30th Wedding Anniversary Date!

This past weekend we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary! THIRTY!!! Like how is that possible! I swear I feel as if I met Jon three years ago! I am just so grateful I get to spend my life with him. He's so wonderful and always makes life easy for me. I love how he loves me and treats me. We celebrated by going to the city to see the final performance of the Notebook and although it triggered a memory in losing my mom to dementia it was a great show and I'm so glad I saw it. It was a simple and perfect evening. It's the little things you know. So a simple drive into the city to see a broadway show and admire the Christmas decorations on 5th avenue, including battling the crowds just to capture a photo of this years tree at Rockefeller center and eating pineapple cheesecake at Juniors is always worth it in mid December. It truly was the perfect anniversary gift! Oh...and we also saw the infamous Naked Cowboy for the fiftieth time! LOL!

Hell's Kitchen on Broadway!

 

After spending the day in Dumbo, we went to see the new show Hell's Kitchen. And so far it is by far one of my favorite new broadway shows. I can watch this over and over again. It was magical, funny, dynamic and captivating. Everyone performed so well. This one late spring day was absolutely perfect. So grateful for my wonderful husband who knows what puts a smile on my face when I'm feeling blue. It was the perfect gift after saying goodbye to all my girls after Lexie's wedding. Yes, broadway is therapeutic for me in every way! 

Under The Brooklyn Bridge.

I can't believe we are one week away from Christmas and 14 more days until 2025! I have been so unmotivated to write on here but alas here I am about to document a moment under the Brooklyn bridge  from June 4. 

After my daughter got married and chelsea flew home from JFK Jon wanted to cheer me up by taking me to the city for a broadway show to see Hell's Kitchen and to relax at one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn. Dumbo is my absolute fun zone and on this day we saw art, had some yummy ice cream, or in my case a root beer float because that always makes me happy. I absolutely loved this day and to tell you the truth, looking at these photos, at times...I miss summer. 

Noah At The Plaza!

 

December is here and going to the Plaza has become tradition since Noah was five and even at the age of 15 love seeing Christmas through his eyes. Nostalgia always kicks in when we come here. Sure there are times where he will sigh when I ask him to take a picture but at the end of that sigh comes a smile with a "sure mom" answer. I love how agreeable he is and how much fun he actually has once our date begins. He was in awe with the decor and even though he'll say things like, "their just red big balls" I know that he thinks they are the coolest and biggest ornaments. The fact that he reminded me of Kevin Mcallister form Home Alone even for five minutes while he was wondering down the halls made me smile. Makes me extremely grateful to be able to experience the magic of christmas (without the room service.) So if you're ever "lost in New York" come and experience the magic of staying at The Plaza...even if it's just for breakfast!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024

For the first time in years we experienced watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade in the rain! Never in the past 12 years that we've been going has the parade been rained on. First time for everything I suppose. Nonetheless we had fun and endured it until the end. Some of us were drenched but luckily it wasn't freezing cold. We managed to come home in time to cook and have a nice thanksgiving dinner. So grateful to have Lexie and Hyrum here for thanksgiving. They say once the kids get married and are on their own holidays with them are shared and I hate sharing! Wish they can be here every year for every holiday. Here's hoping that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving filled with an abundance of love and gratitude.

Countdown To Thanksgiving!

 

The countdown to Thanksgiving has begun and Macy's is all decked out for the holidays! Always look forward to taking a photo of Noah standing right smack in the center of the entrance. It's become tradition since the pandemic happened! Looking forward to Thanksgiving this week and to have at least 2/4 of our kids spend it with us! So excited for the holiday season to begin soon! 

Stephen Sanchez & Paper Kites at The Met Philly!

I'd be remiss if I didn't document Noah's first concert! Jon was originally supposed to go with me but he got called into work and luckily Noah is a good sport and didn't hesitate to see Stephen Sanchez with me! He really enjoyed the concert too! I think the fact that Stephen Sanchez plays the guitar got Noah so interested. He is now hooked on his music. He also enjoyed seeing the Paper Kites and meeting them was the coolest thing. I didn't know they were opening for them until I got the tickets so I killed two birds with one stone by seeing two great artists perform on the same evening! It was a fun evening with my boy and look forward to many more little concert dates with this kiddo!

