a new ADVENTure

this Christmas season, i decided to do something a little different.  i wanted to get back in touch with my faith since i've fallen out of the routine of going to church every sunday and it's for no good reason at all.  my typical excuse (which are true, but totally lame) is that i'm not a fan of our local churches - 5 of them in walking distance - because the music stinks and the sermons are terrible, so i never feel connected...plus the congregation is typically comprised of about 6 other people with an average age of 102.  i suppose it kinda adds up to me just being lazy though when you get down to it.

so this advent, i'm going to work on that spiritual laziness and get reconnected with the true meaning behind Christmas.  might sound geeky, but i've downloaded a bible app on my phone and began a 25 day reading plan that takes about 5 minutes a day.  you read a passage from the bible (or there's an audio option if you want to listen instead) and it gives you additional questions to think about or suggestions on how to incorporate God into your daily life.  i bought a journal to put down all of my thoughts, but so far i haven't written much.  i'm hoping the journey through the advent season helps me open up a bit more too!

if you'd like to join in on this journey, just go to http://www.youversion.com/ and create an account (my username is ldemic01).  You can participate via the website or through your phone (http://www.youversion.com/).  the reading plan i've selected is the Rediscovering the Christmas Season and although it's intended to start on Dec 1, you can definitely catch up quickly!

good luck and keep me posted with your progress if you decide to join in!

a stroll down memory {card} lane

typically i upload my pictures from my camera as soon as i get home.

sometimes i keep a couple on my camera just for smiles.

every once in a while i just plain forget and pictures get 'stuck' on my memory card for ages...especially when i leave my camera in the closet to sulk.

so here's what you've been missing in the past few weeks...or months.  eek!

epically long picture posts begins now:

 we went to Phillies Picnic in the Park! So cool...well really like a million degrees that day, but really fun experience to be out on the field.  oh yea, just so happened to have a root canal that day, yuck...hence the awkward crooked smile below.  401 love!!

 tried out the miniature effect on my elph, fun fun!!

 we went to the lovely wedding of our triathlon friends tom & jess..

 michael wore a bow tie, which he felt uncomfortable about at first...even brought a 'back up' option...but i think he rocked it!  apparently he decided to try to eat me..

 sat with some cool kids...lauren & chris...

on another random day, i did something weird and mz took a picture of it, go figs...

 woosh...and then we were swept away to rhody for a long weekend that included a 10 mile road race (go us!) and a trip to the Breakers (newport mansion)...

 we also were surprised with a delicious Brickley's ice cream cake and an awesome bride & groom biking cake topper for an early anniversary celebration.  thanks sistas! wish i had that cake right now, i'd eat the entire thing!!

what else...oh yea, this little guy turned THREE! seriously?! wow, so old, can't believe it!! he celebrated by eating as many fruit snacks as possible, pretty impressive...

 alex decided it would be fun to drive on the lawn...excellent chauffeur service

 in between triathlon training took place plus lots of eating and drinking...but nothing else photo worthy...so that's it!

california pictures will be making an appearance on the blog starting next week (i leave Monday morning, please don't mess that up Irene!)...but they'll be phone pics and mobile blogs for the most part.  i'm sure in another 4 or 5 months after i get back i might get some of the actual pics off of my memory card ;-).

have a great weekend...stay safe with all of this crazy hurricane activity going on!!

happy happy #4

dear hubster,
can you believe this was 4 years ago?!  seems crazy the amount of stuff we've done and been through in that short amount of time.  nevis, bahamas, london, ireland, paris, colorado, nyc, florida, boston, nh, just to name a few....skiing, dancing (sometimes at midnight in the basement after italian fest), triathlons, concerts and some phenomenal meals....i'm so glad that we've been keeping off the rocks and that we're really working to build a strong, fun, loving, life together.  i'm so proud of us, our accomplishments, our goals, our dreams, our insanity...and i love it.

and i love you.

xo, me

:-x

it's been a full circle kinda day.

