Comfort

No one else can dry her tears quite like this guy can...

Bubbas really can fix boo-boos, but unfortunately can't do much about it when Mommy tells her "No."

Oh well... you win some, you lose some.

Reilly's Valentine Program

Reilly had his very first school music program, and it was just precious. I had really been looking forward it, since I vividly remember my own elementary school choir productions! Reilly just adores his music teacher, and it seems she feels the same way.

They sang some really sweet songs for Valentine's Day, complete with hand motions and a little swaying, snapping, clapping, and dancing. Reilly was very animated, as usual. (A bit more movement than was expected, which I loved!)


Avery really enjoyed the music, and especially loved seeing her big brother up on the stage. It's great hearing her little voice on the video I recorded saying, "YAY Bubba!!" and "Good job Bubba!"
Here's Avery sending Reilly a "heart"...


Mimi and Nana were so sweet to be there for such a special first!!

We're looking forward to your next performance, our little entertainer !!!

Breckenridge, Colorado

For my Christmas gift, my sweet husband planned a trip for just the two of us to Breckenridge, Colorado. I had always wanted to go, and he had always wanted to take me- since my last year of college when he went without me! (In his defense, he went with a group from our church and I was unable to attend since I was taking a January-term so I could graduate in May and marry the man!!!)

We didn't plan to ski on this trip... only relaxing, shopping, and enjoying the quaint little town of Breckenridge. (But next time... we DEFINITELY will be skiing!!) I was so excited when he told me that we would be driving instead of flying! I love a road trip, especially with him!

We actually left on February 3rd, when the world had practically shut down due to the ice and snow. But, my man is an accomplished ice-driver and I wasn't at all worried. Until we started seeing more cars and trucks that had veered off the road than those that were actually still on the road. We hit a few scary spots, but Joey piloted us with great skill and the roads dramatically changed once we drove through Wichita Falls. (Since it had been so much colder there, there was no ice- only snow.) We stopped for the night at the Hilton Garden Inn in Amarillo. (It only took us about 7 hours to make a 5 hour drive- thanks to the icy road conditions.) I must say, that was the most comfortable hotel bed I had ever experienced... if you plan to travel- consider them for sure!!!

The next morning, we put on our cold weather gear and hit the IHOP for breakfast. (of course) followed by a mid-morning snack at The Donut Stop. We stopped there only because it was a donut shop with the LARGEST sign I had ever seen, and their parking lot was absolutely overflowing. There had to be something to that. And I took it upon myself to find out what that something could be. :) Delicious donuts indeed. They actually beat Krispy Kreme out of Amarillo. Check it out if you're ever going through there.

We got back on the road fairly early, after making sure Joey's addiction was fed. (That would be sweet tea... he can't function correctly without it.)

I was struck by how civilization seems to end at Amarillo. There is absolutely nothing between there and New Mexico. (Which is not my favorite.) It was thrilling when we finally entered Colorado, and saw the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Especially since I had never seen any real mountains before! After quite a few stops for sweet tea, coffee, lunch, and the inevitable restroom breaks, we reached beautiful Breckenridge after about 10 hours of driving. I loved that drive, it really was so much fun! We talked and laughed, especially at some of the local businesses we saw. Our favorites being: the "Tater Junction" restaurant, the "Turtle Hole" car wash, "Toot 'N Totem" gas stations, and the "It'll Do Motel". Between all that giggling, we even managed to make a few plans for our future on that drive.

The road going into the town of Breckenridge seemed treacherous, driving up that icy snow-covered mountain in the dark was a little scary. When we finally reached the town, it was snowing. My first thought was, it felt like being inside a snow globe. So picturesque. Perfect. Quiet. Serene. Beautiful! We checked into our condo, after some difficulty navigating the hill going to the parking garage. My thoughtful hubby made sure our condo had a real wood-burning fireplace. *swoon*

After we got settled, we headed out to find some dinner. Of course, I did tons of research about the best places to shop and eat, so we chose a place off of my list. Empire Burger. It was amazing. Delicious. And I loved the fact that it was in walking distance. Actually, we walked everywhere and loved it. (Well, everywhere except the grocery store, we didn't want to carry all those bags back in the snow!)

We couldn't wait to relax in front of that roaring fire and enjoy being just the two of us for a while!

Breckenridge - Day 2

We were so excited to wake up and see everything that morning! After bundling up, we hit The Columbine Cafe for breakfast. So good! It was cozy, home cooking. We shared a hot cinnamon roll, and Joey had biscuits and gravy and grits, and of course I went with a pancake. Which was plate-sized. I believed I had finally reached heaven! The Vanilla coffee was delicious, and it was so warm in that restaurant that we were tempted to stay longer.

But, adventure awaited. We decided to take the Gondola up to Peak 8 to hang out in the restaurant/bar up there. That was my favorite part of the whole trip I'd have to say. It was perfection. Everything was covered in snow, like there were no flaws, no dirt, no grime on anything. And the quiet was profound. I had never thought of "communing with nature" before, but one could definitely have a real discussion with it in a place like that.

I loved watching all the skiers and snowboarders once we got to the top. Mostly, I enjoy watching them bust. Actually, I take that back. I mostly enjoyed watching the skiing toddlers whiz by the uncoordinated adults. (Which, surprisingly were few and far between.) It seemed to be a lifestyle thing, like all those people were on the mountain every weekend. And judging from how many times we heard, "the powder is AWESOME" Breckenridge is the place to be.

