This site aims to showcase the gratitude I have towards the people and experiences I've come to cherish the most in my life.
Herein contains an extensive catalog of photographs, albums, video clips, and short films showcasing my endeavors from around the house and around the world.
Photography brings joy to my life - it's a hobby, an art form, an obsession, a passion, an escape. Most of all, it's a way to better preserve and recall my life's journey.
Whatever brought you here, I genuinely appreciate you stopping by and hope you enjoy your visit.
Summer 2023:
I'M AN UNCLE! MARISSA'S AN AUNT! THE KIDS FINALLY HAVE A FIRST COUSIN!
Kyle's sister Elise welcomed Brady Rhys Baron to the world in the wee hours of June 25th. We're overjoyed to have a nephew, cousin, and new baby in the family!
The Bradys had to wait a week to meet him in person, due to our beach vacation, but then was fortunate to see him two days in a row along with the greater Brady family at a pool party in Allentown. Which happened to be on Rowan's birthday (she's 7!!)
And yes, that aforementioned beach vacation...we continued our summer tradition renting a house in LBI / Long Beach Island. 2023 marked the 4th year in a row we've gone as a family and the second straight year in the same house along with our friends the Millers. In addition to the beach, the pool at the house remained the hit, along with Fantasy Island, outdoor happy hours, and lots of ice cream. Of course. We had amazing weather and lots of highlights along the way. LBI truly is our happy place.
Even managed an extended family photo shoot that we were able to take advantage of as well. Another very successful and fun week - LBI rarely disappoints.
Spring 2023:
So far it's been an eventful start to the spring! Hudson started Little League, and the whole thing is super adorable. Kyle turned 38, and celebrated with a Brady boy golf outing including Hudson (first time ever) and PopPop. It was a three-generation group and a memorable day for us all.
The following weekend, we celebrated Mimi's 50th Birthday in Staten Island along with a favorite holiday, Easter. Of course we decorated eggs, found our baskets, and hunted for eggs in the yard.
Later this month, we have some travel and adventure to look forward to:
- Kyle and Hudson sports-themed getaway to Cooperstown (4/21-4/23).
As part of our Christmas and Birthday presents so far this year, Mommy treated the boys to a sports-themed weekend in Cooperstown, NY, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, for a weekend of Golf, Baseball, and adventuring. On the way up, we stopped in Scranton, PA, home of Dunder Mifflin, and became official shark tasters at Cooper's restaurant (where Kyle also did some damage in the Office-themed gift shop). We stopped again 30 mins from our destination to explore a State Park, fly the drone, and get nervously close to falling in the river while climbing trees.
Upon our arrival at the early-20th-century Otesaga Resort Hotel, we dined well at the grill restaurant at the best seat in the house. Our table overlooked the lake, the golf course we were set to play the next day, and the aftermath of a wedding ceremony that had just taken place. Absolutely gorgeous setting.
We played golf at Leatherstocking Golf Club along the lake and into the hills, in what Kyle described as "one of the coolest golf courses" he's ever played. Hudson agreed - although it was only his 2nd round ever.
And of course we toured the Baseball Hall of Fame, getting to know heroes of the game both recent and ancient. Hudson having just started playing this year made the trip even more timely. Overall, what an incredible time we got to spend together...an absolute life highlight for Kyle. Thank you for this gift, Marissa.
- As amazing as Cooperstown was for the boys, sometimes Mommy & Daddy need a getaway too. So the very next weekend, Kyle and Marissa managed to escape to Las Vegas (4/29-5/1). For the first time since 2019, Marissa was invited to attend a pharmaceutical industry conference at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas. And just like 4 years earlier, Kyle was able to take advantage of the free hotel room and generous babysitting offers to tag along!
We splurged the first night on 3rd row tickets to Ali Wong, one of Marissa's favorite comedians. We hit the pool, had an amazing Japanese dinner outside alongside a Koi pond at Mizumi (another absolutely gorgeous dining setting), and even got bonus time hanging together Monday morning before the work events got underway. Other than spending too much time waiting for the buffet on multiple occasions, the trip was an overwhelming success.
Hudson and Rowan soccer seasons kicked back into gear
Big kids compete in Field Day at school
Winter 2022-23:
Missed actually updating this entire season while it was happening. Looking back, it was a pleasant but not super memorable winter. The weather was mild - we didn't get a single snowfall until March.
Christmas and the holiday season went well. We hosted the Bradys on New Years Eve, but otherwise were able to attend holiday events at other people's houses for the most part. I did get a new camera lens - a super telephoto 200-600mm zoom - and got some decent bird photos from the backyard. Hoping for more of that as spring comes through.
In January, Marissa and Rowan took a girls trip to Orlando as part of Rowan's Christmas present. While they were away, Kyle took Hudson, Dylan, and Clarence (?!?!) to upstate NY to visit PopPop and Grammy for the first time since 2019 - in other words, Dylan's first visit ever. During the trip, Hudson went skiing for the first time at Mount Peter. He got kicked out of the free beginner lesson for being too good already, and proceeded to bomb the bunny hill his first try. The full top-to-bottom run was a bit more challenging, but Hudson recognized the accomplishment of getting down the mountain even though it was hard. Proud Dad moment!
Fall 2022:
11/27/22 - Decided to travel for Thanksgiving this year, taking advantage of another opportunity to go to Gigi's (Grammy's) house in Calabash, North Carolina! It was the 2nd time we visited this year after not having gone down since 2019 - we'd missed it so much!
