Saint Cosmas and Damian

A couple weekends ago we were at our friends, Aubrey and Stuart's home having dinner. After dinner we heard a band playing outside their apartment; we looked outside to see the procession of St. Cosmas and Damian making their way down the street. Apparently there is a big festival in their honor every year a few streets over. Some people from the local church carry the Saints around to bless the homes in the neighborhood. They march around the streets and people come out and pin money to the Saints and in return the Saints bless their home.

Here is St. Cosmas and Damian blessing Aubrey and Stuart's home. Their placed is owned by some Italian Catholics, so of coarse their house got blessed twice, once in the front of the house and once in the back.

After the blessing of the house, we walked to the carnival that was two streets over. They literally shut the entire street down and bring in vendors, carnies and even rides. It is quite the event. We found the Saints shrine as we walked, apparently this is where they hang out when they are not blessing the homes in the neighborhood.

This was one of those unique experiences that you think only happens in movies, but then suddenly you become apart of it and it is the coolest thing ever.

Toof

Really no reason to post, except to show everyone how adorable Berke is, and that he does indeed have 1 tooth. It is getting more and more difficult to get this boy to look at the camera, he is too busy crawling around exploring the world.

Smiley Happy Dancing Berkeley

This is just a little video for the family to show how happy Berke is lately. He has also learned to "dance" to music and it is pretty cute!

Walden Pond

I took Tuesday off to enjoy the warm weather one last day with my family before summer is gone. I have to say it was a super-D-duper kinda day; I woke up, watched Ellen (LOVE HER!!!)while playing with Berke man, and then we all headed to Walden Pond for a swim.

Berke had his first experience "swimming," which was more like "splashing in a big body of water experience." Berke didn't love swimming but he didn't hate it either, he was just taking it all in. It is somewhat surreal to swim in Walden Pond; I got out to the middle of the pond and just looked around at my beautiful surroundings and felt closer to God; it really is breathtaking.

This is the new face that Berkeley does, he loves to scrunch his nose and breath really fast (it is pretty cute). If you look closely you can see his first tooth that appeared last week. He is currently working on tooth #2.
Needless to say, we had a superb four day weekend and enjoyed every minute of our time as a family together.

Health Care Rally

On Labor Day our family took a trip to the Boston Common to partake in a Rally for Health Care Reform. There was a wonderful turn out and we had a great time. We heard from several Congressmen, the Mayor, and several people who shared their stories about needing health care and not being able to get any.

I couldn't help myself; I feel the same way.

York Beach

This weekend we headed to Maine with some friends for one last beach trip. We originally planned to go to Ogunquit Beach, however it was a bit over crowded so we headed down the road to York Beach. It was a FABULOUS beach, the sand was perfect, smooth and clean. The water was blue and warm enough to swim in, and there was a Fun O Rama and Bowling next to the beach in case you needed a change of scene.

It was pretty crowded, but that made for some great people watching.

This was Berkeley's first time to play in the sand; he loved the soft grainy fun, he tried to eat it once, but mom put a quick stop to that.

Jhordan and I basking in the sun; it was the PERFECT beach day. It was 75 degrees and we made each other promise to remember this day when we are hating Boston in the middle of the winter.

Yay for fun beach trips!

Wiffle Ball

This week was the Ethos annual BBQ and Wiffle Ball Game; one of the funnest work days all year. I was co-captain of one of the teams this year, but the day of the game, my co-captain was ill, so I became THE captain, which is pretty intense for a girl who has never played wiffle ball a day in her life. I was a great coach at recruiting the funnest team this year that is fo' sho'!

Last year I didn't play because I was preggers; the teams were totally uneven and one team killed the other team. I took it upon myself this year to help the team that was humiliated last year and do some revisions. It got pretty heated in the office, with lots of smack talking (you know I love it!). We even came up with team names and colors this time around. My team was the Green Monstahs and we sported ourselves some Ethos t-shirts. The other team was the Triple Bandits.
The weather was great for the BBQ and the game, we played 6 innings and it was INTENSE to say the least. The game was scoreless until the top of the 6th when Kelly B. from my team slid into home after stealing 2nd and 3rd base. WAHOO!! The bottom of the 6th was upon us, but my amazing team (who were wonderful sports the whole game) pulled through leaving the other team scoreless.

1-0 Green Monstahs win!!! It was a sweet victory, that is for sure. What made it even sweeter is that our Executive Director promised J.P Licks (ice cream) gift cards to the winning team, SCORE again~!

Here are my favorite gals at work! We all have such pearly whites, what a beautiful group of social workers.

After the game, Dale, our executive director, awarded our team with the game bat signed by the other team. Today at work was Green Monstah Day to honor the 2009 Wiffle Ball Champions! I love a good competition, but I REALLY love winning even more.
Go TEAM!