Actually, tomorrow morning, we're just moving our stuff from storage to the house, and we'll spend the next several days finishing small projects and getting ready to physically move, but it's definitely a big day!
Nate
Friday, December 26, 2008
New Kicks!
Gwyneth and I got some new kicks for Christmas, although, Gwyneth won't be able to fit into her's for a few more months...
Nate
Nate
Thursday, December 25, 2008
What A Wonderful Day!
Here are a few pics from our day...more to come when I get the time, which might not be for a few days. I pray that your day was as wonderful as ours.
Nate
Nate
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
These Are a Few of My Favorite Christmas Things
Christmas is a big deal for us. Not just because my mom and dad always made sure it was a fun and memorable time of the year as we were growing up, but also because I have a true appreciation for what took place on the very first Christmas many years ago.
It would take me an hour or two to list all of the reasons that I love Christmas, so I thought I'd keep it simple and make a short list of some of my favorite Christmas things...
Movie - White Christmas
(The Santa Clause, A Christmas Story, Die Hard and Elf get a nod as well)
Sweet - This one deserves a list...my mom's peanut butter balls, candy canes, Janet's hershey kisses cookies (hint, hint), Bergey's Dairy's Colonial Custard
Song - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Tradition - Opening one gift on Christmas Eve
Gift Received - my Canon camera last year from Tricia
Gift Given - Ralphie the cat to Tricia our first married Christmas (Ralphie should be back with us when we move into our new house after living more than year with grandma!)
Meal - The Christmas breakfast my mom makes every year...an egg and sausage quiche type thing (I'll never understand why it only comes once a year)
What about you?
Nate
It would take me an hour or two to list all of the reasons that I love Christmas, so I thought I'd keep it simple and make a short list of some of my favorite Christmas things...
Movie - White Christmas
(The Santa Clause, A Christmas Story, Die Hard and Elf get a nod as well)
Sweet - This one deserves a list...my mom's peanut butter balls, candy canes, Janet's hershey kisses cookies (hint, hint), Bergey's Dairy's Colonial Custard
Song - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Tradition - Opening one gift on Christmas Eve
Gift Received - my Canon camera last year from Tricia
Gift Given - Ralphie the cat to Tricia our first married Christmas (Ralphie should be back with us when we move into our new house after living more than year with grandma!)
Meal - The Christmas breakfast my mom makes every year...an egg and sausage quiche type thing (I'll never understand why it only comes once a year)
What about you?
Nate
Big CF News!
North Carolina will begin mandating newborn screening for CF beginning January 2009!
This is a result of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's successful advocacy efforts, thanks, in large part, to my awesome readers! Click Here to read how this development was brought to life by Janice Hairr and her daughter, Savannah, who was diagnosed with CF within 2 days of her birth. This early detection has led to very positive outcomes for Savannah in her journey with CF.
NC joins a growing number of US states that are mandating newborn CF screening. Very soon, CF screening will be mandated across the country! What a great Christmas gift to thousands of unborn children!!!
Nate
This is a result of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's successful advocacy efforts, thanks, in large part, to my awesome readers! Click Here to read how this development was brought to life by Janice Hairr and her daughter, Savannah, who was diagnosed with CF within 2 days of her birth. This early detection has led to very positive outcomes for Savannah in her journey with CF.
NC joins a growing number of US states that are mandating newborn CF screening. Very soon, CF screening will be mandated across the country! What a great Christmas gift to thousands of unborn children!!!
Nate
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Toys For Tots
(if the following is a bit confusing, Read This First)
Although I had wanted to donate toys here locally on the beach, I didn't find out for sure that we had won the $250 gift card until December 15, which was too late to donate here. So, instead, we planned a trip to ToysRUs in NJ, which actually turned out to be better anyway because they were having a huge sale AND there is a TFT drop-off inside the store.
Because this really is your (my readers) gift to the kids (all I did was ask you to vote), we thought we'd shoot a little video so that you could feel like you were a part of the fun...we tried to stick mostly to fun, low priced items that we on sale to stretch the money out to benefit as many kids as possible, and we made sure to hit both genders and every age.
Although I had wanted to donate toys here locally on the beach, I didn't find out for sure that we had won the $250 gift card until December 15, which was too late to donate here. So, instead, we planned a trip to ToysRUs in NJ, which actually turned out to be better anyway because they were having a huge sale AND there is a TFT drop-off inside the store.
Because this really is your (my readers) gift to the kids (all I did was ask you to vote), we thought we'd shoot a little video so that you could feel like you were a part of the fun...we tried to stick mostly to fun, low priced items that we on sale to stretch the money out to benefit as many kids as possible, and we made sure to hit both genders and every age.
Thanks again to everyone (683 of you) who voted for us and helped make this Christmas extra special for several South Jersey children.
BTW, it's not too late, in many areas, to donate to this great charity. I was told by the cashier at the store that donations are way down this year. And, I've even read a few stories about TFT experiencing more theft than normal this year, people actually breaking in and stealing from their distribution centers....what kind of Grinch would do that?
Please, Click Here if you would like to learn more about Toys for Tots!
Thanks!
Nate
BTW, it's not too late, in many areas, to donate to this great charity. I was told by the cashier at the store that donations are way down this year. And, I've even read a few stories about TFT experiencing more theft than normal this year, people actually breaking in and stealing from their distribution centers....what kind of Grinch would do that?