Anyway, we drove again which meant taking 2 days to get down and then back up, stopping in Virginia each time. While we were there we had a very relaxing and low-key time, playing lots of Rummicube, watching the World Cup (and Hallmark movies!) and preparing a big yummy Turkey-day feast.
We also made it to the community inside pool, a driving range, and of course, St Nick-Nack's. Turns out it might have been the first Thanksgiving I'd had there since high school, and we left feeling so grateful for the chance to spend the holiday together and make new memories with Gigi.
p.s.
The morning of Thanksgiving, we were presented with a lottery ticket to scratch-off and see if we'd won - courtesy of Elise and Steve. Turned out we all won - but instead of there being a cash prize, we found out....Elise was pregnant! I'm going to be an Uncle for the first time, Marissa an Aunt, and the kids will have their very first First Cousin! Elise is due in June 2023 so we can't wait to pawn off lot of baby things and kids clothes when the time comes :)
10/25/22 - Returning home and back to normal today after 80% of the family went out of town for a long weekend, on two separate trips!
Kyle had a "Dude Trip" planned to fly up to Portland, Maine with the High School crew, so Marissa decided to escape with the big kids to Disney at the same time! Those kids sure have it good
9/24/22 - Wouldn't be a proper fall without the annual pilgrimage to Penn State to catch a football game! This time it was a long weekend, so we positioned ourselves slightly outside State College in an Airbnb firmly entrenched in Amish Country. This was a really unique lodging option that allowed us to experience a 1750s farm house property surrounded by a culture not commonly seen in our daily lives.
As if combining the fun of the football game with campus tours, shopping, Ice Cream, a soccer game, tailgating wasn't enough, our extra day allowed us to venture to a new destination, Penn Caves! This was a super cool spot with an underground limestone cave that you saw from a canoe ride. I (re) learned the difference between stalactites and stalagmites, stared in awe at the led light setup they had in this 100-foot-underground cave, and ventured back in shame as Dylan decided to scream and wiggle the entire way back through the cave. The 14 other people in the canoe were thrilled to have joined our boat!
Anyway, after the cave boat ride, we did an animal bus safari, which went much more smoothly, and a maze escape. Twas a supremely enjoyable time overall indeed.
Summer 2022:
8/30/22 - Gotta keep this in the Summer section since its 92 degrees outside and not even Labor Day yet, but today was the kids FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Hudson is starting 3rd grade (!!!) and Rowan 1st (!). Even Dylan may start at Day Care 2x a week later next month.
So yes, we're back into the school schedule. Welcome timing as the summer was enjoyed but ready to transition. School, soccer, farms, and football, here we come!
8/18/22 - Couldn't end the summer without one more getaway. Before the kids return to school and to further celebrate Hudson's birthday, we ventured back to Newport, Rhode Island, for the first time since 2019 PC (pre-Covid). This time we took Nana along and she was able to join in the fun.
We hit many of the greatest hits on this trip - Corner Cafe, Gas Lamp Grill, sunset from Bowman's Wharf, climbing rocks at Easton's Beach, Lobster Rolls, the Arcade, harbor Sailboat tour, Kite Flying, and the Breakers.
And of course, a sunrise photo shoot down at the end of Ledge Rd.
Love Newport and the memories we've made there. Might not resume going every year but I hope we keep it in our regular travel repertoire.
8/16/22 - Hudson turned 8! We celebrated by taking the boy and 3 of his friends to see Imagine Dragons (and Macklemore) at the Camden pavilion - followed by a sleepover afterwards. Not for the feint of heart, or sensitive of hearing, but a fun time and excellent concert nonetheless. Glow sticks for the win!
7/17/22 - Wrapping up an unusual but satisfying weekend. Hudson woke up Friday testing positive for Covid- the 2nd family member now who's caught it after Marissa got unlucky back in May. Anyway, the forced isolation of H & M along with a planned Nana sleepover weekend for Rowan meant that Kyle and Dylan got to spend lots of quality time together! We took full advantage of a couple awesome weather days, spending hours at several of our nearby parks. Dylan also pooped in the potty for the first time at Nana's when we were there picking up Rowan! Woohoo for poop!
7/3/22 - Rowan turned 6! We celebrated!
6/18/22 - Schools out, which only means one thing - LBI WEEK 2022! This is now a week we look forward to every year and is only getting better with experience. This year we doubled down on the fun by going in on a bigger house with our friends, the Millers, who live in Indiana. Although I've been able to see Brian a fair bit over the last few years, our families only have spent about a combined 90 mins together prior to this week. Still, we were all looking forward to it and had high hopes for a memorable trip.
Our house was the perfect location on the bayside of Beach Haven Terrace, right across from Marvel Donuts and Wawa. It was nearly brand new, had lots of space and amenities, and best of all, featured a HEATED POOL (which came in extra handy with the weather in the low 70s most of the week).
In addition to the Millers staying, we actually bookended the trip by hosting Nana the first night and JoJo & Sami the last night. Plus, we spent lots of time with our friends the Muhas and Chesters throughout the week.
All in all, things couldn't have gone much better. Kyle didn't crash the OneWheel and no one was sick, and the weather even held out to a mere 15 mins of rain one day. Here's a recap of the highlights from each day in LBI:
Saturday - drove down in 2 cars, setup the house, and immediately welcomed the Muhas over to swim in the pool. Ordered Clam Chowder from California Grill. Played Mille Borne with Nana. Watched our first sunset from the rooftop deck of the house. Kyle OneWheeled to the Hudson House to hang with the Chesters and didn't crash on the way home!