Hudson Valley in the Fall!

 

The Be real and lapse apps have become a fave and sharing them on here makes me happy to document on what reality looks like behind the pictures. On this day (November 3rd) our original plan was to drive to Vermont but because we went to church in Maplewood to say goodbye to Elder Rodgers made the drive too long and knew we wouldn't arrive until after dark. The furthest we got was Newburgh in the Hudson Valley and man are we glad we did. We made a pit stop at the pizza shop where their neighboring foodie was a taco place. The wait was too long at Hudson tacos so we ended up eating pizza and wings and ice cream and it did not disappoint! This was an early birthday treat for Noah. In spite of Noah getting sick on the way home (too much dairy on an empty stomach!) it was worth seeing the fall foliage on the Hudson. Next time we will all make sure we have breakfast before heading out on such long drives. You'd think we'd know this since we travel so much! Other than the puking part it was a great day to go to church to see a friend and get out of Jersey!

Dia De Muertos In Times Square.

 

Dia De Los Muertos in Times Square. This day hit hard and so differently compared to past Dia De Muertos. Mourning my mom is still ongoing. Grief continues to sneak in on me but at the end of the day I celebrate her memory knowing that she is with me. Two of the most important and amazing people in my life have left this world. I miss them both so much but happy that they are together again. The offrendas were exquisite and elaborate. So beautiful. I love this tradition and will continue to remember those who have passed on. But especially my mom and Joe.

Noah is 15!!

My favorite, yet bittersweet time of the year is celebrating Noahs birthday. Every year I say this and it is such a cliche saying this but time does fly! He's 15 and getting taller every day. He's now an inch or two taller than me now. I had so much fun capturing random photos of him at our favorite spot in Central Park. I love that he still likes for me to take his picture (sometimes) that he's still into legos, transformers, sonic and shadow figurines, and playing Roblox. Although he says girls are pretty he's not into them right now. He says he is focusing on school and guitar and that's good because he is still young!! He's old school in a lot of ways by playing outside and also loves staying at home watching youtube videos. I am so lucky to have an amazing kid. Sure he can get a little annoying at times but it's very rare. I love that he still likes to snuggle and that he gives me a peck on the cheek when I drop him off at school and when he comes home from school. May those moments never end! Happy Birthday Noah! Love you more than ever!!

Our Mini "Stars Hollow."

 

There are so many quaint towns in New England that give Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girl vibes and going to New Milford in Connecticut where they actually have a gazebo that is similar to the one in the show blew me away. I have loved Gilmore Girls since the 90's and my youngest daughter and I can rewatch it over and over again. Apparently there are a few charming New England towns that inspired Stars Hollow. This one has become a favorite. Going during the fall season was dreamy and the fall decor throughout the town is stunning. I'm so grateful to be a fall baby and to be able to celebrate all season long by venturing out to the places I love. 

Scenes Of NYC In BeReals!

 

New York City is always filled with excitement and since the fall season began it has been a good season so far. The "ember" months are definitely my favorite and there is always so much to do here. I love spending time with my family and we had so much fun going to Jimmy Fallon's Tonightmares. Although it wasn't super scary the effects and the actors did such a great job. I loved the set up and it was super kid friendly which is probably why it wasn't super duper scary. 

Peak Foliage in Central Park!

Two weekends ago we went to Central Park cause it was peak foliage and it was stunning! I was really impressed with the fall foliage. We have had summer all month of October and with no rain I feel that the leaves are already drying out. They are falling off now but I am so glad we were able to see autumn in New York. It never gets old and we just love coming here when peak hits. I captured a few photos on the lapse app as well as my own. So remind yourself that these scenes from fall in Central Park are a reminder to you to put it on your bucket list and come experience it for yourself. It is gorgeous! And let's not get into the halloween decorations that new Yorker put out! Absolutely perfect!

Same Stoop Six Years Later!

