Family Dinner

There is nothing like a family dinner. I love the hugs when you walk in the door. I love multiple conversation happening at once. I love catching up. I love watching my daughter interact with the people who love her so much. I love a full dining room table. I love laughing until my cheeks hurt. I love introducing my husband to new faces. I love meeting the people that my siblings love. I love that my family is expanding. I love passing plates, opening another bottle of wine because we don't have to work tomorro. I love letting Pip stay up past her bedtime justthisonce.... I love that Toby is teaching her about tractors. I love that Pip confuses my face with my sisters'. I love that she gave out kisses and hugs with abandon. I am very very thankful for family. 

Friendsgiving 2012

Tonight we celebrate the birthday of one of my sweetest friends. Kristin is the kind of person everyone needs to have in their life. She is kind, thoughtful, funny, brilliant, and prayerful. She was one of my first Florida friends and even when our time in Florida is a distant memory I am sure we will still be great friends. She is just that awesome! 

 Rachel turned her house into a Pottery Barn catalogue. Lots of twinkling lights, lanterns, hurricanes, and handmade quilts. Everyone made their thanksgiving favorites and we toasted glasses of apple sangria under the stars.

It's nights like this where I reflect on how lucky I am. A belly full of thanksgiving favorites, a glass of wine, conversations that make you belly laugh, sweet little girls who hold hands and run around the yard and exquisite friends!

Happy Birthday Mr. R.!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful, loving, brilliant, funny, and amazing husband!

He turns the BIG 29 today! 

I have plans to celebrate him with birthday french toast followed by fun presents.

A few things that I love about Mr. R...

1. He can always make me laugh.

2. He is incredibly patient.

3. He tells corny dad jokes.

4. He loves comic books and super heroes. (And loves that I like them too!)

5. He is a scrabble master.

6. He researches EVERYTHING, but never worries about the decisions once they are made.

7. He loves our pups.

8. He is so excited to be a dad.

9. He grades papers with me at night.

10. He reads to me in bed.

11. He works incredibly hard to provide for our little family.

12. He backs me up and supports my goals, dreams, and desires.

13. He caught the travel bug and even though he hates to fly we have been to 4 countries and 9 states together. 

14. He gives the most amazing hugs.

15. He looks awesome in a suit.

16. He watches girlie movies willingly.

 17. He is a master at figuring out IKEA instructions.

18. He naps with me on lazy Sundays.

19. He thinks breakfast is the best meal of the day.

20. He loves me for me. 

 Happy Birthday Husband! 

I hope your 29th year is your BEST year yet!

Video from my longest distance baby shower!

I love love love the sweet messages from our family and friends.

I can't wait to see them and introduce them to Miss Piper!

And isn't that diaper cake amazing?!?

Let Freedom Ring!

Yesterday, at one o'clock, I waved good bye to my students for 10 days of glorious glorious spring break!

I was smiling from EAR to EAR as the final bell rang and my crazy 7th graders barreled out of my door towards the buses.

I got a text from Kristin stating that Spring Break celebrating would begin @ 5PM at Acapulco downtown. My counterparts celebrated with margaritas and $1 drafts. Mr. R. and I shared nachos.

We watched the sunset. We discussed body builders. I saw a music video where flowers and farting butterflies made sense. I laughed so hard that Piper kicked me in the ribs.

Viva Spring Break!

Fantastic Birthday!

One of the reasons I love my birthday is that I get to spend my day with amazing people!

Tonight's Celebrating Included:

Birthday Dinner

Big Salad and Onion Rings

Awesome Friends

And the Hyppo (for amazing popsicles)

When we moved to Florida and I took a new job God blessed Jeff and I with an amazing group of friends.

Kristin kept me sane my first year teaching, laughed with me during Marine Science, and helps me plan fun parties.

Danielle teaches with me daily, puts up with my craziness, and has laughed and cried with me through this pregnancy.

The Capps met Jeff and I through the Republicans. They are always up for one of our Republican adventures. And they have the most AMAZING halloween costumes :)

Betsy is the newest member of our little group and I love that she fits so perfectly and I feel I have known her for years.

