List: Ten simple questions and conversation starters to get know someone on a date.

My cousin called me the other day to get some advice.  She had a hot date with a man that has her so infatuated that she gets completely tongue tied around him.  Anticipating her jitters and wanting to avoid the verbal diarrhea that my family is infamous for, we had a lot of fun role playing the date.  By the end of our phone call, she put together a list of questions on her phone that she planned to reference throughout the date.  Our ultimate goal was to spark conversation that flows easily without getting too personal.  Not wanting to let our hard work go to waste, here's the top ten conversation starters from our list!

Related Post:  Ten special date ideas to do with your sweetheart.

Ten simple questions to ask on a date.

1.  If you could live anywhere in the world where you go?

During our conversation we both swooned over our fantasy dates.  Ironically, both of our fantasies took place in foreign places.  My cousin thought this would be a fun conversation starter without the common "Do you like to travel?".  While it was her idea, I want the credit for talking about our fantasy destinations!

2.  Are you a creature of habit or spontaneous?

This question also not my idea is really important to my cousin.  She's a creature of habit and enjoys her shell.  If someone is super spontaneous, it may be a deal breaker for her.  Adding my two cents, I recommended she follow this one up with "What's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?".  This will help her gauge her comfort level.

3.  How did you pass your time in quarantine?

Avoiding conversation about COVID is virtually impossible these days.  Instead of trying to ignore it, put a positive spin on it.  How someone chose to spend their time in isolation can give some serious insight on how they handle crappy situations and their pastimes of choice.

4.  Do you prefer the day or night?

While this seems like a pretty simple question, it's a great path to a deeper conversation.  For example, I love to wake up early and enjoy the hours when the sun is shining.  When the sun goes down, so do I.  If I was paired with a night owl, it would mean serious compromise on both our parts.

5.  What is something you can talk about for hours?

Ok, so this one may be cheating a little, but that's fine.  This question is so much more than "what do you like to talk about?".  Instead, think of this question as "what are you most passionate about?".  I remember a date that I had once where the man went ON AND ON about science.  He was talking about geysers, the potential end of the world, and biology.  While I was polite and tried to remain attentive, I knew that I could not handle another detailed science lesson.

6.  What are your top three values in a relationship?

My cousin has been burned in the past and is done wasting her time.  Knowing this, I totally understand where this question comes from.  She's also prepared to answer this question which I totally recommend.  Her values go 1. Honest, 2. Loyal, and 3. Reliable.  Anyone else notice a theme?

7.  Can you tell me your favorite joke?

Everyone's humor is a little different.  This is a great way to get in some laughs while really learning what makes your date smile!

8.  What is something on your lifetime bucket list that you haven't done yet?

We all have that one thing that we have always dreamt of doing but never actually do for whatever reason.  Find out what that is and then ask all the questions.  It could be as simple as learning how to do something or visiting a special place.  It could also be as complicated as hiking Mount Everest or guest starring on Jeopardy!  This conversation starter can allow you to gauge how intense your date's dreams can be.

9.  Do you have any guilty pleasures that you want to admit?

This one had us cracking up because my cousin admitted to spending way too much time reading internet battles between people she barely knows on topics that have nothing to do with her.  Not sure she wants to bring that up on a first date though.. hah!

10.  What was your first impression of me?

This is a dangerous one, but definitely the most rewarding.  If you're on a date with a person, we're going to assume that they saw something positive in you at some point.  In other words, even if their first impression was negative, chances are you changed their mind.  Just remember to ask this one playfully and definitely be prepared to answer it back!

What's your favorite conversation starter?

Related Post:  Ten special date ideas to do with your sweetheart.

Life: Friday Ramblings

We can't stop playing...

...Monopoly Builders (link)!  At first I was not a fan of the game, but after giving it a real chance, we all LOVED it.  Unlike the original Monopoly, it doesn't take ten years to finish.  Also unlike the original, Monopoly Builders is a game of strategy.  You're less likely to win the game because of good luck and more likely to win because you thought everything out.  Apparently I'm not the only one that feels this way.  The kids keep asking to play and my husband hasn't turned down that request yet!

I was really freaking PISSED OFF because...

...the Christmas tree juice from the basement spilled out onto our carpet.  After trying to clean, dry, clean some more, and then dry again, we learned that there was NO saving this rug.  ...and that's coming from a dry cleaner's daughter!

Luckily, we had a new...