 

We have been "halloween stooping" since moving closer to the city and six years ago I captured Noah walking past the same stoop from six years ago. I can't believe how tall and grown he's gotten. My heart is literally breaking watching him tower me. It's so fun to capture these moments and bittersweet at the same time. Not sure how long we will do these reenactments of old photos but I'll take it as long as he allows me to!

Halloween 2024.

And just like that...October is gone and November arrived like a leer jet. Before welcoming November I'd like to talk a little about October and how trick or treating went this year. First of all, let me mention that this was my first time preparing and handing out candy in about 25 years. All my years I've been taking the kids out trick or treating and mind you I never left a bowl of candy out because in all honestly we lived in an area where we didn't get many trick or treaters and just didn't bother because we weren't going to be home anyway. However, for the first time in the year 2024 I made cute little candy baggies and decorated my tin basket outside and guess how many trick or treaters came? Four! Luckily as I was putting everything inside I saw three more trick or treaters passing my house and gave them bags of candy. I still had at least 20 plus left. Oh well, since Noah didn't go out trick or treating I gave the candy to him and that was how my halloween went. Not sure I will do it again next year as we do live in an area that is near the turnpike where we hardly get trick or treaters but nonetheless I was grateful for those seven humans who came and passed through my space to hand out candy. And although I cried a bit, it was a pretty good feeling when I handed them out. 

Fall In The Hudson Valley.

 

It's peak foliage right now in the Hudson Valley and each year we go to Sleepy Hollow to check out all the sights. We didn't do the whole "touristy" thing because we've gone so many times and it's a good thing because it was so crowded. I swear every year this area gets busier and busier with crowds. I know putting this spot on social media doesn't help. When some big influencer posts about a certain place everyone just has to go there. We've been coming here since Instagram was even a thing and now that I'm getting older it kind of bothers me that these quaint little towns are becoming so popular. Don't get me wrong I love people but not when it's super crowded! We love sleepy hollow and we will still come here but not during halloween season!

Tia Margot.

I've always wondered what my aunt was up to since she left Mcallen and when I googled my aunt's address earlier this year I knew that I had to get in touch with her. I was trying to get a hold of her to let her know about my mom and when I was on my way to see my niece I decided to go see her. See, they both live within 30 minutes of each other and I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. Even though it took me forever to get a hold of my aunt I knew that I had to keep trying. I finally got a text back from her but it wasn't very sensible. I kept calling her to let her know that her sister (my mom) died but to no avail. She wasn't picking up or answering the texts right away. When we finally arrived I now knew why and I will explain that in a minute. 

A Hike In Bucks County.

Hiking is honestly not one of my favorite things to do but oh how I love basking in nature. Over the summer we went on a hike in Bucks County Pennsylvania and I have to admit it was beautiful. Going hiking at this age proves all too well that I am a city girl through and through but theres something about nature that lives in you. Noah loves to go on hikes and being a Boy Scout has helped him appreciate the outdoors. He loves using his compass to find his way through the woods. Not that we would get lost in a hiking trail but you never know. It's good that he learned how to use a compass and the do's and don'ts of hiking. It was a beautiful warm day and something that I needed to do to feel closer to my mom. She wasn't a hiker either but the fact that I was in one of Gods beautiful creations in the outdoors and being high up helped me to know that she is always looking out for me from above. 

Arthur Ashe Day At The U.S. Open!

Here we are in the middle of the October and although I am enjoying the cooler weather there are days when I miss summer. Particularly because of the U.S. open. It's only here for a short time. Two weeks is never enough to see our favorite players play but we did get to take Noah on Arthur Ashe day. We've been coming here for years since he was about seven and you're never to old to go. We love all the freebies they give. We had such a great time sitting in the stadium watching dude perfect and the legendary Andre Agassi. It was so much fun and a perfect sunny day for it. Last year we got rained on and the crowds were minimal. This year it was super crowded! We had such a fun time and look forward to taking Noah to see a game next year. 

Moments to Live For.

