The older you get, the faster the time goes by

Always playing catch up!
Let*s see,
Pete*s graduation...so surreal, I remember this kid and I dancing around to Hercules songs on repeat from dawn till duskonly stopping to grab an occasional juice box and nap... and him crying hysterically at the thought of me not sleeping in the pull out next to his bed whenever I would spend the night...and now, well, I'm extremely annoying and un-cool!  
Now his only requests to me are something like: "Miriam, sneak us drinks." And of course I feel like I can*t possibly let him down - this is all he needs me for now!  It*s truly gut wrenching I tell you!To sit with him and watch him and his friends interact and "party"...watching my little baby drink...surreal.

I will ALWAYS think of him as my little Peter, no matter how old he gets.  I wonder if that's how my Mother sees me?


Amazing feeling getting to sit next to my grandfather for Petes ceremony




Krystal*s little one seems to age a year per day every time I skype with them.   It is still torturous to get invited to so many incredible events back in NY and have to decline.  Why was I never invited to this many things when I lived there?

While home I finally got to spend some time with my Mommy!! She took me and Amanda out for a spin on her new boat!  It made my heart burst with joy- it has been the ONE and ONLY thing my mother has EVER wished for (as a possession) for herself-she has ALWAYS put her children first...to see her FINALLY get to enjoy it-It was priceless.  I try to keep myself from thinking of all the wonderful times we could have every weekend on it- and just focus on how grateful I should be for that one time.

After the boat ride I had to jet over to my friend Kim's gorgeous baby shower... again...how is this all happening so fast...

I feel like it was yesterday Kim and I were running rampant through the streets of NYC together...now this.

HANG ON..still not done with babies yet!  After THAT...DJ and I went over to one of his best friends house to meet HIS new baby cub!  HEART. MELT.









It is SO hard to leave NY yet always feels nice to pull back into our driveway in VA ... I discovered yoga on the pier at National Harbor the other day - they even have bring your doggy days...it takes place at sunset and is just the most rejuvenating experience.  Deej and I bring Rambo to parks and lakes and constantly find ourselves breaking the silly "no swimming allowed" rule at least when it comes to Rambo.  Not that he gives us much choice.  He absolutely L.O.V.E.S to swim and dive and splash.. it makes me laugh, clap and squeal like a 5 year old.

What else what else...We've gone peach picking and even made our own grape juice (bc wine is too difficult) from the grapes in our back yard thatDJ has so attentively tended to over the months.  We have gone to many wineries and toured incredible distilleries hidden high in the mountains.

We still explore new areas each weekend, and are never disappointed- but I still wish I could be sharing these experiences with my friends and family as well.

I'll leave you with a Virginia POSITIVE:  Cafe Rio.  If you have not gotten to experience their Mahi-mahi tacos - or any burrito of theirs actually, I feel extreme sorrow for you.

Hello lovlies!  There has been a downpour of goings on here in Candyland over the past month!  My dearest  Rere came to visit...we had been planning her trip for far too long and it was just as fun and quenching as we could have hoped for!  We stayed her second night at the delicious Lorien Hotel and Spa.  I've learned it is SO important to make friends with the staff- this stay proved my theory 10 fold- upon checked out we were told that we owed NOTHING- that EVERYTHING was covered - on the house.

  How completely sweet and generous of them!  Especially awesome bc we ordered over $300 in room service and racked up much more in their Tasting Room.  

We had many adventures around Old Town and found ourselves in exceptionally silly situations only we could get ourselves into together.  Afterwards we dusted ourselves off, tied ourselves up in neat little packages and met Reanna's Grandmother and HER best friend for brunch...she then gave us a tour of her impeccably decorated home that was SO special bc all the decorations and trinkets that filled it were from all across the globe that held such incredible stories from her travels. After the 2 hour tour, she asked me to do her hair and share my tips and tricks with her...after her hair was perfectly coiffed - we all set out to tour the Embassys in DC.  WONDERFUL day of laughs, beautiful friends and sights.