...living room rug stored in the basement.  When we redid the home office this year, we got two new rugs so that both spaces would match in our open floor plan.  We didn't put the second rug out yet because I didn't want Loki, The Puppy of Mischief, to ruin it.  Well, I guess we were left with no choice!  Here's to hoping our new rug doesn't become a wee wee pad.

We're really looking forward to...

...our upcoming trip upstate to go snowtubing with our closest friends!  Unfortunately, the place we went to last year was already booked.  Fortunately, Villa Roma was available and they have onsite snow tubing.  While we won't be surrounded by professional skiers like last year thank God, I have a feeling we'll have even more fun being at a place with amateurs like us!

What are your Friday Ramblings?

 My last book review was almost 6 months ago.  That's never a good sign...  To be clear, it took me almost half a year to get through this simple work of fiction.  An even worse sign...  The good news is, I finished the book and can move on to a new, more captivating story.  As if this introduction didn't tell all, today we're going to talk all about my latest read.

The novel is titled To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin.

The book is read by Polly Stone.

The unabridged version is 11 hours and 38 minutes.

Related Post:  A honest & detailed book review of Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano.

Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links to products.  We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Please note that I would only recommend products that I would use myself and all opinions are my own.

Book Review:  To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin

After reading a string of fabulous books, Amazon recommended To Capture What We Cannot Keep (link) by Beatrice Colin.  Amazon must know me real well because their summary set the story in Paris and falsely promised a juicy love story.  They had me sold.  I purchased the audiobook and dove right in.  Ladies and gentleman, it was like diving onto a cement sidewalk.

The book follows the life of a Scottish widow at risk of becoming destitute.  To avoid that dreadful fate, she takes a job as a chaperone for two young adults as they travel abroad.  During their travels, the oldest of the two siblings secures a job as an apprentice to the man designing and building the Eiffel Tower.  The sister tags along as she desperately tries to find a man of status to marry.

While chaperoning, the main character falls in love with the man designing the Eiffel Tower.  The ENTIRE book dances around whether or not they will have an official romance.  At one point you get close to finding out the answer until a mysterious meeting with the man's mother takes place.  Then the book ends and you never find out what happens to them or their romance.  The author doesn't even divulge what happened during the meeting with the man's mother.  I'd write "SPOILER ALERT", but there's nothing to spoil!

The other sub stories within the book include a very confusing drug overdose where I thought the author wrote that they died and was even buried but apparently lived.  There was also the hunt for the sister's future husband.  The author even made that torturous!  After meeting several prospects, in the epilogue you learn that the sister marries a man that she randomly met on a train ride that took place after the book ended.  Finally, the story randomly ends in Africa which is where the main character ended up in a final attempt to avoid becoming destitute.  Yes, I said AFRICA!!

I do not AT ALL recommend To Capture What We Cannot Keep (link) by Beatrice Colin.

To learn more about To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin, click here.

Were you ever fooled by a suggested read?

Related Post:  A honest & detailed book review of Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano.

List: Ten innocent comments that can be really insulting.

 I'm going to start today with a true story.  Brace yourself, it's a brutal one.

On Friday afternoons, a small group of us "work buddies" go out for pizza at our favorite pizzeria.  This one particular afternoon, we took separate cars.  Work buddy #1 and I went together and arrived before everyone else.  As we walk in the host looks at us and says "how many?" to which we respond "4".  That's when the host responded with "are they your children and do you need a highchair?".  Gasp!

 Fine, you assumed we were husband and wife.  No insult there.  But you also assumed that I was 20 years older than I really am and that our kids that do no exist were old enough to make their own way to the pizzeria.  And what about the highchair?  Perhaps he thought I was waiting on my child and grandchild that required a booster seat.  Or, how about the fact that you assumed that I have kids in the first place.  I do.  But, that's not the point.  Do I look like I have kids?  Did that man tell me that I look like a mom?  While that shouldn't be insulting, it is.  Who wants to know that they look like a mom?!

Long story short, that seemingly bizarre yet probably innocent comment ruined my entire afternoon!  It insulted me so much that I decided to make an entire post about it and other "innocent" comments that are actually highly insulting.

Related Post:  A honest & detailed book review of Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.

Ten innocent comments that can be really insulting.

1.  Any type of assumption that someone is a mother.

Reiterating the story above for those that still don't get it, you should NEVER just assume that someone is a mother.  This can be insulting for a bazillion different reasons.  It's not a compliment to insinuate that someone looks like a mother.  It could also be hurtful to those that wish they were a mother but aren't or can't be.

