becomes more confident, I'll post a photo.

Dear Diary, To quote from Sproost.com : Your personal style is a mix of 3 specific styles: 40% Wine Country Style 40% Nantucket Style 20% Classic Wine Country Style Tuscan sun, here we come! The Wine Country style reflects the feelings evoked by the seaside regions of Europe such as the South of France, Spain, Italy and Greece. The style manages to be both refined and casual, such that you can mix beautiful antiques with more rustic wrought iron or wood and the result is both sophisticated and cozy. Furniture is large and comfortable, colors are bright and cheery, and regardless of the color palette the spaces almost always feel warm. You can easily translate the style into the perfect family environment but you can just as easily emphasize the more formal pieces and make your room the perfect adult getaway.