"A well-lived life leaves beautiful treasures shining on our shores"

this morning i woke with tears in my eyes.  

not a normal experience for me.  

i had had a dream about papa...we were reading cards we had all written to him (that my brain had completely made up) and then i was telling him about my new job that i'm starting on monday.  because that's what papa like to talk about, work.  so that was a bit of a shaky start to the day.

and then i got home - after an equally emotional day at work with the wonderful team i'm leaving - and got a sympathy card from a friend with the quote above.  pretty much seemed like a perfect time to finally post the few pictures from the funeral weekend.  i was planning on taking more, but the line of what's appropriate seemed a little too fuzzy to cross, so here's what i've got to share...

 baby michael looking cute as ever...don't worry, we were just auditioning him for a sam adams commercial, but we didn't let him drink that beer no matter how hard he tried!

for months i've been writing this in my head.  adding to it, editing it until it was just right.  knowing that when the time came, my brain would be mush and anything i wanted to say would get washed away in a wave of emotion.  well the time, unfortunately, is finally here and the months of mentally preparing for it did nothing because the words won't flow, only the tears.  but i don't want to procrastinate anymore so here it goes...mushy brain and all...

on friday of memorial day weekend we laid my grandfather to rest.  while we know he is in good company with the angels in heaven and the other dedicated soldiers in rhode island veteran's cemetery, our hearts are bursting with love and sadness.  my nana's devout partner and lifelong love is no longer around to provide comfort through a simple whistle, a sarcastic remark or an andes' candy.  the man who built my family is gone.  yes my wonderful parents raised me to be who i am today, but i know that so much would've been different were it not for the lessons papa instilled in them, and me, along the way.

papa, me (with a delicious looking dorito) & nana at my 3rd birthday party.

he was a tough man, especially on the newcomers to the family.  but no matter how wearing his teasing could be, we all knew that if you could take the chiding it meant that you were in.  part of the club that is the pellegrino clan.  and let's be real, we don't want any members that are going to fold under that kind of sarcasm because each and every one of us dishes it out on a daily basis...suitors be warned :).

i learned from a very early age that i make a better door than a window.  and that unlike some households where they follow a particular sports team, football was an entire weekend event for papa.  so grab a coloring book and sit nearby and he'll entertain you with sports facts and other conversation...just don't plop down right in front of the telly or you're definitely not going to earn that yoo-hoo from the little fridge.

while nana will always be his true love.  he did have some pretty serious girlfriends...

from top left - papa & kara as a baby; dancing with my cousin hayley; hayley, papa & kara at thanksgiving

while he had many houses along the way, many that we all still consider home...the cliff house and houses in jackson, nh...it was in this house where some of the greatest lessons were taught:

St. Thomas More Church, Narragansett, RI (image)

lessons like: always kneel up, no rears on the pews - that's just for lazy folk.  dress appropriately...wouldn't want to hear the "you're wear dungarees?!"being grumbled over the entrance prayer.  always give back...even if it means dropping coins in the glass poor box after communion while everyone else is silent.  it's okay to tell a kid to cut his rat-tail if it's in church...because chances are Jesus thinks it's nasty too.  mint lifesavers are also 'okay' in church...but only one and only if papa sneaks it to you in a way that makes you feel like you're the coolest person on earth for getting this special treat. be on time for church or you will be subject to a look of disapproval.  being on time is a big one and i think that i've carried that throughout my daily life...it also meant that you could park closest to the church and leave exactly as mass was ending to then get to Dad's Place for breakfast before the crowd (food is a very good motivator).  Speaking of breakfast...'2 eggs over lite, italian toast, no hash browns and more coffee...Barbara...order'....hope to heck that waitress was ready with a pen and paper because it wasn't getting repeated.  But all joking aside, Papa instilled the fear of God in us all...in a good way.  Growing up there wasn't a sunday early morning mass we missed because it meant a chance to not only get in His good graces but it was time we spent with family.

I am so very blessed to be a part of the family that Papa built.  I am so fortunate to have had the time I did with him and to have grown up in his care.  There are so many things that I will miss about him, I'm sure I could write something every week as more and more memories come to mind.  But for now I will end with saying thank you for keeping the little girl in my alive, for always supporting me and the rest of the family, for never letting us slack because you knew what we were capable of and for loving us, always.

xoxo, yawdi amana