It's been over a little two months since my mom passed away and the one thing I will always remember are the happy moments I shared when we were all together. So grateful that 3/4 of my kids made it to our little gathering and that they were able to help us get through the grief. So thankful for them and for my brother and sister who held it together through this stressful time. We are all built differently when it comes to handling stress and grief and believe me, I'm not that strong and when I'm not it's God's turn. Inside I'm literally screaming but on the outside I'm keeping it sane. I made the choice to do so for the sake of myself and my family. I love the time we all spent together and these will be the moments I will remember the most. 

It's October!

And just like that...it's October. 

It's been a pretty busy first week of October hence not blogging but alas I'm here and am welcoming October with open arms. I love all the "ember" months and look forward to cooler temps, the smell of pumpkin spice, and of course Halloween. Noah is on the fence about dressing up this year and it makes me sad that those years of trick or treating are gone but hopefully he will be in the mood to dress up. I mentioned to him "it's free candy" and he still hasn't budged. I won't force him but it's on October 7th so there's still hope! 

At least he'll still let me take his picture on decorated stoops in the city! And this one on the upper east side is absolutely gorgeous! 

Remembering 9/11

Here we are on the last day of September and want to close the month with a little post in regards to 9/11. 23 years later and it's still gut wrenching to see these tribute lights. We have been going every year since moving to Jersey and every year I become more and more emotional. I blame it on getting older. I blame it on living so close to the city and how life is indeed very short-especially these days. It's bittersweet looking forward to this day as it falls on my birthday month. Paying tribute to those who lost their lives is my priority when the month begins. Sure I look forward to my special day and in doing fun things but what I love the most is remembering. Remembering 9/11 with my family. Remembering the first time I fell in love with New York city when we went for the first time in the year 2000. Remembering the first time we entered those twin towers with my then little family of four. Remembering all those who lost their lives and although it is painful for thousands of families it is also beautiful knowing that they will never be forgotten with these tribute lights. Even in death- this world can truly be beautiful if we view like that. So let us never forget and always remember this day and to continue to teach our posterity all about what happened in one of our favorite cites back on September 11, 2001. 

Apple Picking On My Birthday!

 

Apple picking has been a tradition since Noah was a toddler and so we snuck in some fall fun on my birthday this past week and went to the orchard! Noah was a good sport and with Jon working wanted to make my day fun and so we decided to go apple picking. It was the sweetest most simplest gift and I of course turned it into a mini photo shoot. I love taking pictures and capturing the moments especially with this kid. He's growing up way too fast and so far he has made the time to come with me on little dates. They say that between the ages of 14-18 life gets busy with kids and I have to say that so far it hasn't gotten that way....yet! Noah doesn't pack his schedule with a lot of extra curricular activities and I don't have in multiple sports. He just started high school so I'm hoping that he will learn to find a balance in case he gets even busier as he grows older. I'm sure he will but hopefully the lessons I've taught him about how important sleep, time, and family are that he will make those a priority. The overcast day made it a perfect day to go. I'm so grateful for these moments and hope that we will continue to go on little outings like this as long as he is living under our roof! 

Beach Therapy.

Going to the beach is all kinds of therapy especially when you need to be reminded of how beautiful life can be. It's up to us to choose joy and I choose to be happy. Losing my momma hasn't been the easiest but I'll tell you that it can be a bit tolerable knowing that she is in a better place. I know that she is watching over me in hopes that I know that she's okay. The beach was her favorite and coming here gave me the reassurance that she is. That she is with loved ones catching up and enjoying each others company. I am so grateful for that feeling of peace and although I have days where I break down I know that it'll pass and that I will repeatedly remember her death but also celebrate it in a way where it can be positive and beautiful. 

Sunday Brunch.

Earlier this month we ventured out to the outskirts of Philly and explored Life's Patina Mercantile and & Cafe and it is the cutest shop. We went there for brunch and I had the keesh and Jon and Noah had the pork sandwich. It was delicious and the poppy seed cake was rich and mouth watering. I feel that my sweet tooth is diminishing. I've never had one to begin with but being that it's my birthday month splurged and ate some. I also love their home decor and they have funny birthday cards and fresh flowers. It was a beautiful spot and being away from the city was soothing. I love venturing out in the country every now and then. I love the city but sometimes you just need to getaway. Especially this time of year when the leaves are beginning to change.

