new year’s eve

This year we had a quiet night for New Year’s Eve. We had gone out 2 nights in a row the 2 nights  before New Year’s. We hung out at my mom’s house with my step-brother and his girlfriend and a couple of friends. We had some drinks, played some games, watched some stupid NYE TV, and took some crazy pictures {which just got crazier and crazier}.

We always have a ton of fun together. It was nice to just hang out by the wood stove and not have to worry about any crazy NYE plans.

In these pictures we were trying to pose like Fergie was for her entire hosting job. Did anyone else notice that? Our poses didn’t work out quite as well…

2012 was not a great year for me and I was looking forward to it being over. I was ready to welcome a new year with some new hope and new goals to look forward too. And I wouldn’t have wanted to ring in midnight with anyone else but my amazing hubby.

Did anyone do anything super fun for New Year’s or did you also have a kind of quiet night at home?

 

fall fun {columbus day weekend}

Columbus Day weekend was last weekend. We had a long weekend and it was crazy busy. We, of course, filled pretty much every minute of the weekend up because that is just what we do.

Friday night we relaxed because we knew we had a busy weekend ahead.

Saturday morning started out bright and early with us heading to Dover for Dan to run a 5k. After the 5k, we walked around the Apple Harvest Festival, which was crazy packed, even at 10am.

From there, we headed home so Dan could shower. Then we went right back out to meet up with some friends at the Portsmouth BrewFest. A bunch of breweries all come together so people can taste all of their beers. There were so many breweries and beers and people. It was crazy. I’m not really a beer drinker at all but I did try a few and ended up liking at least 1. It ended up being really warm but it was a blast hanging out with some faves.

After the BrewFest, Dan and I left so we could drive right to New York for a wedding on Sunday. When we got to the hotel, we hung out with the bride and groom and a few of their friends before we needed to go to bed because we were exhausted.

The wedding wasn’t until the afternoon on Sunday, so we decided to use our time in Plattsburgh and go to Ausable Chasm. It is this really cool place with about 5 miles of trails. Some go right along the chasm, which is what we mostly walked. I loved being right there on the small stone pathways and hearing the water rushing by.

There was also a trail that went down to a dry chasm. There was beautiful foliage throughout the trail.

At the end of all the trails, there was a big bridge that gave a fantastic view of the waterfall.

After Ausable Chasm, we went back to the hotel room to get ready for the wedding. The wedding was for one of our friends from college. They live in North Carolina and we barely ever get to see them so it was really great to be able to celebrate with them on their wedding day.

The ceremony was in a beautiful ivy covered chapel. It was gorgeous inside and out. The reception was at a hall down the road and there was delicious food and good music.

After the 2 busy days we had already had, we were exhausted. We took our time getting ready Monday morning then headed out of NY to come home. The sky was amazing when we took the ferry from NY to VT. I had to take some pictures.

We were going to do a little hiking on our way home but it just didn’t work out how we thought. We did do some leaf peeping though. The foliage was gorgeous.

We found this really amazing little area with a curvy road and tons of yellowy trees. So beautiful. There were tons of people there but I managed to take some good pictures.

Driving down the road a little further, we got a view of some mountains. And there was snow on them. SNOW. I am not ready for that.

All in all, it was a really great weekend full of a ton of fun, crazy, and amazing activities. And we were exhausted when we got home. I went to bed early Monday and Tuesday night. But it was worth it.

 

30 by 30 {run the bcs 5k}

 

Today was the day. Today was the 5k that I have been training so hard for. In May I could barely run 3 minutes. Today I ran the entire 5k without stopping in a little under 30 minutes! I was so proud of myself.

We put together a team to run in honor of my grandmother, DeDe, who passed away in February from breast cancer. So we made Team DeDe. There were 8 fabulous people running for the team.

The whole team finished in 40 minutes or under! I am so proud of everyone because everyone has been working so hard. We killed it!

We were all sweaty when we were done but so excited for each other in accomplishing everything we did.

There is a big pink fire truck that comes to certain events. You can sign the truck in remembrance of people or in celebration or for whatever reason you want. DeDe signed the truck last year, right on the gas cap door, and we all signed around it.

I’m so glad everyone was able to make it to run with the team. It meant a lot to me and I know it meant a lot to my mom to have us all there.

It was supposed to rain this morning and there was a big line of rain coming right towards us. Right before the race started, the line broke right in the middle, right where we were. I know it was DeDe giving us some good weather for the race. It ended up being a beautiful day.

I love all of these people and I’m so glad that we were all able to run the race for such a good cause. It is an amazing feeling to accomplish so much and do it with my favorite people.

I miss DeDe every day and I am proud to do something like this in her honor. I know she is proud of me.

 

 

summer fun {canobie lake park}

 

A whole group of us were trying to do all kinds of things this summer. We didn’t really do as much as we wanted. However, we finally found a night when most of us could make it to Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH. It is a small amusement park that is about 45 minutes away. We went on all the best rides and it was a ton of fun.

The first ride we went on was the carousel. Obviously.

I love the way the ferris wheel looks during the day and all lit up at night.

Here is a collage of a bunch of other wonderful rides we went on.

We had lots of fun and I’m so glad we found a night we could go.

 

hiking {mt. major}

 

A few weeks ago Dan and I went hiking with our good friends Chrystal and Jason. Dan was going to go hiking in the morning and we were going to hang out with them later in the day but we decided to all go hiking together instead.

We met up at the mountain and got ready to hike up Mt. Major. It turned out to be a beautiful day for hiking.