Sunday - hit up Bay Village for toy shopping, enjoyed the pool, and anxiously awaited the Millers' arrival. More pool time then checked out the beach for the first time. Grilled for dinner, and hosted the Chesters at night.
Monday - pool in the morning then made it a big beach afternoon with the Millers, Muhas, and Chesters. Early dinner at the Shell followed by Ice Cream at Barry's (this may become a trend)
Tuesday - check out Marvel for donuts, and machine was broken! Try again tomorrow. Relaxed day at the beach and Triton happy hour for pizza and oysters. Fantasy Island rides and soft serve ice cream at Kohr's
Wednesday - worst weather day, but donut machine fixed so got our own donut fix. Then did Beach Haven bayside Playground, Fantasy Island Arcade, lunch at The Shack, and some clothes shopping. Back home for Happy Hour outside at Terrace Tavern, then ice cream at Ship Bottom Creamery (formerly known as Meltdown)
Thursday - last full day with the Millers, spent mostly at the pool. Warmed up in the afternoon and went back to double dip at Triton for some more oysters and a seafood tower. Bit more arcade, then dinner on the rooftop of Tucker's, our favorite spot from 2021. Couldn't go home without stopping for ice cream (cup + sandwich!) at Moo-Hoo
Friday- said farewell to our friends and hello to the in-laws. Pool time, then split up to go shopping as I stayed back with Dylan. Met back together at Bird & Bettys, formerly the Ketch, and had one of the most fun happy hours of the week on the upstairs balcony. Awesome food like Jersey Devil (fried oyster over deviled egg), pizza, and shrimp toast. Of course we couldn't leave without some ice cream! Home for last dip in the pool, packing everything up for our departure, and one final OneWheel ride down to the bay
Saturday- had to checkout early by 9am but we made it just in time...so rewarded ourselves with donuts from Marvel across the street. Drove up 20 blocks to setup a beach day, parking near the house of Hudson's friend Brody, who had come down the day before. Spent a few hours on the beach and Hudson decided he would stay one more night at the invitation of his friend. The rest of us drove back home, saw Clarence for the first time in 7 days, and unpacked everything from both cars. Missed Hudson but heard he was riding wave runners and jumping into the bay, so I think he made the right choice to stay.
Trips like this may happen now on a more regular basis, or may never happen in quite the same way again. That's why it's so important for me to capture, store , and share these moments in time, these events that are shaping my life. To be honest, despite the hundreds of keepers shown on this album, there were so many more moments shared without being documented whatsoever. I try to keep a reasonable balance to stay in the moment when it matters, vs document when appropriate.
Gotta say we are officially now on a hot streak of successful travels, events, and life progression. It's hard not to reflect on that and be filled with gratitude for what we have and who we are able to share life's moments with.
LBI has some kind of spiritual power to it, where that when combined with extended friends and family, comes pretty close to emblemizing my personal version of heaven on Earth.
Or at least represents the peak of my own narrow concept of happiness.
<3 LBI <3
6/11/22 - Had an absolutely wonderful time celebrating Nana's 66th Birthday at Grounds for Sculpture. It had been too long since we were there previously and were quickly reminded how much of a gem that place is. We wrapped up the day attending a Graduation party for our neighbor Brady, making it a memorable Saturday.
6/4/22 - Realizing that we haven't taken full potential of our house for socializing, we took on the ambitious plan of hosting our friends and their families for a summer kickoff BBQ.
Officially justified by the Persiani's upcoming move to North Jersey, and with a goal of whipping the house and landscape into shape, we invited and hosted 25-30 people for a casual outside hangout filled with lawn games, delicious BBQ from More than Q, and most importantly, time spent amongst friends. Needless to say, other than not getting our deck fixed in advance, the event was an overwhelming success.
Spring 2022:
4/13/22 - For Easter this year, we decided to Road Trip down to North Carolina to visit Grammy/GiGi! It had been almost 3 years since we had been there (darn virus and all), so it was Dylan's first visit ever, and the first time we drove down with the kids. Alas, we nearly didn't make it at all. The day we were supposed to leave, Rowan got sent home sick from school and was running a fever. After calling GiGi and telling her the bad news, we decided to send Hudson along with Nana so that Grammy at least got some visitors for the holiday.
While feeling quite upset about our situation, the girls took a nap while Marissa and I decided to load the car just in case. Sure enough, Rowan woke up feeling better and wanting to make the trip! We left nearly 3.5 hours after the first car, and successfully met up in Richmond, VA where we were staying the night.
Not out of the woods yet, we woke up Thursday morning only to have Rowan sick again, and our plans were back in the air. Despite my worries, Grammy wanted us to come and we decided to continue South. Ultimately, we made it to Gigi's and had a wonderful but all-too-short visit. While in Calabash, we went to Sunset Beach (Dylan loved it!), fed some turtles on the golf course, made lots of bubbles, played mini golf, met the Easter Bunny, shopped at Callahan's & St Nick-Knacks, and of course celebrated Easter. Our kids got so lucky that the Easter Bunny knew to find them in North Carolina this year!
Planning to leave Monday, we discovered a strong rain storm was coming in. So we shifted plans and managed to do nearly half the drive Sunday night, spend another night in Virginia, and got home earlier than expected on Monday. On the way back, we drove through Washington, DC, and the kids got to see the Capitol building, the White House, and the Washington Monument. Finally home, we came to find that the Easter Bunny covered his bases this year, leaving another 3 baskets back home in Pennsylvania! That rabbit really did great in 2022:)
Most importantly, we made more memories and brought 4 generations together for this special holiday. It's an honor of a lifetime that my kids (and my wife!) are able to experience time with Grammy. She's a special lady and we're so blessed to have her!
