'tis the season

So we are ready for Christmas and couldn't be more excited to share in the excitement of the season with our family. We started our day Sunday with a play called, Sunday with Santa. It is hosted every year for L.L.Bean families by L.L.Bean employees. It was a great show for the kids. After the show we picked out a beautiful Christmas tree for our home. The light snow fall made for a festive experience. With the excitement of picking out our tree we went over to no other than Starbucks for a hot chocolate and cookies. We are starting the addiction early, looks like Brady and Kyla loved the treat.

Merry Christmas everyone, we can't wait to celebrate with you.

Happy Halloween

What a beautiful crisp evening this Halloween. We explored a wonderful neighborhood in Yarmouth this year with friends of Michelle and Kent's. The homes were beautifully decorated and truly into the spirit. We saw ghosts in the sky, fancy Jack-o-Lanterns, searched for a needle in the hay stack and even did a little karaoke. There were so many happy, sugar crazed children out and about making for a fantastic adventure. We specifically enjoyed walking the streets with our children. The scary cow (aka Brady), the peaceful penquin (aka Addyson), the sweet lil elephant (aka Kyla), the precious pumpkin (aka Payton), and the "Aldemus prime" (aka Alden).

Enjoy the video below of Brady and Kyla

Happy Birthday Brady and Pappy

Oh my...Three Years Old, where does time go! Brady and his Pappy celebrate another birthday together. Although we all know that its Brady's birthday now, poor "Old" Pappy has been forgotten.

Enjoy the slidehow below from the day

"THE" Frog Hopper

Our sweet Alden, aka frog hopper, proudly wears his medal of honor after completing his first season of soccer.
We are so proud of you Alden.
I particularly loved watching you chase your shadow.
Way to go!!!

Thank You

I couldn't be more grateful to have the family and friends that I do. So much has happend in the past month allowing me to reflect on how fortunate I am. Looking back I couldn't say thank you to you all any better than Bryan did at our rehearsal dinner, just 5 years ago.


Thank you for family.
Thank you for being as unique as you are.
Thank you for teaching us to "use our words"
Thank you for your strength, your courage and faith, allowing us to conquer any situation, to stand up for what is right...at least in our minds.
Thank you for demanding respoect in ourselves and towards others.
Thank you for the long walks, many talks, and the obsession for ice cream.
Thank you for the patience to ride out the storm no matter how fierce.
You've encouraged us to seek the light, not dwell in the dark.
Thank you for helping us stay centered, true to ourselves in this chaotic world of imbalance. For the crystals and gems you've given. Not only the ones phsycially known, solid in our eyes, but for the ones you provide us with everyday hidden in our unconcious self, solid in our hearts.
Thank you for undying support where walls and boundaries disappear no matter how far your journey.
When no glance from the playing field is needed for our awareness of your presence.
Thank you for friends! Who see our weaknesses and bridge the gaps with strengths of their own, evaporating all sense of vulnerability.
Thank you for constant laughs,
the smiles,
the tears,
the hugs,
the high fives, and yes the little quarrels that often parallel no other, but are unmatched life lessons that leaves lasting impressions of the growth of our spiritual being.
Thank you for your love, for being you, and allowing us to be ourselves.

Thank you for life!

Celebrating Love on our 5th Anniversary

It's exciting to remember back to 5 years ago today, the day it poured on our beautiful fall wedding at Sugarloaf. I couldn't feel more fortunate to have the love, support, understanding and friendship that I have from Bryan. I was reading through the poem Bryan wrote for me about our journey together prior to our wedding and wanted to share.

The roads in life the, the ones we choose and the ones that seek us challenge our everyday.
Difficulties, obstacles, surmounted along the way
strengthen our inner spirit and allow us to appreciate the soft subtleties of life.
It is the moments of togetherness
we cherish and embrace,
but when these instances dodge us with distance it is memories that become our reality
so important to bridging the gaps of worlds apart
transforming us back to the moment when the roads merged
for what seems now, an instant.
Knowing these roads converge in a distance
through fog and brush in a clearing
where forever they're joined
facing obstacles and curves along the way together.

Kyla's Birthday, September 9th

We tried cake again on her actually birthday. This time it was a hit. She loved hearing people sing happy birthday to her and she loved the cake!

First Day of Preschool

Brady was so excited to get up and head out the door to his first day of Preschool at Winfield. He looks so old, and to me it felt like his first day of school, which after this experience I am not looking forward to. He picked his lunch box from no other than L.L.Bean. You might be surpised to know he even picked out the thread color for his name to match.

Kyla's 1st Birthday Party

Kyla enjoys her first taste of yummie cake. It was a beautiful day at a park on the ocean in Freeport, Maine with our friends and family to celebrate our baby girl turning one. Happy Birthday Kyla. Enoy the slideshow below to see some of the moments from the day.

I caught one!

Brady caught his 1st fish with Pappy. I'd say he looks pretty excited. He loves fishing with Pappy so much that he even made up a song, just ask him and he'll sing it for you.

"Take me out to go fishin'

Take me out to the pond.

Buy me some worms & an ice cream cone,

I don't care if I don't catch a thing,

All we've caught so far is a pinecone,
and a turtle snapped at my line.

But its me...Pappy...and our sideways hats and we're off to the pond"

Photo Party

Here is a sneak peak of the photos taken of Brady and Kyla at Kettle Cove with Photographer Joanne Lee. What a beautiful night. She is so talented, we can't wait to see the rest of the photos. Check out Joanne Lee's blog to see the pictures taken of the Jarvais family and the Peel family.

Kyla's First Steps

Kyla learns to walk, and we can't beleive it. She is so proud of herself as she works so hard to keep up with her brother. Watch out Brady, here she comes.