2nd Annual Donigard Halloween Party

We hope you all had as much fun on Halloween as we did this year. Last year we missed the 1st Annual Donigard (Donnigan & Wangsgard) Halloween Party, but fortunately we didn't miss out this year. The Donigards went all out with food and decorations and the rest of contributed with some pretty awesome costumes.

Here's a shot of Adam and I. I wore my Abbayah that I got in Saudi Arabia and Adam got dressed up as a terrorist. Hopefully we didn't offend anyone on the bus ride over. Adam did win the award for scariest costume- rigthfully so. Doesn't he look frightening?

Food table

Awards and trophy for various costumes- unfortunately I came home empty-handed. Maybe next year...

Fun little game: had to reach your hand in and guess what you are touching (zombie eyes, blood sucking leaches, etc.)

Drink table: can't see the frozen hand ice cube which was awesome

Picture wall: elaborately crafted by Kate & Bonnie

Rich, Leslie, & Jonas: Live Poultry, Fresh Killed- a landmark here in Cambridge

Courtney and Quinn as a Marathon Runner and a Hardcore Singer

Peter and Eunice as Margot and Richie Tenenbaum

Bonnie and Patrick as Juno and Paulie Bleeker

Dan and Lisa as Sister Wives

Logan, Soren, & Kate as Egon Spengler, Slimer and Janine from Ghostbusters
Kate actually crafted his Proton Pack.

Laci as The Octomom and Christian and Berkeley as Curious George and The Man in The Yellow Hat

The Forrests as The Forrests (get it?)

Stuart and Aubrey as Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible

Krystal and Richard as Madonna and Prince

Gwen and Andrew as an Avenging Angel and a Fallen Angel

Amelia and Barry as Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth from Bones

Shawn and Jhordan as Elliot and E.T. (complete with Reece's Pieces)

Donut eating contest

Thanks for an amazing party Donigans and Wangsgards! Now I'm busy plotting for next year...

Cran Fest at Edaville, MA

On October 10, 2009 a few of us decided to head South for the annual Edaville Cranberry Festival. Ok, I have to admit that I was the mastermind behind this little trip. I mass emailed all of my friends to see if anyone wanted to check out the cranberries. It's cranberry season after all, and Massachusetts is one of the few places in the US that farms them.

To my luck, the Gentrys and the Laytons were up for it! And as you can see, I was the 5th wheel since Adam felt that studying was more important than seeing the cranberries and eating fried dough. Unbelievable. :)

Laci, me, and Aubrey in front of the "Greetings from Edaville" sign.

Christian, doing an awesome pose with Berkley in the Baby Bjorn.

Me and the cranberries- isn't it beautiful?

Ok, I'm sorry for being so cheezy. But the view is pretty awesome. They float the cranberries and that's how they are able to gather them up. I wish I could tell you more, but at Edaville they don't have anyone to explain the cranberry harvesting process, which was a MAJOR let down for me.

The Laytons- what a gorgeous picture! Great outfit choice Aubrey.

Thanks for a fun time!

Matt & Lynsey Come to Boston

Matt & Lynsey came for a visit to Boston Sept. 11-15 and we had a ton of fun. The first 13 pictures are from the day we spent in Plymouth which was a total highlight. We wanted to do a day trip on Saturday but when we woke up it was a torrential downpour. We rented a car anyway and started to drive to Newport, RI. On a whim, we realized that we didnt' want to drive that far and decided to stop in Plymouth, which is much closer and none of us had been there before. It ended up to be a great day trip and we didn't have a speck of rain the whole time we were sightseeing and walking around the town.
These pictures don't do this view justice. It was a really cool view of the foggy coast line and boats dotting the water.

Touring the Mayflower II- a recreation of the original.

Matt & Lynsey talking to one of the men on the boat. They dress up in 17 c. garb and act like they still live in the 1600's...totally weirds me out.

Outside the restaurant where we had lunch.

Plymouth Rock- pretty disappointing, very small, as it had been chipped away at and dropped a couple of times.

In front of where they keep the rock.

Plymouth Plantation: a recreation of an Indian village and pilgrim village from the 1600's. More people acting like 17 c. characters which is odd and uncomfortable for me. But still pretty interesting, and the landscape was beautiful.