3/9/22 - After a long, cold, fairly uneventful winter at home (puppy tasks aside), we knew a change of scenery would do well to kick off the warmer part of the new year. We booked a trip back to Port St Lucie, Florida, home of Club Med Sandpiper Bay resort. We had gone there 7 years earlier when baby Hudson was just getting into daycare, and decided it was worth another visit. We left Clarence behind, flew away from the local snow and down to West Palm Beach, and enjoyed a fun 3 days living the all-inclusive life. The kids did great at Kids Club, even performing in a Superhero show (Daddy made a cameo). Travel of course always throws a wrench, so the most memorable part of this vacation might have been our trip home. A journey that was supposed to take ~5 hours door to door ended up taking 26 hours! A canceled flight to Trenton followed by a 4-hour delayed flight to Newark left us stuck there overnight. Finally, we caught the NJ Transit back to Hamilton, got a ride to Trenton airport, and then finally arrived home.
Not to be satisfied, we arrived only to find our garage door had been locked, and we were locked out! Another hour waiting for the locksmith and Daddy unsuccessfully trying to break in, and we were finally safe inside. Phew!
Winter 2021-22:
12/25/21 - Christmas 2021 was an exciting one for a lot of reasons. First, despite the best attempts of the Omicron variant, we were able to resume a relatively normal schedule of events with various family groups. We hosted 4-5 different events with different groups of people at our house this year, which we both love to do and also kinda HAD to do this year in particular. Why, you ask? Because just 6 days before Christmas, we picked up our NEW PUPPY! He is a Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog + Poodle) and his name is Clarence. We love having a 4-legged family member, and are learning to adjust to avoid puppy-based destruction around the house. Watch out shoes, Paci's, and loose clothing!
12/18/21 - Met up with Dad & Diane (aka PopPop & Grammy) for a Polar Express train ride to the North Pole on Black River & Western Railway in Flemington, NJ. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and some helpful elves escorted us on our journey and handed out special bells to the kids so they could be part of Santa's GPS (Global Presents System). Great way to kick off the holiday season!
12/11/21 - Overnight trip to Philadelphia to go Ice Skating in front of City Hall, tour the Christmas Carol in Macys Center City, and visit the Christmas Village
Fall 2021:
11/28/21 - Got last minute tickets to see the Philadelphia Union battle the Nashville Soccer Club in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals. Took Hudson, Uncle Steve and Mikey down to Ardmore, PA and had a great time seeing the home team win a thrilling penalty shootout!
11/6/21 - Celebrated the Retirement of an incredible Mom, Nana, and friend...a lifetime of amazing work as a Special Education teacher.
10/31/21 - We dressed up as the Toy Story characters and enjoyed a rare weekend Halloween after missing most festivities the prior year.
9/25/21 - Visit to Shady Brook Farm for some fall fun with our friends the Koch's
9/11/21 - Took the pilgrimage back to Happy Valley, aka PSU, aka State College, PA for the Home Football opener of the Penn State Nittany Lions. This was the first game with fans in Beaver Stadium for 651 days (!!!), and the combination of that, absolutely perfect weather, an ideal 3:30pm kickoff, and an easy victory over Ball State made for a Dream Gameday!
Meanwhile, the Bradys were down to a family of 4 in State College, as Dylan instead spent the weekend sleeping over at Nana's. She's 16 months old and this was her first ever time away from Mommy! It was actually a win/win/win as the Big Kids got full attention, we were able to move around town much more easily, Dylan didn't have to drive 4 hours, and Nana got some well-needed bonding time with her newest grandchild! Everyone involved had the best time and we can't wait to go back again!
8/30/21 - Summer most be over - we're BACK TO SCHOOL! Kids are now full time in person this year and Rowan has officially become a Kindergartner! Definitely a different experience compared to sending Hudson off for the first time, as our little princess has been amazing transitioning to this new phase. Both school kids are excited to get in the building and meet new friends.
Summer 2021:
8/16/21 - Celebrated Hudson's 7th Birthday with a super-fun Baseball Party with friends from school and camp, Hibachi dinner, and a weekend trip to Baltimore to enjoy the Inner Harbor and catch an Orioles game. It was a Grand Slam end to the summer!
7/10/21 - Despite our best pleading, Rowan Grace is no longer 4 years old :(
We celebrated her magical 5th birthday both at the tail end of our LBI week and the following Saturday accompanied by the most Unicorn items ever collected in a single place (ok, maybe Dodgeball had more...). Happy Birthday to our most wonderful little girl - we love you!
7/3/21 - Wrapped up an eventful but memorable week in LBI, our 2nd straight year renting a house there as a family.
Eventful because I crashed my OneWheel 36 hours in, leaving me limping and bruised and in constant pain for the majority of the week. Then, Marissa got sick the next day and couldn't get out of bed for stretches throughout the day. We all got burnt the first day, and didn't get back to the beach until Wednesday, where we promptly got evacuated thanks to lightning and downpour rain.
All that said, we made the most of it. Out first beach day was perfect, and was followed up with an awesome evening with seafood and beer and live music (for the first time in 18 months?) and a sunset. Having Nana, JoJo, Aunt Elise, and Uncle Steve with us the whole day made it that much more special.
Kyle's "Group of 5" high school friends were in the same place at the same time for the first time in almost 3 years, and spent the entire night sitting on the deck just talking. These LBI Nights sure have changed...
