Happy Day

  A year ago today we met & touched sweet, little Edilu for the first time...

So thankful for our youngest son- for his energy, his happy spirit, for his strong-will, for his bravery, for his smiles, for his desire to please, for loving us in return.


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Memorial Weekend

 What a fun Memorial Weekend with nice, hot weather. I think one of my favorite aspects of living at West Point is being a part of patriotic holidays- they just seem to  mean more being in this historical setting. Anyhow, Riley took the day off on Friday and we spent it watching the 2012 WP graduation parade, napping, taking Fast Eddy out for a spin to Cold Spring, & movie/pizza night. So fun!

Saturday was graduation day and Riley had the honor of pinning Isaac & Seth and welcoming them as 2 Lt in the Army. 

Sunday Ry worked all day as summer jobs have begun. He'll be spending the next 3 weeks in and out at Camp Buckner doing woodsy training. It's like we're in the "real Army" again. :)

And for Memorial Day itself, I ran 7 miles early in the morning with some friends to pay tribute to some of the fallen. Ry and I took the kids to the Cornwall Parade, which lasted all of a whopping 10 minutes. At least that gave us time to throw rocks down at the river & meet up with friends for a picnnc lunch after Ry went into work at noon. We spent the afternoon playing outside with neighbors! Fun weekend!

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Nyack Trips

 I've been treated to several Nyack adventures lately! Last Sunday, Ry and I took the kids to the annual Nyack Street Fair. It was packed out- warm & perfect. Ry took the kids to the park for 30 minutes while I strolled thru vendors with Lynette. Then, I met back up & we hung out as a family- eating Italian Ices, garlic knots, exploring the piers, etc. It's so fun to take my kids on the same adventures I used to take others' kids to while babysitting in college. Then, on Wednesday, Isaac's follow-up appointment was in Nyack. After months of blood & stool testing, the results finally showed no food allergies, but instead, a nasty bacteria in his stomach. He has to go on 2 weeks of 2 antibiotics followed by 3 months of an antacid. Even though the rest of us feel fine, the doctor wanted the whole fam to get tested as well. Finally good to have answers to his diarrhea but I hate the thought of him on antibiotics. Anyway, after the appointment, the kids and I picked up lunch at a favorite cafe & ate down by the river- lovely!

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Adoption

Sol's a Daddy's Boy

 Saturday night we co-hosted an adoption meeting at the river courts for West Point families. One other family has adopted from Ethiopia, several have just started the process of international adoption & still several more are in the early stages of "heart-stirring." So exciting to be a part of a community like this!!! Thrilled to see hearts growing for adoption.

Andy's Be Inspired t-shirt

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Ry's Tri

Riley completed the HarryMan half Ironman this past weekend at Harriman State Park.  It was a hot day with temps reaching 82 degrees. When I asked Riley to describe his race he said, "Unmitigated disaster, humbling, trying to block it from my memory." hahaha. Upon seeing him cross the finish line & say, "I've never been in that much pain for that long" instantly made me think, "well, that's probably the closest thing to labor he's experienced." All humor aside, Riley did great, although not what he expected. I'm proud of him for pushing through the pain & not quitting, especially in a course that repeats several loops & gives ample opportunity for quitting. Ry's strongest event was surprisingly the swim (normally that's his worst event), but he began cramping at the end of the swim & the leg cramping lasted the duration of the entire 56 miles of biking & 13.1 mile run. To top it off, his bike chain fell off & he was having issues with his water bottle holder as well. So, not an ideal race. He finished in 6 hours 30 min (1 hour 15 minutes slower than his last half) BUT the course was hilly & now he has more incentive to train harder for his first full ironman in September. 

(Pics are in reverse order & I'm too lazy to straighten them out. So, start from the bottom & scroll up to get the true effect of the day) :

Done- tired, relieved

Beach entertainment while Daddy finished the last 6.5 miles of the run

Taking off on the bike

Fueling for the 3+ hour ride ahead

Swim- done!

Lining racers up for a head count

Kids were fascinated when all the matching swimmers entered the water

Good luck Daddy!

Gearing up for the race...go #47!

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That Time of Year Again

 It's that time of year again where people begin moving. So sad to see Meghan leaving, but thankful for all the fun we had together at West Point this past year. Tuesday night we celebrated one last girls night in Nyack at the Art Cafe & the Palisades mall slurping delicious ice cream & window shopping.

 Cadets graduate next weekend. Ry had "his guys" over one last time during my girls night.

Thursday night, we got to go out as a couple to the Culinary Institute of America. What a fun experience! The campus was beautiful, the service was impeccable & that was hands-down the best meal I can remember having- crab cakes, scallops, fresh salad, delicious Cabernet, cheddar polenta, perfect steak & chocolate melting cake!

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NYC Mother's Day

Picked up lunch at Whole Foods & at in Central Park

Surprising girls- walking to American Girl Place

Our celebrity spotting- Chris Rock!

Ellie made me breakfast in bed

 

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