January and February – Here there and everywhere

We traveled a bit in 2019 and started the year with some fun adventures. Martin Luther King, Jr weekend we traveled to New York. I had wanted to see the play The Inheritance, which had been recommended by people I had been interviewing for my book project. It was a two part play – almost 7 hours! – but so worth it. I took the bus alone and the kids and Chris drove after the kids had a doctor’s appointment. We all went together to see Sing Street off Broadway. Bren had two friends in the show and it will be going to Broadway! Chris and Aidan left and Brendan stayed with me for one more show – the Tina Turner musical (another friend in a show). It was fantastic! By far the best finale of a musical ever!

Two weeks later Chris and I traveled to San Francisco for our anniversary. It is somewhere I have always wanted to go. We visited the Fisherman’s Wharf, took a tour that included traveling over the Gold Gate Bridge, saw the Castro and traveled by street car.

A few weeks after that we traveled to New Orleans for school vacation week. Aidan has been getting into jazz music and school vacation week fell just before Marti Gras. Chris’ parents also came with us. We stayed at an Air BNB and walked around the French Quarter. We took a horse drawn carriage tour, visited a costume shop and a wig shop (Bren got a souvenir). We took a river boat cruise that featured a jazz band on the Mighty Mississippi which was awesome. We also visited the jazz museum. It was a great school vacation.

In between all the travel fun, Aidan had a few competitions for Big Band- they did awesome. He joined the citywide band and performed at the Martin Luther King BPS celebration too. They even traveled to New York for a competition. What a cool experience! He’s really getting into his music!

Brendan and I had our annual trip to Disney on Ice before he went back to school from break. Always a fun time. Love that he will still hang out with me!

Christmas 2019

Our Christmas card this year was titled “We think they are over this.” It involved the kids tying up me and Chris with Christmas lights. Being back at Mount Alvernia meant that the annual Christmas tree sale was part of my holidays this year.

We had our traditional parties with family and saw friends, visited the Enchanted Village, the lights in Faneuil Hall and the kids saw Santa (just take away their phones and they cooperated!). Brendan and I saw friends in Dolly Parton’s Christmas Musical and Chris and I went to see Hanson’s Christmas concert. And of course there was the Christmas Pageant.

Aidan’s surprise gift was a drum set. Brendan got another styling head. It was a great holiday!

Fall 2019

What a trip being back in high school as an adult! It has taken a bit to get adjusted to being back in school – everyone in different schools. Somehow we got lucky and we all had different back to school nights. We are working on getting everyone where they need to be and getting all the schedules synced.

Aidan is in ninth grade. He is now in Dues Band (junior jazz band), Big Band (senior jazz band) and he decided to add football band to his list. We went to football games!!

Brendan is in seventh grade. He started the year rehearsing for another show – Willy Wonka! He is an Umpa Lumpa. The show was a lot of fun. Bren enjoyed his new friends and also seeing old friends come and enjoy the show too.

Both kids are busy with their activities and I am settling into my new role with events and getting to know everyone.

In October Emilee turned 2! She is so much fun to hang out with. She had fun dressing up as a lamb for Halloween. Brendan was Billie Eilish. Aidan didn’t dress up but came along to enjoy the fun of trick or treating on Broadway.

We took the opportunity of the long weekend in November to have a girls trip to Washington DC. Mom wanted to go to the Newseum which was scheduled to close at the end of 2019. We flew down for the weekend. We did some tourist things and then spent the day there. It was a fun weekend and I am so glad we got to see the Newseum before it closed!

Aidan played in the football band for the Thanksgiving game, but didn’t want us to go. It was a cold day! We celebrated with all our family.

In his spare time one Willy Wonka was going on, Bren volunteered at 4th Church to help with their show. It was Aladdin – a favorite show he performed there and at school and at summer studios. It was fun to watch him work with younger kids!

Somehow the fall flew by but not without lots of fun and silliness.