God Bless America!

Last Friday, Cohen's ELC daycare put on a God Bless America parade for the 4th of July. It was so freaking cute and all the children loved it!! The whole daycare besides the Infant classroom (which were so cute sitting in their bumpo chairs watching as the kids went by) marched all the way around the block down town!! The parents all stood outside in the drop off zone and as the kids marched out the doors and they saw their children they joined in with them. All were just a singing and waving there flags. Some of the kids were dressed in liberty bell outfits, some like Uncle Sam, some were Rock n Roll Americans, and some had painted red, white, and blue patriotic shirts that they somehow painted or made themselves. All were to precious! It was so fitting and perfect for the 4th of July.


My Cohen had so much fun!! He loved waving his flag and I was so suprised he knew exactly what to do! I am so blessed to have Cohen in my life and so grateful I was able to be there with him that day! I just wish his daddy was able to be their and watch him. He would of been so proud! But because of Phillip and all the other Brave men and women out there and those who have paid the ultimate price we are FREE!!


I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful nation! I thank all our nations Heros for your time, service, dedication, and sacrifies you have made for this country. I especially want to thank my Grandpa, my father, my brother, and my husband for the sacrifies they have made for me by defending this country (all have served or still serving proudly). I love you all so much. You are the most important men in my life! I am so proud of my husband Phillip! He has given up so much and missed out on so much, but yet is still so proud and honored to be an American Solider. Cohen and I are anxiously awaiting to be reunited with him!  We cant wait to be a family ALL together again! Even Emma! :) Hope Everyone had a wonderful 4th of July and has a great week!!!


Happy Birthday America!! And God Bless the USA!!!! 




Shirt he made with his finger prints






Infants watching as kids go by

My Sweet CoCo!!



Uncle Sam's



Liberty Bell's

CT, RI, NY

Cohen and I had a blast on our mini vacation visiting family and lots of exciting things happened!! Although it went lightning fast. Monday June 20th we drove to Stone Mountain up in Atlanta to spend the night before flying out the next night! My Dad was on a business trip there, so we crashed in on him and used his privledges! They put him up in such nice places!! It was fun and great father daughter time!! We went to a laser show and dinner the first night. The next day we woke up and Dad went to his event while Cohen and I had breakfast and swam in the pool. We met up with Dad for lunch and then we took naps. Dads event ended for the day just in time for him to help us pack up and bring our stuff out to our car so we could make our flight to CT that night. Dad would be back in CT on Friday!!



We first flew into NY, and my Mom and little brother Zach picked us up and drove us back to their New home in CT. I absolutly love their new home!! I know so many family memories will be made there! And they have already begun!! It was built in 1950 and it is huge and it has so many unique features about it!! It also has a built in bar in basement and olympic size swimming pool!! The best part is the beach is only a walk away!! :)


Our first day there I spent the whole day cleaning and unpacking boxes!! I must of unpacked 100 boxes. It was a fun bonding day with mom for sure!! Cohen and Zachary played the whole day!! They built a fort out of boxes and Cohen loved all the paper!! :)

Later that night we drove to Newport, RI (approx 1.5 hrs) and spent the night in a hotel so we could see/spend the whole next day with Phillip's side of the family!! We woke up and went to breakfast and then shopped all day long!!Newport is the most beautiful city ever! I hope Phillip Lets us retire there one day!! Then that evening we went to dinner with ALL of Phillip's immediate family!! Minus his brother Chris and sister Shannon (who I luckily saw earlier that day). It was so much fun!! I loved seeing them and I hate that we live so far apart!! We drove back to CT that night, so we could be there to greet my Dad the next day when he returned from his bussiness trip.

Saturday we woke up and drove to the airport in Hartford, CT to pick up my sister. It was so nice to see her (since we dont see eachother enough either!!) She looked beautiful as always!! We got into a huge traffic jam on the way back which led to lots of funny stories and memories! At one point everyone was driving on the pull off lane trying to get out!! Ashley got out of car and stood in front of a vehicle of a mad man with huge road rage that wasnt letting people go by!! She was CRAZY!! :) We finished up the night with some wine, sitting around the bond fire outside talking! About 2am we decided to go inside and play a game of pool. About 15 min later my sisters boyfriend Sean showed up and suprised my sister!! It was so sweet!! Made me miss Phillip even more!!


Sunday we spent the day relaxing!! We woke up and went to this amazing diner for breakfast! We all had mimosa's to toast our family and we all had some kind of eggs benidict. I had Salmon on chalua bread, Ash had lobster and Sean had crabcakes!! Later we took naps, swam in the pool and then we rode bikes down to the beach. We found lots of sea shells and horseshoe crabs! Then that evening we went to the Best PIZZA resturant I have been to since I lived in Italy! Frank Pepes was so delicious!! We had 3 different kinds...Margarhita, peperoni and sausage, and white clam pizza! The Bomb!! and we drank some good old Sam Adams Summer ALE and just laughed all night long!!

Monday we woke up and we all took the train to New York City!! Oh how I love the city!! When we arrived at Grand Central Station we all immediately ran to the bathroom. ha! :)Then we went on a hunt for some coffee and headed to a park to sit and enjoy. Cohen and my brother were running around and playing in the water fountains. Everything was wonderful till.....Zachary decided to pick Cohen up and accidently they both took a fall. Zach was holding Cohen face out. Cohen was bleeding everywhere. It was so horrible!! Four teeth marks through the gum and scrathes to the face! I felt so bad! I was just glad it wasnt worse then what it could have been. Poor Zachary was hysterically crying because he felt so bad and thought he really hurt him! Too much blood for him I think (And ME). You would think being an ER Nurse I could keep my game. Which I did handle it quite well, but it is just something different when its your own child! So after we found a conveient store and got some motrin and a popsicle we were much better! We then headed to Time Square and proceeded to go into Toyrus. Ashley my sister and her bf Sean decided they wanted to go into another store and then they would meet us in there. So Mom, Dad, Zach, Cohen and I went  in the store to shop around and we took a ride on their giant faris wheel. We rode in a large size Cozie Coupe! It was to cute. Within 20 mintues my sister walked up with a picture of them in a photo booth. Sean had on a sailor hat and Ashley had a feathered boa around her neck. Along with a........SHINY SPARKLING BLING BLING on her left ring finger!! Sean Proposed and my sister is ENGAGED!! Yeah!!! SO excited!!!! It was just Perfect!! I get to be a Matron of Honor!!! And I am so glad to have Sean as a future brother-in-law!! We were all jumping for joy!! With smiles beaming on our faces we headed to the Hard Rock Cafe for Lunch and to Celebrate!! The Cafe gave them a big shout out!! It was so Awesome!! :) I also took Cohen to FAO Schwartz, the famous toy store in NY. He loved playing on the giant piano!!

Tuesday we all packed up and headed home!! It was a blast and I am so Thankful for my parents and their wonderful hospitality and love they have for their children and their grandchild!!