Please, Click Here if you would like to learn more about Toys for Tots!
Thanks!
Nate
NJ Trip
Our trip to NJ was great! It was especially fun since we missed last year's trip because of Tricia's health. Gwyneth is basically the best car baby ever...keep her fed and clean and engaged with a few good toys and she's good to go for at least 5-6 hours before she's had enough of her car seat. Although it was overcast the entire time, it did not rain much and was not as cold as it is up there (and down here, for that matter) now. We stayed with our friends Mike and Lisa (thanks so much!), and spent some great time with them and a few more of Tricia's lifelong NJ friends.
We were able to finish up our Christmas shopping and attend a niece's school Christmas concert (great job, Bry!). We also made a trip to IKEA in downtown Philly to pick up some stuff for the house.
Of course, two of the biggest highlights of our annual trip for me are eating as many cheesesteaks as possible (nowhere else in the world to eat a good cheesesteak outside of the south Jersey/Philly area) and enjoying the hot roast beef sandwiches at the Kirschner Christmas Spectacular.
Saturday was, as always, tons of fun. I believe there were at least 40 people present, including 9 under the age of 4. Gwyneth was the youngest and smallest, and the only one who was unable to venture out on her own and enjoy the fun...but, everyone enjoyed getting to hold and laugh with her. The adults exchanged pollyannas, as we do every year...I always ask for a DVD, and this year I came away with the new Indiana Jones movie, which will be playing at my parents beach house at some point later this week.
Because I don't have the time or energy to contact everyone who was there and ask there permission to post their pics, I'll just share a few...
The Kirschner bunch are mostly very serious Philadelphia eagles fan, and this Santa is probably the leader of the pack, so I made sure that Gwyneth was wearing her Skins jersey for a good photo op. :D Notice how she is ingeniously tugging on his beard to determine if he is the real Santa...
Although it appears that Gwyneth is playing with this eagles ornament, she's actually determining her plan of attack for decapitation...did I mention that the eagles lost to our Redskins on Sunday?
Nate
We were able to finish up our Christmas shopping and attend a niece's school Christmas concert (great job, Bry!). We also made a trip to IKEA in downtown Philly to pick up some stuff for the house.
Of course, two of the biggest highlights of our annual trip for me are eating as many cheesesteaks as possible (nowhere else in the world to eat a good cheesesteak outside of the south Jersey/Philly area) and enjoying the hot roast beef sandwiches at the Kirschner Christmas Spectacular.
Saturday was, as always, tons of fun. I believe there were at least 40 people present, including 9 under the age of 4. Gwyneth was the youngest and smallest, and the only one who was unable to venture out on her own and enjoy the fun...but, everyone enjoyed getting to hold and laugh with her. The adults exchanged pollyannas, as we do every year...I always ask for a DVD, and this year I came away with the new Indiana Jones movie, which will be playing at my parents beach house at some point later this week.
Because I don't have the time or energy to contact everyone who was there and ask there permission to post their pics, I'll just share a few...
The Kirschner bunch are mostly very serious Philadelphia eagles fan, and this Santa is probably the leader of the pack, so I made sure that Gwyneth was wearing her Skins jersey for a good photo op. :D Notice how she is ingeniously tugging on his beard to determine if he is the real Santa...
Although it appears that Gwyneth is playing with this eagles ornament, she's actually determining her plan of attack for decapitation...did I mention that the eagles lost to our Redskins on Sunday?
Nate
Monday, December 22, 2008
One Week
Just a quick update to let you know that we're alive and have had a great week...
Safe travels and lots of fun with friends and Tricia's family in NJ and PA.
Fun trip to ToysRUs to spend the $250 for Toys for Tots (video to come).
Gwyneth has taken the next step with her social skills, responding almost constantly with smiles and laughs to everyone and everything (it started the day we visited Santa a few weeks ago...hmm....).
My family is having a big Christmas here on the beach, with lots of uncles and cousins and grandparents coming in at different times this week...we're looking forward to spending lots of time with them and maybe even putting them to work a little bit at the house!
The house is almost done. The wood floors are done, the tile is 95% done, the new HVAC system will be finished tomorrow. Lots of little things to do, and of course, a big cleaning day. We hope to be spending our first night in our new home by the end of the week.
Lots of pics and some video to share with you...but, this is going to be a fun and busy week, so I'll post again when I have the time...in the meantime, I have done some mass blogging today and have scheduled several blogs to publish over the next few days.
Thanks!
Nate
Safe travels and lots of fun with friends and Tricia's family in NJ and PA.
Fun trip to ToysRUs to spend the $250 for Toys for Tots (video to come).
Gwyneth has taken the next step with her social skills, responding almost constantly with smiles and laughs to everyone and everything (it started the day we visited Santa a few weeks ago...hmm....).
My family is having a big Christmas here on the beach, with lots of uncles and cousins and grandparents coming in at different times this week...we're looking forward to spending lots of time with them and maybe even putting them to work a little bit at the house!
The house is almost done. The wood floors are done, the tile is 95% done, the new HVAC system will be finished tomorrow. Lots of little things to do, and of course, a big cleaning day. We hope to be spending our first night in our new home by the end of the week.
Lots of pics and some video to share with you...but, this is going to be a fun and busy week, so I'll post again when I have the time...in the meantime, I have done some mass blogging today and have scheduled several blogs to publish over the next few days.
Thanks!
Nate