Farewell, kinda

I started blogging in April and I absolutely love it! It has changed and expanded and evolved into something different than what I originally thought.  But it has given me a great way to connect with others, share my thoughts and provide me with a wonderful hobby to get my mind going! I have also connected with some fabulous bloggers, too.  However, it is also getting increasingly harder to maintain two blogs!  Often times I don't know which blog to post my thoughts in because it could go either way.  I have decided to go downsize to just one blog.  I will still be  blogging about all the same things--but just in one blog instead of two! I have decided to keep Paladino Picks because it was my original!  I have decided to make it Paladino Picks and Ponderings.  It will still be my picks but also my thoughts! Hope you will continue reading:)  Hop on over today for my Weekend Wrapup!

TGIF

It's Friday Favorites day!! Head over to Paladino Picks to check them out:)

Things that make me happy

1. Getting Joey up in the morning and having him look up at me and say,

"Hi!"

2. That Joey is being promoted to big brother:) That's right, Joey is getting a little brother or sister in April!

3. Pumpkin galore! Yesterday I had pumpkin waffles, pumpkin coffee, a pumpkin bagel, pumpkin seed tortilla chips and pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Wowzas! That's A LOT of food! Please refer to #2:)

4. I started volunteering in the library at Holy Cross yesterday and I think it's going to be a really fun year! Click here to check out a fun lesson I'll be using in the coming weeks!

5. I love that the feeling of Fall is in the air! Click here for my Fall favorites!

Weekend Wrapup

Happy Fall!!

We woke up Friday morning to Fall like temperatures.  I love it!

We started off our day with First Friday mass.  I started this tradition when I was a teacher.  The Middle School teachers decided to start attending First Friday mass each month and invite the middle school students to join us.  It was amazing the number of students who show up each month! There is about 60 or so students in the middle school and there are times when we have over 40 kids in attendance.  Often times, students in younger grades even attend.  It's such a wonderful tradition that was started and I decided to start going again with Joey!  I want Joey to know the importance of the First Friday devotion.

We then treated ourselves to a donut hole(glaze for Joe and apple for me!) and coffee for the mama!

Joey took a ride on his motorcycle with Woodsy.

Woodsy's poor nose is chewed up and is pretty gross well loved. How big does he look here?! He's no baby anymore, he's all toddler!

Tuckered himself right out.

While Joey was napping I deep cleaned the bathroom and round this hideous spider in the tub! Does anyone else's house have a crazy amount of spiders this year?! HATE them. Killed it! Don't care if it rains.

Hi Mommy!

Look at this face?!

We played outside after nap time until dinner!  It was so beautiful out.

I ordered dinner from Amatoes which is literally 2 minutes from our house and it took me almost a half hour to get there!! I totally forgot about the stupid construction!

I had to work Saturday so we woke up early and went for a long walk and played outside until I had to get ready!

We ordered sandwiches from Jp Thortan's that night and they were delish!! Andrew went out with his friend Saturday night and I cuddled up in the coach to the Devil Wears Prada! It was the perfect evening in:)

I worked 10-4 on Sunday and then was just flat out too tired to take pictures! Highlights of Sunday:

-Joey's jubilant "hello" when I get him up in the morning!

-my delicious breakfast sandwich! I've said it before, I'll say it again--Port Bean has THE BEST bfast sammy ever!!

-sister night!

Have a lovely week:)

It's Friday!

If you know me at all, you know I love Fall!! Head over to Paladino Picks for the list of all of my favorites of Fall!

Have a good weekend:)

I had to leave you with this sweet picture of Joey.  He fell asleep in the car after our very busy morning of errands and a play date!  When I got him out of the car, he cuddled up right in the nook of my shoulder!  There is seriously nothing better than this moment:)

Cross Country

Yesterday I started my third season as the XC coach at Holy Cross! I wasn't going to coach this year, but then thought what the heck! Sometimes I feel because I have such a great life, why not be a person for others? I can volunteer my time to help other people! It's my way of giving back, because I am grateful for all I've been given!  And really, it gets Joey and I out of the house and we get a little exercise out of the deal. Yesterday was the first practice and it was a beautiful day for a run! After our run when we were stretching I let Joey out of the stroller and he was enjoying his freedom. 

How cute does he look?! He hopped himself right up in the window ledge and made himself comfy. He was excited about chillin in the school yard of his future school!

Ocean Park Pics!

Our family week at the beach was wonderful!  We headed out to Ocean Park everyday except Thursday! Joey and I both  needed a day off to rejuvenate.  For the most part the weather cooperated and we had lots of visitors everyday.  I can't believe another year has come and gone.  It is such a fabulous way to end the summer.  Here is our week in pictures.

If you missed my first round of pictures, click here!

This was Joey trying to escape the beach.  For some reason, he was obsessed with walking up this little path.  Luckily, I had my brothers around to chase him for me.

Playing with Uncle Patch!  Another plus to having younger brothers:)

Look at his little gut!

Sizing up crazy Uncle Louie. Can you tell he loves his uncles??

Chillin with a coffee. It was empty, people, relax!

Playing with Soph!

With Big Chris,  everybody loves baby Joey.

