OUR CHRISTMAS

I love the Christmas season and this year was great. It started out a little rough for me because I love decorating the house for the holidays. We’re living with my parents to save money and I sort of broke down when we pulled out the holiday decorations. I had a place for everything last year in our big Lawrenceville rowhouse and I loved it. I miss that place so much but I know that we’ve got a good plan in place to set ourselves up for the future. Plus, the best part is that we are totally surrounded by family. That’s what really matters. 

We certainly had a lot of family time this year. On Christmas day both sets of grandparents and aunts were there to watch Jack open presents. Then we had a lovely, fancy breakfast. Afterwards we visited Nona & Papap before I had to leave for work, but everyone else stayed for a lamb dinner. 

On Christmas Eve we visited with the McCaffrey family at Becki’s house. It’s one of my favorite traditions. We always take a big cousin photo, have a fun grab bag and enjoy gabbing with everyone! 

And on the weekend between Christmas and New Years we always have Weber Christmas. I always love seeing the whole big clan. This year I suggested anUgly Festive Sweater Contest. So many people got into it! Uncle Ricky was the judge and awarded Mark the prize hat! I hope we can pass on the hat over the years and start a new tradition! 

I love spending this season with all of these amazing people in my life. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be related to them! 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

So ready to celebrate ‘Murica! This has always been my favorite holiday and I’m excited to celebrate it with my family and friends! I’m looking forward to a quiet morning with the Ginger and Jack then a picnic at a dear friend’s house, followed by a low-key evening, maybe watching fireworks…probably watching TV, at my parent’s place! Not an epic plan for today, but awesome none-the-less. 

(Also, I love that the only “patriotic” photo I could find involves stuffing one’s face and breast pumps in the background. #honestmotherhood)

THIS MOMENT

This holiday season has been so amazing with Jack. It’s so fun watching him explore and experience so many new things. Currently, he loves our Nativity scene. It used to be my parents and they said I always loved playing with it when I was little, too! I’m so excited for Christmas morning to watch him open all his presents!

(A NEW) INDEPENDENCE DAY

The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday. Every year my family would host a huge breakfast at our house before heading up to our neighborhood parade. It was a tradition older than me and we took great pride in it. But life happens, my parents moved and Independence Day really became just July 4 to me.

I haven’t been too upset about it the past couple years, but this year was different. I think it’s because of Jack. It’s weird to think that he won’t know that part of my family. I guess it’s not just the 4th, it’s everything that the house represented about my family. He won’t know the card parties with my Pap-Pap Joe, he won’t know that our house was the center of basically all the great family parties, he won’t know where I grew up. I guess I have to actually grow up now, life goes on and we make new traditions. The traditions will be his, the ones that he’ll remember when he’s my age and hopefully cherish. 

A favorite at our breakfast on the 4th were my mom’s waffles…so this year I made them for Jack. This is something I want to continue to do every year, some of my tradition but in a new way for Jack. He loved them! He seriously ate a whole waffle. I mean a lot of it was on the floor, but he ate a ton and kept grabbing for more! 

Then we headed over to Mt. Washington for a picnic at my friend Ashley’s place. She has an amazing backyard and we definitely enjoyed hanging out with friends. Hopefully next year we can stay for the fireworks (I was worried about them upsetting Jack this year). 

All in all it was a happy day celebrating Independence Day, remembering our past and moving forward together. 

GALENTINE'S DAY

I celebrated my first Galentine’s Day this year with some of my very best friends! Steph hosted a great night, complete with crepes and fancy cocktails. Jack was the only boy allowed. He totally has his first crush…on Nicole. He could not stop staring at her! 

I really like the concept of Galentine’s Day, celebrating the love between female friends. I think that relationship is just as important as one with a significant other. I hope this is the first of many February 13th celebrations! 

HIGH FIVE FOR FRIDAY

For my holiday High Five for Friday I tried really hard to not make all five of these about Jack. I did my best, but didn’t really succeed…at least it’s not five headshots of him.

1. Ok, one headshot. But seriously, how cute is my boy in this outfit! You can’t go wrong with a baby in a sweater vest! 

2. Each year on Christmas Eve we get a photo with my cousins. It’s so cool that Jack is now included in this photograph! I just can’t believe that my cousin Liam started as a baby in these photos and now look at him (peace signs)! One day Jack will be his size and Liam might have a baby of his own! 

3. We started a new tradition this year of having all the grandparents and aunts come to our house for Christmas morning. It is so special that we all spent it together. I can’t wait until Jack eagerly awaits for everyone’s arrival so that he can open presents!

4. I was thrilled to watch my sister open our gift to her this year.  The Ginger gave her a Doctor Who necklace and River Song’s journal and together we bought her tickets to see David Tennant (her favorite Doctor Who) in a play while she’s in London. She was so surprised and excited. I just wish I could be with her to see the play! 

5. It’s such a joy to see my grandparents with Jack. I’m so glad that they will get to know him. I just wish my Pap-pap Joe was still alive to see Jack.

Happy Christmas from the Cole Family! 

I really love our Christmas card/Birth Announcements from Tiny Prints! 

Trick Or Treat

After five years as a couple, the Ginger and I took a big step…we did couple costumes for Halloween! We had a great holiday with two parties to attend. If either of them had a prize for best dressed, we would have totally won! You decide:

Can you guess who we went as? I’ll give you a hint…

We even dressed up our puppy, Lucy for the season. She was pretty wiped out after the Halloween fun!

I can’t wait to have kids one day to trick or treat with, but for now I love being a 25-year-old, hanging out with friends, drinking tequila, playing beer pong and being ridiculous!

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