labor day weekend

Can I just start by saying we had the BEST Labor Day weekend! Back in July we talked about going somewhere for the long weekend and luckily Megan was on the ball and found us a great little house to rent in Westhampton - such a great idea!

After working out the logistics of everything we were ready to go on Friday. We had a few scares with train delays due to Hurricane Earl but we weren't going to let him ruin our weekend. Luckily it only stormed on Friday night and the rest of the weekend was beautiful. The house had a great back yard with a pool, hot tub and grill and that is where we spent most of our time.

There was nothing better than waking up and walking out back to the pool. Jason was up at the crack of dawn each morning testing out the hot tub, making sure the temperature was just right. My favorite part was hearing the pitter-patter of little feet running around each morning waiting for the rest of the house to wake up.

Our days consisted of lounging around the pool, one morning at the beach, checking out the quaint little town of Westhampton, rotating dinner with the guys and girls so we could each go out while the others stayed with the kids, music and ice cream on main street, and the boys favorite - grilling. You should have seen them all gathered around the grill making sure their steaks turned out just right.

But overall, our favorite part of the trip was definitely the company. We could have stayed in a hole and still had a great time with this group. We enjoyed many laughs and more than one prank was played during the weekend. Late nights were spent screaming while playing PIT, arguing over Catch Phrase, watching everyone's favorite YouTube videos and even a fully clothed cannon ball into the pool by Jason. Our friends have the best kids and we loved fighting over who got to hold baby Chloe, who got to sit in the hot tub with Ashton (without the Jets on) and who was pulling the kids in the radio flyer.

We were all sad to see the weekend come to an end and can't wait for more weekend getaways with the Porter's, Granum's and Walker's!!

The House

A mean game of water basketball

The Kids

Gotta love the goggles

The guys

The girls

The cannon ball

governors island

After two years we finally made it to Governors Island.  They opened the island to the public a few years ago and we have been wanting to take our bikes on the ferry and ride around the island and two weeks ago we finally did. 

Governors Island is a little creepy.  It was used as an army base during WWI and WWII and then transferred to the Coast Guard in the 60's and in 2003 was sold by the US Government to the State of New York for $1.  It's a 172 acre island with everything from schools, hospital, churches and Castle Williams - that was once used as a prison.  Most of the Island has been preserved and is now open to the public during the summer months.  They are currently working on redeveloping the island but for now they offer a free ferry and the public is able to go over and enjoy the beautiful space.  As we were riding around Jason kept commenting how some of the buildings would be the perfect setting for a scary movie.

We were feeling ambitious and thought it would be fun to ride our bikes from the UWS down to lower Manhattan, take the ferry over to the island, ride around all afternoon and then come back on the ferry and ride all the way back home again.  It was very fun, but I will admit, I was having a hard time sitting on my seat on the ride back home:)

We weren't sure what to expect before we went, or if there would even be anything to do on the Island, but we were pleasantly surprised once we arrived.  Everyone rents bikes and rides around the island and it was so fun to ride around the perimeter and see the downtown skyline and lady liberty.  They had a ton of free events going on while we were there; free badminton day, miniature golf and we sat and ate our picnic while we watched people test out their skills on the free trapeze.  The weather was perfect and we loved exploring the little island. 

6 years & 8-9-10

On Saturday Jason and I celebrated our 6th anniversary with a relaxing day in the Hamptons.   That night over dinner we were talking about the day and how much we've changed and we realized we have now lived more than half of our married life in NYC.  When we were dating the idea of moving away for law school seemed so far away and now I still can't believe that, that part of our life is over.  It has definitely been an exciting 6 years and I can't wait for many more!

 
Today, 8-9-10, we are also celebrating Jason's 29th birthday!!  I love it because it always feels like a weekend full of celebrating with our anniversary and Jason's birthday so close.  Yesterday to celebrate we had a little BBQ with friends and I am hoping Jason will be able to leave work at a decent time tonight so we can squeeze in a birthday dinner. 

I am so proud of Jason for all of his hard work and for all he does for me.  I know as we get older birthdays just aren't as exciting as they used to be and it's not fun having to work all day on your special day.  If I could, I would celebrate Jason's day of birth all day.  But because I can't I just want him to know how much he means to me and how grateful I am that I get to spend everyday with him.  Love you, babe!