2.  You look great for your age.

Why put a condition on a compliment?  Either someone looks good or they don't.  To say they look great for their age negates the compliment, and to be honest, is quite insulting.  Anyone old enough for "for your age" to be applicable is old enough to be insulted!

3.  Anything that starts with "Not to be insulting, but...".

This one leaves me dumbfounded.  If you have to preface a sentence with a disclaimer, it probably shouldn't be said at all.

4.  That lipstick really brings color to your face!

I'm sorry, was my face colorless to begin with?  I didn't realize.  How about "your face really brings out the color of that lipstick"?  Now that's a REAL compliment that would leave those colorful lips smiling big!

5.  Your Spanish last name is going to get your kids into a great school.

Did you hear my scream through the computer?  If my kids choose to go to college, they will get into a good school because they will work hard.  They'll study to get good grades.  They'll play sports to the best of their ability.  They'll learn an instrument to play music they're passionate about.  They'll volunteer because it feels good.  Then they'll put all of this on their IMPRESSIVE college application and be proud of all their achievements when they get accepted!

6.  Are you losing weight?  I see it in your face.

I've been hiking all over the place and trying to eat healthier.  When I lost 6 pounds, I was ecstatic, until my father said "I see it in your face".  I mean, how big was my head to start with?!

7.  Stop exaggerating.

Well, I'm not exaggerating.  You may be shocked by what I'm telling you which is probably the reason why I felt the need to tell you in the first place, but it's certainly not an exaggeration.  Unless someone is clearly exaggerating like the time I said a bug was the size of my head, try not to assume otherwise.  Comments like this make people self conscious and want to censor themselves during conversation.

8.  Congratulations on your graduation.  I never thought you'd do it!

Granted it took me over a decade to actually graduate college, there was a slight sting every time I had to hear people's shock and exclamations about how they thought I'd just give up.  If they really wanted to express joy, they could have just stopped at "congratulations"!

9.  It must be nice to have time for that.

Why don't you just say "I'm super jelly that I chose to watch TV instead of doing something that makes me happy" instead?

10.  That's great!  You really have the best luck.

Now, this one is super personal for me.  I don't have luck.  I make my own luck.  I worked hard at my job which is how I got promoted quickly.  I made difficult decisions along the way to ensure that I got the perfect position.  I network so that I have friends in the right places.  I make friends easily, but only remain close to people I trust.  I dedicate my life to raising my kids the right way.  I'm loyal to my husband and work hard to ensure that our fire doesn't die.  I love to travel so I book trips and plan them ahead of time to ensure we have a fabulous time.  I carve out time for myself every month to ensure I don't burn out.  I pursue hobbies while including my family to ensure that we make memories and have adventures.  What I don't do is sit around and wait for Mr. Luck to drive by and give me the life that I want.  Don't ever discredit my accomplishments by giving the credit to chance.  Or do, and I'll just feel bad for you that you're waiting for life to happen.

What innocent comments insult you?

Related Post:  A honest & detailed book review of Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.

Life: Friday Ramblings

We had a really nice...

...New Year's Eve!  We spent it at home, in our pajamas, having some innocent fun as a family.  We played Monopoly Builders, watched different NYE celebrations throughout the world, and drank a whole bottle of wine.  I forgot to get noisemakers, so we went old school and banged pots with spoons which the kids enjoyed way too much.  For the grand finale, we ran outside in our pajamas and bathrobes to watch our neighbor set off a bunch of fireworks in the street.  That's when I realized, we weren't the only ones having a quiet New Year's Eve at home.  Our entire block was!

Everyone around us has...

...COVID19.  Sadly, I know more people with COVID than without at this point.  We seem to be part of the vast minority holding our own so far.  Although, now that the kids are back in school, I expect to get it within the month.  If we do get it, I hope it's the milder strain that seems to be racing through Long Island.

Nanny has been...

...feeling MUCH better.  While she still tires easily and gets out of breath walking down the hallway, the improvement is significant.  She can finally sleep through the night without gasping for air and can do simple tasks like make the bed.  Here's to her continued improvement.

I'm way too sad that...

...the holiday season is over and that Winter recess ended.  After a whole year of planning, it would be nice if the season lasted just a tad bit longer.  The pain was lessened by the fun we had during Winter recess, but that has since ended as well.  We played lots of board games, experimented in the kitchen, found new nature trails to explore, and watched movies until late every single night.  To say that I don't want Winter recess to end is an understatement!  Although, the kids seemed happy to go back to school.  Go figure..