I was a little worried about hiking because the last time we went I had a little bit of a hard time. I actually felt really good hiking and I think it was because how much I had been running. It made me feel great.

When we got to the top, there was a beautiful view with fantastic puffy white clouds. I think the view at the top makes the whole hike worth it. Otherwise, what is the point??

We took some group pictures at the top. It was really fun hiking with Chrystal and Jason. We have all been working out and trying to lose weight so it was nice doing something so athletic all together.

After the hike, we changed into some less sweaty clothes and grabbed some food. After lunch, we went mini golfing and we had a blast.

It was a fantastic, beautiful, summer day spent with wonderful friends.

 

summer fun {fireworks on the boat}

 

I absolutely love fireworks. I could watch them every single day of the year. Unfortunately, there are only so many times a year that there are fireworks to watch. On the 4th of July, I try my best to see the fireworks every year. The past few years we have been going out on my mom and step-dad’s boat to watch them from the river. I think this makes the experience just that much better.

This year, we got a bunch of people to go and it was fabulous. We watched the fireworks over a beautiful view of downtown Portsmouth. It made for some beautiful pictures.

There are a few people missing from our group but I love these people and it was great all going out on the boat together.

All in all, it ended up being a fun 4th of July. And hopefully there are many more fireworks to come.

 

summer fun {mccoole bash 2012}

 

Every year my mom and step-dad have a huge party at their house called the McCoole Bash. This year was no exception. They chose the date of the party this year to coincide with the Blue Angels Air Show happening at Pease in Portsmouth. Everyone was around for the party and it was a ton of fun.

All the “kids” went down to the dock to chill on the boat for the air show. There were a ton of people watching the show from the street in front of my mom’s house.

The air show was fabulous. It was even better that we could watch it from my mom’s. We couldn’t see any of the low on the ground things but they flew pretty much right over the house a few times and it was awesome. Dan used our telescopic lens and got some great pictures.

My brother Ryan was very excited about the air show.

After the air show, we ate some yummy food and hung out listening to some wonderful guitar music by my brother.

There was an absolutely gorgeous sunset, so of course I had to snap some shots. I think I’m a tad bit obsessed with sunsets.

We ended the night with some fireworks down on the dock. It was a good ending to a great day! Can’t wait until next year!

 

 

summer fun {camping on the island}

My mom and step-dad live right on a river. Up the river a little ways there is a little island. A while ago we decided that we should camp on the island. It has basically just enough space to set up a couple of tents and there is already a fire pit out there. So, when my step-brother Sean came up for a week, we decided it would be the perfect time to go.

It ended up only being Dan, Ryan, Sean, Jay and I being able to go. And I, of course, ended up being scheduled until 9 on that night. So the boys went out to the island to set everything up and my step-dad drove me out on the boat when I got out of work.

We had a few drinks and hung out around the fire. They boys took turns playing around with the guitar. We played with some sparklers. It was a lot of fun just hanging out with the boys.

We have decided we need to do it again when more people can go because it would be really fun with a bunch of us.

Does anyone have any crazy camping trip stories?

 

Renee’s wedding

 

I feel like I’m very behind on posts of things that have been going on which I think is overwhelming me and putting me even farther behind. So I’m just going to start from where I left off and hopefully catch up to where I am now soon.

My wonderful friend Renee got married on June 17th. It was a gorgeous day in York, ME and I’m so happy that I was able to be a part of her big day.

The rehearsal and dinner was Friday night. We had a quick rehearsal and a delicious dinner at the Union Bluff. It was a fabulous night.

Saturday we got our nails done and then the girls spent the night at the Stage Neck Inn, where the wedding was taking place. It was really fun spending the night. We chatted, listened to some music, wandered around the Stage Neck, and went to bed pretty early. Renee almost decided to sleep under her dress…

The next morning we woke up, went down to the buffet and brought some breakfast back to the room, and started to get ready. Renee’s hair dressers came to the room to do our hair.

Renee’s mom also came to the room to hang out with us while we were getting ready.

When the time was right, we headed down for the ceremony. It was a gorgeous day by the ocean. Renee looked so amazing in her dress. The ceremony was beautiful and you could tell how happy they both were. It was perfect.

After the ceremony there was a cocktail hour while we went and did pictures with the photographers. Then the reception started. It was a gorgeous space with tons of windows facing the ocean. We were all announced into the reception and Renee and Brandon went right into their first dance.

The reception was lots of fun. The flowers were so beautiful. Their cake had super cute polka dots on it and after they cut it, Renee ran away with it looking like she was going to eat the entire thing. And they had whoopie pies as their favors! They were so delicious. I think I ended up taking about 4 home.

After the reception ended at 4, we went up the road a little to a bar for an after party. It was fun just hanging out at the bar with all the important people from the wedding.

I was so happy that Renee wanted me to be a part of her wedding. I loved helping her put some things together and I loved being there for her on her big day. It was a blast. I know we will be friends for a very long time and I am so glad.

 

 

memorial day weekend {friday}

This long holiday weekend is packed with activities so I thought I would post about each day separately.

On Friday night, the girls and I went to a bar in downtown Portsmouth to see the Men in Motion – some naked dancing boys. Renee searched it out so it was kind of like bachelorette party number 2. We were in the VIP section so we got to sit on comfy couches right up where the action was.

It was hilarious and really dirty. Renee got a chance to sit in the hot seat, where she was included in the dancing. Lucky her.

After the show, we did some dancing. It was a fabulous night out with the girls.

The only bad thing was that I lost my phone at the bar. I feel a little lost without it. But hopefully we can get a new one through insurance really soon.