4th of july

For the first time since we moved to New York, we finally returned to Lewiston for the 4th of July festivities, and nothing has changed - I still felt like a kid on Christmas Eve. 

I was so excited for the fun to begin.  We went to Utah a few days before the 4th and enjoyed time with both of our families.  We made a trip to Bear Lake and enjoyed driving through the beautiful canyons.  As always, the water was freezing but it was nice to have a fresh water lake instead of salt water.  On our way back we stopped and grabbed a Bear Lake raspberry shake - a must when in Bear Lake.  The next day we floated the Onieda Narrows and loved just floating down the river and taking in the beautiful mountains.  After a few BBQ's with friends and family we were ready for the 4th (technically the 5th).

This is the first time I have been back in the summer and I can't believe I forgot how much I loved Utah summers.  While everyone in NY was dying from the humidity, we had to where our jackets at night when it cooled off.  However my body had a hard time adjusting to the dry heat and I got 3 bloody noses the first day I was there

On the morning of the 4th we woke up bright and early to the cannon salute and hurried and got ready for the Fireman's pancake breakfast.  After breakfast we walked over to the church just in time to see the runners finishing the race where our brother-in-law, Josh, came in second in the 10k.  Then it was on to the big parade.  The parade is a very big deal in Lewiston, so much, that many people park their cars and trailers along the parade route a week before.  Both of our parents live along the parade route and you wouldn't believe how many people not only sit right in front of their houses but some people even sit in the chairs we put out for our friends and family.  This year Jason's grandparents were the Grand Marshalls of the parade.  When explaining to the younger cousins what exactly the Grand Marshall was, Jason's uncle told them that Grandpa Larry was the president of the parade:)  Larry and Carolyn have done so much for Lewiston and definitley deserved the honor of being the Grand Marshalls. 

After the parade we went across the street to check out the activities in the park, watch the kids go on all the blow up rides and visit with friends.  Jason was very excited to finally get to go to the Lewiston rodeo, and it didn't disapoint.  After the rodeo we relaxed and visted with family, watched the softball tournament, played a mean game of volleyball at my parents and enjoyed a wonderful BBQ with Jason's family.

The firework display, all though nothing compared to Macy's, provided the perfect ending to a wonderful day.  We are so glad we were able to make the 4th this year and had so much fun seeing family and catching up with old friends.

Shae posing with her cousin Carter

Waiting for the parade to start

The Grand Marshalls

Dylan enjoying all of the attention

The Lewiston Rodeo

Dipping the red, white and blue strawberries - a McKnight family tradition

Fireworks

The Finale

newport, r.i.

Because I'm catching up . . . I will finally document our trip to Newport, R.I. that we took about two months ago.  We had heard great things about Newport so one Saturday in April we decided to take a drive.  Newport was stunning.  It was surrounded by water and we had to drive across a beautiful bridge to get there.  The thing to do in Newport is the cliff walk.  They have a paved path along the cliffs that takes you behind all of the old mansions along the cliffs.  After checking out the cliffs we drove along the water and explored the beautiful town.  Other than the cliff walk we heard the best part of Newport was the seafood.  After a little research we read that The Morring had the best seafood on the island.  So we walked around the town, enjoyed some scallop chowder and the bag of doughnuts (a variety of fried seafood).  Everything was wonderful and we had a great time in Rhode Island.

hamptons

Before leaving for the 4th we squeezed in our first trip of the season to Southampton.  Cooper's beach is by far our favorite beach on the East coast but after learning it became the #1 beach in the US.  We've decided we like it even more.  We had a lovely day in the sun with so many friends.  There is really nothing better than a day on the beach surrounded by all of our favorite people.

Our group (we took up half of the beach)

The girls

The boys playing football

visitors

May was a fun and busy month for us - we had two sets of visitors come and see us.

First the McCulloch's came out to see us and it was so fun having them here.  It was Nate's first time in the city and I think he liked it, despite the bomb scare in Times Square and the Staten Island Ferry crashing:)  Julienne has been here before so she pretty much knew her way around and they were able to discover the city while we were at work.  We were able to show them around Central Park that included a ride on the row boats.  And if you know the McCulloch's you know there had to be a sporting event in the trip, the Yankees weren't in town so we made it out to Queens to see the Mets.  I have never met a girl that knows as much as Julienne does about sports.  I think she knows more than most of the men I know:)  While they were here, Nate celebrated his birthday and we had to make sure he had a NY cupcake to celebrate his special day!!