What are your Friday Ramblings?

This past Monday I posted my 2022 Winter bucket list (link).  I have a confession.  Before it posted, I already completed #8.  To be fair, I wrote the list a few weeks in advance and I didn't intend on it happening.  In other words, it wasn't totally cheating.  Let me explain.

Related Post:  Top ten Long Island beaches according to the locals.

Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links to products.  We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Please note that I would only recommend products that I would use myself and all opinions are my own.

Life:  Cupsogue Beach County Park

The kids got Vtech cameras (link) for Christmas this year.  Since COVID, they've been having a blast exploring nature and trying to find different birds.  What they weren't happy about was that Mommy had a camera to capture every moment, but they did not.  Their kiddie cameras changed all that.

Eager than ever to explore, we decided to take them to a place where they're practically guaranteed to have a wildlife encounter.  This is especially true in the colder months when seals are abundant on the bay side of the park.  You can see Harbor Seals, Grey Seals, and Harp Seals.  If you time it right, you can see the seal colonies laying on the shore catching some rays.  If you don't time it right like us, you'll see lots of little seal heads popping up in the water.  While the kid's cameras are super cool, they aren't meant to capture tiny seal heads.

Desperate to get a picture of something they could be proud of, we decided to take a walk down the ocean side of the beach.  We saw a long, rocky inlet, lots of seagulls, and long seagrass swaying in the wind.  Happy with their artsy shots, we were just about ready to go when we spied the bird of the century.  Well, at least it was for us.

We saw the most majestic Snowy Owl perched on top of a long wooden beam facing the sand dunes.  The three of us whipped out our cameras, started snapping a bazillion pictures from a safe distance, and did our best to muzzle our screams.  My husband stood behind us taking pictures of the three of us taking pictures because apparently "we're all nuts".  No comment..

My babies, at the ages of three and eight, took their first bird photo EVER of a freaking SNOWY OWL!  Before hitting double digits, they accomplished something that most birders and photographers can't say they did in a lifetime.  Sorry, proud mama over here!  It's been two weeks since their encounter, and they're still talking about it and showing off their shots.  

As happy as they were, I was ecstatic.  When I put on my Winter Bucket List to find a Snowy Owl, I never in a million years thought that I actually would.  To add to that, I thought that I'd at least have to try to find one.  It's funny how many times things are found when you're not looking for them.

Cupsogue Beach County Park continues to be one of my favorite Long Island beaches, but is easily my #1 one favorite to visit in the Winter!

Do you have a 2022 highlight yet?

Related Post:  Top ten Long Island beaches according to the locals.

List: Ten seasonal and fun Winter activities to do as a family this year.

Today is the first weekday of the new year.  That means that we sadly got through yet another holiday season.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have come and gone so fast that I barely remember living through them.  I know the holidays happened because I'm tired, I just wish there was a pause button for us to cherish those near perfect moments a little bit longer.

Before the entire Winter season blows through our life just as fast, we put together a plan to make the most of it.  Here's our Winter bucket list filled with ten family friendly activities to keep us out of  h i b e r n a t i o n  this season!

Related Post:  Where to go snowtubing in New York with young kids.

2022 Winter Bucket List

1.  Take a trip to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

I'm starting out strong here with a sincere hope that we'll make it to Jim Thorpe, PA this Winter.  Jim Thorpe is a small town in eastern Pennsylvania.  The historic town is best known for being the home of the first railroad in the US.  This town is charming, full of history, and packed with fun museums to explore.  Surprisingly because this all screams "me", this is not why I want to visit.  Jim Thorpe is the home to many birds that are super unique to the US.  As a double bonus, my Uncle lives a whopping 30 minutes away making this little trip totally doable on a whim.

2.  Put together my daughter's mermaid puzzle.

A year ago, we transformed my daughter's bedroom from the Disney Princess theme to the more hip, trendy, and cool mermaid theme.  Part of the transition was to frame a mermaid themed puzzle and hang it on the wall.  Well, baby girl got her perfect puzzle but we never got around to putting it together.  I'm all for a weekend of puzzles and super comfy loungewear!

3.  Transform our home's front entrance.

During a powerful storm, our front door flew open with such force that the frame around the doorway literally broke.  While we still have a door, it constantly gets stuck and can be near impossible to unlock.  This Winter we hope to repair the damaged door frame, improve our home security, and upgrade our home's entrance with a fashionable red door.