For the 2nd year in a row, we took the Black Pearl pirate sunset cruise. The sunset wasn't as impressive this time but still a fun time dancing with the grandmas. We went after having blast at the re-designed Fantasy Island arcade and eating Lobster Rolls.
Finally, Rowan's birthday fell on our last day. We had yummy breakfast, bought a few toys as gifts, and said farewell to Nana and Jojo before enjoying an Ice Cream treat on the way home.
So sure, the Vacation week was a bit challenging, but like Family itself, the Pros easily outweighed the Cons. Most importantly, we were together, and made memories.
See you next year LBI!
Spring 2021:
5/11/21 - Dylan Bear turned 1! We celebrated!
5/9/21 - Mother's Day was great! We celebrated! I didn't take many pictures! Instead I spent almost 10 hours cooking something like 8 different homemade dishes while alone with Dylan! It was awesome!
4/28/21 - Digital Medium Format - camera rental blog post
4/23/21 - Elise and Steve got married! We celebrated!
4/4/21 - EASTER has come again and we were once again treated to a gorgeous day for Egg Hunting, playing, and hanging out with family (Elise, Steve & JoJo). Of course for Dylan it was her very first Easter, the final major holiday she hadn't yet experienced before her 1st birthday quickly approaches (yikes!)
Perhaps next year we'll have a much larger group together for this special holiday...or better yet, spend it with Grammy/Gigi in North Carolina again!
4/1/21 - Nearly 18 months since we last boarded an airplane, the Brady family has taken our first post-Pandemic flight on route to a week in Orlando, FL!
We were celebrating being vaccinated, Hudson's spring break, and some leftover paternity leave that needed to be used. We stayed at the beautiful, huge, Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek, and managed to sneak to Disney for a day along with another day at the Volcano Bay water park. Dylan was a first-time flyer (and was a challenge throughout!) but everyone had a blast once we were settled. Our only regret was not spending more time at the resort since it had so much to offer, but either way it was a wonderful change of scenery and a warm-weather getaway when early spring temperatures were still present back home. We look forward to more traveling later this year and into the future as normalcy returns, but will remember this trip fondly as the first in a new world.
3/27/21 - Spring has sprung and the Easter holiday kicked off with a visit with the Easter Bunny at Shady Brook Farm! It was a beautiful Saturday and we got a chance to bring the grandmothers along too. The kids enjoyed playing, feeding animals, taking a tractor ride, finding eggs, and of course meeting Mr. Bunny (at a social distance).
After the farm we enjoyed an outdoor late lunch / early dinner at the Greystone restaurant nearby, followed by some March Madness (Vaxness?) and myself stuck on the couch with vaccine side effects. All in all a fantastic day!
Winter 2021:
3/13/21 - Took advantage of a sunny weekend to return to a local gem, Howell Living Farm, where the kids had recently gone for horse rides with Nana. We saw baby lambs, a horse dentist, a blacksmith, and shoe fitter. The kids made their own horseshoe craft and milled corn. We followed that up with a backyard BBQ at Elise & Steve's house where normalcy continues to seem coming back bit by bit.
2/14/21 - Love was in the air 💕 as Valentine's Day fell on a holiday weekend Sunday and was able to be enjoyed as an extended family. The Grandmas and Aunt Elise joined us for a day of food, crafts, and fun. It was nearly perfect!
2/7/21 - Super Bowl Sunday was already going to be different this year without our typical party, but in the end the Big Game took a major backseat to Mother Nature.
Today ended up being one of the most beautiful snow days we've ever had! Many snow days are fun but having one as pretty as this, on a weekend, on top of a base of existing snow for immediate enjoyment, without wind or bitter cold, made it just extra special. After a boys-only morning trek around the neighborhood, the girls joined and the whole family got in on the sledding fun. Winter can be truly magical and this day proved it.
Last night, we got started on some Valentine's Day activities with a super-fun dessert creation, Cake Pops! Mommy Marissa did it again with her creative, festive ideas in the kitchen. Really been cooking up a storm this year so far...kids are loving it!
2/2/21 - Nearly 2.5 days / 60 hours after it started snowing Sunday morning Jan 31st, Snowstorm Orlena has finally called it quits. We haven't had snow since mid-December, but this one more than made up for the gap. Unfortunately, much of the storm was messy, mixing in sleet and freezing rain, and causing us to be without child care for the first 2 workdays of the week. Finally, Monday overnight into Tuesday, we got some powdery freshness and were able to enjoy ourselves a bit more.
I did get to use the snow blower for the first time ever, clearing the driveway first Monday evening and then again Tuesday. It hadn't started during the December storm, and I had it in the repair shop until just this past weekend. It was much needed for this one so very glad to have it back.
After doing some sledding with the kids, I reflected on how lucky they were to have a hill in their own backyard, with a property so conducive to exploring and play. They don't realize it fully, but in the moment I could tell they knew how special they had it. Makes all the hard work and struggle worth it in times like that.
edit: it's Wednesday and its snowing again! And, we have another storm coming this weekend. Winter is kicked fully into gear now!
December 2020:
12/31/20 - Christmas without most of our typical family gatherings, a nice snowstorm that coulda been more fun, and we lost our child care suddenly for no good reason. Peace out 2020, hope the door hits ya on the way out. Happy New Year 2021!
12/19/20 - Kicked off the official Christmas season with a Brunch with Belle in Philly (inside a heated igloo of course...) after which we ventured into Center City to shop some popup vendors, drink some hot chocolate, and watch ice skaters at the outdoor rink. It was chilly but super fun!