After watching carefully for a table to open up, we grabbed one and enjoyed an adult beverage. (The coffee and Bailey's Caramel was especially tasty!) We hung out there for quite a while, and everyone seemed pretty friendly but quite LOUD. I guess when skiing meets alcohol that's what you get. :)

We rode the gondola back down the mountain, where we discovered Mary's Mountain Cookies. Umm... rocked my world. Delicious cookies to begin with, then they either sandwich them with amazing frosting, or dunk them in milk or white chocolate. Good thing they were buy 6, get 2 free!!

We did some souvenir shopping in the adorable little shops on Main Street. We saw the perfect t-shirt for Reilly, it was a shirt that had a moose made to look like the Batman emblem. And we got sweet little Avery a pink fleece jacket. I got a couple of hats and a really cute shirt. Thanks Joey!!!

There was a Snow Sculpture competition happening in town that week, so we checked those out. Really incredible. Joey's favorite was the "Jack London- White Fang" inspired sculpture. I was partial to the Medusa. It really turned frigid cold, with a bitter wind while we were at the sculptures. So, we headed across the street to have dinner at Giampietro Pizzeria. Super good garlic cheese bread, marinara sauce, and pepperoni pizza.

We strolled back to our condo in the snow, and cuddled up next to a warm fire. Day 2 = Perfection.

Breckenridge - Day 3

We began day 3 with breakfast at Daylight Donuts, which also serves a full breakfast menu in addition to their yummy donuts. Day 3 was so much clearer, since there was no snow falling. We decided to ride the gondola back up the mountain, to get a better view of everything than we got the day before. Again, we had some delicious coffee in the cafeteria-style restaurant in the Ski Lodge at Peak 8. After hanging out there for a while, we went back down into town for some exploring.

Window shopping was fun, until I was stopped in my tracks by something I read in one of those windows. At Greta's Cafe, it said, "Try our WHITE Hot Chocolate. Oh boy. Joey knew immediately that it was "go" time. I am a sucker for all things white chocolate, it was like they knew I would be there!!! Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!! The most delicious drink I had ever had in my life! Not exaggerating here people. Stop reading this blog, run- don't walk to your vehicle and drive to Breckenridge just for this beverage. I so enjoy being an online travel guide!! (Bear in mind that I am Italian, and am quite passionate about... well, everything!)

Including our next stop, which was Rocky Mountain Cupcakes. Our kids would have ADORED this bakery. Since there was also a wall of candy, and ice cream too!! These weren't just your run-of-the-mill cupcakes either. They were special. And delectable. It was so difficult to choose, but we went with the Cinnamon Swirl cupcake, and the SMORES cupcake- with a toasted marshmallow on top. Incredible. Especially since they make those miraculous little treats at such a high altitude! Deliciousness at 9,600 feet!

I also stumbled upon the cutest little gift shop EVER! (And my patient hubby waited while I perused everything!) It is called "Magical Scraps" and I absolutely loved everything they made! Adorable kids clothes, aprons, handbags, jewelry, etc! They are FAB! Their website is magicalscraps.com and they have a site on ETSY too, you can check them out at etsy.com/shop/magicalscraps.

As we were strolling to our condo, we saw a sign for "Model Home Open House". We couldn't resist checking that out. It was gorgeous. The colors were so warm and rich. It was fun to dream of living there!

We went back to our condo early, to watch the Super Bowl in front of the fireplace! We brought some sandwiches from Blimpie, so we were set for the rest of the night! The game ended just the way we wanted it to- the Steelers lost!

Last Day in Breck

That last morning was absolutely glorious, since it had snowed a lot through the night. We reluctantly packed up our things that last morning and walked to The Blue Moose Cafe for Breakfast. Delicious cinnamon roll, french toast, and pancakes!!

We had a lot of trouble getting our vehicle up the steep incline from the parking garage, and had to have the hotel sand it. (Although, I would have been just fine staying put and having Reilly & Avery shipped to us.)

After breakfast, we walked back to Greta's for one last Hot White Chocolate. Mmmmm. Then, we hit the road to get back home to our sweet babies. The road going down from the mountain was even tougher, it was really icy. And twisty. And scary. But once again my man got us through without incident. (YAY men with skills!!!!)

It was so odd coming down out of the mountains, the scenery changed so abruptly. Like waking up from a dream, it was instantly different. And sort of depressing! There is really nothing else quite like a mountain town.

We were treated to an amazing sunset sky on our way home. The drive home was long, since we didn't plan to stop to sleep. (Joey had to be back at work the next morning since all the icy weather made a lot of extra work for his company.)

It was a fabulous trip, although I'm not sure that comes through in the story the pictures tell. We didn't "DO" a whole lot. But that wasn't the point. It was our goal to just relax, and be "Joey & Patty" instead of "Daddy & Mommy". We let our focus settle upon each other, and allowed time to slow down. The "busy"ness of our daily lives dissolved and that was absolutely decadent. It's amazing how stress builds and you don't even notice it until you're able to just be still for a while. The mountains were majestic, and made us thankful. Thankful that the God who spoke those into existence is the same God who cares about every detail of our lives, even down to which vacation we choose to take. And actually makes it possible for us to do so. It was a fantastic departure, but we are so very glad (and re-energized) to be back in this life that He has so generously woven together for us to share.





****** And here is a BIG thank you to Nana & Granddad and Aunt Honey & Uncle Mike for keeping our babies for us !!! ******

Blast from the Past

When my parents were putting all their Christmas decorations back in their attic, they discovered a box of our old stuff, including my high school cheerleading uniforms. At the vehement request of my husband, I put them on.









































And my all-time favorite... the Varsity Sweater. I dreamed of wearing one since I was in elementary school! We made such fun, amazing memories while in those uniforms. I really miss those days sometimes, and especially those sweet friends.


How did it go??? "The Class of '96... the last of anything good." I've been back for a game or two since I graduated, and I can definitely attest to that.