4.  Layout our Annual Photo Book (link) for 2022.
As you're probably all sick of hearing about, it's tradition for me to put together a family photobook every year and gift it to my husband for Christmas.  I normally add to the book all year long resulting in a mismatched mess.  This Winter I want to dedicate a day to putting together a layout so I can simply just add pictures as we go.

Fun Fact:  Every year I give back over a week's worth of vacation to my job!  This year, I plan on using it all and am contemplating making #4 into a relaxing day, home alone, with pajamas and a hot mug of chamomile tea.

5.  Go snowtubing down a mountain.

Last year the four of us accompanied our closest friends on a trip upstate to go snowtubing.  You can read all about that here (link).  Partially because we had a blast and partially because the snow gear was too expensive to use only once, we hope to enjoy another weekend sliding down the mountains!  This year, I'd love to spend a day in Margaretville since it really did look like the loveliest town.

6.  Finish some projects in the basement.

We have a HUGE, completely finished basement.  It's literally the size of our entire house, except it's just downstairs.  Mainly because of a hard to control spider cricket problem, we've neglected it the past few years.  It's now become a storage area.  This Winter I'd love to change that!  We bought the paint and flooring a very long time ago.  Now we just need to take the next step and do it!

7.  Hang our travel gallery wall.

Everywhere we travel we buy something to hang on our future gallery wall.  We've accumulated decorative plates, small works of art, tea bag holders, and much more.  All of those items are currently in our basement in a box.  This Winter I'd like to make a gallery wall  out of these items and hang it along the hallway wall in our basement.

8.  Find a snowy owl.

Did you know that Long Island has snowy owls?  No worries, neither did I.  It turns out that Long Island is where many snowy owls fly "south" to in the Winter.  I think finding one would make for a super cool family adventure!  Remember this post (link)?  It's the same place where snowy owls could be found.  I love the idea of going here because even if we don't spot an owl, the kids are pretty much guaranteed to have fun observing the seals from a very safe distance, obviously.

Note:  I hear all sorts of horror stories about people who disturb and torment wildlife just to get a picture to post on social media.  People, be responsible!  It's amazing to see wildlife, but don't do it if you can't control yourself and maintain a VERY safe distance from the animals.  For the love of God, get a super zoom lens and a pair of binoculars so you don't scare the innocent creature.  As a woman with anxiety, the last thing I'd want to do is give that same horrible feeling to a poor owl!  #endrant

9.  Eat in an igloo.

This is the new thing!  I've been begging my hubby to take me to an outdoor dining experience in a personal igloo.  He always shoots me down without even thinking because it is unreasonably expensive.  While I do agree with him, there's a workaround!  If you go during a weeknight and without a reservation, you avoid the hefty fee to secure your igloo.

10.  Ice skate in an outdoor rink.

My husband has never been ice skating and he constantly begs to go!  With the pandemic, we try to do fun and SAFE activities that are outdoors.  Ice skating fits all of that.  After doing some research, it turns out there are some pretty magical outdoor rinks that are local.  Here's to a day in a Winter wonderland not busting my ass on top of ice.

What are your plans for this Winter?

Related Post:  Where to go snowtubing in New York with young kids.

Life: Happy New Year!

R&W will be on another brief holiday for the rest of the week.

We'll be bringing the new year and celebrating the new opportunity it brings with it while trying not to mourn another year gone.  We'll be happy for what we have and recognize how blessed we are to have each other.  Here's to a year filled with health, happiness, success, and PEACE.

Love always, Jaclyn, Carlos, Luciana, Antonio, & Loki

Happy New Year!

 

List: Ten of my favorite moments from 2021.

 It is no secret that I really dislike New Years Eve.   I mean, I complain about it almost every year.  While I try to think of it as a fresh start filled with new opportunity, I can't help but see it as the end of another era that flew by way too fast.  Instead of looking forward and creating meaningless goals, I want to look back and commemorate my favorite moments from 2021 in a post.

Related Post:  Ten festive & fun things to do as a family this holiday season.

My top 10 moments from the year 2021.

1.  Finally visiting Coney Island (link).

After begging for years, my family finally caved and planned a day trip to play tourist in Coney Island with me.  We jammed a little bit of everything into a quick, 8 hour trip.  Everyone had their own personal highlights from walking the boardwalk, visiting the original Nathan's, touring the New York Aquarium (link), being adventurous on thrill rides, and my personal favorite eating homemade gelato from Coney's Cones.