The Kot family made the big move & are pretty much settled in!  Still poking around to find a superb daycare around here with an opening which is proving to be harder to find than my treasured limited edition Hunters last season ;}

The Perriogs moved into THEIR apartment...and DJ and I have been fixing up our place and redecorating everywhere!  Tons of fun.  I now have a sunny yoga/dressing room with a priceless heirloom hanging from the ceiling that shines rainbows everywhere!  It*s truly magnificent!  While DJ has his new man-cave,  dressing room, bar and work room.  

My darling Amanda came for a quick 24/hr surprise visit last weekend...we munched on scrumptious snacks, painted w/ water colors, made mothers day cards, discovered a cute little town, picnicked at a local vineyard, fell asleep to Breakfast at Tiff's & woke to breakfast prepped & served by my ever so kind Fiancé then gabbed n giggled watching Four Weddings till she had to go.

 Oh! Jumping back to mid April~~~>DJ and I drove to NY for Zoe*s b~day/farewell NY party...while I was there I spent some time w/ Kait-saw her new place in the works- not going to lie- I shed a tear or two- SO proud of her for her bravery and determination paying off in front of my eyes.  

I also got to spend an incredible day with Dianna and Amanda- we all drove up to Vermont an spent the day shooting at Dianna's sisters INCREDIBLE campus. 

A photo from the Vermont shoot

Andrews Air show this past weekend

IN-CREDIBLE sandwich I made recently...chicken salad on a grilled-chipotle-cheese sandwich with sliced cherry tomatoes & fresh avocado...you don*t even understand how scrumptious this baby was! 

Lots of upcoming fun in the days ahead of course...the little sunburst herself, Lindsay and her GORGEOUS family will be settling in to their new place in Arlington in the next week and I can*t WAIT to eat her little Scarlette up!  Memorial weekend should be FILLED with sunshine and sand if all works out as planned and then the following month is filled with babies babies babies everywhere! 

I leave you with a little story we all came up with on the fly the other day w/ the newest Virginia resident :)

Living in CandyLand & SPRiNG CHANGES!!

Who doesn*t love spring? Other than people with allergies that is. But allergies aside, I*m pretty sure they still have to admit it is just glorious.  I can*t figure out why all trees aren*t ALWAYS a really gorgeous color-and just change shades throughout the seasons.  There*s too much beauty for my eyes to handle around here...and every day there is a new tree sporting its new spring fashions.  It*s simply delightful.

Spring is about starting fresh..or blowing off the dust that has collected over the winter...

Dj and I have been outside every day mowing, trimming, fertilizing, watering, mulching and everything else to try to get our house in Spring shape since we have decided to stay another year.   Here she is below with her shutters freshly painted!  For those of you "got to" experience her with her burnt-orange-poop colored shutters...well..you understand how much this excites us.  Please excuse the grass...We are determined to get this grass green! It was burnt to a crisp when we all moved in. :{

My mom has asked me numerous times to take pictures of the roads I travel every day (such a strange request that I would TOTALLY make to feel closer as well)  So here you go Mom...I will show you more next time I see you.  But do you see what I mean?  We live in Candy Land at the moment.  And I feel like it puts everyone in this state in a better mood...having pink and purple trees...why can't it stay forever?

Above is a picture of where I work.  Don*t think I have ever posted a pic before of it!  Wish you could see all the flowering trees that surround it.  Gorgeous.

Below are pix from a quick trip Dj and I made on Easter to an adorable locally owned nursery/farmers market.

ABOUT THAT...{Easter that is}....HUGE NEWS...that really isn*t new news to anyone who reads this really.  But we had very extra special guests...

