6 Months

So we passed our 6 month mark of living here in New Jersey at the end of October. Wow 6 months, on one hand it doesn't seem that long ago but on the other hand we've done so much and covered quite a bit of land in that amount of time.

It is pretty magical up here already for the holidays, and we don't even have the super cold weather YET. We passed Macy's last weekend and they were setting up their holiday window displays.

We went to Bryant Park for ice skating and family day last Saturday.


Matt was the only one who had real experience and at one point Matt was trying to keep up both kids along with keeping himself up. While it was hysterical (to me) we decided that wasn't the best situation so Mason was getting the hang of it and Madeline and I just clung to the wall.


After ice skating we got kettle corn, colored at a craft table, sang ice karaoke for Columbia's Freezer tour and the kids won hats!

Bryant Park has really cute temporary glass shops set up for the holidays so we peeked into a few of those as well.

I am not sure if Matt will brave ice skating with us again, but I am really looking forward to trying again.

Here goes to another memorable 6 months!

Halloween Fun

Wow we had an action packed Halloween weekend!

It started off that Mason's school had a school dance on the Friday before Halloween. I helped set up and the dance was AMAZING!

Friday night Matt and I went to the Metropolitan Opera and saw Anna Bolena.

Saturday we had breakfast in Hoboken with Scott and Maj who arrived just in time for SNOW!!
We then headed to NYC to show Maj around in the snow.Sunday we had three events!
We first attended our neighborhood costume contest.

We then went to a Fright Festival put on my meetup group.
After that we headed over to Trunk or Treat also put on by my meetup group.
We had a blast!

Monday Mason wore his costume to school, Maddie and I went to see him in his costume parade.
Following school the kids and I headed to Hoboken for Trick or Treating and a parade.
When Matt, Uncle Scott, and (soon to be Aunt) Maj got to our house we sat on the stoop and handed out goodies for a bit then we went trick or treating around our neighborhood.

Farm time

With fall comes festivals.

We've attended two farm festivals and both were cute in their own way.

We went to Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ, and it was so picturesque. They had a little bit of everything to keep the whole family happy.

We of course had to go to the pony/miniature horse riding area for Madeline.

Following our big purchase of candy and caramel apples, the group headed to the Corn Maze.

Of course we had to do a hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

(not hayride just a cute tractor, didn't get any photos of the actual hayride)

After picking out our pumpkins we painted them.

On our way out of the festival we stopped in the store, where we couldn't refuse the pie, cider and apple butter.


The kid's and I went to Wightman Farm in Morristown for Mason's field trip. It was a simpler set up, but had a great home made playground for the kids.


We started on a hayride all the way around the farm, ending in the pumpkin patch.

Picked our pumpkins and went over for snack.

(Cut out the other two cute kids since this is public)

What did we have? A doughnut and apple cider! The kids then got to play on a playground that included a hay maze, tunnels, haystack slide etc.


I am sure we find a few more festivals to go to.... until then we will enjoy our delicious apple butter!

Cold Weather Newbie

So many people will laugh at me but I am sort of freaking out with this whole winter wardrobe thing. I know it should be common sense as to what I should dress my kids and myself in for the cold weather but I've come to find out I am absolutely clueless.




We did get the kids some great coats which represent their style. Madeline's is a bright pink and ruffles, like the rest of her wardrobe.Mason is all about that neon yellow/green color, so this coat was definitely meant for him. It also has another light weight jacket that can be weather proof or a fleece.

But I still need HELP! So give me your best tips for staying warm. Favorite winter must haves, stores you recommend for good quality winter products and so on.

We need:
Hats
Scarfs
Gloves
Shoes/boots
Long johns
Sweaters
Coats
Snow pants
etc.

My list is getting longer and longer the more I realize we have nothing to keep us warm and dry.

My family is amazing

Well we made it through back to school season!

New to this year-
Mason started 1st grade.
His school has uniforms, and boy does it make it easy getting him ready in the morning.
He is learning Spanish, which is new to him.


Madeline started ballet. She is loving it, but took her a few classes to warm up to it completely.
We've attended a few meetup playgroups which has helped us meet a few new people.


