Christmas Recap

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and I could not wait to share it with Patrick! 

The week before Christmas we took a trip to the "Christmas" house, a beautiful home in the town my husband grew up in. It is decorated to the nines and becomes a bit of an attraction during the holidays. We have loved going there for years and I was so excited to take Patrick there for the first time!

That weekend we had a holiday dinner in Brooklyn at my brother and soon to be sister in laws home.

The whole family

I love my Auntie Erin

Auntie and Uncle

Christmas Day was so much fun! We go to my in laws in the morning and it was a blast to see Patrick open gifts for the first time.

Waking up Christmas morning

Opening gifts at home!

The we headed over to Cici and Poppas!

tons of gifts!

lots of stockings

opening gifts with Uncle Matt and Dave 

and Aunt Kim

Ready for Christmas dinner!

Overall this little one was our greatest gift! Sad to see the holidays go but it was everything I could have wished for!

xoxo Katie

Holiday House Tour

I can't believe the Christmas season is over already! We had such a fun first Christmas with Patrick, posts for that coming soon but first I thought I would show off our holiday decor! I really try to add something new to the house each year. This year it was the chalkboard and Christmas card holder. I'm still on the hunt for a larger more vintage looking chalkboard but for now I love mine! Hope you enjoy!

Our Tree

Some of my favorite ornaments

stocking with DIY holder

village setup 

close up

My chalkboard

Pantry door Christmas card holder

The fridge

Can't believe we will be taking all this down in less than a week! So sad to see it go!

xoxo Katie

Heavy Heart

I write this post with a heavy heart. I grew up in Wilton Connecticut, which is located about 35 minutes from Newtown Connecticut where the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School took place. I have been living in a kind of fog since Friday. There are no words to express the sorrow, grief and empathy I have for the families, teachers, staff and first responders of Sandy Hook. As a mother I can not even imagine the pain those parents are going through. Those beautiful angels all deserved better. I also have spent the last seven years of my life as a paraprofessional in a K-4 elementary school in the area. I have done lockdown drills hundreds of times, you always imagine but never believe it could happen. Those teachers, aids, secretaries, nurses, custodians and all other staff are heroes. Heroes who saved lives like teacher Kaitlin Roig who barricaded her and her class in a tiny bathroom, telling them she loved them insuring that would be the last thing they would hear in the worst case. They were also heroes in death, we are hearing that Dylan Hocking one of the tiny victims was found wrapped in the arms of his aid Anne Marie Murphy. She literally shielded him with her own body losing her life as well. These stories are many of heroes and first responders who risked there lives to protect children. I can say for sure that Newtown, Connecticut and this country have been forever changed. I hope that this opens up a national dialogue about guns, mental illness and a culture of violence. No one thing is to blame, but I can say for sure that this awful act could not have been perpetrated with a baseball bat, fists or knives. I truly hope that gun reform is in our future. As for now we as a nation focus healing and here in Connecticut I am planning on donating bears and school supplies to help Sandy Hook students return to some type of normal in the coming days and weeks and hopefully help heal my own heart a bit. My thoughts and prayers are with them all and their families!

As as we come towards the Holidays next week I know this is so true...God bless them all!

Christmas of Year's Past

The Christmas season always gets me thinking of things that remind me of Christmas as a kid. Here are some things that remind me of my childhood Christmases.

The Holiday Barbie

My sister and I got one every year, kind of wish I had kept them in the package!

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

We went to see this show every year with my Dad's side of the family. I can't wait to bring Patrick to see the show!

Pop Star Christmas Albums

I have to admit I still rock this in my car now! never gets old!

The Nutcracker

I have always had the dream of having a Mother Daughter date to the Nutcracker, we'll see what the future holds or it might be a Mother Son date!

The Very Merry Christmas Parade

We watched the parade every Christmas morning and I still do to this day

Christmas Villages

My mom loved setting up and having our Christmas village and seeing them always makes me think of her. I am very lucky to have some of my Mom's village displayed in our home. I hope to add to it in the next few years.

It is so fun to think about all the happy memories I have from my childhood. I hope I can create so many for Patrick in the years to come!

Holiday Planning

So for as long as I can remember my family and I have gone to my aunts for Christmas Eve but this year my cousin who lives in North Carolina will be having surgery around the holiday so my aunt and uncle are traveling there for the holidays. To say I'm not a little weirded out by this would be a lie. But I am now going to be hosting Christmas Eve and my home. So I've started to a little planning and here is what I'm thinking so far (thank you Pinterest!)

Menu

Baked Raviolis

Recipe

Thank you Martha Stewart! This recipe is delicious and perfect for Christmas and my Dad's girlfriend who is a vegetarian.

Scrimp Scampi

Recipe

This recipe is from Southern Living and awesome!

Cranberry Pecan Salad with Goat Cheese

Recipe

A yummy salad is the perfect addiction to any meal!

Herb Garlic Bread

Recipe

Need for any meal!

Dessert

I love the idea of hot chocolate bar!

Recipe

Carmel Pecan Tart

Sugar Cookies

So thats my plan! Hopefully it all comes together!