Who were here not just for Easter at all...they were here to lock down a new HOME!!! Brooke and I instantly fell in love with one of Joe and Marci*s choices the moment we saw the pool...and it just got better and better the more we saw.  Before Marci and Joe had even made their final decision Brooke and I proclaimed that we would all like one.  And while I was just joking-bc I am seriously happy with our house-Brooke made that statement a reality and took one too! So in one stop we found new home turf  for Marci/Joe/Max/Buddy/ZoeANDBrooke/Glenn!!

It is 4 miles from Dj and my house which is just perfect since they will be coming over all the time to use Joe's grill and let the dogs run free in our yard..and we will be going over all the time to swim in their pool! 

Having them move END OF THIS MONTH is just..more than a dream come true for all of us.  

This will surely shape up to be an extremely fun summer{and beyond}.  Zoe is at my favorite age...I miss all my cousins being that age SO much!  I have never had kids NOT be a regular part of my life - so I*m SO excited for all the funshine kids bring to return! 

{Above is a celebratory ice cream run in old town}

I am also extremely happy for Brooke bc I know she has missed her sister more than anything.  This is going to bring Brooke's happiness levels to an all time high. Things are seriously coming together for those Perrigos I tell ya.  Brooke landed the job of her dreams, Glenn is honestly about to hit that point any day now and they are finally moving into their own place!  Very exciting times for everyone! Now there are just a few people left who need to make their way south to make life perfection!!!

6 Months & 100000 Miles later

WELLL.....A WHOLE lot of life has been happening...and I got away from keeping you all up to date!Here*s the last half a yr that has FLOWN by... according to the camera roll..

 I Thought I would include this snap shot of my ticker with the things I had to look forward to at the end of last year.

Krystal and I at a NY state fair watching a good old goat show :)

Dj, Buddy & Zoe just being adorable together in NY last yr

At a Military tank expo!  Sizzling HOT day but lots of fun...

Dj and I at Burke lake right near our house~like a little rejuvenating sip of NY

 Trip to LI to visit my Rere

Out on the water for dinner w Re and Eddie  

BOOM---->FALL!------------------------------------------------------------

Picking out our pumps! {that wouldn*t be thrown away till after Valentines day}

Krystal*s BABY SHOWER!!!

The flower pot cup cake favors I made 

WERRKKK IT!--------------------------------------------------------

 

This TISSUE PAPER THIN antique shirt stressed me out all day! 

This was for Men Who Built America (History Channel)- which I did the casting for-NO- I did NOT cast myself- The director (below) and I got on so well during the long days of auditions he actually requested me for a role and even added in extra lines and screen time for me. Long story short - I didn't end up getting to SHOOT the added scenes and lines due to scheduling issues and me actually having a job :*(

A PSA I worked on...fav part of the day was paying hundreds of dollars in a flower shop for gorgeous roses, then cutting their heads off and literally TAPING them onto a bush to make the shot look better. Nothing is what it seems in the land of make believe I tell you.

This was for a commercial shoot I did for an iphone app. {one you should NEVER download-seriously}

BACK TO THE REAL WORLD------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pit stop on a road trip back to NY with Sam and Kyle- at Princeton.  

There are no words to describe the feeling you get in a place like this

Dj-Rambo and I in the "craft shed" each working on our little projects... 

Brewfest fun {fact: I lost my clutch on the fair grounds that day- 5 months later DJ and I went back bc I couldn*t stop thinking about it-and found it!}

Above is from a soul quenching trip to CT . S0 good to see my Grandpa up and about enjoying his retirement for the first time ever.  NOTHING could make me happier than this picture above.

Rambo and I enjoying fall. {messing a pile of leaves Daddy made} 

:Night Fall:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The gorgeous Jennie and I at the only country bar in the area.

Below is NIIINNAAA-{my dearest friend from Holland I met when she was interning at Marriott- I wrote about Neen a while back.. she is now back in DC for another year!!!!}--and I before we went out to meet a few friends in the city.

How is she so cute you ask? I have no idea what to tell you.

The one and only Dianna Marr