2.  Seeing Plymouth Rock (link).

When taking a road trip through Massachusetts this Summer, I knew we had to take a quick detour to see the famous rock.  After hearing my family whine, complain, and tease me about "looking at rock", I almost gave in and skipped it.  I'm so glad that we didn't because it was one of the highlights of our trip!  The rock is located in a beautiful state park.  The beach was lined with Semipalmated Plovers which was a lifer for me.  The town was ADORABLE.  There was also a bazillion things to do, if only we had the time to do them all.  I hope to one day get back there and explore the area more properly.

Fun Fact:  While visiting Plymouth, MA, we spent sometime at Plimoth Plantation.  Not only was this place a fun, historical, and educational stop to enjoy with the kiddies, but it was also the town in the opening scene of Hocus Pocus.  Without even knowing it, we visited THREE different places from our favorite spooky film.  Picture below.  How's that for a highlight?!

3.  Finding the Yellow Throated Warbler (link).

This was such a memorable moment for me because we spent two weeks trying to find this bird.  After several attempts with several different accomplices, we finally found the yellow throated warbler as a family of four.  The amount of screaming we all did out of pure excitement is something I'll never forget!  Although, I was excited to see the bird and my family was excited to never have to look for it again.

4.  My son catching a foul ball. (link)

My children's birthdays are normally sad days for me.  I mean, who actually likes their kids to get old?  To surprise my son for his third birthday, we took him to a minor league baseball game to see the Long Island Ducks.  He was happy to see his first live baseball game, but was ECSTATIC when a foul ball landed right at his feet.  His smile will be engraved in my brain forever!  For the record, he did try to throw the ball back, but we obviously stopped him.  That ball is now on display in his bedroom!

5.  Going snow tubing (link) for the first time.

There aren't many things that are a "first" for all four of us.  This alone made our snow tubing trip extra special.  We enjoyed the thrill of sliding down the mountains, hanging out with our closest friends in a different environment, and just doing something different!

6.  Walking across the Stone Arch Bridge (link).

This historical bridge dates back to the 1800s.  It's a beautiful footbridge that has serious character, is made with ancient stones, and has been overgrown with grass.  As if that wasn't enough to make this one of my favorite places ever, it's famous for being the location of the first known hex murder!  Ooo spooky!!

7.  Having a petting zoo (link) in our backyard.

We often walk through the trails in the nature preserve down the block from our house.  Doing this, we became friendly with a local family that has their own petting zoo.  After letting us feed their goats, I finally agreed to let them be the highlight of my son's birthday party.  I thought they'd show up with a goat and a pony.  Instead, they showed up with about 20 different animals.  I'll never forget the image of that lady walking a whole herd of different animals into my backyard on leashes!

8.  Drinking celebratory drinks at the East Islip Marina.

I ended my 12 year long college career this year and got my Bachelor's Degree from Empire State College.  To celebrate, my husband took us to the East Islip Marina for a greasy fish dinner and delicious frozen drinks.  While it's not my favorite food, you can't beat the view from the outdoor dining.

9.  Trekking along the Derby Wharf (link).

In Salem, MA, there is a long, thin strip of land that extends all the way into the water.  At the end of the wharf is the historical Derby Wharf Lighthouse.  While the small lighthouse wasn't the most spectacular thing ever, the walk towards it was so much fun!  Police boats honked at us making my son squeal.  My daughter pretended she was a witch walking on water and my husband joined in on that game.  Meanwhile, I was in awe as the sunset over the lighthouse as the shorebirds were all flying home.

10.  Discovering a Sasquatch Structure (link).

As I've mentioned here before, The Viking loves a good Sasquatch story.  In many of those stories, structures are mentioned.  Apparently these structures are used as a form of communication, possibly as a way to note territory boundaries.  Fact or fiction, you can imagine the fun we had stumbling upon a "real" Sasquatch structure on his property upstate!

What's your favorite moment from 2021?

Related Post:  Ten festive & fun things to do as a family this holiday season.

Life: Merry Christmas

 

R&W will be on a Christmas holiday for the rest of the week.

In the interim, I leave you all with warm wishes for a joyful and festive holiday!  May it be filled with happiness, laughter, love, and a little sprinkle of Christmas magic.

Love always, Jaclyn, Carlos, Luciana, Antonio, & Loki

Merry Christmas!