November 2020:
We ate some turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!
October 2020:
10/31/20 - The day we've been waiting for since Labor Day Weekend has finally arrived...it's HALLOWEEN! Possibly our family's favorite holiday of the year, considering the decorations, the costumes, jack-o-lanterns, and of course, Hocus Pocus. This year, despite rising Coronavirus cases, we decided to host an outdoor, socially distanced party to share our spooky yard and have some fun on a special Saturday version of Halloween. As usual, our family chose a shared costume theme, and decided to keep with the "scary" theme of this unusual year. Boo!
10/11/20 - Surprised the kids with a Columbus Day trip to the sweetest place on Earth....HERSHEY! We told them we were doing a weekend getaway but didn't say where, at least not until we jumped in the car Friday night.
After a long ride out (thanks crying Dylan!), we had a long Saturday starting bright and early with a walk to Duck Donuts, followed by a visit to the Chocolate World, lunch at Troegs Brewing Co, a walk through the Hershey Zoo, and finally into the theme park itself. Admittedly we crammed a lot into the day and were more than ready to leave once the day was done, but glad we went and hope to visit again throughout the years as the kids get older.
September 2020:
9/25/20 - This month flew by as summer transitioned quickly into autumn, Beach days were replaced by Farm outings, and virtual 1st grade became the talking point of our household.
Hudson started at his 3rd school in a calendar year, albeit remotely, and we're all coming to terms with the shared responsibility of learning to read, write, and 'rithmetic over a tiny laptop screen. It's just another job we need to take on, and without a doubt one of the most important.
Before school started however, we enjoyed one final family get-together over Labor Day, filled with BBQ, Baby-oggling, and Whipped Creamed faces.
August 2020:
8/25/20 - August remains a major month of celebration in the Brady household with both our wedding anniversary (9 YEARS!!!) on the 6th and our first-born Hudson's birthday (6 YEARS OLD!!!) on the 16th.
This year, despite the ongoing pandemic and limited options of birthday parties, we managed to turn a single day into a multi-weekend+ Birthday celebration of our growing boy, all with the theme of Adventure.
Fun started off with a surprise day at Diggerland, an amusement part in South Jersey built around construction vehicles and themes. We dug sand, picked up ducks, and spun around in front-end loaders, pulled tractors (or at least attempted to), zipped around in go karts, and hit up the water park to cool off. Fun for the whole family!
The day of, Hudson was greeted with Superhero-themed decorations, Batman pancakes, and presents galore. It was a bit cold and rainy but the storm stopped just long enough to have a driveway gathering with family and neighbors. We received a game "PieHole" which resulted in tons of laughs later in the evening as we took turns getting shot in the face with Whipped Cream!
But the big gift for Adventure birthday was our scheduled Camping Trip to Colonial Woods in Upper Black Eddy, PA (by Ringing Rocks State Park). We rented 2 cabins and enjoyed the outdoors without sacrificing too much in terms of convenience. Truly memorable as both kids caught their first Fish ever (after significant challenges!) and we got to spend much-needed relaxation time with the grandmas and Aunt Eesh. Suffice it to say we'll see more outdoorsy family trips in our future.
Last but not least, we took advantage of a rare Live Music opportunity to see our favorite artist, Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness, who played a "Drive-In" style show that we enjoyed from the rooftops of our cars. As the gorgeous sunset turned to dusk, so did our 2020 version of Hudson's birthday extravaganza. Til next year, Huddy Bud! Maybe by then we'll even have school friends included...
July 2020:
7/21/20 - In the midst of yet another super memorable and enjoyable family vacation, this time in our favorite Jersey Shore location, Long Beach Island. It's extra special considering the quarantine over the last few months, so really nice to have a change of scenery (and of course some time off work) to unwind and enjoy our time together. Here's the album showcasing our days at the beach, bay sunsets (including on a pirate ship cruise), and other misc activities we got into throughout our week. As of this writing, we're exactly halfway through, so looking forward to more fun ahead!
7/4/20 - Happy Birthday America! Also, Happy Birthday Rowan! Our little princess turned 4 yesterday, and we've been celebrating her nonstop. From a perfectly chill July 3rd (just as she likes it) to a perfectly royal Princess Tea Party on the 4th, our angel was treated to a magical weekend as she continues to grow up too quickly right before our eyes. We love you so much Princess Rowan!
June 2020:
6/26/20 - After needing to work during the first 3 or 4 beach days of the year, Daddy was finally able to take a day and join the gang as we enjoyed our first whole-family beach day of the summer in Belmar, NJ. Plenty more to come as we look forward to a full week in LBI next month, but will likely squeeze in another day trip or 2 before then.
6/13/20 - A memorable weekend taking advantage of some gorgeous weather (low 70s and Sunny) along with the re-opening of just enough businesses to feel semi-normal again. Ventured north to the "Upper" part of Bucks County where we took a step back in time and watched aircraft from years gone by take off and fly around the Van Sant Historic Airfield. Truly an experience that made memories!
6/11/20 - It's a TRIFECTA of "Birthdays" today, as we celebrate Nana (64), Ana (27), and Dylan (1 Month)!
The day started with a special breakfast of chocolate croissants, scrambled eggs, and strawberries picked up the kids last week. We presented gifts to Ana, held our first monthly baby photoshoot, and prepared for the evening party. Very thankful to have reason to celebrate amongst the turmoil happening around the world.
May 2020:
5/28/20 - Can't let the entire month of May go by without checking in, especially considering the life-altering events that have occurred in just the past 4 weeks...