Shortly after the McCulloch's left the Theurer's arrived.  My mom and dad came out for a weekend visit and this was my dad's first time to the city.  I had been planning their arrival for several months and I couldn't wait to show my dad around.  Although I was very nervous this country boy wouldn't like the big city.  I took two days off work and spent the time taking them all around.  We did the double decker tour bus so my dad could see the best of the city from the top of the bus.  My mom had several orders for purses so we even dragged him back in the secret rooms to pick out hand bags along Canal street.  One morning we went to Regis and Kelly and got to see Anderson Cooper and Kristin Davis, and I was so glad they got to see some good celebrities.  It was quite the experience and I was so happy to hear my dad liked the city and was surprised by how nice and clean they keep it. 

The highlight of their trip was seeing the Yankees play.  My dad got us amazing seats right behind third base and we got some great shots of A-Rod.  Before the game we met up in Central Park, had brunch at the Boathouse, saw the row boats and got a little lost but enjoyed seeing the beautiful park while trying to find our way out. We did and saw almost everything in 4 days and the last day they came to see our apartment and we ended with a nice dinner out on the pier along the Hudson. 

We loved having visitors and we are so glad they liked NY and now that they've seen it we hope they will come back and see us more often.  Thank you for coming and seeing us!!

virginia is for lovers

For Memorial Day weekend Jason and I rented a car and drove to Virginia for Michael and Lizzy's wedding. Michael was one of Jason's friends from law school and we were so excited to be invited to share their special day. They were engaged last summer and we received their "save the date" back in December so, needless to say, I have been waiting a long time to attend their wedding. Michael's mother is a party planner so we knew the wedding would be fabulous, and it didn't disappoint.

It was a weekend wedding that consisted of a rehearsal dinner on Saturday night, the ceremony, reception/dinner and dancing on Sunday and a send off brunch on Monday morning. We stayed at a beautiful resort just outside of DC and then the ceremony and reception were held at a manor near the resort.

We left bright and early Saturday morning to avoid the traffic and got to Virginia in just over 4 hours. We settled in quickly and went straight to the pools for some sun. That evening we met up with some of Jason's other law school friends and enjoyed a night of toasting the bride and groom. It was so fun to hear stories and see pictures of their childhood days when we didn't know them. Michael and Lizzy both have the sweetest families and it was so fun to meet them all. I may have mentioned this before, but one of my favorite things about living on the East coast is the air kiss while touching cheeks. Instead of a hand shake we were air kissed all night long - and I loved it! I don't know what it is, but it's so much more personal than a hand shake and coming from their families it felt so inviting, as if we were part of the family. I suppose if it were coming from someone I didn't like or someone who's face I didn't want coming that close to mine than I would probably feel differently.

The next morning we spent more time by the pool and then we were off to the Whitehall Manor later that afternoon. It was a beautiful old manor out in the rolling hills of Virginia. The ceremony was outside, the bridal party was lovely and the bride was stunning. It was so fun to learn about their Jewish traditions. The bride and groom gathered under the Chupah with their families while the Rabbi read a few passages in Hebrew and then asked the congregation to join him in a chant. We didn't really know what we were doing but it was fun to hum along with the crowd. At the end of the ceremony it was all Mazel Tov's as the groom broke the glass.

(Michael breaking the glass)

Next it was on to the dance floor. I have seen in movies the Jewish weddings where the bride and groom are hoisted up on chairs while the crowd dances around them. Well they really do this and because Jason was one of the bigger guys in the crowd, he was quickly recruited to help with the lifting. Let's just say Jason was much taller than some of the other guys in the crowd and did most of the lifting on his own:) He not only got to lift the groom, but the fathers of the bride and groom as well. I was laughing and clapping so hard that I missed a shot of Jason in action. This dance was followed by a few other traditional dances involving the families of the bride and groom. After the dinner the dance floor got a little crazy and after some coaxing by friends, Jason finally got on the dance floor and showed us all his moves.

Also, can I just tell you, this bride/mother-of-the-groom duo thought of everything. From the welcoming gift when we checked in, to the little sweets and treats along the way, to the slippers the women were given for the ceremony so our high hills wouldn't get stuck in the grass.