I Choose Joy.

Don’t let the smiles fool you behind these photos. Yesterday was my 53rd Birthday and in all honesty it was a pretty hard day. A day of off and on crying-waiting for my mom's yearly phone call to hear her voice on the phone uttering those two words “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Asking me “How is your day going?” “Are you doing anything fun today?” Yada yada yada.

Well, I am lucky and I am thankful that I have done fun things during my birthday month, but it’s still hard. The only difference is…is that I choose JOY. I choose JOY to make my days fulfilled and worth living. And that makes a huge difference when a loved one is no longer with you. Especially when it's your momma.

Chicago The Musical!

This past weekend we celebrated by 53rd birthday a little early and all I wanted was to go to the city to catch a broadway show and eat at one of my favorite overrated restaurants with my favorite photo booth! It has become tradition to see a show and since my birthday is on a weekday celebrated this past Saturday. After being on broadway for so many years we finally saw Chicago and it was so good. I was bummed that Alyssa Milano wasn't performing that day due to a stomach virus but hope to see her perform in it before her last performance on November 10th. It was a simple and fun evening. The weather was perfect and it always feels great to be back in my city but at times am grateful to have the opportunity to have both worlds. Living outside the city is a blessing at times because of the hustle but my love for New York will NEVER go away. No matter how noisy it gets I will always come back to her. Anyway, after the show we ate at the smith where I Jon had the yummiest burger and I had pasta with hot fudge brownie sundae for dessert. It was a perfect celebration and so thankful to have a hubby who makes me feel good inside and out! Okay I hope that didn't sound kinky! Y'all know what I mean!

Road Trip to Harmony, Pennsylvania.

On the last day of August we drove to Harmony Pennsylvania where we took in the peace and quiet that nature in the outskirts of Philly has to bring. It definitely felt like fall as we walked and stood looking at the Susquehanna river. Noah and Jon were having too much fun throwing rocks in the water while I gazed and took in all of the greenery surrounding the river. I love it here. It's so peaceful and the perfect getaway to escape the hustle and bustle of all the noise that we are surrounded with. Especially at this time with my mind still in disbelief that my momma is gone. I am doing much better now and know that my mom would want me to enjoy myself and to continue to do the things that she wasn't able to see or do. It's nice to go to places like this where I can stop and pause to think and clear my mind of all the noise in this world. Jon and Noah have been great at making me feel at ease and to remind me that life goes on.

Visiting the priesthood restoration site for the third time is always nice but this time my focus was on my myself and to take in the moments of the quiet. It is a great place to remind me of why I believe in God and in how the book of mormon came about. I will forever be grateful for the peace that it gives me when I am in  possession of it. This area has so much history and is a beautiful place to just walk and enjoy the fall season that is now upon us! 

More photos below...

The Coffee Mugg.

One of the cutest places my sister took me to while in Corpus was a quaint little coffee place called the Coffee Mugg and it is inspired by Harry Potter. I really appreciate the effort this coffee shop put into making it a fun, relaxing place where you can sit and sip on your coffee or hot chocolate. I had to take pictures of it because it's so cute and nostalgic. My entire family are huge Harry Potter fans and being here was a breather and a little get away from our mom while she was at home resting. I highly recommend this place if you're into coffee and even you're not like me it's still a fun joint where you can play chess and just sit and chit chat with your peeps or in this case with my sis.

A Day At The Pool.

I have to admit I felt a little guilty going to the pool after my mom passed away but the weather in Texas was brutal with temps that felt over 100 degrees! Oh how grateful I am for free pools that the city of Corpus Christi provides for everyone. We didn't spend too much time as the water was very warm. It felt like I was taking a warm bath! However, it was nice and I'm glad that we had a little bit of relaxation in the middle of all that was happening such as waiting for my moms ashes, and putting her little apartment in order and so on! This day was good.

Summertime Sadness.