This past Monday, the 25th, we managed to celebrate Memorial Day, albeit a bit different these days, cuz of ya know, the...
Birth of our 3rd child, and 2nd daughter, Dylan Rae on May 11th.
....and yes, the "darn virus" (as my mother and children refer to it), is still around. Life is dynamically different than it was just a few short months ago, especially while I've been on paternity leave from work. That ends this week so I'm back to working (from home) this Monday, the first of June. Instead of returning to my old position though, I come back into a new leadership position, my first official managerial role in my now 12.5-year career. I just officially received this position only last week, while on leave, without going back to a physical office, so it's gonna be interesting. Will be a good challenge though. I really needed some more of those these days...
In addition to the baby, we have also added a 6th to our growing household. Just 3 days after returning from the hospital following Dylan's birth, we welcomed Ana, our au pair hailing from Brazil, into our home and family. Ana will spend the next year (+?) with us and we're so excited to have her!
We were turned on to the au pair program through our close friends, and, after a long-enough quarantine, were able to get the families together for a mid-day "play date" (in actual live three-dimensional reality, sharing a co-located space. oh my!).
The au pair girls were thrilled to meet in person and our family, Marissa especially, was reminded of what "normal" used to feel like. It's gonna be so glorious when it's possible again, but doubt we've done enough to get there anytime soon. In the meantime, we'll keep getting together with a trusted few. That will make things better. Til next time...
April 2020:
4/10/20 - Getting used to "shelter-at-home" life and coming to terms with a new normal. Despite all the craziness going on in the world, I feel optimistic on the future of humanity and the opportunities this change brings to our society.
After all, after the rain, there's always a chance for some Rainbows and Puddle-jumping.
March 2020:
3/14/20 - For historical record - we're officially dealing with a global pandemic, the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. As a result, we're undertaking a worldwide strategy known as "Social Distancing" to attempt containment and mitigation of the spread of the virus. It's affecting our entire planet and our ways of life. Events are canceled, schools are closed, people are working from home where possible, or quite possibly losing their jobs.
It's historic times right now and still yet to be seen what the ultimate impact will be. (edit: been shooting a lot being home all the time....not very thematic just yet but here's the Quarantine album...)
Anyone reading this, stay safe, be smart, and most of all, don't feel embarrassed or annoyed by the extreme measures we're all taking to defeat this thing. It's a great reminder that we are all one species susceptible to the same common enemy, and one can only hope that we come out stronger and more united on the other side. Godspeed to us all.
----------------------------------------Pre-Pandemic Divider---------------------------------------------------
2020 is quickly underway and in full swing as we head into the 3rd month of the new decade. Started things off very well with Cousin Mia's 3rd Birthday Party, a popular event lately as we'll have been to a full SEVEN! (7) birthday parties in the latter part of Feb and into mid-March. Meanwhile, the weather continues to seem promising of an early Sprint, as seen in our early March Midwinter's Day at the Park, while St Patrick's Day is right around the corner. This season our au pair, Ana, arrives from Brazil, then our 3rd baby is born, and we adjust to life with 6 in the house! Gonna be an exciting year, and enjoying the resurrection of photography along with it. Please enjoy our memories and thanks for stopping by, "Planet Earth".
February 2020:
This month we celebrate "Love and Birthdays", starting with Aunt Eesh on the 5th, Valentine's on the 14th, and Washington and Lincoln on the 17th. Oh, and mommy Marissa that day too :)
This year we took advantage of the long President's Day / Valentine's weekend to celebrate our family's matriarch, first with a steak and lobster Valentine's dinner with extended family, then a Sunday filled with puppy-visit fun and chocolate covered strawberries, and finally a Monday exploration of the "castle" town of Doylestown, PA, home of the Mercer Museum, Fonthill, and most critically, Kids Castle, along with a delicious brunch at historic Doylestown Inn. That's a place we'll definitely be visiting again!
January 2020:
Hello from our new residence in beautiful Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania!
We moved quickly last month just in time for the 2019 holiday season, which were a perfect deadline to get unpacked as well as an opportunity to host family and friends in the new house. Now that the New Year (Decade) has turned, we're firmly settled here and back into our routine. It immediately felt like home.
Writing this during MLK weekend, our first here to kind of just relax and enjoy things. Saturday we had our First Snow Day since living here, something we were very excited for given the property, and boy did we take full advantage! Hudson and Daddy were out for a solid 4+ hours straight, with Rowan joining the fun for a bit to get some sleigh rides and shoveling in as well. Sunday is for straightening up and cleaning, then hosting family for some dinner, NFL conference championship games, and play time for the kids and cousin Mia (including some Cupcake decorating fun!).
Hoping to pick up the pace with photos and video in 2020, which slowed down tremendously during the move and also since the Office is the last room to be put together. Today's cleanup should help a bit with that.
Wishing everyone a happy and successful 2020, and may we have another "Roaring 20s", just without the depression at the end!
Throwback Albums:
October / November 2019:
This whole "life" thing really isn't for the faint of heart, is it?
Only 4 short months after we backed out of a huge home purchase decision and agreed to live our best life in our current home, we were pushed to reconsider things yet again. In case you didn't click on the "Spooky" announcement, then here it is....we're having another baby! Quite the surprise indeed, and since we already have one of each, might as well make this one a double surprise! Can't wait to meet her, or him, next May! :)
So yes, while our Hamilton house is great and it's served us incredibly well, adding another family member pushed us over the top to finally relocate once and for all. It's bittersweet leaving our home, but we're also ready and excited to begin the next journey in our new home, in a new state, with lots of changes and opportunities that come along with it.
