Here are some random pics from the last month. Now that everything has settled down I have vowed to try and post more often :) We had Thanksgiving with both Scott's side of the family and my side of the family at Scott's parent's house and we had a really nice time. Everyone was worn out by the end of the day from all the eating and playing. We are truly thankful for the amazing family we have and that they are able to get together on the holidays and have a good time.
Leah and our niece Carly on Thanksgiving
Dad and Megan
At the end of the night we decided to try and get a family pic, Jackson was not cooperating after not getting a nap ALL DAY
Scott, Leah and I :)
Jackson minutes after what we now refer to as "The Thanksgiving Family Picture Fiasco"
Jackson got a bike from Aunt NJ for his birthday and he has gotten so good at riding it, we are so proud of him!! Such a big boy!!
Daddy helping Jackson
Leah has now taken Jackson's first tricycle. She is a little more fearless, she likes to get on the driveway when we are not looking and put her feet in the air and go flying down the driveway...we need to get that girl a helmet, not only for her bike but for life :)
Scott's parents went to NYC a couple of weeks ago and got a remote control train for around our christmas tree. Jackson and all of us have really enjoyed it. They are TOO good to us! It looks perfect around our tree!
The night Scott's parents came over and brought us the train, we had a Christmas Cookie decorating night. I made way too many cookies, the kids thought it was fun at first but then quit and Scott's mom and I ended up icing 10 cookies ourselves!! Leah looks so excited about the cookies here (sarcasm)
Another happy one of the Princess, do you notice the red frosting around her mouth?? We all shyed away from red after she got ahold of it :)
Grandma cutting out a train cookie for Jackson. What a good Grandma :)
This is Buffalo right when we landed. Doesn't look as bad in the picture, but we could not see A THING! Kind of scary when you aren't used to driving in it.
So this pic is out of order, but too muh work to move it around so here it shall stay. After Scott had his interview, I picked him up and surprised him with reservations to the most quaint and romantic hotel called Shaw club and spa. It was in Niagra-on-the-lake which is on the Canada side and has 21 wineries in all. They were having a festival called "21 stocking days of Christmas" where you could buy tickets and visit each of the wineries and get a tasting of their featured wines and then buy them at a discount for christmas. It was so much fun and exactly what we both needed at the end of a long 5 weeks of interviews. Our room was so perfect, we had a jacuzzi right in the middle and a fireplace, which we DEFINITELY needed. We went to the restaurant in the hotel that night and it was SO good.
When we arrived in Buffalo, we relaxed at the hotel bar, and of course had to try the REAL buffalo wings. Yummy!! Scott holding up "Five" for his 5th and final interview!
This was the water at Niagra-on-the-Lake, it was only a 40minute drive from Buffalo, but it was crazy there was NO snow, it was green as could be....but colder than sin :) They say this isn't uncommon, it is from the Lake Effect.
Pretty cliff view
The restaurant at Shaw Club. Everything was so small and quaint, it was the perfect little town, it was like you see in the movies, with lots of boutiques and cute restaurants. I could most DEFINITELY reture here one day.
When we got up in the morning they were having a Christmas Parade where they were serving hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows they were cutting into giant squares. It was the best hot chocolate we have ver had. I teared up a few times during the parade because it was just so sweet! I think I was missing the kids also, we have been away from them a TON lately and I just knew they would have loved the parade. I didn't post many pics of the parade, just one of a train for Jackson :)
This was the clock tower in the town square, thought it was pretty.
The first winery of our tour, Scott looks so happy!
The wine they specialize in here is called "Ice Wine" They actually take frozen grapes and press them and it makes a REALLY sweet dessert wine and they only sell it in Canada. It was so good, you are supposed to serve it in small amounts because it is pretty concentrated, but Scott and I bought 2 bottles, one for is and one for my dad for christmas...we will see if we stick to the small amount on Christmas :) This is a pic of some of the frozen Ice Wine grapes on the vine
Ice Wine...the color and consistency of it is so different than regular wine, this is a white wine. This winery actually had a menu displayed from Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Dinner because their Ice Wine was chosen for dessert. Kind of neat, huh? The dinner was only 2 days before we were there
Menu from Nobel Peace Prize Dinner, just if you want to see what they eat at fancy dinners!
This was like winery #7. Our tummies were feeling kind of rotten by now, we had to take a break and get food in them.
After going to all the wineries we went to Niagra Falls. It was gorgeous! The pictures do not do it justice, it was so breathtaking in person. And the noise the falls made was incredible. It sure was cold, though!! I looked like I was about to rob a bank, all I had showing was my eyes I had my scarf so wrapped around my head :)
Took down the scarf for a quick photo op ;) What a ride this last month has been! I loved that I could go with Scott for all the interviews and be his support system through it all. Plus, we had a lot of fun sight seeing at all the places, too. I am so proud of him and can't wait to see where life is going to take us these next 2 years. For now, I am excited to be at home for Christmas with my beautiful family and spend time with my babies!!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