The next morning we said our goodbyes (that involved more air kissing) to the families and wished the bride and groom well on their honeymoon in Maui. We were so lucky to be able to attend their beautiful wedding and we are so grateful to have them as our friends.

dallas

(Some of the ladies I work with)

I know I have a TON of catching up to do. I will start way back in April. For my new position at work KPMG flew all of the ESA's across the country for their annual training in Dallas. It was only for two days and most of our time was spent in trainings; however, we did find time to have a couple of nice dinners and explore the only thing Dallas is famous for - The Grassy Knoll! There really wasn't much to it. There is a JFK memorial down the street that looks like a giant Lego and in my opinion they could have done a better job of honoring a president, and then you walk down the street to the grassy knoll. We saw the building where they say Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots (or is it all just a conspiracy?) and watched cars drive down the road where JFK's motorcade travelled. It wasn't a very exciting trip to the Lonestar state but it was fun to get away from the office for a few days.

brooklyn flea

Last weekend we ventured out of our borough and explored a little of Brooklyn.  We've been looking for some fun treasures for our apartment so we decided to give Brooklyn Flea a try.  It was just what you would expect a Brooklyn Flea market to be - gritty vintage, old New York.  There were some great finds and we looked at everything several times and came home with a painted old ceiling tile for our wall.  The other great thing about the Brooklyn Flea is the food.  I had a fish taco with fried Mahi Mahi that was incredible and Jason tried the lobster roll - CT style.  There were homemade popsicles, coal oven pizza and even a stand with all the ingredients needed to brew your own beer. 

13.1

Last weekend I ran the NYC Women's half-marathon in Central Park, my first half-marathon, and after 3 months of training, I can't believe it is already over.  When Megan first talked me into signing up there was still snow on the ground.  We would wake up early every Saturday morning and run in the freezing cold while the ice cold wind smacked us in the face as we ran along the Hudson.  In fact, one morning our path was covered in sheets of ice and we had to hold on to each other and slide across the path most of the way.  So I guess it was too much to ask for a sunny nice race day in April.  Instead we got pouring rain the ENTIRE race.  I'm talking the kind of rain that is pelting you in the face so you have to close your eyes while you are trying to run up steep hills with thousands of other women; meanwhile, hoping you don't slip in the water that is puddling up under your feet.  But we are two tough woman and we didn't let the rain stop us!

A lot of people told me before the race that their first half-marathon was the worst and then it got better as they did more.  Hearing this made me nervous and I was scared to know how I would be come race day, but on race day I was so mad at the rain that I didn't even think about the nerves.  Our theme song for race day should have been something empowering, instead we found ourselves humming "Blame it on the Rain".

Despite the pouring rain, soaked shoes and socks and blistered feet from the soaked shoes and socks and the fact that I could wring out my clothes at the end of the race, I felt really good.  We did two laps around the big loop in Central Park which was no easy course.  Overall we think we had roughly 20 hills.  Some not so big and three or four long steep ones.  Luckily my smart running partner suggested we train in the park along the loop so the hills were no surprise; unfortunately while training we only did the loop once on our runs so the second time around on race day was even worse because we knew what to expect.  I am so proud of us, we pushed through the steep hills and made it to the finish line.

I am so glad I was able to run in this race and even more so with my wonderful friend, Megan.  We trained together the entire time, talking every step of the way.  Each week as we increased our mileage I was amazed at what I could do.  The thought of training for a half-marathon was frightening but I honestly didn't feel like it was that bad because I had someone to do it with me.  I will admit there were mornings I didn't want to get up but once I did I was feeling great.  Megan was so encouraging, she always made me feel like I could do it.  She was there to keep me at a could pace, she mapped our runs, forced me to ice and stretch and even carried water for me on her life belt while we trained.  So thank you, Megan.  This was an amazing experience and I never could have done it with out you!!

map of our course

The lovely Kristin Davis was at the starting line to wish us luck

morning run

I know I haven't posted in a while and some of you are starting to harass me, but we haven't done anything lately that is blog worthy.  However, we are still alive and doing well.

I am currently training to run my first half-marathon with the lovely Megan and while it has been a challenge, I have very much enjoyed our runs.  Here are a few shots she took during our 11 mile run this weekend.  The cherry blossoms are in full bloom around Central Park and they look so pretty around the Reservoir. 

Hopefully I will be alive next week with details of the race!!