Matt is doing amazing at his job, he officially was promoted from assistant director to director today. Director of what? I will have to ask him again for the official title, but YAY MATT!

I convinced Matt and the kids to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art last weekend, not only one day but TWO DAYS at the Met!

I haven't uploaded our photos from the Met but when I do I will do a whole blog about it of course!

Thinking of my Tallahassee family right now, my uncle Bruce is in the hospital and hoping he is okay. XOXO to everyone!

Six Flags Great Adventure

Last Saturday Matt's company had a special group deal for Six Flags Great Adventure. You better believe that while my parents were up here we had to go to a theme park!

Everyone knows how Disney obsessed we were last year, why not it was in our backyard. So after having some withdrawls we finally got to go to a theme park again.


Along with a Disney obsession I also have a love for roller coasters. Well Six Flags are known for their roller coasters...

Matt's company group special also included the opportunity to enter the park an hour early to ride their newest ride the Green Lantern before the park officially opened.

Since my mom is the best (and not a roller coaster rider) she watched the kids while Matt, my dad and myself went on the Green Lantern.

We (minus my dad) then got to hop right back on but switched to the front row. We could of done this for a full hour (aside from us being late) but we decided twice was enough.

My thoughts personally on the Green Lantern, the position in which you stand with a bicycle seat between your legs is uncomfortable and for those shorties like myself your head gets battered around in the top harness. I couldn't keep my head from rattling around. The rollercoaster itself was fun but not great.


Later we got to go on Nitro, and both Matt and I really liked it. Much smoother, great drops and long enough to not think that's it?!

I really wanted to go on Kingda Ka but it was closed.

As far as for the kids, there were a ton of great kiddie rides.
Maddie of course made us ride on the carousel.
Mason took us into Bugs Bunny's Fun factory which was this tent full of soft balls that you could shoot with air, drop all over the place from baskets and for the parents... vacuum up so they could do it all over again.
They also rode Bugs Bunny's Ranger Pilots, Daffy's Deep Diver, Pepe Le Pew's Hearts Away and numerous more!

On our next trip we still have a lot to see at Six Flags Great Adventure but especially the drive through Safari!

As far as my personal favorites Sheikra from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and The Incredible Hulk from Islands of Adventure in Orlando still hold the top spots for roller coasters that I've been on.

World Trade Center Memorial Fountains

Last Friday we attended the World Trade Center Memorial Fountains with the kids and my parents.

We have seen the site from afar, but to be there where the buildings once stood was a heartrending and solemn feeling.


Since it is such an important event, especially living so close to it all, we feel that the kids should know about it. Although Madeline is clueless to it, Mason understands it to an extent.

Mason's school had a special morning service on the Friday before the 10th anniversary. They had a few speakers and a few books that explain it to children.

My parents also visited the new memorial in Liberty State Park called Empty Sky, which we then all visited once we got back.

What's hard to imagine is I know how I feel about 9/11 and I didn't lose anyone or even live in the area when it happened, so to think of those people who experienced it first hand, my heart goes out to each and every person who did.

All of these memorials are a reminder of the loved ones that were lost that day but also a reminder that we must be united as a nation.

Five Years

Five years ago I married my best friend.

Celebrating today couldn't have been any better.

We took the kids to Liberty Science Center, as we were sitting at lunch, it dawned on me this was an absolutely perfect way to spend our anniversary. What could be better than sitting next to my amazing husband and kids, munching on our lunch, and enjoying the day playing around the museum. It was proof of what we together had made of our lives.

We then watched the FSU game, all decked out in garnet and gold. Since we couldn't be in Tallahassee, we brought Tallahassee to our living room.

I am so blessed to have met such an amazing man, who is patient, caring and absolutely hysterical.

He keeps me laughing, cools me down (I am Irish after all) and always there for me.

While we've been married for 5 years, we have done so much in such a little time I can not even imagine what the next 5, 10, 50 years will bring us.

Words can not describe what I feel for Matt....

So with that, I love you sweetie and I am so excited to continue on our adventure together.

