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!!



Summer days......

Cohen and I are always busy doing somthing!! Just trying to help the time pass by till Daddy gets home, but also enjoying my sweet little boy as he gets older!! It makes me teary eyed to see how big he is getting and so fast!! Boy does time fly!


Cohen's new thing is to go swimming! He loves the water!!! We have this pool in town that is super kid friendly!! The kids can walk all around the pool. They have giant mushrooms pouring water off them, shooting sprinkler pipes, and buckets of water that dump over on top of you! He just laughs and smiles the entire time. Occassionally he gets so excited he dives head first into the water and he still comes up smiling!We can't wait to take Daddy here with us!!

And here are some other pictures of Cohen just playing and being silly!! He has such a personality and his little laugh just melts my heart!! Sorry I am being a bragging Momma right now!!



Being silly!! Eating grilled cheese sandwiches!!



Messy boy!! After eating lunch!!



playing with his new toy out back!! :)


Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer and spending lots of quality family time!! There is nothing more important to me then my family!! I would do anything for anyone of them!! I am so excited becasue tomorrow Cohen and I are going to CT to visit my parents!! Its just one more thing to help pass the time!! And we get to see their new house, visit Phillip's side of the family, go to the beach, my sister is coming to visit as well and we are going to New York City!! So we should have a great time and dont worry I will take lots of pictures!! haha!! :)

Jessie

I wanted to share some pictures with you of my dear friend Jessie. She just graduated from nursing school and I am soooo very proud of her!! Nursing school is no joke and so hard. Until you have been there you truly have no idea!! I am so excited for her future and I am honored to have her as a fellow Nursing co-worker!! Love you girlie!!



Cohen and I with the graduate! :)




Jessie and her hubby Ben!




Jessie getting capped!!




Jessie with her mom and sister!!










Finley

I just wanted to share with you all a little piece of my happy heart!! I am so excited and happy for our friends Caroline and Miles! Monday, June 13th Caroline gave birth to their Rainbow baby and second son Finley Daren Hidalgo. He was 6lbs 7oz. and 20 inches long! As some of you may or may not know they lost their first child Cale last year due to an umbilical cord accident. It was so tragic and beyond words the worse thing that could happen to anyone. It really was the first time (besides hearing and being invovled with it in the hospital) I personally encountered somthing like this. It was very hard to watch a friend lose their baby and see their outward pain as she grieved and continues to, but thankfully gets stronger everyday. But Caroline quickly became pregnant again and not even a year has gone by and because of Cale she is holding her second baby Finn! Finley is not even my child, but everyday I feel so grateful and thankful to God that he blessed them with this child. It brings tears to my eyes and truly feels like a miricle for my friends! And although I wish what happened to them never did, I am grateful for Caroline and the lesson I personally learned through them. Not that I ever once took my child's life for granted, but somehow I cherish him more and their story continually reminds me how precious life really is and how blessed I am to have Cohen as my son. So I thank you. And I thank anyone of my friends and family who I have asked to pray for them that did!! And now I would like to share with you some pictures of this beautiful baby boy I am so blessed to know!! :)

such a cutie pie!!

 Me with the Proud Daddy and Momma!

Finley a few days old sleeping so sweetly!!

Me and Cohen with his new friend!! :)



Warrior Dash 2011

Today was the craziest fricken day of my life!!!! That is the saying at warrior dash. It is a 3.4 mile run/obstacle course. It is all mud, blood, sweat, and beer!! A bunch of ladies and I, mostly wives from Phillip's unit competed today and we had so much fun!! It was so amazing!! I am already so excited to do it next year and hopefully with Phillip right beside me! The first part is about a mile and half run and then you emerge straight into cold water and swim across a lake to jump over old junk yard trucks. Then run more, to climbing walls, running up tires, rope climbing followed by more running, slip in slides, black holes, mud pit with barb wire, log rolling in water, more running and ending with your glamerous jump over hot flaming fire!! It was so AWESOME!! Every finisher gets a metal, glass water, a bananna, and a FREE BEER!! There is a huge pile of sneakers for people to donate their old dirty shoes!! The band is playing and everywhere you look people are dressed in costumes to go through the race! It is in North Georgia and it is so beautiful up there!! I was so lucky because Nana Cheryl kept Cohen for me and I got a great break. However I had never slept away from my baby boy before and I missed him so much!!! I know he was in great hands. But when I walked in the door and he gave me his great big smile, I just melted and it made it all worth it. Well I am off to bed I am exhausted and my body is beat up!! I hope you enjoy the pictures!! And everyone needs to sign up next year!! I PROMISE you wont regret it!!! :)

 

Real Warriors!!!

 

 Some Spartan men we found! ha!! :)

3/75 RGR Wives!!