Heather teaches with me and was my lunch counterpart all last year. She is hysterical and I wish I had her sweet dance moves.

These girls with the addition of Rachel (we missed you!) and Annie went ALL out for my birthday and I am so taken a back by their generosity and thoughtfulness. Seriously, how did I get such awesome friends?

I pity the fool who tries to come between me and my friends :)

(Photo from Danielle's Birthday. Photo credit: Heather)

Today is one month to my 29th birthday!

My last birthday in my 20s.

My last birthday as just Hilary & Jeff.

My last birthday before Pippa's debut.

So in celebration of my 29th I put together a little wish list.

1. Jo Tote camera bag/purse/diaper bag in yellow.

2. 1.8 50mm fixed lens

3. Kate Bower's wide angle lens. (And did I mention it's only $8.00?)

We go together like Bill Cosby and Pudding pops.

So I lied...

This morning when I wrote my V-day post I had every intention to spend my day teaching, running, cooking dinner, and then enjoy a very mellow evening home.

And then I called Mr. R. on my drive home from school.

He said he had a date planned.

1. A walk (with the dogs) to get in our much needed two miles.

2. A movie:

The new Adam Sandler flick

3. Dinner: A gyro from Papa's Grille.

(Hands down the best gyro place ever, this side of Santorini).

*** On the way home from the movie Mr. R and I were discussing Adam Sandler's movies and it turns out we have seen all of his movies together. He was the reason I first watched Billy Madison. (I wanted to be in on his inside jokes) and he took me to see Mr. Deeds, 50 First Dates, 8 Crazy Nights, and Spanglish. We rented DVDs for Click, Bedtime Stories, Chuck & Larry, Big Daddy, and Anger Management.

It turns out that on our 1st date I mentioned that I loved Adam Sandler. (I may or may not have had the whole talking goat bit memorized. And could quote it by heart.) Mr. R. took my proclaim to heart and decided that I would never turn him down for a date if he suggested watching an Adam Sandler movie. (I told you he was a slick one). And it totally worked.

Happy 7th Valentine's Day Together Babe!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We have had our fair share of celebrating these last 14 days.

We ate at new restaurants, had running dates at the gym, spent evenings among new books at Barnes, shopped at the town center, indulged on cheesecake, mellowed out with DVR, and slept a way a two Sunday afternoons.

Mr. R and I have never been huge on Valentine's presents and after studying our love languages we really found other ways to show affection and how much we really do care.

Today is shaping up to be a normal teaching day with a lab thrown in and for tonight, a run, a homemade dinner, and hopefully some unplugged quality time.

We did however get the pups a couple of V-day presents in the form of doggie Oreos! THEY LOVE THEM!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Birthday Roy!

and... GO PACKERS!

Mr. R. is actually a cowboys fan and I am indifferent, but we both agree Ben Rothlessberger is gross so we are anti-steelers. Sorry Polamalu, we love you just not your team.

Jen (Roy's super sweet wife) through a birthday/Superbowl party for Roy this year.

He turned the big 2-8 on Wednesday!

We ate hamburgers, wings, chips, dip, and our fair share of all things fried and topped with cheese. The Alaimo's know how to feed a crowd!

And of course we had cake!

Happy Birthday Roy!

Hope this coming year is as good as Hienz Ward's stats.

Happy World Nutella Day!

Yesterday, February 5th, was World Nutella Day!

I missed the memo, but like any holiday, I am always up to celebrate.

Even if I am a little late to the party.

My contribution : Jenna's Nutella Hot Chocolate

In a sauce pan add two cups of milk & two tablespoons of nutella.

Heat the milk and nuetella over medium/high heat and whisk to combine.

Pour into your favorite mug.

(This recipe serves two.)

And serve with your favorite cookies.

(We had a few english shortbread biscuits just begging to be eaten!)

Mr. R and I shared this hot chocolate post run.

We ran three miles and Mr. R. beat me by 3 minutes.

He saves all his energy for the end and then smokes me.

He's a sneaky one, I tell you.