In addition to the big news, this month was dominated by another super fun, extended Halloween holiday, where we successfully pulled off a family-themed costume for the 4th year in a row (and watched Hocus Pocus 74 times and counting). Throughout the Fall seasonwe also made it back to the Candytopia candy museum for the 2nd straight year (this time in Center City Philadelphia), braved the elements and time of day to watch in awe as our super mommy/wifey completed the incredibly difficult Princeton Half Marathon, her first ever half, while 12 weeks pregnant, starting at 7am on a frosty, frozen first Sunday in November. Incredible!
So yeah, quite the roller coaster. Let's keep it moving! Or don't, since we now know the meaning of life. Cheers.
Throw-Back albums:
- 2018 - Halloween 18
- 2018 - Candytopia NYC
- 2017 - Halloween 17
- 2016 - Halloween 16
bonus: British Bubbles from my London trip 1 year ago
September 2019:
It's official - we have a Kindergartner! Elementary school is upon us with Hudson beginning his public school journey along with another year at preschool for Rowan.
Prior to the big "First Days", we took a spontanous Labor Day weekend trip to our special place, State College, PA, to see the Penn State Nittany Lions battle* the Idaho Vandals in the opening game of the 2019 college football season. It was our first home game since the kids were born so great to be back, even if it wasn't the best behaved weekend the kids have ever had...
*battle may be a strong word, PSU won 79-7. we left at halftime when it was 44-0
August 2019:
August is a big month in the Brady house as it's both our 8th wedding Anniversary and Hudson's 5th birthday. Summer has been in full-swing and although we're feeling it winding down as autumn (our favorite season) approaches, we're continue to make the most of our lifestyle post-house-debacle and the happiness level is definitely on the upswing 😁
Check out this year's Summer photos from beach days, outside play, hiking in Bucks County, and of course the big weekend in NYC!
August Throw-Back albums:
- 2015 - Hudson's 1st Birthday
- 2014 - Hudson's Birth
July 2019:
Uhhh, never mind....home purchase fell through! Too many issues came up and the universe definitely led us in a different direction. Ultimately, we had to re-assess what was important for our family at this time and realize that we have more important concerns than just our property size. We're going to stay where we are for the foreseeable future and remain flexible to make the most of things outside of our own living situation.
In the meantime, we managed another getaway which had been planned for some time, to get back to Newport, Rhode Island. This trip was extra special because we combined the enjoyment of getting back to that place with the celebration of my Dad's 60th birthday, my daughter Rowan's 3rd birthday, and just the opportunity of vacationing together with an extended family. This is a great example of something we wouldn't have been able to do as freely with the expense of a new home. See, it's already paying off!
June 2019:
Whoaaa....some things are happening. We bought a new (very old) house*. We're selling our current house, our first and only, the place where we started our family and the only home our kids have ever known.
Speaking of kids, Hudson just graduated from pre-school** and we still aren't really sure what he's doing for school in September...it's complicated to say the least and we need to figure that out.
Rowan turns 3 in less than a week...going by so fast with her. Since we're moving, she will have to leave the aforementioned*** pre-school after just 1 year, a school we have found to be nothing less than remarkable in its quality and value. We're blessed to have experienced it at all, let alone for both kids and Hudson through graduation, and need to count it as a positive life experience. At least, taking that perspective lessens the sadness of pulling Rowan out now.
All of the above was/is also wrapped around a recent loss in our family. This outcome had been reasonably expected for some time but it's never something you're truly prepared for. RIP Jimmy.
Regardless, we persist. All the feels lately for sure...but overall it seems like a positive life direction. Feels like progress.
*Well, not 100% officially but it should just be a matter of time. Why Old? The property and part of the structure date from the 18th century.
**At a ceremony that included the kids counting to at least 10 in 10 different languages. Wow!
***I don't write a ton, but when I do, I make every attempt to use this word. It's my favorite.
May 2019:
Wifey and I somehow managed TWO trips away without kids in the span of just over a month! For those keeping score, that's two more than we'd had in the prior 5 years. Wow...
This time I tagged along on Marissa's work trip to fabulous Las Vegas, where our highlight was far and away Valley of Fire State Park, where we had one of the best days in a long time hiking off-trail with a private guide. The strip was OK too, but this was a definite inspiration to do more adventure travel in the future.
Hudson and I also went to a practice round of the 2019 PGA Championship, held at Bethpage Black. I jumped on a chance for tickets since I'd been there twice previously...first to play, which was incredible, and then again for the opening round of the 2009 US Open. Unfortunately, that day got completely rained out right after we arrive, and my Dad and I only got to see 4 golf shots hit for all our troubles getting there. Still, all memorable experiences at this place.
March 2019:
It's been a slow winter for sure, with barely any snow to make things interesting. Oh well, Spring has sprung so we jumped right into a big travel month, with a family trip to Disney, followed by a partial-family return visit to Orlando with Grandpa. Finally, wifey and I get to attend a destination wedding in Rincon, Puerto Rico at the end of the month 😊
So busy times indeed, but a great way to kick off the warmer weather seasons. As always, enjoy the photos!
Mid-2018:
Kyle's October 2018 trip to London for work...not a ton of shooting but had 1 afternoon to sightsee at least.
North Carolina for Pop-Pop's 2nd funeral, with beach days tacked on
Our summertime vacation/Mommy-work-tagalong to Newport, Rhode Island...one of the best trips we've had in some time!