Don't let the smiles fool ya in these photos. This whole summer has been filled with sadness and in all honesty I felt obligated to smile behind the lens. I was worrying to death about my dear mom wondering how much longer she was going to live after I flew back home. Little did I know she would die three days later. I did want to see the ocean before leaving and so my sister took me before I flew out. I call Corpus the "California of Texas" and just love the palm trees. They remind me of my mom when we last took pictures here with her. Bittersweet memories and oh how I do miss her. 

NOLA.

Our little trip to NOLA while on our way to see mom hit differently this time around. The fact that we were passing through this city was not to have fun but to remember. I honest didn't even feel like walking down bourbon street or window shop or see art and culture. And I love art! We did go to Lafayette cemetery and walked around. I love the architecture and the above ground tombstones. For some reason I found it gratifying. I was at peace walking around and admiring the family tombs. Maybe it was because we weren't going to bury my mom because she was going to be cremated. Noah also thought the cemeteries here are pretty cool. It sure was a hot day so we got snow-cones afterward. That is one traditional fun thing we did. 

In Memory Of Mom.

It's been almost a month since my mom passed and i have to admit my momentum in blogging has gone downhill. I honestly don't feel like writing but I know that it helps me when I do. Maybe one of these days I will write about what I remember about my mom and write a longer version of this story. We drove back to Texas to settle mom's things our of her apartment as well as go to the funeral home to have my mom cremated. Those were her wishes and although it was a very stressful day finalizing her final wish and everything that goes when a loved one dies we pressed on and got things done. 3/4 of our kids were there for moral support and to provide me, their aunt and uncle with love and hugs. It was bittersweet having them all here. The reason I say that is because mom passed away a week before we all arrived. She wasn't able to see any of the grandkids but at least they got to face-time her while I was there the first time. I was just so happy that Noah, Hyrum, Lexie and Chelsea were there and that we all arrived safely. 

Rest in Peace Momma...

Yesterday our mom lost her battle with Dementia. There is nothing that prepares you for losing a parent. As she was the only parent I had that raised me. I'm still not quite sure what to write at the moment. There will be no funeral service as she wanted to be cremated. When our kids fly out in August we will have our own little private little ceremony to honor her. We will forever be grateful for the thoughts and prayers that she made it long enough to spend time with me and my sis....but most of all our brother. He definitely was her "little prince." For the prompting that my dear friend Catherine had in flying me ahead of time to spend those final days with my mom. She was definitely waiting for me to see her. Go with your loved ones now momma, and be with you till we meet again.
 

My Final Days With My Momma.

Back in May my mom fell down and broke her shoulder which required for her to have surgery. When she came out of surgery she had no idea where she was. Her caregiver mentioned to her how she was in rehab to recuperate from a broken shoulder in hopes that she can go home within 30 days. After she came home is when the decline began happening...and quick. I couldn't help but to feel helpless here in Jersey while my mom was in the process of healing. It was then that my sister realized she had to move from Florida to be closer to our mom. To help her get settled in and adjust when she got released. All was going well when all of a sudden her momentum was declining.

Yankees!

So far this week temps have been brutal as high as 95 degrees and we have pretty much been staying indoors. However we did go to a yankees game last weekend and even though we went in the evening it was still scorching hot! Humid. We quenched our thirst throughout the entire game and sweated and were totally sticky by the end of the night. Nonetheless we had a good time and even though I'm not a baseball aficionado I love going to the games. It's such a vibe. The crowd, the energy they give when the Yankees are winning. It's the best and I love it! One of these days we will be on the Jumbotron but at least we get to get down with the crowds singing YMCA! 

On The Second Day In June...

We had our first visit to a swimming pool! 

When Lexie and Hyrum got married they were gifted a three night stay at a nearby hotel and it was the best! We got to swim in their pool and were able to get a little tan. It was so nice and I can tell Noah has been going through withdrawal not going to a pool and having his sisters with him made it twice as fun! I love this pool! We miss the heck out of these kids but luckily Noah and I have each other and find fun stuff to do to keep summer busy. Some days we will just stay home and veg out cause it's been too hot, and somedays we will go to the pool! hat we have a nearby pool to swim in! We do miss Jon but luckily we have the weekends with him!