Going into a new decade, it really is crazy to look back on the last decade and see how much went on in those 10 years. We had our three amazing babies, moved to a new city, moved into a new home, had life-saving brain surgery, expanded the cousin crew, went through a few failed fertility treatments and one successful round of IVF, traveled to some amazing places as a travel director, had my jewelry line in a popular downtown Annapolis boutique during Covid, tried my hand at homeschooling and failed, started a little beauty product side hustle from home, attended a few fun filled family weddings and many more memories I will forever look back on fondly. So I truly thank you, thirties for a great decade and very much looking forward to the next decade!
To name a few personal goals …get my hospitality management certification, embark on real estate endeavors with Mike, visit Savannah, get back to Disney and plan a family trip to Africa! I’ve decided it’s going to be fabulous.
San Antonio, Scottsdale, Scotland. Three very different places, three different parts of the country/world but the three different places I’m thankful I had the opportunity of visiting for work this year. I have been to Scottsdale but had not been to San Antonio or Scotland and to be honest, neither were really on my very long bucket list of places I hope to travel to but that’s exactly what I love about traveling is that just when you think you know the places you want to go, it surprises you with a new destination and opens your eyes to a whole new world you otherwise wouldn’t have thought to get to. San Antonio is known for their River Walk and it really was incredible! Just make sure you don’t fall in after too many margaritas because you can either be arrested or fined even if it is an accident.
Scottsdale has always been an overall fun spot in my mind with the stunning scenery, beautiful hotel properties and absolutely delicious food. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess was where I stayed and I was told on three separate occasions by hotel staff that I need to return at Christmas because it is a must see, which proves my point! I would never think Scottsdale at Christmas time but now I will.
Scotland was obviously a longer trip and I’m so glad it was because I got to see much more than I had expected. We stayed in St. Andrew’s and if you’re a golfer reading this, no doubt your ears just perked up. Even not being much of a golfer myself, at least not yet, I completely get the fascination! The Old Course is the oldest golf course in the world and considered to be the “home of golf” because the sport was first played on the links at St. Andrew’s in the early 15th century. I could practically feel all the history soaking into my pores from simply walking over the infamous bridge on the 18th hole! I wish I could have had Mike join me at the tail end of the trip but since schedules wouldn’t allow, we will absolutely be getting back there someday. And last but not least, try the haggis. Just do it. Can’t say that you’ll thank me later but you’ll just be proud to come home and say that you did. I do however, recommend trying it deep fried, trust me, it helps. 😉
When I really stop to think about this life, what I want to leave behind, what I want to accomplish, who I want to be, like I did after you passed, the legacy you left behind is a goal I will strive to achieve every day. I know your life wasn’t perfect, as none of ours is, but your style was effortless, every conversation was filled with love, your faith was inspiring, your optimism was contagious and your adventures were endless.
Not to mention having the honor to watch your children grow up, have families of their own, even get to witness the next generation grow up in over a dozen of your great grands is truly inspiring. So every year we do our fondue night or I make a genoise cake for Mike’s birthday or see a fleur di lis, I will think of you. In my mind, you woke up every day (even on the bad days I’m sure) grateful to be here, with a positive attitude and a smile on your face and I will strive to do the same.
What an incredible 90 years of life you truly lived. You will be oh so very missed. I promise to keep your legacy alive and well.
I had the opportunity to attend a Christmas concert last month that was in honor of my friend, Christine. She passed away in an arson fire on Ohio State’s Campus 19 years ago at the age of 19 so on the 19th anniversary, it was decided it would be the grand finale and I knew I just had to be there. Seeing her amazing family, being there with my immediate family and catching up with the old crew from high school brought happy tears to my eyes. We will always share memories of Christine and it went without saying how grateful we were all able to be there, hug each other in person and enjoy an evening celebrating our girl during her favorite holiday, Christmas. There truly was a feeling of holiday magic in the air and no doubt Christine’s spirit was all around us. Not to mention, it was a good reminder of how precious life really is, which people so quickly tend to forget in their day to day lives. Don’t take it for granted.
This. This right here is exactly why I’m okay saying goodbye to glam temporarily …this little guy, covered in peanut butter, bananas and french toast at breakfast this morning and the only thing he wants to do is hold my arm for what I’m guessing is additional comfort but it’s something we enjoy almost every day. Are my clothes typically covered at the end of meal time? Usually, but it’s just he and I and it’s the absolute best.
Cheesy? Yep! Should I change it? Nope! You would be as excited as me too if you saw your very first humpback whales this past Spring off the coast of Maui!
