Fun with Uncle Ryan!

My nephew LOVES his Uncle Ryan and when he was at our house tonight, it was no different! Tonight Uncle Ryan did his very best to teach Tyler how to throw a frisbee. It took a lot of patience and while he didn't really catch on (since he is only 3), he had a great time trying to learn! I'm so glad that Ryan enjoys playing and I can't wait to have our own children some day so he can teach them all of his tricks!!

Our Week of Celebrations

This week we celebrated two big events...my dad's 55th birthday and Ryan's parents 34th anniversary! Both events were, of course, celebrated with wonderful meals and fun! We're so blessed to have such wonderful families that are great examples of how to live a long, loving, and meaningful life!

Something about Mary

For all of you who hear me tell stories about my "cubicle mate", Mary...here she is! We went out tonight with Ryan to Coleman's for dinner and drinks, and we had a great time!! I love having Mary to spend time with...she's a blast!! And she doesn't mind waking up really early on Saturday mornings to go the market with me for fresh veggies and a day of shopping! Who could ask for a better girlfriend! Oh...and by the way, for anyone who's wondering - yes that is a fleece jacket in August! Gotta love NY!

Mini-Golf Mania!

Just a few fun photos from our putt-putt pandemonium! Note to self: never take a 3 yr old mini-golfing after 9:00pm. You may be struck by a club!

Happy Birthday, Meg!

Yesterday I celebrated my 26th birthday and had a great day! My family came out for dinner to Quaker Steak and Lube and then we enjoyed a fun game of mini-golf!

Jeepers Creepers...where'd you get those peepers?!

When I got to my parent's house on Saturday, I was walking up the sidewalk to the door when I noticed a peeper resting on a leaf. Since I knew the kids were inside, I picked the peeper up and cupped it in my hands and went inside. The kids LOVED it!! We took it back outside and created a temporary habitat for it using a bowl and some outdoor elements (leaves, sticks, rocks, etc.). We had so much fun showing all our friends and family and the band concert that night, and then after getting home, we let the peeper back out into the world!

Summer Nights in Fair Haven

Saturday night I went out to see my family in Fair Haven. It was band concert night, so I got a chance to see a lot of local people that I haven't seen in a very long time. My cousin Kristin and her husband Russell were also in from Virginia, so it was great to see them! They're expecting their first child in January and we're all very excited! As you can see, I had TONS of fun with my niece and nephew (big surprise, I know!)

Joe's Pasta Garage

(I loved the light fixture at our table!)

We enjoyed a nice dinner out Thursday at Joe's Pasta Garage in Skaneateles. It was a fun evening and the atmosphere of the restaurant was great!

The Camaro

As most of you probably know, last year for our anniversary we drove to Pennsylvania and bought a camaro. This was certainly nothing we had planned, but Ryan has always wanted a car to work on as a project and this was a great opportunity for him! We had a blast on the trip and after waiting through a very long NY winter, we've finally been able to work on the car ! I'm going to leave all of the detailed posts to Ryan, but here are some fun photos of us with our toy!

Dinner at Mom and Dad's

Tonight we got to spend some time with Erica, Chase and Olivia...and enjoy a good meal! It was great to finally meet Olivia after all these months of only seeing pictures, and Chase has grown so much! We hope we don't have to wait another 8 months to see everyone again!

Our girls

Ryan got some great video of the cats napping on the porch today. They woke up after a few moments and realized there was something odd in their face, so they kept reaching up for the lens like "what is that thing?"

Fun with Food!

I went to the Regional Market yesterday morning and bought some peaches from The Doyle's, and I've been trying to come up with a great recipe other than cobbler, since Ryan and I don't like that! I was searching online and found a recipe for grilled peaches with raspberry sauce and it sounded soooo yummy! So for fun tonight, we tried it! I would highly recommend everyone make this at least once - it's made with fresh fruits, so it's definitely a healthy sweet treat! I made it extra special and Ryan helped me whip up some fresh whipped cream. We thought we'd share a little dessert with each of you...I'm very proud of my "presentation" shot! : )

Jason's Visit

Today we enjoyed a great lunch with Jason when he arrived in NY! I was sure to prepare a "man's feast" for him since I heard from a little birdie that he was missing some foods you can only get here! We had some Hoffman hot dogs and coneys, homemade chili (for chili dogs, of course!), sweet corn from the Regional Market, chicken wings marinated in Spiedie sauce, and we managed to throw in some veggies (green and red peppers and some baby carrots)! Jason had also requested magic cookie bars for his family lunch, so his favorite mother-in-law brought those along! It was a beautiful day here today - sunny and breezy, and only about 75 - so we ate out in yard and had a wonderful time! We also had the chance to give Jason the "grand tour" of our house since this was the first time he has seen it since we moved in February. Overall, it was a great day! If only the rest of the family was here to enjoy it with us!!

You know what they say about NY weather...

On our way home from Rochester, the weather couldn't really make up it's mind. It would be pouring buckets one minute and beautifully sunny the next. We were able to get some really great cloud shots and Ryan also captured a beautiful rainbow while we were heading down the Thruway. It was a great end to a great day!