As we get closer

As we get closer to the 10 year anniversary of September 11, 2001 more people are talking about that day and the feelings we had of the attack are brought back to everyone's mind.

On that morning, many said goodbye to their loved ones thinking they would see them later that day, or perhaps did not even have a chance to see them, only to lose them unexpectedly.

I know on face book many have posted about the first responders not being invited to the ceremony for the 10th anniversary.

While it's easy to get upset that the Public Relations person did not handle the situation well with stating that there not being enough room for the first responders to attend the 10th anniversary memorial. We have to keep in mind, close to 3000 people lost their lives that day in 2001, and their family members are asked to represent those individuals on the 10th anniversary to honor them and their memories.

It is not a jab at those first responders, who helped so many people in need then and on a daily basis, it is simply a fact that 3000 individual's family members account for quite a bit of people. Some of which were first responders, men and women who died helping others. Their families need this just as much as the others, a gesture that America has not forgotten these awful attacks or the people who died that day.


Coping with a loved one's death is one of the hardest things to endure, but for such a brutal attack it's even harder for our minds to comprehend.

There has been a gaping hole in lower Manhattan as well in many people's hearts.

The memorial fountains are helping to fill it, to show that we have not forgotten but we are continuing on with our lives united together as a nation.

Being new to the area, and seeing the progress of both the fountains and the One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) it is a daily reminder of what happened to these families, and to us as a nation.

On the 10th anniversary, the Trade Center Memorial Fountains are meant to represent respect, honor, and our freedom as a country.



(From Madeline and I's walk)

Just appreciate each day you have with your loved ones, it is a blessing in itself.

One week to go

Since Courtney's trip got postponed, thanks to Irene... My countdown increased for her visit BUT my parents are coming in about a week!!!!

I hope they are ready for the Big Apple again!

We are also heading to Six Flags, which will hold us over on our Disney withdrawals.

I need to make a list of places to take them.

Mason also starts school in one week. We visited the school yesterday to register him.
I have a first grader! I am so excited for what this school year will bring for him.
He is getting so big, I swear he has shot up again.
Aside from being my toothless wonder, he is smart and hardworking.
My prediction (as of now) when he grows up he is going to be lawyer.

Hurricane Irene

Who would of thought after to moving to New Jersey we would experience an earthquake and hurricane in the same week?

Being from Florida, we at least knew how to prepare for a hurricane and to do it before everyone ransacked the shelves.

We were going back and forth on whether to evacuate or not.

We never were given an mandatory evacuation but Battery Park (which is directly across from us) was given one.

Since we are in a brick row house, on the second floor apartment (which is really 1 1/2 stories up), we thought really we'd only be effected by power outage and if worst came to worst some breaking windows.

We decided to stay and moved the cars into a high garage that was mostly enclosed.

We never lost power and thank our lucky stars it didn't flood in our immediate area.

We had a lot of time for family board games, which also included roulette because that's how our family rolls.

We also watched quite a bit of the weather channel, which we saw all of the devastation from North Carolina and up, so while we lucked out I hope all those affected by the storm get back on their feet quickly.

It was surreal to watch Belmar Beach get ransacked because that is one of the first NJ beach's we experienced when we moved up.

Stay safe everyone!

Great things are happening

This weekend we had back to back BBQ's. The kids loved all the pool and play time with other kids. I can tell up here, the last few weekends of summer are CHERISHED. We headed down to Pennsylvania for our BBQ on Sunday, so of course we had to swing by Matt's old stomping grounds.One stop was Tyler State Park in Newtown, Pa.

6 day countdown until my absolute best friend Courtney arrives here for a visit!

16 days until Mason starts first grade.

18 days until my parents arrive.

We also booked our flight to Florida for Thanksgiving.

89 days until we leave for Florida.

So yes, get ready for a visit from the NJ Linders!


With all that excitement aside, we are prepping for back to school.
Most of our Florida friends are going back this week, but we are still getting our ducks in a row.

We have to buy supplies, and uniforms but we got the most important necessities already..... Phineas and Ferb lunch box and undies.
Watch out, we have Perry the platypus going to school with Mason!