This particular work trip took me to this destination right in the middle of whale season and they worked in a whale watching expedition for us on the front end of our stay and safe to say I’m officially obsessed with these amazing creatures.
Did you know they travel back and forth from Alaska to Maui every year which ends up being around 3,000 miles? Did you know there is nothing for them to eat in Hawaii and that they play, birth, mate and then go back to Alaska to eat in the Spring? Did you know the babies only stay with mom for a year? Follow me for these sporadic whale watching facts.
This month has become an extra special one for us because it’s the month (St. Patrick’s Day to be exact) that I received the call from Shady Grove to tell us the amazing news that our fresh embryo transfer stuck.
I remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember thinking that I’ll just let it go to voicemail since three phone calls before this one was only to say, we’re sorry, again, no baby. The phone rang and I let it go to voicemail. Then I checked my phone, assuming they had left a message but no message. A couple minutes passed by and they called again so this time I couldn’t help but answer. It was my nurse and doctor and he said, “We only call together when there’s good news …Sara, you’re pregnant.” I started to cry and couldn’t stop saying thank you over and over again. Once Mike and I had a moment alone, he gave me this sweet, little St. Patrick’s Day onesie in our few quiet minutes of celebration so the girls wouldn’t sense anything (even though a whole new set of nerves came into play for me). We couldn’t believe it and still look at our rainbow baby like how are you real?!?
There’s something to be said for the luck of the Irish and our Irish angel, Grandma Carol, who was no doubt smiling down on us with her Irish eyes that day.
I don’t know about you but I’m someone who likes to keep, edit and revise an ongoing travel bucket list and this one has been on the list since we moved out east. This summer, we finally pulled the trigger and made it to the beautiful Nemocolin Resort in Pennsylvania.
It’s almost like I strive to have a “locations on demand” Rolodex saved in my notes for immediate family vacation spots, extended family vacation spots, couple vacation spots and girlfriends vacation spots that I can pull out at a moments notice whenever the travel bug strikes, which is usually often. This particular spot is such a unique one too because I feel like it could honestly fall under each of these categories. It literally has something for everyone.
For only being there for 2 nights and 3 days we managed to get in seeing the wild animals, playground, ice cream parlor, a lot of time on the pool slide, merry go round, putt putt golf and I feel like we barely scratched the surface. Not to mention, we didn’t have to leave the property once. Also, if you’re a fan of architecture, I highly recommend checking out Fallingwater on the way out of town!
(I don’t know about you but I personally can’t think of anything else but this song when it comes on in the movie, Love Actually)
I always get a little bummed once Christmas is over, decorations are put away and there aren’t any continuous Christmas songs on the radio, until February rolls around. I don’t know if it’s the pretty colored king cakes, all the fun Valentine’s or the plethora of chocolates (especially after I had a very dry January, cutting out alcohol, dairy and sugar) but it definitely helps put me in a better mood. You can certainly feel the love in this household.
Okay, so I also have to share this little king cake-related story. This year, we got our king cake from a local bakery and since I didn’t see the traditional baby Jesus in the middle of the cake, I just figured they had ran out or something. No biggie. Well we cut into it that night and while I was eating mine, I bit down on something and was honestly freaked out it was something horrific that had accidentally slipped in because it was very hard and inside a very soft cake. Anyway, once I finally spit it out, I realized it was the baby Jesus! Naturally, I felt like the worst human being in the entire world (enter catholic guilt) but on the plus side, the girls enjoyed adding him to their babies collection and all was well. So the moral of the story is to keep an eye out for the baby Jesus when eating a king cake.
A few things I learned or was reminded of from the past pandemic year would be:
You can still be adventurous in a global pandemic, thanks to local treasures we were able to get to like Cascade Falls, Downs Park and our annual day trip to St. Michaels.
You can still have a hint of glam if you revisit an old highschool hobby of jewelry making from the comfort of your own home and essentially make your own accessories.
Getting creative took on a whole new meaning. For example, turning our backyard into a mini water park. We had slides, pools, water guns, splash pads, water tables and the girls had an absolute blast.
The power of perspective was always big for me but this year, having a roof over our head, food on the table and my families health spoke volumes.
The old age saying that family and friends is everything, especially rang true last year.
Oh and more of a reminder but don’t forget to double check total quantities on your insta cart. That may have been more of a personal lesson learned but just the same, let’s just say I learned it.
All that said, I’d love nothing more now to get back to things like school in the classroom, trips for business and pleasure that involve an actual airplane and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t enjoy a concert or a Broadway show sprinkled in there as well. Please and thank you, 2021.
Glam Today Gone Tomorrow 