Spring Break 2016, Hilton Head, SC

We are having such a good time on Spring Break! At the last minute we decided to come to Hilton Head. It has been great. We have been swimming, bike riding, seen Dolphins, had yummy food- plenty of ice cream. The kids have enjoyed Gregg Russell under the oak tree in Harbor Town. 

Before Spring Break we had the Caturbury gala

Kicking off April

We opened April with the start of the kids Spring Break. We won't leave for our trip until Tuesday. 

Saturday I got to play tennis with Zaven and Cannon- 

Then last night we had the Canturbury gala at the Wren. A very nice time. Here are a few photos of me and Chris, me Meghan and Sarah. 

And a selfie. 

Today was Charles Robinsons last Sunday at Bruton. There was a nice reception and he had many nice things to say about Chris. 

Easter!

It has been too too long since I posted last. And though I hope to go back and post what has happened. I am also thinking I just need to start posting again and not get any farther behind. 

I last week we celebrated a wonderful Easter. Milla and Poppy came and helped us celebrate. 

We also then had Chris' 46th birthday. We we out to dinner at Cochon on 2nd it was really fun. 

This year the kids hunted for their lunch on Saturday and dyed Easter eggs - 

I love this picture of Esmé eating Jelly Beans. She looks so happy! Jellybean delight! 

though Zaven was off with Cannon and did not participate😐 he's such a big boy now. 

Esmé did a photo shoot for colonial Williamsburg. She had a good time. 

Zaven is still in the cake making business he did a Harry Potter cake for Kate O'Neill it turned out well. 

Nell has started swimming again. She is on 757 Swim and she is really liking it. 

I am still enjoying Pure Barre. I celebrated my 100th class. It is nice to be strong and fun to do it with friends. 

Late winter early Spring. Lexie and Quinn visit!

Lexie and Quinn came to visit. It was such a fun trip. Quinn and Esmé were thick as thieves. 

They had such a good time palling around and Nell was very sweet. They all did so well that Lexie and I actually had a chance to visit so that was very different than any other visits to date!

The weather was warm and we had a fun pic nice on the Palace Green. 

Earlier the Brauer's gave us tickets to Beauty and the Beast at the Ferguson Center it was such a fun day. We went to Forst Watch in Newport News and then to the show. It was a great production! 

We had great seats in the President's box. 

Going back further. We kicked off Lent with a fun Mardi Gras party at the church. I love this picture of the girls walking home with the balloons. 

Halloween

Perhaps that I am posting about our Halloween on Dec 10 is an indication as to how busy things have been! I realized that I had not posted in a while and there are many things I want to capture here. 

Halloween was busy and fun. Especially busy this year for me because Colonial Williamsburg hosted trick or treating and Halloween events for the first time and I was on the core team to make it happen. With primary focus on signage and messaging but busy with all sort of cross foundation efforts. It was a great project and turned out very well. 

The kids had a great time trick or treating. We went with the Oneills in Indian Springs. 

Matthew Whaley had their parade. Nell went as Gem from Gem and the Hokograms- but before trick or treating had a crisis and wanted to change costumes. We managed to pull together her being a twin to one of he stuffed animals. She looked cute. Zav was a cowboy's fan and Esmé went as a pig again this year. She had planned to be Taylore Swift but changed her mind. 

No more pacis

(Written 11/15/15)

Well it's the end of an era. We no longer have any pacis in our house. 

Friday Esmé got strep throat and the doctor told us to replace her toothbrush after 24 hours on the antibiotics. Well it dawned on me that if her toothbrush can harbor the germs then her pacis certainly could too. So it seemed like as good of a reason as any to give up the pacis. I explained it to Esmé and she was not particularly interested. I then explained that there is a paci fairy and that she will Coke and take your pacis and leave you a present. She thought about that for. Minute and said " I hope she brings me more pacis". Well that was not going very well. I explained that no the paci fairy was not brining new pacis. She then said " I want a golden necklace". Hmm I had sort of thought a new book and stuffed animal would suffice- but Esmé had another plan. So off I went in search of a golden necklace. I found on and had it wrapped up. Then came bedtime and Esmé was being allowed to go to sleep with her pacis one last time- knowing the paci fairy would come and get them. Well at bedtime she was very upset and asked that I call the paci fairy and tell her that Esmé would put her pacis on the front porch on the morning. 

She cried herself to sleep in anticipation of missing her pacis.

 In the morning Nell and I got the gift on to the front porch just as Esmé came down. She opened the door and very excited to see a gift. She threw her pacis on to the door mat.

 She loved her sun necklace. She was later heard saying she did not like her pacis anymore. 

As the day wore on she was pretty upset to not have her pacis and then bedtime came she really felt like she should not have given them up- that she needed them to sleep. Then she fell right to sleep and was sleeping paci free!  

40 and happy!

Happy birthday to me! 

I turned 40 yesterday 

It was a great day. 

The kids were up early making me coffee and toast and being very attentive and sweet. 

We spent some time getting ready for the  party. Patty and Meghan came over and really helped whip things into shape. Meghan put out the cheese boards- patty decorated the mantel and helped get the kitchen straightened up. Chris had a wedding at 4 and the party started at 5- I could not have done it without Patty and Meghan. 

We had a great turn out and a really fun time. 

Zaven made fabulous petit fors for the party- they were delicious 

Beautiful flowers from Ellena FB Armen really set the tone for the party in the front hall! 

Mom and dad gave me two beautiful pillows for the living room. 

They also sent me a beautiful gold wedding band that was my great grand parents Walter Cooke Burbank and Margery (Margio) from 1912- amazing really special. 

Chris gave me three gold bangles- rose, white and yellow gold. They are so beautiful!

Selfie before the party! 

All in all it was a wonderful day !