At the Indian Village

Working hard in our canoe.

Laboring on the Pilgrim's farm- probably would have gotten in trouble had someone seen Adam sitting in the old wheelbarrow.

Matt & Lynsey went on a Duck Tour and I thought it'd be great to post some of their photos of Boston. Something I always forget to do, since I leave here.

Boston skyline.

Longfellow Bridge- which links Cambridge & Boston

Zakim Bridge & TD Bank North Gardens Arena

Boston Common- or at least the periphery of it

The infamous Cheers restaurant- not actually where the show was shot but the outside is

Me & Lyns before boarding our Whale Watch Tour, which was AWESOME! We saw tons of whales and I didn't get too sea sick.

Me & Matt- I'm lucky to have such a great brother!

Thanks for coming to visit! We had a blast and hope you come back. :)

Aunt Marci & Uncle Adam

Well, I know everyone thinks they have the cutest nieces and nephews. But as it turns out, I actually do. I hate to say it, but knowing they are growing up on the other side of the country is the hardest part about living so far from family.

My nephew Carson is turning 4 this month (Oct. 15th) so Adam and I sent him a couple of books from Amazon. I just got this email from my sister-in-law Lynsey and couldn't resist posting it on my blog. It seriously made me want to cry.

So, about Carson's Amazon delivery. The flat little box came and Matt brought it inside. The next morning Carson brought it to me and told me I received a package. I told him the box was actually for him for his birthday. His face was priceless! He couldn't believe something would come in the mail for him. I told him it came all the way from Boston and that Aunt Marci and Uncle Adam had sent it. Again, his face was priceless. He was glowing just looking at the flat box. He then hugged the cardboard box and said, "Oh! I just love it mom!" I was cracking up. He thought the box was the gift and he was thrilled. I then told him there was something inside the box. His response, "Do you think they sent me a flat jet?" I was laughing again. He shrugged and said, "I don't know....maybe." He has slept with the box on several occassions since then. Every morning he asks if it's time to open the present from "Uncle Adam and Aunt Marci all the way in Boston."

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CARSON!!!

These pictures of Carson (3 3/4 yrs) and Blake (10 months)

Jewelery Solution

Some of you may remember my blog post about organizing my jewelery. Well, thanks to my friends Lisa, Bonnie, & Kate I tranformed a simple cork board in a practical (and cute, if I might add) jewelery organizer! All I used was a cork board, a piece of fabric, ribbon, hooks & eyes from Home Depot, a stapler, and double stick tape. Voila!

Apple Picking at Tougas Farms with Friends

Fall happens to be my favorite season. And New England happens to be the best place in the world for Fall! So despite our hectic schedules, I am a happy gal.

A big gang of us got together to bask in the crisp Fall air, soak up a beautiful sunny day, and pick juicy apples right off the tree on September 26th. After enjoying an apple cider doughnut, we hopped on a hay ride which toured us around the farm (and pretty much dropped us off where we started, which was a bit odd), then we filled our bags. Once we finished our apple picking and snacking on kettle corn, we drove the long way home, enjoying a little leaf peeping on the way home. What fun.

Gwen, Lisa, Elizabeth, Max- waiting to board the hay ride.
Rachel, with a weird farm decoration

Logan, Kate, Rachel, Patrick, Bonnie enjoying the delicious apple cider doughnuts

Lisa & I reviewing the rules of "how to pick apples"

Kate & Lisa boarding the hay ride- do they look excitted or what?

The Pumpkin Patch

Me, Rachel, & Lisa

Sucking in diesel fumes on the hay ride

I recommend NOT sitting directly behind the tractor

Not our hay ride driver- but I wish he was
A tractor is exactly where that guy belongs

Cute Soren picking up and eating a "Soren-sized" apple

The gals in action

All in a day's work!

Amelia, Me, Rachel, Lisa, & Gwen posing in the

pumpkin patch

To Brighten Your Mood

So my sister-in-law Lynsey brought this gem of a YouTube video into my life when she came for a visit with my brother a couple of weeks ago (pictures still to come). I was laughing out loud while watching it.

So if you are having a bad day or just need a good laugh, turn up your speakers and watch it all the way to the end. This kid has some awesome moves. I only hope my kids have the rhythm of this little red head. Enjoy.