Surfing on the chair

Lounging. Ahh camp life:)

Now here's an interesting chair.

Joey loves coffee cups. Can you tell??

I made BBQ chicken nachos. They were a big hit. 

I love evening time at the beach!

Some pretty ladies

Off to the ice cream shop! Look at this crew:)

Playing with daddy on our last day.

Loving the view from my beach chair:)

Cookies with Sophia.  This was the day that his mom forgot his bathing suit.  In my defense, we came right from church and I forgot to pack it! Luckily I had this outfit in my bag from the day before.  I can't remember everything!

Joey loves the little girls

I love this kid!

We had such a fabulous week!

The Paladino Family

Ocean Park 2013

Be sure to pop over to Paladino Picks!

My first book recommendation of the new school year is up:)

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day!! Hope everyone is enjoying a long weekend with family, friends, food and fun! Be sure to check back tomorrow for my recap in pictures of our week at Ocean Park!

Get Pinspired!

I am super excited today for two reasons!

Reason #1: September is in two days!! For me, September marks the arrival of Fall!! I don't care what the calendar says, it's officially Fall on 9/1! Maine has an absolutely beautiful summer, but Fall takes the cake! The cool, brisk days are absolute perfection:) I am not gonna lie, I have had a pumpkin spice coffee every day this week! It is heaven in a cup, I tell ya! Be sure to check back next Friday for my Fall edition of Friday Favorites!! And in honor of Fall check out Paladino Picks today, I've combined my two favorite Fall foods--pumpkin and chili! It's a soul-warming bowl of yummy goodness:)

Reason #2: Today is Get Pinspired!! I am once again linking up with Shay, Sheaffer and Mel for a little Pinterest inspiration!! Be sure to check out their fabulous looks today too!

Click here for Shay at Mix and Match Mama

Here for  Sheaffer at Pinterest Told Me To

Here for Mel at The Larson Lingo

I seriously look forward to this monthly link up, it's such a blast! 

Here are my looks this month!

I thought this was a good transition look from summer to Fall!  You know I love a scarf:) 

Another great summer to Fall look.  Notice I am rockin another scarf?? Tis the season:) Throw on a cute pair of flats and a denim jacket and you are good to go for a brisk Fall day! Fabulous, right?

I adore hot pink and black!  If you pair it the right way, it looks so classy.  This is a great "off to work" kind of outfit:)

Be sure to check back on Monday for my beach vacation recap!  We are having a wonderful week at Ocean Park with the fam, it is the perfect way to end the summer and celebrate the arrival of Fall!

I mean look at these temps, people! Perfection, right?!

Have a blessed weekend:)

Happy First Day of School!!

The first day of school is nostalgic for me. As both a student and a teacher I anxiously awaited the first day of school!! Happy first day students and teachers!! I send all my teacher friends a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils via my blog:)

Last week I started linking up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. Since I have been at the beach all week I have been wearing a bathing suit all week! So, in honor of the first day of school I am linking you up to my back to school fashion must haves!! Click here!

May you all have a happy and blessed school year:)

Weekend at Ocean Park!

On Saturday night we loaded up the car, got Joey all ready for bed and headed down to Ocean Park!!

We arrived just in time for Bill's pizza! We let Joe explore the camp a bit before we put him to bed. 

Then some of my fam walked down to the Ice Cream Parlor and my mom brought me back a pumpkin ice cream!!

It was delish!

Cuddling up with my siblings! Then we decided to have a Taboo tournament. Some of my cousins joined us as well. It was a riot!

My partner was Pat. Bless his little heart! Let's just say we didn't win, but he definitely got better as the game progressed! I look super sisterly in this picture, like am I giving a lecture or something!?

Luke and my cousin, Michelle, looking super intense. 

Andrew and little Grace

And there's Annie! She couldn't miss an opportunity to a photo op:)

The next morning Joey woke up at 5:40 and I tried I get him to cuddle with me. Unsuccessfully. I am in the back but you can't seem me! Joe is totally unimpressed.

 Andrew and I decided to walk to the market and get a coffee so Joey wouldn't wake up the whole house. But of course it didn't open until 7:00. 

So we walked down to the beach! This is the scene at 6:30. Just beautiful. It was so quiet and chilly and absolutely wonderful at this time.

We made the BIG mistake of letting Joey walk to the market by himself. It was not our smartest parent making decision. But then I got a pumpkin spice coffee and all was right in the world:)

Then my mom and dad took Joey for a long walk and Andrew and I went and had breakfast and sat on the beach with a coffee.  It was nice to be kid free for just an hour.

Here's another beautiful view.

Here's Joey being a cool dude. 

Playing with his Uncle Patch whom he absolutely adores!

Loving mum's coffee cup. It's the little things. 

Then he played on the beach all morning!!

This is what the mama did when he finally took a nice, long afternoon nap! 

Then it was more beach time!

Then he wanted to play bocce ball with the big boys! How adorbs is this?!

Loving on the ladies:)

Worked up quite the appetite and inhaled some watermelon!!

It was such a great day!

This is where Joey wanted Woodsy to chill on the way home:)

More pictures to come as the week continues!!

Today is the last day of Beach Book Bonanza!! Click here to check it out:)